16
When Lisette first woke up, she was confused as to exactly where she was. The presence of a green silk canopy above her head reassured her that she was in her own bed, and Emily was sleeping beside her. For a moment, she had imagined that she was still being held in Lord Swanfield’s strong arms. Lisette hid a smile behind her hand. She hoped she hadn’t done anything untoward to her half sister during the night.
Her door opened and Molly, her maid, appeared, face flushed with excitement as she tiptoed toward the bed.
“It’s all right. I’m awake, Molly.”
“Good morning, miss. I’ve already ordered your bath. It’s very late.”
“Really?”
“About eleven, miss.”
Lisette subsided back onto the pillows. “That is late. I was tired after my travels.”
“I’m sure, and her ladyship said to let you sleep as long as you wanted.”
Lisette sat up again properly. “My mother is here?”
“Oh yes, indeed she is. And Mr. Delornay as well.”
Lisette digested that information as Emily slept on and Molly bustled around the room bringing clothes out of the wardrobe and chests. Either they’d all arrived to see if she was well or they’d called to see Emily. She hoped it was Emily.
“Did Lord Swanfield leave?”
“Oh yes, miss, and what a lovely man he is, too.”
“I wouldn’t exactly call him lovely,” Lisette muttered as she swung her feet over the side of the bed and headed for her dressing room, where she could hear the sound of the bath being filled. Molly’s reply was drowned out as the door swung shut behind her. At last she could wash her hair and feel a bit more the thing.
As she inhaled the rose-scented bathwater, she remembered that the bath she’d taken at the inn had been similarly perfumed. Had Lord Swanfield arranged that? It seemed far too romantic a gesture for him to make, but it was unlikely that the inn would’ve offered such an expensive scent.
She bathed and Molly helped her with her hair, rinsing the dirt and dust of the road away until Lisette felt much better. When she returned to her bedroom, Emily had gone and the bed had been made. She sat down at her dressing table and looked for her silver-backed brushes. Molly picked one up and began the long process of untangling and drying Lisette’s hair.
While Molly brushed and chatted, Lisette thought about the brushes she’d found waiting for her at the inn. She could almost imagine they’d been the same as hers…. Her head jerked as Molly encountered a tangle. Yet another example of Lord Swanfield’s care for her? If he’d planned to go all the way to Scotland, she imagined he would have to provide her with some of the basic comforts.
Molly left Lisette drying her hair in front of the fire and laid out her clothes on the bed. Lisette’s attention was caught by the elaborate stitching on the white corset.
Molly flushed. “Lady Knowles told me to put these particular clothes out for you, miss.”
Lisette walked over to the bed and studied the corset, the gossamer-thin petticoats, and the new dress, which was pale green silver lamé edged with fine blond lace over a green satin slip.
“It’s very beautiful, but I don’t remember ordering it.”
“I believe it might be a gift, miss.”
Lisette stroked the fine fabric. “Someone has been very generous. I can’t wait to wear it, although it looks a little fine to be going down to a family luncheon in.”
“You’ll look lovely in it.” Molly picked up the corset and advanced on Lisette. “Now put on your shift and I’ll lace you into everything.”
By the time Molly had finished with her hair, Lisette felt as if she should be attending court rather than simply meeting her mother and father. She tried to voice her objections, but Molly wouldn’t listen and positively bullied her out of the room and down the stairs.
To Lisette’s surprise, Emily was waiting for her in the hallway, wearing her cloak and an expectant expression. “Oh, there you are at last, Lisette! I was beginning to wonder if I was going to have to come and get you.”
“For what?” Lisette allowed Emily to take her hand and lead her toward the front door where a carriage bearing her father’s coat of arms stood waiting for them before she balked. “Where are we going?”
Emily gave her a brilliant smile. “To find everyone else. Come on.”
Still befuddled and now deeply suspicious, Lisette got into the carriage. Was her father about to engage Lord Swanfield in a duel in public or was something else wrong?
“What is going on, Emily?”
“And will I like what I see?”
Emily looked positively shocked. “Of course you will.”
Lisette sighed and settled back against the seat. She suspected that if she continued to ask questions, Emily would eventually give her the answers, but perhaps for once she would simply wait and see. For all she knew, it might have nothing to do with her at all and be all for Emily’s benefit.
When the carriage drew to a stop, she waited for the door to open and was surprised to find herself being handed down by her father, who looked very smart in his best brown coat.
“Good morning, my dear.” He took her hand, helped Emily down, and then marched Lisette forward into the gloom of a series of stone archways and up to a small oak door set deep into the wall. “Emily?”
“Yes, Papa?”
“Do you have your sister’s flowers?”
Emily handed Lisette a small posy of pale pink roses tied with a darker pink ribbon. Lisette frowned at the door and inhaled the strange odor of musty stone, damp wood, and incense. “Why are we at a church?”
“So that you can marry Lord Swanfield, of course, silly,” Emily said cheerfully.
“Today? Now?” Lisette stared at her father. “But …”
He held onto her hand and turned her to face him. “If Swan-field has forced this decision upon you, tell me now, and I’ll never allow him to become your husband. Or, if you no longer wish to marry him, I’ll happily take you home with me.”
Lisette pointed a shaking finger at the door. “Are you saying that Lord Swanfield is waiting for me in there?”
“Yes, he is.”
“But how could he have arranged this so quickly?”
“You’ll have to ask him that.” Philip smiled encouragingly at her. “Well, what’s it to be?”
Lisette stared at the forbidding oak door. In some ways, she wasn’t surprised at all by Lord Swanfield’s ability to surprise her and attempt to sweep her off her feet. But was it too fast and too controlling of him? Did she really want to start her married life like this?
“I want to talk to him.”
“To Swanfield?” Her father looked startled. “Now?”
She raised her chin. “Yes.”
“Why? I thought you’d already decided to marry him.”
“I have, but this …” She waved her posy of roses in the direction of the chapel. “It seems a little fast.” She gazed at her father. “Do you want me to marry him?”
His smile was sweet. “I want you to be happy, love. Does he make you happy?”
“He makes me feel alive.”
“And if you walk away now, do you think you would live to regret it?” He shrugged. “When I walked away from your mother I regretted it for every moment of my life, until I saw her again, and realized I had the chance to make things right between us.”
Lisette slowly let out her breath, which condensed in the frigid air. She tried to imagine her life without the interesting presence of Gabriel Swanfield in it and found it surprisingly difficult. He’d become as necessary to her as breathing. He’d brought her home the instant she’d asked him to, and agreed to be married in front of her family. Was she prepared to take the risk and marry him?
She nodded at her father. “I’m going to marry him.”
“You’re sure, now?”
“Yes.” Lisette smiled up at him and rested her right hand on the sleeve of his coat. “Let’s go in.”
Gabriel set his jaw as his teeth tried to chatter in the coldness of the damp chapel. How many hours had he been here? He couldn’t even check the time without looking as if he was worried that his bride wouldn’t arrive. And he was worried. He never quite knew how Lisette would react to his bold decision making.
Paul St. Clare nudged him and whispered. “Stop fidgeting.”
“I’m not, I’m just freezing to death. Do you think she’s here yet?”
Paul looked at him. “Why do you sound so unsure?”
“Because …” Behind them, the arched oak door creaked open and a blast of even more freezing air, spiced with the scent of roses, hurtled up the aisle. Gabriel stiffened and stared straight ahead at the clergyman who had magically appeared at the altar.
“She’s here,” Paul whispered.
Gabriel still didn’t turn his head. He felt like one of the mortals in the fairy tales his mother had told him as a child who would forever forfeit his faerie prey if he dared to look back.
The vicar raised his hands and smiled as Lisette drew up alongside Gabriel on the arm of her father. Gabriel glanced down at her then, but she was staring at the vicar. The moment when Lord Knowles passed Lisette’s hand over to him was so affecting that he wanted to pull her tightly into his arms and never let go.
The ceremony continued and he realized that he couldn’t stop trembling, that the words were a blur, and that the only reality was the woman standing next to him. As the vicar bound them together for life, he vowed that he would keep her safe, even kill for her, be killed if it meant she stayed with him.
And then it was done and she was his. He bent his head and kissed her cold lips, saw the warmth in her eyes and managed to smile. No doubt she would have a few choice words for him when she realized quite how complex his plans to ensnare her had been, but he’d survive. In truth, he had no other choice.
* * *
Lisette allowed her family to surround her. Helene was weeping beautifully and even Christian’s smile was less guarded than usual. Marguerite and her fiancé, Lord Anthony Sokorv-sky, was also there, offering their felicitations and joking about the suddenness of her wedding compared to the long, drawn-out saga of their own.
She glanced across at Gabriel and realized he had no family around him, only his two friends, Paul St. Clare and Captain David Gray. She moved across and touched his arm. “Have you met my other half sister, Lady Justin Lockwood, the soon to be Lady Anthony Sokorvsky?”
Her older sister laughed. “As Lord Swanfield has just become part of our family, he might just prefer to call me Marguerite.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed Gabriel on the cheek. “Welcome, sir.”
Lisette watched as Anthony offered his hand to Gabriel and spoke a few kind words. This was better, seeing Gabriel being accepted into her family, who, despite their annoying ways, brought charm and their unique warmth to any occasion. She glanced down at the gold ring on her finger and studied it. It fitted perfectly. How on earth had Gabriel known so much about her? Her gaze settled on her mother, who was busy clapping her hands and inviting everyone back to Knowles House for the wedding breakfast. They were having a wedding breakfast?
Lisette allowed Gabriel to take her hand and lead her into the first of the carriages. Christian and Emily climbed in with them, so there was no opportunity for her to question anyone, or, indeed, to be able to speak at all because of Emily’s chattering.
When they reached the house, in the bustle of removing cloaks and bonnets, Lisette managed to avoid Gabriel and find her mother.
“Maman, may I ask you something?”
“What is it, cherie?” her mother asked distractedly. “Surely you are not worried about your wedding night?” She patted Lisette’s hand. “I’m sure it will be wonderful.”
Lisette managed a smile. “Thank you, Maman, I’m sure it will, but I wanted to ask you about something else. Did you know that Gabriel was planning to marry me today?”
Helene sighed. “I knew you’d notice. I told them, but would they listen to me?”
Someone called her mother’s name from the doorway, and Helene started moving away. “Ask your father, darling. I have to consult with the staff about the food.”
Lisette took the glass of white wine offered to her by a smiling footman and set off again to find her father. He was standing by the fireplace with Christian and Gabriel, which suited her perfectly. As she approached she delicately cleared her throat to make sure she had everyone’s attention.
“Did you know that Gabriel intended to marry me today?”
Her father tried to look apologetic. “Well, yes, my dear, otherwise how would he have organized it all while he was busy with you?”
“Busy abducting me, you mean? Did you tell him to do that, too?”
“Of course not.” Philip looked insulted. “I didn’t know his intentions until you returned.”
“Lisette,” Gabriel broke into the conversation. “That was my idea. Please don’t blame your father. He simply helped organize the arrangements, the marriage license, the vicar, the church.”
“That was kind of him.” Lisette looked steadily at her father. “So everything you said to me earlier about making up my own mind was a lie. You’d already decided I should marry Lord Swanfield.”
“That’s not true. I was merely trying to make sure that if you did want to marry him, there would be no barriers to prevent it from happening quickly.”
“Because you wanted me out of the way.” Lisette bit down on her lip.
“What on earth is that supposed to mean?” Lord Knowles asked, his voice rising, his expression incredulous.
Gabriel took her hand. “Please excuse us, Lord Knowles. Lisette, come with me.”
She allowed him to walk her out of the main drawing room and down the hall to a small parlor meant for the lady of the house, which her mother never used. He shut the door and walked over to the fireplace, his expression neutral and his arms folded over his chest
“If you want to blame someone, blame me. I asked for your father’s help because I wanted to make sure he knew I meant what I said. I was trying to ensure that I married you in front of your family as you requested.”
Lisette swallowed hard. “He’s probably just glad I’m off his hands, and he can focus on Emily without worrying that I’ll ruin her debut with my notorious reputation.”
Gabriel took her into his arms and held her close. “Ah, no, love. It’s not like that at all. The man loves you dearly.”
She turned her face into his chest and let him hold her, aware of his strength and warmth surrounding her. After a while she raised her head to look up at him. “You put rose-scented oil in my bath.”
He looked distinctly uncomfortable. “You always smell like roses.”
“Did you ask my mother to pack my belongings?”
“No, I didn’t ask your mother. Why would you think that?”
“Because I’m almost certain those were my hairbrushes at the inn as well.” She eased out of his arms. “And if they were my things, then someone from my family knew you planned to elope with me all along.”
She ignored him as she began pacing the small room. “Then if it wasn’t my mother, and my father insists he only helped with the wedding part of it, who helped you?” She stopped moving and stared at him. “You asked Christian?”
Gabriel held out his hand. “Not quite, he …” But she was already half out of the door and intent on finding her twin. He was drinking champagne and joking with Emily by the window. His expression cooled when he saw her marching toward him and he moved away from Emily to intercept her head-on.
“What can I do for you, sister mine?”
“Why did you help Gabriel abduct me?”
“Because it seemed like the right thing to do.”
“To meddle in my life?”
“Perhaps, but only because I wanted you to make up your mind and decide what you really wanted.”
“So you concocted this plan with Gabriel and pretended to come and save me.” Lisette was aware that everyone around them was listening to her conversation with her brother, but for once she didn’t care what they thought.
“No, I merely offered my services to your new husband to make sure he truly wanted you.”
Gabriel’s light touch on Lisette’s shoulder made her jump. “I went to the pleasure house to ask for your mother’s help. I met Delornay instead and he agreed to help me. I was determined to marry you, but I also wanted you to make a choice. When you chose to stay with me at the inn rather than return with Christian, I was delighted.”
Lisette ignored Gabriel’s interruption and glared at Christian. “Do you not understand that by allying yourself with Lord Swanfield you betrayed me? Do you all believe that I am incapable of making my own decisions?” She let her gaze swing around the assembled guests until she found her parents. “I always thought we were loyal to each other, but I was obviously wrong.” She looked up at Gabriel. “Will you take me home?”
“Of course. I’ll get your cloak.”
She walked out after him, ignoring her mother’s plea for her to wait and her father’s hasty step toward her. When Gabriel handed her into his coach, she stared out of the small window until the view became obscured by her own tears. She felt manipulated, and although Gabriel had been part of that, she almost expected it from him, had known he’d try anything to keep her. But her family’s connivance? That hurt far more than she could’ve imagined. The sense of always being left out, of not being judged worthy, flooded through her and escaped in her tears.
A large clean handkerchief appeared under her nose and she took it gratefully without saying a thing. She’d survive this, she’d survive anything, and if Gabriel Swanfield thought she’d allied herself with him, he had better beware. She still had a few questions to ask him. At the moment, luckily for him, he was simply the lesser of two evils.