moment, she almost felt sympathy for him. It appeared he was no less subject to the Duke’s whims than she was to her uncle’s.
He looked up suddenly, catching the compassionate expression on her face. He smiled wistfully at her. “We shouldn’t want to disappoint Grandfather.”
“Excellent!” Jediah chortled, “We’ve arranged for the ceremony to take place this coming Saturday.”
“Saturday?” Ginny was horrified. Saturday was only five days away. “Could we not delay the ceremony for a while?”
Tyler raised an eyebrow. It appeared he had caged her agreement but had left the impression that the door remained slightly ajar. He was not about to let her get the idea she could still fly off. He needed this to come together and quickly. “I don’t see any reason to delay the ceremony.”
“Of course not.” Jediah leveled a stern look at his niece. “Wouldn’t do to insult his lordship now, would it, my dear.”
Before Ginny could respond Tyler slammed her options shut. “I will, of course, escort my bride to Islemoor Hall on Saturday. Personally.”
Ginny gave him a shocked look. Did he think she would back out? Fly from the coop? “I assure you that won’t be necessary, my lord.”
He stared her down with a rather frightening sense of knowledge. “Oh, I think it will be,” he drawled.
That tone brooked no argument. Ginny bristled.
She could never tolerate anyone presuming authority over her. A terrible trait in a lady, she supposed, but there it was. He would learn soon enough.
“Whatever his lordship wishes, my dear.” Jediah quickly motioned to a servant to refill Lord Devon’s wineglass.
Taking a sip of the wine, Tyler locked eyes with Ginny over the rim of the goblet. “I wonder if I might call on your niece on Wednesday, Moore.”
It was not a question, and Jediah– conscious of his station– knew it.
“By all means, Lord Devon. After all, she is to be your wife.”
Tyler nodded. “Then I will see you Wednesday, my lady. We shall enjoy a picnic in the country and get better acquainted.”
Ginny fumed. He could have asked her. She would have refused, but he could have asked. What on earth was the man playing at with this heavy-handed routine? Barking out orders as if–
Suddenly Ginny realized what he was about.
It wouldn’t do to make Uncle Jediah suspicious by being too friendly with her. Why, if the Toad even suspected something he would call the marriage off–
undoubtedly the very reason Tyler agreed to the quick ceremony on Saturday. He was not going to give her uncle the chance to back out.
Very sharp of you, Lord Devon.
Ginny winked broadly at him, letting him know she understood his game.
She missed the gentle, sly curve of the rogue’s lips as he sipped his wine.
* * *
“No, Ginny, say it isn’t true!”
Two identically bewigged heads huddled together inside the Henry coach. Ginny, dressed as Reggie, put a consoling hand on her cousin’s arm.
“I’m afraid it is, Henley. Uncle forced it on me.
There is naught I can do.”
“But Lord Devon!” He squealed.
“I know, I know.”
Ginny fully commiserated with Henley’s outrage.
Hadn’t she felt exactly the same until she had met the man? Not that she felt any different now, she quickly told herself. It was just that it had been concluded far better than she could have ever hoped for.
“Oh, when I think of you marrying that rakehell I could just die.”
Ginny continued to pat her cousin’s arm in understanding.
“I’ll be fine, I assure you. Don’t worry about me, Henley.”
Henley looked at her as if she had just come off the moon. “You? Who’s talking about you? I’m thinking of that poor, gorgeous man forced into marriage. The waste of it all!”
Ginny’s brows lowered ominously. She snatched her hand from his sleeve. “Lord Henry, you are odious! How could you even think of siding with that bounder?”
Henley sighed. “Forgive me, dearheart. I momentarily became
He looked up suddenly, catching the compassionate expression on her face. He smiled wistfully at her. “We shouldn’t want to disappoint Grandfather.”
“Excellent!” Jediah chortled, “We’ve arranged for the ceremony to take place this coming Saturday.”
“Saturday?” Ginny was horrified. Saturday was only five days away. “Could we not delay the ceremony for a while?”
Tyler raised an eyebrow. It appeared he had caged her agreement but had left the impression that the door remained slightly ajar. He was not about to let her get the idea she could still fly off. He needed this to come together and quickly. “I don’t see any reason to delay the ceremony.”
“Of course not.” Jediah leveled a stern look at his niece. “Wouldn’t do to insult his lordship now, would it, my dear.”
Before Ginny could respond Tyler slammed her options shut. “I will, of course, escort my bride to Islemoor Hall on Saturday. Personally.”
Ginny gave him a shocked look. Did he think she would back out? Fly from the coop? “I assure you that won’t be necessary, my lord.”
He stared her down with a rather frightening sense of knowledge. “Oh, I think it will be,” he drawled.
That tone brooked no argument. Ginny bristled.
She could never tolerate anyone presuming authority over her. A terrible trait in a lady, she supposed, but there it was. He would learn soon enough.
“Whatever his lordship wishes, my dear.” Jediah quickly motioned to a servant to refill Lord Devon’s wineglass.
Taking a sip of the wine, Tyler locked eyes with Ginny over the rim of the goblet. “I wonder if I might call on your niece on Wednesday, Moore.”
It was not a question, and Jediah– conscious of his station– knew it.
“By all means, Lord Devon. After all, she is to be your wife.”
Tyler nodded. “Then I will see you Wednesday, my lady. We shall enjoy a picnic in the country and get better acquainted.”
Ginny fumed. He could have asked her. She would have refused, but he could have asked. What on earth was the man playing at with this heavy-handed routine? Barking out orders as if–
Suddenly Ginny realized what he was about.
It wouldn’t do to make Uncle Jediah suspicious by being too friendly with her. Why, if the Toad even suspected something he would call the marriage off–
undoubtedly the very reason Tyler agreed to the quick ceremony on Saturday. He was not going to give her uncle the chance to back out.
Very sharp of you, Lord Devon.
Ginny winked broadly at him, letting him know she understood his game.
She missed the gentle, sly curve of the rogue’s lips as he sipped his wine.
* * *
“No, Ginny, say it isn’t true!”
Two identically bewigged heads huddled together inside the Henry coach. Ginny, dressed as Reggie, put a consoling hand on her cousin’s arm.
“I’m afraid it is, Henley. Uncle forced it on me.
There is naught I can do.”
“But Lord Devon!” He squealed.
“I know, I know.”
Ginny fully commiserated with Henley’s outrage.
Hadn’t she felt exactly the same until she had met the man? Not that she felt any different now, she quickly told herself. It was just that it had been concluded far better than she could have ever hoped for.
“Oh, when I think of you marrying that rakehell I could just die.”
Ginny continued to pat her cousin’s arm in understanding.
“I’ll be fine, I assure you. Don’t worry about me, Henley.”
Henley looked at her as if she had just come off the moon. “You? Who’s talking about you? I’m thinking of that poor, gorgeous man forced into marriage. The waste of it all!”
Ginny’s brows lowered ominously. She snatched her hand from his sleeve. “Lord Henry, you are odious! How could you even think of siding with that bounder?”
Henley sighed. “Forgive me, dearheart. I momentarily became
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