Page 10 of A Rogue at Stonecliffe

“Mmm-hmm.” Nathan kept his lips firmly shut.

“Indeed,” Mr. Feringham agreed, a twinkle in his eye. “I have often noticed that cats haven’t the slightest notion of polite behavior.”

Lady Lockwood turned her gimlet gaze on him. “Don’t think I don’t know you’re making a jest of the matter. You ought to be fetching your carriage. I’m too old to be standing about.”

“Yes, my lady, there it is now.” Feringham offered his arm to her.

“Come along, you two,” Lady Lockwood commanded, and handed Annabeth her reticule. “I must have a free hand for my cane.”

They started down the steps of the church to Mr. Feringham’s elegant carriage. All the way down, Annabeth continued to cast little glances at the street around them. But Sloane was nowhere to be seen. Obviously he was still eager to avoid her.

It was the usual production to get Lady Lockwood into the carriage and comfortably settled. At least they didn’t have the dog and her grandmother’s bag of “necessities” to manage this time. In the interest of fashion, Lady Lockwood had left most of her nostrums and remedies behind, carrying in her reticule only her hartshorn—in case she might faint for the first time in her life—and her lorgnette—after all, one never knew when one might have to put down some upstart’s pretension with a long look through the eyeglasses.

Once Lady Lockwood was settled, Nathan held out his hand to Annabeth. Annabeth took one last look around, even though she knew Sloane was gone, then took Nathan’s hand and climbed into the carriage.

LADY DREWSBURY HAD bemoaned the short time she had had to arrange the wedding celebration at the Rutherford town house, but Annabeth could not see that it lacked anything. Flowers wound up through the posts of the staircase banister as far as one could see, and stood in large vases in the entry hall, where Noelle and Carlisle received their guests. The spacious assembly room at the rear of the house, which was rarely used, had been opened up and the furniture removed to turn it into a small ballroom. It was also lavishly decorated with greenery, ribbons, and great masses of flowers—how had Lady Drewsbury and Noelle managed to find so many flowers at this time of year?

“Mother,” Lady Drewsbury greeted Lady Lockwood, with a stiff smile and a little wariness in her eyes. She knew better than to compliment her mother on her health, as Nathan had done earlier. “There are chairs all around the ballroom, so you’ll be able to sit. Nathan, dear, why don’t you show Lady Lockwood to the assembly room?”

“Humph.” Lady Lockwood gave her daughter a withering look. “I know where the assembly room is, Adeline. I’m not in my dotage yet. And I have been sitting for the past hour.”

“Well, yes, of course, I didn’t...um...” Lady Drewsbury stumbled to a stop as Lady Lockwood moved on. With a little sigh of relief, she turned to Annabeth. “Annabeth, my love. And Nathan. Wasn’t the ceremony lovely?”

“Hello, Aunt Adeline. Yes, it was very lovely.”

Annabeth would never admit it to her own mother—who was clearly jealous of her sister’s disposition that earned her friends everywhere she went—but Adeline had long been Annabeth’s favorite relative. Indeed, she was a favorite of nearly everyone, as she was sweet-tempered and generous.

Her son, Adam, had been married to Noelle, and after Adam’s tragic death, Noelle and their son, Gil, had come to live at the Rutherford estate, Stonecliffe, with Lady Drewsbury. Her grandson was the light of Adeline’s life, and she was delighted that Noelle and Carlisle had decided to continue to live at Stonecliffe after their marriage.

“You and Nathan looked perfect up at the altar, too,” Adeline went on, with a dimpling smile. “It won’t be long until the two of you are there saying your vows. Have you settled on a date yet?”

“No. Grandmother is quite set on keeping our engagement a secret for a time. You know, to let all the stir about this wedding settle first.”

“She’s hoping Annabeth will see the folly of marrying me and call it off,” Nathan explained.

“No, it’s...” Annabeth looked at Nathan, his eyebrow cocked in disbelief, and gave up. “Yes, that is it exactly.”

“But, darling, you are so perfect for each other,” Adeline said.

“Apparently my mortgaged estate is not perfect enough,” Nathan said dryly.

“Oh. Money.” Her aunt shrugged off that annoying matter. “Love is what matters. And you mustn’t let Mother rule your lives.” She chuckled at the expression on their faces. “Yes, yes, I know, I’m giving you advice I don’t follow myself. But you are stronger than I am. And you have your whole life in front of you.”

“It won’t do any harm to indulge her for a month or two,” Annabeth said. “After a while she’s bound to realize that I won’t change my mind. And if she does not, well, we’ll just go ahead without her blessing. But you know if we do, she will resent Nathan the rest of her days.”

“Not that she’s exactly fond of me now,” Nathan put in with his easygoing smile.

“Oh, no, she quite likes you, dear,” Adeline assured him.

“I’d hate to see her with someone she dislikes,” Nathan replied. He shrugged. “I know how difficult it will be for Annabeth, living with Lady Lockwood. I’ve waited for years. I can manage to wait a bit longer.”

They moved on to congratulate Noelle and Carlisle. Noelle’s face was alight with happiness, and Carlisle looked smug, as if he’d managed to snare a prize before everyone else. As well he might. Noelle was a true beauty, with large blue eyes, golden hair, and skin like a rose petal. But she was also intelligent and resourceful—she had, after all, managed to elude Carlisle, perhaps the most persistent man Annabeth knew, for five years.

Lady Lockwood, having finished with her greetings to the newlyweds, turned to Nathan and gestured imperiously. He let out a groan under his breath and muttered, “I thought she didn’t need my help. And where’s Feringham slipped off to?”

Annabeth suppressed a smile. “He’s had more practice at escorting Grandmother than you.”

Nathan, of course, went forward to give Annabeth’s grandmother his arm, and they moved at a majestic pace to the ballroom. Annabeth followed more slowly, pausing here and there to talk with an acquaintance. She reached the hall leading to the ballroom and stopped.