A Ravishing Redhead (10 page)

“Oh my goodness!” she gasped.

“Grace, what in the world are you doing?” Josephine cried. Marching forward she went to snatch the reins out of Lord Melbourne’s hand, but he swept them behind his back before she could grab them, his expression formidable.

“I am quite all right,” Grace chirped, unfazed by her friend’s strong reactions. “Stephen was simply teaching me how to ride on Poppy. Isn’t she marvelous? And so sweet tempered. Why, I hardly feel at all like I am going to fall.”

“Get down this minute,” Josephine demanded.

“You look lovely dear, but the toast is about to begin and you have missed the ceremony,” said Catherine gently.

“Oh rats,” Grace exclaimed. “It seems like I just got on. Was the wedding beautiful?”

“Quite beautiful,” said Catherine.

“Did you cry?”

“No, I did not cry. Best to hurry, dear. Everyone will be waiting for us.”

Without a thought to her own safety, Grace swung her right leg over Poppy’s ample backside and launched herself towards the ground. Catherine shrieked. Josephine darted forward with her arms spread wide, intending to catch her friend, but she was knocked aside as Stephen – Lord Melbourne – leapt forward and caught his fiancée before she could fall.

He held her briefly against his chest, whispered something in her ear that made her giggle, and set her down on her feet before striding out of the barn without looking back.

“Oh,” said Grace, her eyes sparkling, “that was quite wonderful.”

“Wonderful? You could have been killed! Lord Melbourne should know better then to let you indulge in such dangerous activities,” Josephine scowled.

“Posh,” said Grace. “He would never let me fall. Now where is this toast? I do not want to miss it. Do you think Margaret will be cross with me for missing her wedding?”

“You attended the first one. Your obligation has been met,” said Catherine.

Still rather irritated by the entire affair, Josephine sent her friends on their way, claiming she would be right behind them after she put Poppy away. The old draft went obligingly into her stall and she made certain to lock the door behind her before hurrying out of the barn, not wanting to miss a word of the toast.

Halfway to the array of tents Josephine came to an abrupt halt as she saw she was not the only one who had strayed from the festivities. “What do you want?” she asked rudely.

“I was looking for you,” said her husband.

Not for the first time Josephine noted that Traverson had allowed his hair to grow out too long yet again. The unruly locks went a good two inches past his shoulders, a mix of blond and brown that never seemed to settle on one color. It gave him an unruly appearance, one that clashed with her neat chignon and demure yellow gown.

“Well you found me,” she said.

“What were you doing out here?” he asked softly.

Josephine drew in a sharp breath. “What do you think?” she asked. It was a suggestive response and one she shouldn’t have made, but she could not help herself where Traverson was concerned. If – just once – he stood up for himself and called her out on all of her despicable behavior they might actually have a chance of clearing the air and setting their problems aside, but no. He was a man who liked to pretend nothing was amiss. A man who avoided confrontation at all cost. He was a dreamer, she thought bitterly. A dreamer who never remembered to include her in his dreams.

Something flickered in the depths of his cool gray eyes. Something unfamiliar. Something dark. But it was gone before it had time to take hold, leaving Traverson with his regular expression of faint puzzlement. “Would you like to me to escort you back to the tents?” he asked politely.

“By all means,” Josephine bit out. Holding out her arm she barely waited for his fingers to close around it before she marched back to the reception, towing him behind her like a rag doll. They reached the first tent just as Henry was standing with his glass held aloft and stopped at the back so as not to attract attention.

“I would like to thank all of you, family and friends, for attending this special day,” Henry began, his clear, baritone voice ringing out across the crowd. “As all of you know this is not the first time I walked down the aisle, but it is the first time I was able to stand upright.”

A few people snickered, as everyone in attendance remembered the debacle of the first wedding. Seated to the right of her husband Margaret merely smiled, her eyes shining with pride.

When Henry had first approached her with the idea of having another wedding, she had thought the notion utterly ridiculous. A good memory could not replace a bad one, she had told him, but now, surrounded by family and friends, she knew when she thought of her wedding it would be of this. And when she thought of her vows it would be of saying them to a man she truly loved, and one who loved her just as much. And when she thought of her wedding night… Margaret’s lips curved. Well, it would
certainly
be more memorable than the first.

“…never thought I would find true happiness,” Henry continued. “When I had it right in front of me the entire time. Maggie, you light up my life. Inside and out you make me a better man.” His voice dropped to a husky whisper and everyone strained forward out of their seats, their faces rapt with anticipation, but only Margaret heard what he said next. “I will love you forever and a day, my darling.”

“Forever and a day,” she murmured.

And so it was.      

If you enjoyed Margaret and Henry’s love story, make sure to check out Josephine and Traverson’s in:

A LASIVIOUS LADY

The third novella in the Wedded Women Quartet, coming to Amazon in August!