An Agreeable Arrangement (20 page)

Maxwell’s presence at the doorway silenced him.
“Misters Whitmore and Sutherland have arrived for
you, sir.”

“I shall be there presently.” Edward nodded to the
butler. “This is my last bit of work before I leave on
my wedding trip. You’d best break out your traveling
cloak, brother, and prepare to take my place while I’m
gone” He turned to Cassandra. “I’m off, my dear. The
next time I see you might be at the altar tomorrow.”
Edward smiled, obviously looking forward to their
impending nuptials. He bowed over her hand. “I wish
the two of you a most delightful day”

Cassie moved to the sideboard and poured herself
a cup of coffee. Julian remained standing until she
took her seat.

“I never did thank you for watching over me.” He
folded his morning paper and placed it to one side.

“I was only there for a short time. But I was quite
worried that night. The next day, the physician concluded that your injury wasn’t as bad as he had originally feared. Maxwell told him that it had been ages
since you’d been properly to bed. The entire time you
were unconscious it seems that you were merely catching up on your sleep.” Cassie chanced a look at him.
“You must have been exhausted”

“I must admit that I have had a difficult time of
late. I’m sure after the wedding has passed the house
will return to its normal routine.”

Although his words came easily, she did not imagine that it would be simple for him to return to his
life, as it had been, before her.

Cassie wondered if he had second thoughts, as she
had. That following their fathers’ dreams would turn
out nightmarish wrong for everyone.

Again she thought of that night in his bedchamber.
How she would willingly give up her home to spend
the rest of her life with him. But the scandal it would
bring upon their families … they might never regain
any kind of respectability.

Lorna, followed by Romeo, entered the breakfast
room and came to a stop. “Am I interrupting?” She
stared at them wide-eyed.

“No, please stay, Lorna,” they said simultaneously.

“Very well” She looked from one to the other. “I suppose I shall. It seems the two of you so adamantly
wish it.”

It was true. Lorna’s presence as chaperone, the
both of them knew, would be the only way they could
be trusted not to misbehave.

It was the morning of her wedding. Cassie stared at
her reflection in the full-length glass. She wore a simple high-waisted white silk gown with satin stitch embellishments. A strand of pearls twisted through her
artfully styled hair. She would not describe the bride
she saw as radiant. That implied she glowed with happiness and anticipation of her married life.

Married. The word echoed in her mind.

She knew that she was about to make the biggest
mistake of her life. She hadn’t thought so yesterday
but she was beginning to think so now.

A knock sounded at her door. She was terrified it
might be Edward with another thoughtful gift or even
worse, it might be Julian. Cassie had no idea how she
could face him now.

The door eased open and Lorna poked her head
into the room.

“Lorna, do come in.” A wonderful feeling of relief
swept through Cassie on seeing a friendly face.

Lorna entered with Romeo at her heels. “How
very beautiful you look” The compliment did not
match the unhappiness in her eyes. “Romeo and I
picked these wildflowers for you to carry”

“How very kind. Thank you.”

“I thought if we tied a ribbon around the stems …”
Then she stopped and her eyes filled with tears. “I saw
you at Lady Cowper’s party. You and Julian-kissing.”

Cassie remembered how unexpected and wonderful that kiss was. Her greatest fear had been they
would be seen and now … as it turned out, they had
been.

“Belinda did not see, of course. I distracted her,”
she told Cassie. “But I saw you. I spoke to Julian about
it, that very night. He loves you, I know he does, and
he won’t do anything about it. He won’t stop the wedding. I don’t understand why he won’t-”

“He can’t.” Cassie did not want to listen to how
much he loved her or how much he cared for her. “He
promised me he would not interfere. I must marry
Edward.”

“But why? Julian loves you, I know he does. And
I can tell you love him too.”

“How shall I explain?” Cassie sat on her bed and
motioned for Lorna to sit next to her. “If I do not
marry Edward, I will lose my home-Hedgeway
Park. If I were to break the engagement with Edward
and marry Julian, it would be a horrible scandal, our
family would be ruined. We must consider your future,
your prospects for a match.”

“Jeffrey will marry me. He doesn’t care, he loves
me!” Lorna stared at her folded hands in her lap. Her sorrow was genuine and heartfelt. She met Cassie’s
gaze. “Is there no way you can have both your home
and the husband you desire?”

“Not any way I can foresee.”

The furniture in the large parlor had been pushed
aside, making way for enough chairs to accommodate
the small gathering of guests. It surprised Cassie that
she knew everyone in attendance. Lorna and her friend
Belinda, their beaux Jeffrey Rutherford and Thomas
Wentworth stood near the large-paned window. The
trio of Corinthian s-Daniel Thompson, Jared Gilbert,
and Colin Henderson-all friends of Edward’s, gathered a few steps behind him. Also attending was Sir
Horace Boyer, friend of the squire, and finally Julian
himself. Dressed in a coat of dark blue, buff breeches,
and top boots, he looked dashing enough to be the
groom.

Edward approached her and held out his arm.
“You are a beauty beyond compare.”

Cassie took his arm and thanked him. He led her
through the guests toward the priest who stood with
bible in hand.

“We are gathered here in the sight of God

What was she going to do? Stand here and wed
Edward against her will … it wasn’t what Cassie
wanted. The scandal that she thought would touch
their families now seemed unimportant. Hedgeway Park, although it was her beloved home, was only a
pile of stone compared to the companionship and affection of the man she loved. And she hadn’t realized
until this moment that he was truly the one she could
not live without.

Was it too late to stop this madness? She looked
over to the smiling Edward, handsome in his exquisitely cut, dark grey jacket and Hessians. He would not
be so happy if he knew of her misery. The squire, who
stood next to the groom, somber and drawn, would
never interfere. She had made him promise. Cassie
had to end this, and now was the precise, appropriate
moment …

“If anyone here knows of just cause that this marriage should not take place, speak now or forever
hold your peace,” the priest said then paused.

The voice within Julian Stewart shouted at him to
speak now. This was his last chance to stop this farce
before it was final. Cassandra was the only woman he
had ever loved. He was certain that remaining silent
would result in a lifetime of regret for both of them.

Julian’s throat went dry as he willed himself to act.
He swallowed hard and mustered all of his courage.
He opened his mouth to voice his objection. He willed
himself to step forward, hold his hand high in the air
and shout-

“Stop at once!” A heavily French-accented baritone cried out, filling the room. The bride and groom
dropped hands and turned to face the gentleman.

Julian hadn’t a chance to raise his hand or to speak,
he looked toward the doorway. A well-dressed elderly
man made his way to the altar where Cassandra and
Edward stood.

Then the squire detected the slightest whiff of jasmine.

6 1 most completely object to zis marriage!” The
man advanced to the front of the gathering.

“May I ask what the objection is?” the priest inquired, closing his book.

“You … we thought zat you were dead!” He stared
at Edward as if he was regarding an apparition. “It
eez of a most private matter. I will speak to za squire,
if you please. I am Monsieur Dubois.”

“Monsieur Dubois,” Julian said.

“You do not know me?” He squinted from the elder
brother to the younger as if he was suspicious.

“I am afraid not, should I?” Julian also looked to
Edward for an answer.

“Young man”-Dubois addressed Edward with controlled rage-“what do you think you are doing ‘ere?”

“I believe we should adjourn to a more private setting until we can straighten this out,” Julian said softly
to the people around him. He raised his voice for
guests to hear, “Your attention, everyone! There is a
matter we need to clear before we proceed. I apologize
for the delay.”

The crowd began to talk among themselves and
the murmur grew. Maxwell stood at the doorway.

“If everyone would please be patient, we shall resume as soon as possible,” Julian told them.

“Honored guests, if you all would be so kind as to
follow me” The butler led the small group, including
the priest, out of the front parlor.

After the wedding guests left, Julian led the wedding party to the library. Cassandra, the squire noticed, followed but lagged behind.

Waiting inside, a lovely, and very pregnant chestnutbrown-haired young lady sat in a chair, her jasmine
perfume filling the library. Julian could just imagine
exactly what Dubois’ objection was.

Edward strode to the young lady’s side and whispered something.

“‘Ow dare you!” she shrieked. “Do not mon cherie
me. I thought you were dead! I wish you were!”

“As you see, I am well, Marie.” Edward chuckled.
“No harm has befallen me” He was clearly trying to
keep her calm.

“Cochon!” She made to strike him but he stepped
aside, missing the blow.

“I was merely seeing to her comfort,” he said in
his own defense to Julian.

“We came to zee about the circumstances concerning his death”-Dubois pointed at Edward”And what do we find? You are marrying yet another
woman!”

Marie broke out into an uncontrollable, and very
loud, bout of tears.

“He eez already married to my daughter. Marie
has bore him two children, another eez on zee way!”

Marie and Cassandra looked at the other. They
redirected their piercing gazes at Edward who appeared to be relatively unconcerned at the women’s
mutual revulsion of him.

“It would seem that you are the only one who
knows the various parties involved, Edward. Would
you be so kind as to do the necessary?”

Julian allowed his brother to step forward. Everyone remained momentarily quiet and relatively calm
as the introductions and explanations were made.

“I was only doing what was expected of me,” Edward offered. It was a poor excuse. “Well, Marie was
in France and Cass, you are-”

“How dare you make me a part of bigamy!” Cassandra slapped Edward’s face with her right hand.

Julian flinched. He knew what it was like being on
the receiving end of that.

With tears streaming down her face, she ran from
the room. Torn between the need to comfort her or to remain and sort out this terrible muddle, Julian decided to stay.

“Edward, I will deal with you later.” The squire
turned away from his brother. “Mademoiselle, Monsieur Dubois-”

“It eez Madame Stewart,” she corrected him with
her chin held high, unashamed of her bulging belly.

“Ah yes, I beg your pardon” Julian bowed his head
respectfully. “You and your father are welcome to stay
at Stewart Hall”

“Merci, sir, after witnessing zis disgrace, my
daughter and I plan to return ‘ome as soon as possible.” Marie wept and leaned heavily on her father’s
arm. “With or without ‘er ‘usband!”

“I understand, monsieur,” Julian said. “Maxwell
can attend to the details and show you to your rooms
where you may remain for as long as you need”

The butler stood in the doorway and led them
away, leaving the two brothers.

“How could you treat her like that? She is your
wife,” Julian scolded once he knew they could not be
overheard. “That girl is in love with you.”

“So is Cass” A confident smile crossed Edward’s
face. He flopped into one of the chairs, at complete
ease and unfettered by the current circumstance.

Julian shook his head. “There you’re wrong” His
brother was not going to win this time. “Cassandra
doesn’t love you. She’s in love with me” Saying it
out loud was such a wonderful feeling.

“You? Don’t be daft!” Edward did not for a minute
believe it was true. “When she could have me?”

“In outside of an hour the whole of London will
know you’re married-and not to Lady Cassandra”
Julian hadn’t meant his words to sound like a threat.
“Your reputation with your many lady friends will be
ruined.”

The expression on Edward’s face grimmed. He
shifted in the chair, recrossing his legs. That thought
must not have occurred to him. “You’re enjoying all
this aren’t you, Julian?”

“No. I’m disappointed in you. You’ve let our family down, not to mention the scandal that may ensue”