He leaned closer and lowered his voice in a confidential manner. “Have you met the ghosts, then?”

Delight widened her eyes. “You have ghosts?”

“I can’t imagine any self-respecting estate anywhere in England that doesn’t have at least one. But alas—” he heaved an overly dramatic sigh “—in spite of all sorts of stories passed down through the years and my best efforts, starting in my youth, I have yet to meet one.”

“That is a shame.”

“Indeed.” He shook his head mournfully then brightened. “I know, Celia, you and I could hunt for ghosts. Perhaps tonight?” He smiled in a wicked manner. “After dark?”

She stared. “Are you flirting with me, Edward?”

“I am trying.”

“And I am flattered.” She returned his smile. “But I’m not sure hunting ghosts with you in the dark is a good idea.”

“And I thought it was an excellent idea.” He wagged his brows in a wicked manner.

She laughed.

He grinned. “So you like my family’s ancestral home, then?”

“I can’t imagine anyone not liking it. The manor itself is magnificent, and on a beautiful day like today, the gardens are irresistible. Your gardeners are to be commended.”

“Actually, this is largely to my brother’s credit.” He glanced around, pride shining in his eyes. “When I was paying no particular attention to my responsibilities, Henry was. He is the one who made certain this estate, and everything else, was attended to as it should be.” He paused. “Henry is a good man. Perhaps the best I know.”

“My sister is a fortunate woman.” Without warning, tears welled in her eyes and she blinked rapidly.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Concern sounded in his voice.

“Quite, thank you.” She waved her hand in front of her eyes, wishing she’d remembered her fan, but she hadn’t planned to come outside at all. She had indeed been lured out-of-doors by the beauty of the landscape. “A bit of dust in my eye. It will be fine in a moment.”

“I was looking for Henry but perhaps I should escort you back to the house instead.”

“That’s most kind of you, my lord, but not at all necessary. I encountered your brother in the topiary garden a few minutes ago. I suspect he’s still there.”

“If you’re certain.” His gaze strayed to the entry to the garden. “There was something I wished to speak to him about.”

“Then I would feel quite badly if you abandoned your purpose simply because there is a speck of dust in my eye. Or rather, there was.” She cast him her brightest smile. “I told you it would be fine and it is.” She waved toward the garden. “Now do go and find your brother. I have all sorts of things I need to attend to, so I shall be on my way.”

“Very well, Celia.” He smiled. “I will see you at dinner, then?”

“I would never miss dinner.” She grinned. “Your cook is very nearly as remarkable as your gardens.”

“She will take that as a great compliment.” He laughed. “Good day, Celia.”

“Good day, my lord.” She turned and started back toward the manor. Edward was a charming man, most amusing and quite dashing. But he wasn’t Henry.

Celia never would have thought it was possible to love someone with no more between them than an afternoon’s conversation and a slight brush of the hand. It was far-fetched and absurd and completely ridiculous. And yet, she’d never been so certain of anything in her life.

Was it at all possible that Aunt Guinevere and her friends could truly come up with a way to stop this wedding? If anyone could save Henry, surely it would be those three.

Realization struck her like a physical blow and stopped her in midstep.

If Henry was worth having, he was certainly worth fighting for. Celia hadn’t wanted to be involved in whatever scheme her aunt concocted—out of misplaced family loyalty, no doubt. But that was no way to save the man one loved.

Resolve washed through her. She would speak to Aunt Guinevere at once.

Perhaps Celia and Henry were indeed star-crossed. Perhaps they weren’t meant to be together but he deserved better than to spend the rest of his days with Katherine. And as the woman who loved him, it was up to Celia to do all she could to make certain of it.


CHAPTER SEVEN


HOW WAS HE going to extricate himself from this mess?

Henry sat on the stone bench, elbows on his knees, chin propped in his hands and stared at the topiaries carved to replicate the figures in the fountain, stylized nymphs and dolphins, caught forever in a carefree romp. No worries, no problems, nothing to mar their leafy exuberance. He quite envied them even if it was pointless. They were trees, after all.

Try as he might he could not think of a way to escape marrying Katherine. It was not as if she had deceived him in any way, although it was painfully clear to him now that his appeal for her lay only in his fortune and family name.

And then there was the problem of Celia. How could he spend the rest of his life with Katherine when Celia was the woman he loved? Regardless, there was nothing to be done about it. He would dance with her once and that would be that. A voice in the back of his head noted the lie. He ignored it.

“There you are.” Ned strode into the garden. “I was looking for you.”

“Were you?” Henry said absently.

“I met Miss Bromley, Celia, on the way here.” Ned settled on the bench beside him. “Lovely woman.”

“Yes, she is.” It was oddly fortunate that Katherine was not fond of her youngest sister.

“Clever, too.”

“She does seem clever, yes.” Why, after their marriage he and Katherine would probably rarely see Celia at all.

“I’ve quite grown to like her in these past weeks.”

“There’s nothing not to like.” Yes, that would be best for all concerned, really. Besides, he and Katherine would live most of the time in London and Celia would be at Bromwick Abbey.

“No.” Ned chuckled. “Not one little thing, at least so far as I can tell. She’s intelligent, and not afraid to show it. It’s unusual and I like that. She’s witty and amusing, and really quite pretty.” He paused. “Although, Katherine is the true beauty of the family.”

“Katherine is beautiful.” Henry nodded. He would have one dance with Celia and that would be the end of it.

“But Celia, well, there’s something about Celia,” Ned mused. “That fair hair and those blue eyes. A fetching figure on her, as well. I find her very nearly irresistible.”

What an idiot he was. One dance would never be enough.

“I believe I shall have to do something about that. I’ve only hesitated thus far because I wasn’t sure what the rules were about pursuing the sister of one’s future sister-in-law. Although I’ve never been fond of rules.” Ned paused. “The ball will be the perfect setting to begin my efforts. Yes, indeed, a beautiful summer night with romance in the air. I always look especially dashing in formal attire. It will be perfect.” He chuckled. “We’ll share a dance or two. She will have my undivided attention—no woman can resist that. I’ll murmur a few compliments in her ear. Something about how she looks like a goddess descended to earth to enchant unsuspecting mortals. Women adore that sort of thing. I’ll suggest a turn on the terrace and perhaps a walk in the gardens, under the moon or the stars, whichever is appropriate. And then, when she is very nearly swooning with the romance of it all, I’ll take her in my arms and—”

“What?” Henry’s attention jerked to his brother. “What are you talking about?”

“I knew you were off somewhere.” Ned smirked. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said.”

“No, I have other things on my mind.” Henry narrowed his eyes. “You were talking about seducing some...” He sucked in a hard breath. “You were talking about seducing Celia!”

“I was not.” Ned scoffed. “I was talking about charming and enchanting her.” He grinned. “Seduction would come later.”

“Absolutely not!” Henry glared. “I won’t have it. I don’t want you going near her.”

“I don’t see why not.” Ned shrugged. “She’s not a child. She’s certainly available. And she is quite, oh, what is the word? Delicious? Oh, yes, that’s good.”

Henry gasped.

“Delectable, really.” Ned cast his brother a wicked grin. “A truly tasty morsel and I do believe—”

“That’s enough, Ned. I will not have you leering over Celia in that manner. You will leave her alone. Do you understand?”

“Why should I?”

“Because...”

“If you don’t have a better reason than that—”

“Because...”

“Because she deserves better than me?”

“Yes!”

“Because she deserves someone who will love and cherish her?”

“Yes!”

“Because you already love her?”

“I...”

“Come now, Henry, I have been in love often enough to know the signs.”

“Yes!” Henry huffed. “Yes, Ned, damn it all, I love her.”

“Ah-ha!” Ned jumped to his feet and aimed an accusing finger at his brother. “I knew it. I’ve known it from the beginning. That first night, when we met the rest of Katherine’s family, I knew you had met Celia before.”

Henry sighed. “We met at a bookstore. Only once but...”

“But it was enough?”

“Yes.” Henry shook his head. “I haven’t been able to think of anything but her since then.”

“This was before you met Katherine?” Ned sat back down on the bench.

“Yes, but—” he struggled to find the right words “—I didn’t have her name. I went back in hopes of seeing her again but I didn’t. So I decided it was foolish to continue to pine over a woman I spent no more than a few hours with. And then I met Katherine and you know the rest.”

“I’ve been watching the two of you—you and Celia, that is. There’s a tense sort of longing between you when you look at each other. I can’t believe no one else has noticed, although you have both been discreet, I’ll give you that.”

“We have been more than discreet—we’ve avoided each other.” He paused. “Until today.”

“You mean just now?” Caution sounded in Ned’s voice. “What happened?”

“I thought if I could talk to her, perhaps...” Henry ran his hand through his hair.

“Perhaps it would be enough?”

Henry nodded.

“But it wasn’t?”

“No, and it doesn’t matter. I am to marry Katherine and there’s nothing to be done about it.” Henry blew a long breath. “The worst part about all of this is that I don’t especially like Katherine.”

“That’s the worst part?”

“Well, yes. If I liked her, I could imagine the rest of our lives together. And it would be easier to put Celia out of my head.”

“I doubt that.”

“Oh, I was infatuated with Katherine in the beginning but the more I’m with her, the more I know her—”

“Exactly.” Ned shuddered. “She’s rather frightening.”

“Isn’t she, though?” Henry heaved a resigned sigh. “First I meet the woman who may well be the love of my life and I lose her—or rather I can’t find her again. Then I fancy myself in love with a beautiful creature who now appears to want me more for my fortune than anything else.” He glanced at his brother. “I don’t think Katherine is all that fond of me, either.”

“I don’t think she’s fond of anyone.”

“I’ve been something of an idiot, haven’t I?”

“In the scheme of things, it’s probably your turn.” Ned grinned then sobered. “You’ll have to call off your wedding, you know.”

“I can’t.” Resignation swept through him. “I gave my word.”

“You will be a cad but that’s far better than marrying the wrong woman.”

“No, it’s not.” He distinctly remembered Father telling him that doing what was easy didn’t make a man but rather it was doing what was right, no matter how difficult it might be. Owning up to one’s mistakes was what gave a man strength and fortitude and character. And made a father proud. “I can’t go back on my word. It would be wrong and I could never forgive myself.”

For a long moment, they sat in silence, the only sounds the tinkling of water from the annoyingly joyous nymphs and dolphins on the other side of the hedge.

“It’s hard to be the good brother, isn’t it?” Ned said with a wry smile.

Henry scoffed. “You have no idea.”

“Never fear, old man.” Ned patted his brother’s back. “I’ll come up with something.”

“Will you?” It was an interesting thought but Henry doubted even Ned—who had vast experience in extricating himself from all kinds of awkward situations through the years—could save him from this.

“Of course I will. I don’t have any ideas yet, but there are still four days until the wedding. Plenty of time.”

“There’s nothing you can do.”

“Come now, Henry. I’ll think of something. I always do. Besides—” Ned grinned “—what’s the good of being the earl if you can’t save your twin brother from ruining his life?”






Day Three