Page 136 of Outrageous

“But she loves me and wants me to be happy.”

“And I make you happy?”

“Funny how you can still fish with both hands tied behind your back.”

He laughed. “What a shrew you are.”

Eva didn’t dispute the accusation. “I have to admit,” she said, her finger now able to fit between one of the top strands, the one cutting into his forearm, “that I wouldn’t be surprised if they were taking us—” Both her words and fingers paused as the carriage began to slow, the sound of the wheels changing with the change in road surface.

Godric cocked his head; that sounded like cobbles, not road.

“You wouldn’t be surprised if what, Eva?” he asked as the carriage rolled to a stop and then dipped with the weight of somebody jumping off the back.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they were taking us right back to where we started,” she said.

The door opened and her young henchman stood in the opening, his face wearing an amusing expression of terror. “We’re home, my lady.”

“Well, look at that,” Godric said, smiling at Eva, “you’re right yet again, darling.”

Her groom gave him a sheepish grin. “Aye. Reckon you’d better get used to that, my lord.”

Godric threw back his head and laughed.

Epilogue

Later ...

Adam sat on the thick blanket, Mia leaning against his side, both of them staring out at the last revelers enjoying the remnants of the lawn party.

Gabriel and Drusilla had rounded up Gabriel’s son, two of Ramsay’s children, and Lord Salford’s little boy—a quiet, sad child who seemed to have taken on the aspect of his moody parent—and were attempting to teach the unruly group that croquet mallets could be used for something other than weapons.

Lord and Lady Ramsay had disappeared into the small spinney on the far side of the lake, no doubt happy to enjoy some time to themselves while their children were being entertained.

Lady Ramsay’s twin sons—remarkably similar not only in looks but in posture—were standing on either side of Mel, who was basking in the glow of so much undivided male attention.

The sight made Adam look for Lord Byer. The viscount was leaning against the ravaged banquet table, his arms crossed over his chest as he regarded Melissa and her coterie with a slight, perplexed frown on his handsome face.

Eva and her new swain were seated on one of the benches inside the folly, looking out over the lake as the sun dipped low. They were not touching, but their heads were close together and they appeared to be engaged in a conversation that required copious hand gestures from both parties. Adam’s mouth twitched at the sight. Visel had better like arguments, heated and otherwise.

“Adam?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you angry at me?”

His lips curved into a genuine smile as he contemplated how she was going to weasel her way out of this. “And why would I be angry with you? Because you kept Eva’s condition from me? Or because you conspired with another man’s servant and one of my own grooms to abduct our daughter? Or because you organized a wedding, knowing full well it was not going to occur? Or because—”

Her hand, which had been lying beside his, crept closer, until she’d laced their fingers together. “Well, when you put it like that . . .”

Adam couldn’t hold in his snort of disbelieving laughter, which of course told her that she’d won. Yet again.

“But you’re not entirely correct, Adam.”

He laced their hands tighter. “Oh?”

“There is going to be a wedding.” She sat up and turned to him, looking up at him through those catlike green eyes that could still stop his heart. “You were so wise not to have disposed of that license you took up north with you.”

He narrowed his eyes at the love of his life. “I suppose it helped that I couldn’t seem to locate the license to dispose of it.”