Page 28 of A Foolish Flirtation

“It was nothing to compare to this one,” Emmie said weakly as he clasped it about her wrist. He gave her an absent smile and then his eye fell on a long package which he pounced on and passed to Hannah. “The missing umbrella,” he explained, “to complete your ensemble.”

As her friend unwrapped and exclaimed over the handsome umbrella with its lavender trim, Jeremy turned back to Emmie. “Now, is there anything else we must attend to?”

“What about the clothes I wore here, Pinky’s old bonnet and gloves?” Emmie asked, glancing around for those items.

“Leave them, Madame will see they are parceled up and sent on to us.” He paused for a moment. “We set off for Cornwall tomorrow at noon.”

“Tomorrow!” Emmie was aghast at such short notice. She was not sure she had attended to every detail she should have.

“Do not worry,” he assured her with a smile. “If you have overlooked anything, I can see it is attended to after our departure.”

She regarded him doubtfully but at that moment, Pinky broke into her thoughts.

“Oh, I have it!” she exclaimed, looking up quickly. “It is something borrowed we have forgotten! A bride must always wear some borrowed token, must she not? Would you accept something from me, Emmie?”

“With pleasure,” she answered, smiling.

Pinky promptly unfastened her grandmother’s pink cameo brooch and approached her. “I know how much you admire it. How lucky I am not wearing the jet one today!”

“Thank you,” Emmie said, indicating a spot on her neckline.

“If you wanted to pin it to your petticoats out of sight, I would not be offended,” Pinky assured her.

“Nonsense! I want it in full view.”

Pinky carefully pinned the little brooch to Emmeline’s decolletage. “Now that just leaves something blue,” she commented. “And a sixpence in your shoe.”

“I already have something blue,” Emmie pointed out, holding up her left hand. “My engagement ring.”

“I’m sure Teddy will happily supply the silver sixpence,” Jeremy said confidently. “And he will appreciate being part of proceedings. Now, the carriage awaits; shall I settle up with Madame and meet you ladies outside?”

6

By the time Jeremy paid up his account with Madame de Flores and joined the others outside, Emmie was safely ensconced in the carriage with Miss Pinson. Teddy was waiting for him beside it, in his best velvet suit and lace collar, his golden curls shining in the afternoon sun.

“I gave Miss Ballentine my silver sixpence, Papa,” he volunteered eagerly.

“It was my silver sixpence, as I recall!” Colfax countered, opening the door to the carriage.

“Very well, it was Colfax’s sixpence for I spent mine,” Teddy admitted, looking back over his shoulder as he scrambled in. “But what I want to know is this, who is going to give away the bride, Papa?”

Jeremy passed Colfax a golden guinea as he climbed in behind his son. “Consider the debt repaid,” he said. Colfax’s frown disappeared in a trice. He shut the door behind them and swung up to sit up top beside Juggins.

“By rights it should be me,” Teddy continued as Jeremy dropped into the seat beside him.

“What should be you, my son?” Jeremy asked absently. Looking at Emmeline sitting opposite in that dress drove all else from his mind.

“It should be me that walks Miss Ballentine down the aisle,” Teddy reiterated. “For she was my choice, was she not, Papa? I chose her for your next wife.”

Noticing the close attention Emmeline was paying to his words, Jeremy cleared his throat to cut off his son’s prattle. “Let us ask Miss Ballentine who she wishes to accompany her down the aisle,” he suggested.

She looked first rather intently at Teddy and then back at him. “I have no objection to it being Teddy,” she said quietly. The boy was immediately all smiles.

“You will also be carrying our rings,” he told his son, presenting another velvet box and drawing back the lid. “This one is mine, and this one is for Miss Ballentine.”

Teddy took the box from him, puffing out his chest. “I’m probably the most important person at this wedding,” he observed with satisfaction.

“Carry on, Juggins,” Jeremy called up to the driver, and they were on their way.