Page 37 of A Foolish Flirtation

“Of course. Do not tell me you still stand in ignorance of this fact because I will not believe you. He was attracted to you, like a moth to the flame, and I believe you were in much the same condition.” When she looked as though to deny this, he gave her a dry look. “You always lit up like a beacon whenever you clapped eyes on him.”

Emmie closed her eyes briefly. “Well, I was young and…”

“In love?” he suggested.

“Unaccustomed to hiding my feelings,” she corrected him primly.

He nodded, “To one such as Jeremy, it must have been a heady combination. I never suspected it as a callow youth, but I think he has always been…” His mouth twisted as he searched for the word.

“What?” Emmie asked, unable to resist.

“Left out in the cold, as it were,” Atherton concluded whimsically.

Emmie found this hard to believe. “By whom?”

“Oh…everyone. You never met his father, did you?”

“No.”

“No, he buried himself in Cornwall most of the time. He was the taciturn type. Always glowering and snarling at everyone. Jeremy took after his departed mother in looks and his father never quite forgave him for it.”

She did not know how to respond to this. Her own father had always been disappointed Emmie had not been a dainty beauty like her mama. She had taken after her father’s side of the family, but he had not liked her any better for it.

“Well, in any case, things have worked out for the best, much the same as if the natural conclusion had been drawn all those years ago.”

“Natural conclusion?” Emmie’s mouth was dry. Her voice sounded like a croak at this point. He could not be saying what she thought he was saying. That Jeremy had been just as taken by her as she had been with him? Her head whirled. This could not be true. She was misconstruing his words, surely?

“Why, that you would have been married ten years ago, of course.”

Emmie was just reflecting that Lord Atherton was as alarming nowadays as he had ever been when Jeremy reclaimed her. After ascertaining she did not wish to join the quadrille, he led her back to the table where Teddy was sat rubbing his eyes. “You are tired, my son,” Jeremy said, peering into his face.

“No, I’m not,” Teddy responded, trying to smother a yawn.

“He has been taking early nights since his illness,” he explained as an aside.

“Very sensible,” Emmie responded promptly.

“I think we shall have to get him back to his bed.”

“I’m not tired,” Teddy insisted irritably.

Jeremy shot a level look at her. “You would not object to us cutting our celebrations short?”

“Of course not. We cannot have Teddy suffering a setback in his recovery.” It suddenly occurred to her that she had no idea what the plan was for their wedding night. Would she sleep at her own lodgings or accompany him to his? And what of Pinky? Was she to return to Winkworth Street alone?

“Give me one moment,” Jeremy said, and Emmie saw that Atherton and Pinky were also exiting the dance floor. He and Atherton had a quick discussion as Pinky took a seat next to Emmie.

“The child looks very flushed,” she whispered in concern.

“Yes, his father is just arranging to take him home.”

Pinky nodded with approval as Jeremy returned to Emmie’s side. “You and Miss Pinson are to take my carriage back to Winkworth Street and I will join you later. First, I mean to take Teddy back and see him settled. Come, we will walk down together.”

Emmie and Pinky both rose and followed behind as Jeremy lifted his still-protesting son and carried him across the room. Emmie noticed that Teddy’s protestations did not last long, and by the time they had navigated the corridors and stares, his head lolled against his father’s shoulder.

Emmie was profoundly grateful that no great leave-taking was expected of the bride and groom and that slipping away early was considered perfectly natural newlywed behavior.

“Emmie, you have no cloak,” Pinky whispered as they retrieved her coat from the attendants below.