Mama hovered and wrung her hands, trying to accept her daughter’s choice of husband. Colin turned to his wife, who had finished her repast, “Darling, will you take Mama away and my sisters? Ester can stay. You have a wedding to organize, and the quicker, the better before the dowager tries to put a stop to it.”
Her mother glared at her son. “Have you forgotten about Mr. Rundbull’s offer?”
“Rundbull’s offer is not to be thought of. The man’s a poltroon, now out of here and let hungry men eat in peace.”
Colin’s bluff teasing got his mother, wife and sisters moving, giggling together, and already planning Ester’s nuptials. When the door closed behind them, Colin turned back to his plate, but before resuming eating, he declared, “Well, welcome to the inner family, Edmond, congratulations Ester. Bit early in the day to toast you both, but we’ll see to it later.”
“Thank you, Colin. I apologize for not asking your permission formally,” Edmond stated a small smile about his mouth.
“Just grateful you did not drag her off to Gretna,” Colin muttered, taking a bite out of a slice of toast slathered in quince preserve. “I know she is mischievous enough for it.”
“Colin!” She cried, laughing. Ester was so happy tears threatened to spill down her cheeks.
Edmond reached for her hand under the table and gently squeezed her fingers. “Ester, darling, do you not want to make decisions about your wedding?”
“Not really, Edmond; now you are back, I do not want to leave your side in case you run away again,” she said with a sniff.
Colin chuckled.
“But you’ll need fittings for your gown and what not…”
“Oh, Emma can do the fittings. It was always quicker to measure just one of us when we got new gowns. We are identical. Ellie could not take my place in that now as she is with child, but Emma can.”
He grinned at her and Ester’s heart soared.
“Are we still going to New York?”
“Yes.”
She launched from her chair into his lap and hugged him.
“Ester,” Edmond said, “Your brother is right—”
She kissed the words from his mouth.
“Do you know I am still here, Ester?” Colin growled. “I can see that a special license is in order, and we must not wait to have this wedding.”
Edmond lifted her from his lap and planted her firmly in her own seat with a measured stare to stay put. Ester chuckled.
“No special license,” Edmond said firmly, leveling that cool stare of his on her brother. “Unless it is what Ester wants. I have the money to hire an army of people to get a lavish wedding set up if that is what she needs. We will leave for New York in a month, and I promise you will never have to worry about her. She is my treasure,” he said gruffly. “I’ll love her always, Colin.”
“Good,” her brother said. “I will trust her into your keeping.”
They finished breakfast, and Ester went into the back gardens with Edmond. They stood there, staring at each other, her heart a beating mess.
“Your sister and the countess are peeking from an upstairs room,” he said, his eyes gleaming with laughter.
“I know,” she said, stepping closer to him. “I still want to kiss you.”
He tapped her nose with his fingers. “Do you want a lavish wedding?”
“No.” She stepped even closer to him. “Something small with only our family members. By next week. Then we can sail…”
“Ah, woman, I love you so damn much.”
“I love you so much, Edmond!”
Ester walked into his arms, and they stood like that, hugging for a very long time.
* * *