Chapter Two

The Honorable Gabriel Bright, or rather Inspector Bright, formerly of Bow Street and Whitehall, grinned at his fiancée Mary. After that spirited round of coupling, he was quite relaxed and more content than he'd been all week. The memories of his failed case were no longer uppermost in his mind.

All because of her, but then, she had been instrumental in bringing him out of his own head to focus on other things in life. His mind jogged to the Christmastide house party his viscount brother had thrown last December where he'd apparently gotten a wild hair and kissed a strange woman in the carriage house, yet that meeting had led to him forging a friendship with Mary Tomlinson and then that friendship changed into an affair which had progressed into an engagement with so much heat he thought himself the most fortunate of men.

Back in December, though, they had managed to solve the murder of his brother's butler, and while there was a mantle of satisfaction there, having the widow in his life beyond that had brought him a state of contentment he'd not thought possible. It had only gotten better since the spring, when he'd finally asked for hand… after a complicated case they'd worked together that had seen him as one of the principal suspects.

Truly, the last ten months had turned his life upside down in all the best ways, and he couldn't wait to marry for the second time tomorrow.

"I shall wait for you downstairs, love. Ring for your maid to help refresh your look. Your hair is a bit mussed."

"Ha." The grin she shot him had renewed interest firing in his blood. "Are you afraid I'm not finished off enough to go out into public, especially to the opera?"

Damn but he adored the fact she liked to tease and challenge him. "Hardly that, and I could eat you up right now, but I also don't want any other man to glance at you and know exactly what you and I have been up to before we left the house." He winked, for he and Mary enjoyed a healthy physical relationship, and they had from the first. It might be considered scandalous, but he didn't care. Shouldn't a man show affection for his woman in every way possible as many times as he could? "Don't dawdle. We're nearly late. "

Her laughter tinkled in the space. "Whose fault is that, Bright?"

"Don't dawdle!" he called as he left the room with a smile. She only called him Bright when she was annoyed with him or teased by him. And that was a very thin line indeed, but usually the results were the same.

Their wedded life would not be dull, and neither would it be aggravating as his last one had been. Two different women meant two very different experiences. By and large, he much preferred the one he'd found with Mary.

In the entryway, he nodded to the butler. "Mrs. Tomlinson will be down shortly." God, he couldn't wait to marry her tomorrow merely to give her a different surname.

"Very good, Inspector." The older man held out Gabriel's greatcoat and waited for him to don it. "You are attending the opera tonight?"

"We are. Dinner beforehand, though by the time we arrive, we will no doubt be too late for the full scope of it. In any event, I'm treating Mrs. Tomlinson to MacBeth at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, since it's one of her favorites." Once the greatcoat was on, the butler gave him a pair of kid gloves. "After the interim break, there is to be a comedy that follows. I am not certain if she will wish to stay that late."

"I'm certain she will adore that nicety."

"I hope so. "

Over the course of the last several months, Mr. Davies had been primed with the history between Gabriel and Mary, had been apprised regarding how Cassandra had come to live with them, given pointers on how to treat clients as well as potential clients when they came to call, and everything else in between.

"Will your son come home for the wedding?"

"Ah, no. Henry has just started back at Cambridge for the Michaelmas term. He won't return to London until mid-December." He accepted a silk top hat from the butler and then set it upon his head. "I would rather the boy finish his schooling with high marks then to keep running back to London each time there is something to celebrate here. However, depending on the schedule, Mary's niece might be able to come up from her finishing school to attend."

But his absence would be felt keenly, for it had been Henry who encouraged him to ask for Mary's hand this past spring, and Henry who had put a stamp of approval upon the widow that eventually ushered Gabriel's decision to make a permanent life together. Regardless, they would all be together as a family for Christmastide, and oddly he was looking forward to that time, especially now that they had Cassandra in their midst.

How would Henry react to having an adopted sister? Would he mind? Would he protest it? Of course, Gabriel had written to him about the proceedings, and the response had been cordial enough, but being together in person was a whole different matter.

It mattered not. Everything would work out as it was supposed to, and the most important thing right now was marrying Mary, the woman who'd upset his whole world and then put it back together again.

"Everything will be well, Davies," he assured the butler. Then he frowned. "Oh, and my brother—Viscount Stanwick—as well as his wife are slated to be in attendance." It was remarkable he'd been able to tear himself away from duties in Parliament or whatever else it was that filled his time, for there had been a bit of bad blood between them, ever since that Christmastide house party and the contretemps over his previous carnal relationship with Mary.

"I'm sure it will be, Inspector," the butler agreed.

After tomorrow, he would have a real family, beyond that which he had with his brother. He would finally have a family of his own where they were all a cohesive unit, and no one tried to pit one another against him. A family where his wife wouldn't attempt to belittle him for each decision or move he made .

It was mind boggling, really, the difference one woman made, how that same woman could completely transform a life.

"By the by, Mr. Davies, is everything is in place for the ceremony?"

"The plans have been gone over thrice and distributed to the staff. While you and Mrs. Tomlinson are out tonight, we will have the drawing room decorated to your specifications. The hothouse flowers were delivered this morning and are waiting in the root cellar. Cook has the wedding breakfast well at hand. She has even made a two-layer fruit cake for dessert after dinner tomorrow."

"What a lovely surprise. I shall be certain to thank her personally." Ever since he'd shared the townhouse with Mary, the female servants had gone out of their way to please him. He didn't understand why; he'd merely treated them with the respect afforded anyone.

"The staff is quite excited for the ceremony, Inspector. Everyone adores Mary."

"As luck would have it, so do I." He exchanged a grin with the butler, for was nearly beside himself with anticipation. "I hope all goes well. My life and hers will exponentially change after tomorrow."

An indulgent chuckle escaped the butler. "Mrs. Tomlinson is quite taken with you. I have never seen her so happy since I came to work here, to say nothing of the fact that she has been filled with hope since the spring." He nodded. "You needn't worry. I have never seen a couple so well suited before."

"Thank you. I appreciate that." It was still strange for him to talk about or even show emotions, but it was becoming more natural as time went on. He ignored the heat rising on the back of his neck. "She has given me back the hope I lost long ago regarding women in general and marriage in particular."

He'd been married before, and eleven years into the union, the woman had decided motherhood and being a wife to a Bow Street principal officer wasn't what she'd wanted from her life. She had left him for one of the most notorious rogues of the ton . Henry had been but a boy of ten at the time.

Had he been able to voice an opinion or even an objection? Not then, for he'd just begun his career with Bow Street and hadn't wished to make a scene or become embroiled in a scandal that might jeopardize the position, but he'd made a promise to himself that if he ever had the chance to be alone with his wife's lover, there would be hell to pay. Willfully stealing away someone's wife was beyond the pale. Of course, if his former wife had been true to her marriage vows, she would have given him a dressing down straightaway, but that was beside the point .

As Gabriel's thoughts further drifted to his late wife, he frowned and focused his gaze to the corridor, sure that Mary would make an appearance soon. That had been an angry, embarrassing time in his life. Every dream he'd had died when his first wife had left, and quite frankly, they hadn't been resurrected. Years later, he'd accidentally run into her at the opera. It had been an awkward meeting at best that had ripped open the wounds and scars on his heart, but then she'd solidified his anger and decision to retreat by telling him her lover was everything he was not, better at everything, including efforts in the sheets.

Burning with anger, he had coldly wished her well—and to hell—told her their son had finally stopped crying himself to sleep, but it hadn't affected her. She'd rejoined her lover in their box, and there had been naught for him to do except return to his where he'd been invited to share the evening with his brother and his sister-in-law.

When he'd received word that she had drowned while on holiday in Rome with said lover, he'd been plunged into a world of confusion, for the love he'd held for her had evaporated shortly after her betrayal, but that hadn't meant his heart wasn't affected. That organ came away from the scandal battered and bruised, and he'd locked it away behind walls and chains, vowing to himself that he would nevermore trust a woman so deeply that it changed over into love.

Until Mary came along. Steadily, she'd torn down those walls, tossed away the chains link by link, and then she'd burrowed her way into his heart and made everything new. Truly, she'd saved him, revitalized him, and in return, he'd restored her faith in men after the way she'd been horribly treated by her first husband.

In each other, they'd found new life, and he was grateful for it every damned morning of his existence.

"It would seem your wait is over, Inspector."

The sound of the butler's voice wrenched Gabriel from his thoughts. It was then that he saw Mary in the corridor, and as she approached him, she offered a smile.

"Bloody hell, she is a vision," he said in a barely audible whisper, and couldn't help but stare at the woman who would soon be his wife.

If someone happened to glance at her, they wouldn't have guessed that she'd been thoroughly loved not twenty minutes prior. The muted peach satin gown put him in mind of fragile tulips in the spring, and the shade suited her pale complexion, but the lace overskirt shot with golden thread as well as the matching ribboned band about her waist truly made a lasting impression. Her lovely blonde hair had been caught back in a clever updo. A silver brooch glimmered in those tresses that perfectly matched silver earbobs and the necklace, both of which glimmered with a few rubies.

The set he'd given her.

He put a hand over his heart while that organ squeezed. "I am the most fortunate of men, Davies," he said softly as Mary approached.

"I would quite agree, Inspector," the older man said, then covered his grin with a cough. "Good evening, Mrs. Tomlinson." When he went briefly away to retrieve her outer things, Gabriel took one of her hands.

"You are lovely tonight." Slowly, he brought her gloved hand to his lips and kissed the back. "That color is perfect for autumn and is wonderful on you."

"Thank you. I'd been waiting for an opportunity to wear this gown; it's been made and waiting for a couple of months now."

Mr. Davies returned with a black velvet cape in hand. As he held the garment out for her, a light blue satin liner showed in the candlelight. "To keep the chill off," he said with a nod.

"Thank you, Davies." Once it settled about her shoulders, she manipulated the silver frog fastening. "I adore this time of year for the chill in the air, but I could do without the rain."

"I would imagine the inspector will usher you directly into the carriage with no harm to your gown."

"Indeed," Gabriel rejoined with a nod and a wink. Then he put his lips to the shell of her ear, inhaled the violet scent of her, and whispered, "You are so tempting tonight that I want nothing more than to bury my face between your thighs and show you how excited I am for tomorrow."

"Oh!" A blush jumped into her cheeks, and that dark pink color betrayed the fact she no doubt agreed with that suggestion. Mary swatted at his chest. "Do hush, Bright. Let us go. We don't want to miss the opening act because we were lost in the crush of people trying to find their seats."

"Right." He exchanged an amused glance with the butler. "We should return to the house around midnight."

"Very good, Inspector. Enjoy the night."

Once the carriage had rolled forward on its journey, Gabriel relaxed into the squabs with an arm about Mary's waist as she nestled into his side. Never did he think he would ever feel this much happiness again, but here he was, with the woman he loved next to him, on the eve of their wedding.

"Would you like to go away on a wedding trip? We could leave as soon as next week." It was something they hadn't discussed due to busy schedules as well as a few societal commitments he'd taken on. After all, he was the second son of a viscount, and that afforded him invitations to decent events. One never knew where one might find a new client. Additionally, he was proud to have Mary on his arm and wanted to show her off.

Especially if his brother was in attendance, for he loved to drive home the fact he'd won Mary's hand where his brother had failed years ago.

That was a story for a different day, and one he'd first become aware of last Christmastide.

"I haven't given it much thought." The softness of her voice was fitting for the shadows of twilight that engulfed the interior of the closed carriage. "You are building your consultancy business and crime doesn't stop for a holiday as you once told me."

"Our nuptial ceremony is hardly a holiday, but I understand your concern." When he glanced into her face and their eyes met, the banked heat in hers had awareness racing over his skin. "The livelihood will keep, but I want to spoil you. Did you go on a honeymoon trip with your first marriage?"

"Oh, good heavens no." She shook her head. "He said it was a gross waste of coin and time." A huff escaped her. "If the man wouldn't part with the coin for a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolate one day for our anniversary, why would he pay for something like a holiday?"

Anger flared anew in his chest for the dead man who'd treated her so horribly. "All the more reason for me to take you away for a holiday wherein we can concentrate solely on ourselves and our union, to scrub the last vestiges of him from your mind."

"Ah, Gabriel." Mary's lips parted slightly with a smile. "You have done that and more already." Gently, she laid a hand on his thigh, and he almost launched from the bench at her touch. Everything she did seemed to send fires into his blood. "Besides, there is Cassandra to consider. She has been with us for nearly six months. Do you think it's a good idea to leave her when it's critical she feel comfortable with us?"

He bit back the urge to sigh. "We could send her to your brother for a week. He has a daughter, so he's not completely a dunce when it comes to children."

"Yes, but Adelaide is twenty and will be done with finishing school in a couple of weeks. That is much different than having an eight-year-old." Then an unladylike snort escaped her. "Besides, William barely tolerates people his own age. I don't see how he'll be able to interact with a little girl who doesn't trust easily. It would be as chilly and awkward as sending her to your brother and his wife."

Perish the thought. "Well, to be fair, they have both grown as people since last Christmastide. And they have experience with children."

"Good God, Bright, are you serious?" Mary shot him a speaking glance. "I wouldn't be comfortable with that."

"Neither would I." Wanting to reassure her, Gabriel threaded their gloved fingers together. It would already be the height of awkward to have his brother at the nuptial ceremony. For far too long, they'd been on rocky terms, and that was before Gabriel had found out Francis had led Mary down the proverbial garden path and seduced her years and years ago. "We shall think upon it further before we decide. Truth be told, I think Cassandra might benefit from a break away from us. Consider that she had lived by herself on the streets before we took her in. Living as she does now has turned her whole world upside down. She might merely need some time apart to come to terms with it instead of trying her best to be a proper child under the direction of Miss Oliver."

The governess they'd hired was a perfectly lovely young woman, but she was a rather proper sort, and at times, that kind of rigidity didn't blend well with the type of life they lived within their townhouse. The family he and Mary were trying to build was unorthodox at best, but somehow, that was what made it so thrilling .

And unique.

"Miss Oliver does need to realize Cassandra hasn't been raised within a society household. I will speak with her after the ceremony." Mary frowned. "Do you think I've put too much pressure or expectations on Cassandra? Granted, she simply can't go about London acting like the wild child of the streets that she was when we found her." A shudder went through her and transferred to him. "Imagine the things she's seen that she can't forget. The poor thing."

"That is why we ply her with so much love that hopefully some of those images will eventually become blotted out. Much like you and I with our previous marriages." After pressing his lips to her temple, he continued. "And no, I do not think you've put too much pressure on her. You are wonderful with her and patient. I've seen the longing in your eyes and the hope that she'll love you as you love her."

"Sometimes, it's a difficult endeavor," she managed in a broken whisper.

"I know. I truly believe Cassandra cares for you but give her time. Feral children, street urchins, have had much trauma and it has probably done some damage to her head and her ability to trust. When she is ready, she will let you know that she's accepted all of it and us as parents. Keep the faith, sweeting."

She sniffed and wiped at a tear that had fallen to her cheek. "I hope you're right. It's breaking my heart not to be able to hug her or spend time with her more than the typical polite greetings through the day. "I had thought after we took her in and she seemed so grateful, that family life would be easy."

"As you said, you don't know all of what she's been through or has seen. With broken trust, no matter if it's a child or an adult battling it, things will take time to work out. Eventually she will see how wonderful you are. Didn't I?"

"How do you always know what to say that makes me feel better? Even when I don't want to?" Mary turned to him and slipped her arms around his middle. "I want to be her mother, Gabriel. There is so much I want to give her, but she won't let me in."

The upset she struggled with tugged at his chest, but he couldn't help her. Only Cassandra could decide what was right for her. "Shh. All will be well." His poor Mary had always had a big heart. During that case last spring when they discovered who'd killed a butcher's wife, he'd discovered that Mary brought food, blankets, and medicine to the poorest wretches and families in the neighborhoods of the Seven Dials. Though she continued that to this day, and he loved her for that, he also knew she still longed for a family of her own, just as he did. Life had made it impossible for her to bear children, and with Cassandra's seeming rejection, he knew that dream must feel increasingly out of her reach. "Just be patient."

"For how long?"

"I don't know, but I do know the fact that she hasn't run away is a good sign. I'll wager she enjoys living with us. Perhaps we should give her a kitten, so she'll have an invested ownership in our lives and has something to feel responsible for."

"I will think about that as well." But her voice sounded far too teary.

"Ah, Mary." He pressed his lips to the top of her head, caressed a hand up and down her spine in the hopes of soothing her. "Tonight, enjoy yourself during the play. It's your last night as a widow. On the morrow, you will be my wife."

She nodded and pulled away in order to peer into his face. "You are right. Perhaps I'm being a silly goose. Just like there are no timelines or rules for grief, there aren't the same for moving past a transition." When she offered a slight smile, he did the same. "In many ways, Cassandra might be grieving her past life. It wasn't much to you or me, but to her, it was everything. I will keep trying."

"I'm so damn proud of you," he whispered, and once more tugged her against his chest to simply hold her .

He could hardly wait for tomorrow; he had missed being someone's husband, and being wed to Mary was his perfect idea of heaven.