Chapter Nineteen

Once the private London residence of the Duke of Staffordshire, whose descendants had subsequently squandered his fortune and sold off all the family property in an attempt to save themselves a one-way trip to debtor's prison, the Staffordshire Hotel was a grand old dame with ivy crawling up the painted blue brick and window boxes overflowing with dahlias, pansies, and purple shoots of heather.

Rosemary's shoes sank into lush carpeting as she entered the grand foyer. She gave her name to a host dressed head to toe in royal red, and was promptly taken past an open dining hall and out through a double set of glass doors to the outdoor tea room.

Half a dozen circular tables, covered in white satin cloths and sterling silver cutlery, surrounded a trickling stone fountain. Nearly every seat was taken by a variety of patrons, mostly female, but it didn't take Rosemary more than a second to spy Joanna's telltale red hair amidst the more subdued colors.

She hurried over and was immediately greeted with a flurry of hellos from her cousins and Lady Brynne Campbell, a tall, slender blonde whose natural beauty and reserved elegance Rosemary had always found a tad intimidating.

Fortunately, there was nothing the least bit daunting about the warm hug Brynne gave her, and before her first cup of tea had been poured, she was already completely at ease.

"…still cannot believe I missed the Royal Gala," Evie complained after she'd made Rosemary recount exactly what Princess Alexandra had worn for the third time. "Weston never said a word about it. He claims to have forgotten, but I know better."

"It's a stuffy, prestigious affair," said Brynne. "Everyone is on their best behavior, hoping to impress the royal family. Personally, I've always found it dull. I was glad to have been able to skip it this year." Her lips quirked. "In twelve months, we may find ourselves similarly engaged."

"Easy for you to say. You've been before." But Evie did look slightly appeased as she spread strawberry jam across one of the Staffordshire Hotel's infamous muffins. "There is always the next one."

"Won't you be a tad busy?" Joanna asked with a purposeful glance at her sister's stomach.

Evie smiled sweetly. "That's what aunties are for."

"Speaking of aunties, this arrived today." Procuring a rather battered-looking envelope stamped with a series of postmarks, Joanna laid it on the middle of the table. "It's from–"

"Claire!" Evie cried as she snatched the envelope up and pried off the wax seal. Yanking out a letter comprising two pages, front and back, she read it quickly, her eyes lighting when she reached the end. "Oh my goodness."

"What is it?" Joanna said, trying–and failing–to grab the letter from Evie's grasp. "You do realize I could have opened it when it first arrived. I wanted us to read it together ."

Evie waved the pages in the air. "Claire and Grandmother. They're coming to London."

"But that's wonderful news!" Brynne exclaimed.

"Another cousin," Rosemary said, beaming. She was eager to meet Evie and Joanna's younger sister, who had stayed behind in Somerville to care for their elderly grandmother. By all accounts, she and Claire had many things in common. They were the same age, both enjoyed reading, and loved animals.

But Joanna appeared concerned. "Grandmother cannot endure a trip of that magnitude. We need to write her back at once and tell her not to come. That we're already planning a lengthy visit next spring, and we'll see her then."

"Too late," Evie announced. "In the letter, it says that they plan to depart by the end of the week. Which means–"

"They're already on their way." Joanna sighed, then reached for the butter. "Well, we've always known who we inherited our stubbornness from."

"Claire will take good care of Grandmother. They'll be fine. Even more importantly–"

"What could be more important than their safety?" Joanna interrupted.

"–they should arrive just in time for the wedding!"

In unison, Evie, Joanna, and Brynne all turned their attention to Rosemary who froze in the act of slicing open her second muffin.

"This is my last one," she said defensively.

Brynne smiled. "Have as many as you like. Evie shared her idea with us. About you and Sterling marrying at Hawkridge Manor at the end of the month. I think it would be lovely. All of the preparations have already been made. It would be a shame to waste all that hard work. And the countryside is positively stunning in autumn."

"I know." After a wistful glance at her muffin, Rosemary nudged the plate aside and set her arms on the table. "It's just that…it's so soon . We've only been engaged a few weeks."

"Love doesn't adhere to timelines," Evie said with a careless flick of her wrist.

"You do love Sterling, don't you?" Brynne asked, studying her intently.

"I do," Rosemary said without hesitation. "I truly do. We…we fit together."

Joanna's auburn brows wiggled suggestively. "I'll bet you do."

Evie poked her sister with her elbow. "Don't embarrass our cousin. Look at the poor thing. Red as a tomato in Grandmother's garden."

"I can share from personal experience that a short engagement has several benefits," Brynne revealed tacitly. "One of which I'm sure you'll find quite pleasurable."

"Umm…we…ah, that is to say…" As the splotchy heat in her cheeks migrated down into her neck and chest, Rosemary sunk low in her chair. "We already did that part. At–at the Royal Gala."

"Where?" Joanna asked, blue eyes wide with curiosity.

"The Prince of Wales' private g-guest cottage," she squeaked.

"You really are a minx!" Evie declared, raising her fork in the air. "It's always the quiet ones."

"Lachlan and I had our first time at the Queen's Head Inn after our elopement," Brynne's smile took on a dreamy quality. "It was wonderful. Like a fairytale come true."

"Until you threatened to shoot him in his manly bits," Joanna pointed out.

"Yes, well, no one ever said marriage was perfect . But you work your way through it. And the difficult times make the happy ones all the more joyful." Reaching across the table, Brynne patted Rosemary's hand. "You're going to be a beautiful bride, regardless of whether you marry Sterling now or next summer. The wedding isn't what makes a relationship. It's the before and after that does that. The days you get along, and the days you don't."

"The days you want to throw your husband off a cliff," Evie put in cheerfully.

"And the days you love him so much that it's almost unbearable." Joanna gave an encouraging nod. "Brynne is right. You are going to be a beautiful bride. And we'll be here for you, every step of the way. You're our family. When you marry Sterling, he'll be our family, too."

Rosemary took a deep breath, then looked at Evie. "How many pavilions did you say there were?"