The Lady's Second-Chance Suitor, Scott, Regina [e novels to read online .TXT] 📗

Hester kissed the top of her head. “It’s already far pastyour bedtime, and tomorrow will be a busy day. Go with your grandmother now.”

With a sigh, her daughter suffered to slip from the bed andpad beside Hester’s mother from the room.

Rosemary came to sit on the bed next to Hester. “Hurry,before the maid comes to help us change. Why are you encouraging LordPeverell?”

Hester’s fingers knit into the soft materials of herballgown. “I haven’t been encouraging him, but I cannot find it in me tocompletely discourage him, either.”

Rosemary sighed. “You are one of the gentlest souls I know,Hester, but there is a time for standing your ground. You know him to be ascoundrel. Send him packing.”

Hester glanced up at her with a frown. “Is it not possiblethat he has changed? And if he has, shouldn’t he be given the opportunity toprove as much?”

“No,” Rosemary said. “I won’t see you hurt again. I thoughtabout striking his name from the guest list, but, as the new countess ofHowland, I must at least attempt connection with the only other title in thearea.”

“Very wise,” Hester said. “And I’m glad you didn’t. Hissister, Elizabeth, is delightful. I know you’ll like her. And he is…tolerable,as Rebecca says.”

“Tolerable.” Rosemary rolled the word around on her tongue.“Well, I guess I will have to be content at that. Just make sure you guard yourheart this time, Hester.”

Easier said than done, particularly at a wedding.

Hester had attended several weddings in the little chapel ofSt. Andrew’s, including the one for her brother and Jesslyn. No other weddinghad surpassed the number of attendees. Some of the villagers had waited outsidethe packed church to offer their best wishes to their spa hostess and daughterof their former physician.

The Earl of Howland had planned a smaller affair. Hisfamily—including his mother, the dowager countess; his daughter, Lady Miranda;Eva Howland, his cousin’s wife; and the earl’s aunt, Mrs. MarjorieHowland—filled the first pew near the stained-glass windows his ancestors haddonated. His servants filled the last three rows on that side. Lark, Jesslyn, AuntMaudie, and Jesslyn’s brother, Alexander Chance, sat behind Hester’s mother onthe opposite side of the aisle along with friends from the villages, such asAbigail and her husband, the spa physician; Mr. Carroll; and Mrs. Mance. Themagistrate stood up with the earl as his attendant and witness.

And then there was Rob. From her place off the vestibule,Hester saw him and Elizabeth attempt to slip into the back row on Rosemary’sside of the church, but her assistant teacher motioned him forward.

“You should be the guest of honor, my lord,” Mrs. Mance whisperedloud enough for Hester to hear. “You must sit higher.”

Rob had looked around, met Hester’s gaze, and winked beforeleading Elizabeth closer to Lark and Jesslyn.

Hester’s cheeks heated. She busied herself in making surethe bow on Rebecca’s silky dress was secure. Mrs. Peters, their nurse, hadgathered Rebecca’s curls into a cluster behind her head and tied them with aribbon the same color as the gown. The little girl looked almost grown up. Hester’seyes misted.

Beside her, Rosemary fanned herself with one gloved hand,her own cheeks pink.

“You look breathtaking,” Hester assured her, straighteningto eye the silver-grey gown with its simple lines and dusting of lace acrossthe bodice and along the hem.

“I feel breathless,” Rosemary said. “Oh, for somevinaigrette just now.”

Rebecca held up her reed basket of red autumn leaves. “Youcould sniff these.”

With a smile, Rosemary bent over the basket, thenstraightened. “Thank you, sweetheart. That was just right.”

As she paused, the quiet bore down on them. Hester turnedwith a jerk to find the entire congregation watching them, waiting. The vicarwiggled his fingers, beckoning her and Rosemary. It was time.

“Off you go, now,” she whispered to Rebecca. “Just like we talkedabout.”

Rebecca started down the center aisle, head high, basketsteady, and steps stately.

“Ready?” Hester asked Rosemary.

Her sister beamed at her. “More than ready. You lead, andI’ll follow.”

Hester raised her head and stepped into the aisle. For muchof her life, she had led, and her little sister had followed. But Rosemary’sstudies with their uncle had separated them, and Rob’s romance and Hester’smarriage had only widened the gap. Now Rosemary would be even farther away, asshe started a family of her own.

Yet Hester could not begrudge her sister finding love.Rosemary deserved to be happy. That the earl intended to do everything in hispower to make her happy was evident by the tender look on his handsome face ashe watched her approach.

Rebecca reached the altar and turned to the right asplanned, but she walked past the door of the pew her grandmother was holdingopen for her. Hester hurried her steps just the slightest to try to intercepther daughter, but it was too late.

Rebecca pushed on the door to the third pew down and slippedin to sit beside Rob.

~~~

Elizabeth stared at the little girl, then narrowed her eyesat Rob. “Was this planned?” she hissed.

Rob shook his head even as Hester’s daughter snuggled up againsthim, still clutching her basket of scarlet autumn leaves. He glanced up to meetHester’s wide, panicked gaze. The last thing she and her sister needed rightnow was to worry about anything.

He sent her a nod and a smile to let her know he had thiswell in hand.

If only he believed that.

Rebecca gave a happy sigh. “I like weddings. Do you?”

“Yes,” he whispered. “Now, watch to see what happens next.”

Elizabeth shook her head as well before bowing it to jointhe vicar in the opening prayer of the service.

In truth, he hadn’t attended all that many weddings. His olderbrother hadn’t yet chosen a bride, and many of Rob’s friends were avoidinggetting leg-shackled until they’d had their fill of frivolity. Still, he hadn’trealized the celebration would be such a solemn occasion, with a great deal ofpontificating by the vicar between recited vows by the happy couple.

Who truly did look besotted.

The vicar was partway through his sermon when Rebecca beganfidgeting. She set her basket on the pew, rearranged the leaves to her liking,set it on the floor, then picked it up again. Some of the attendees from acrossthe aisle