“It’s been too long,” Neil was saying. “And you ignored every single one of my letters. I’d have you flogged for that if we were back in the army.”
“Fortunately, we’re not,” Nicholas said, and Neil smiled at his matter-of-fact statement.
“Colin has been suggesting we have a reunion for months now,” Neil said, “but he lives in Town, and that would have only let me escape the madhouse for a few hours. You’ve given Juliana and I a few days, and I owe you for it. Here she is.” He gestured to the carriage, then waved the footman away and opened the door himself, pulling out a petite woman with coppery hair and large brown eyes. “Lady Juliana, might I present Lord Nicholas St. Clare.”
She greeted him and then her smile faded as Rafe made his appearance. He was obviously timing his arrivals for the best effect. Lady Juliana gave him a stern look. “You are not supposed to be here,” she said.
He put a finger to his lips. “It will be our little secret.”
Neil seemed frozen in shock, but once it faded, he embraced his friend so hard he practically lifted Rafe off the ground. Nicholas remembered they had always been good friends. Now they started for the house with their arms locked about each other. Nicholas followed, wanting to make certain Amelia and Florentia didn’t need any help inside.
That was when a blood-curdling scream rent the air. Everyone halted and looked about as the sound of hoofbeats came closer. Nicholas spotted the man on the horse rushing toward them and realized it hadn’t been a scream but a war cry—a Scottish war cry. There, on a large black horse racing toward them, was the Lunatic, Duncan Murray. The woman who must have been his wife, a small dark-haired woman, was right beside him on another large black horse. Neil pulled his wife out of the path of Duncan’s beast, but there was no need, as he stopped the horse in plenty of time then jumped down with an ease Nicholas envied.
“Well,” he bellowed. “Doona stand aboot with yer mouths agape. I’m here now. The festivities can begin.”
“He hasn’t changed,” Rafe said. Colonel Draven’s wife ran forward to greet Mrs. Murray, and Nicholas thought he remembered hearing that the two were sisters. They embraced and then there were introductions all around. Duncan told Rafe he was a numpty bampot then pulled him into a crushing embrace. Phineas was talking with Neil and the colonel was trying to make introductions. The ladies were laughing and behaving as though they had known each other for years, and Nicholas stood still and looked about at the chaos around him. Seeing his fellow soldiers brought back memories of war, but not as many as he would have thought. It helped that Neil wasn’t ordering everyone about and Draven wasn’t looking stern and as though the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.
Duncan, Phin, and Rafe hadn’t changed at all, and Nicholas hoped they never did. He wondered what the others thought of him. Did they see a changed man or one who was very much like the Nickers they’d known in France?
Amelia slipped easily through the crowd of people, and Nicholas was glad when she came to stand at his side. She slipped her hand into his. “How many more are coming?” she asked, trying to be heard over the din of voices.
“Too many,” he said, grateful for the security he felt with her at his side.
“I like all of them already, although that one”—she inclined her head toward Duncan—“is a little bit frightening.”
As though he’d been summoned, Duncan looked over and tromped to them. “There ye are,” he said by way of greeting to Nicholas. “It’s been too long. And who is this wee lass? Doona say yer wife. Are we all married now?”
Nicholas made the introductions and sometime later Amelia and Florentia managed to corral everyone inside for tea and refreshments in the drawing room. Nicholas was tempted to escape the noise and hide in the stables, but Florentia had taken up residence near the doors and gave him dark looks whenever he moved that way.
“Is that another coach?” Lady Juliana asked, moving to peer out the window. “Oh, but it’s two, and they are quite large.”
Her husband joined her and after a look through the window announced, “They’re Aidan Sterling’s coaches.”
“Ah, then that means Mr. Mostyn and Mr. Payne will be with him,” the colonel announced.
“Oh, Lady Lorraine will have the baby with her!” Lady Juliana exclaimed, and the room emptied except for Nicholas and Amelia.
Amelia went to his side and smiled. “Ready for more?” she asked.
“Not just yet,” he said, and pulled her into his arms
Seventeen
Amelia hadn’t expected the kiss, but she rather liked that it took her off-guard. Her breath hitched and her belly tightened as Nicholas pulled her close and teased her mouth open before licking inside.
Amelia pulled back. “My lord! We should go down and greet the guests.”
“In a moment,” he said. He gave her an instant to decide, and she knew he wouldn’t stop her if she stepped away. But she didn’t want to step away. Servants and guests and the million tasks she had to attend to be damned. She wrapped her arms about Nicholas’s neck and kissed him back. She’d been afraid her declaration the night before would unnerve him and cause distance between them. She wasn’t sure if she should be worried or happy that telling him she loved him hadn’t seemed to change things.
The kiss was long and slow and sweet, and finally Nicholas broke away and rested his forehead on hers. He was breathing hard, and Amelia had to struggle to catch her own breath as well as refrain from grasping his coat and pulling him back for another kiss.
“We should go meet Aidan Sterling and the others,” he said.
“Yes, we’ll be considered extremely rude if we don’t,” she agreed.
“I definitely can’t escape with you to the bed chamber,” he said.
Amelia felt a knife of heat slice through her. “I fear we will have to postpone that pleasure until later.”
He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it. “Until later then.”
She went out with him, the two of them arriving just as the large conveyances slowed to a stop. They were probably the most sleek, luxurious conveyances Amelia had ever seen. “Goodness,” she said under her breath as Aidan Sterling’s coaches drew closer.
The Duchess of Mayne was nearby, and she nodded in agreement. “I hear they are equally lavish on the inside,” she added. “We should have a peek later. I heard one of them even has a bed.” She raised her brows and gave a mock look of shock. Amelia smiled and then watched as Nicholas greeted the dark-haired man who exited the first coach. He was as tall as Nicholas, and she glanced up as Nicholas gestured for her to move forward so he could make the introductions. She gave Aidan Sterling a curtsy and then smiled as his wife, Jenny, a lovely woman with blue eyes and dark hair, stepped out. Then both were swallowed up by the group behind them, and she watched as an even taller man stepped out of the coach. He was a bit rougher looking. It appeared as though his nose had been broken at least once. He had broad shoulders and moved in a way that told her he must be the retired pugilist she had heard so much about.
He was introduced as Rowden Payne, and he gave her a huge smile. “So you do exist. I thought maybe Nickers made you up to escape back to the country again. My felicitations,” he said. He assisted his wife out of the coach and introduced her as Modesty Payne. She had lovely, bright red hair but a very serious expression. Her face softened when she smiled.