“Dahlia never moved her clothes out of here, either. I suppose it doesn’t matter. She’ll be my wife in a matter of hours.”
“Assuming Finn gets ye the special license.” Robbie frowned. “Are ye sure about this? Not questioning yer wanting to marry the lass. Just the timing of it. All jesting aside, it won’t be much of a wedding for her.”
“I know. I felt as though I was at death’s door yesterday, and all the while, all I could think about was giving her the protection of my name. I know the Farthingales will always take care of her. It isn’t the same. And it isn’t merely a matter of protecting her. We belong together. She has my heart. I needed her to have all that goes with it.”
“It’s that damn book. I think I have to read it.” He shook his head as he walked out.
Within minutes, everyone began popping in to see how he was faring. Heather came first since Robbie must have awakened her and told her she could have her bedchamber back. “Robbie said you were doing well this morning.”
Ronan nodded. “I am. How did you sleep? Robbie still feels guilty about you giving up your bed for him. How was the sofa?”
“Very comfortable. I was fine. Robbie is too big to fit on it. His legs would have been dangling over the edge, and his shoulders are too broad for the seat. He would have rolled off at least a dozen times during the night.”
Then Joshua and Holly walked in, and they had the same conversation. “Yes, I’m much better this morning. Slept well. No fever to speak of.”
He felt as though he was the host standing in a veritable reception line, for the rest of the morning was taken up greeting family members who came by to ask after him. But he looked up eagerly when Finn strode in. “Did you get the license?”
Tynan and Joshua happened to be in the room with him at the time.
Finn shot him a look. “Of course, I did. Was there ever a doubt?”
“Were you able to find a minister willing to conduct the service?” Tynan asked.
Finn pursed his lips. “Working on it. Don’t you think we ought to hear from Dahlia’s uncle first?”
“I’m sure he’ll give his consent. Why wouldn’t he? Besides, you, Josh, and Romulus gave him enough practice negotiating betrothal contracts. As far as I’m concerned, I’ll sign whatever he hands me.”
“He and Rupert will be along later this morning,” Joshua said. “Let’s wait until then before you make your plans.”
Ronan was not going to allow his brothers to delay him. “I’m marrying her today.”
Tynan frowned. “What you are doing is barging ahead like a bull on a rampage. But there is someone important you’re trampling over. Did you think to discuss the wedding details with Dahlia?”
Ronan sighed. “She is agreeable to marrying me today.”
“Because you pushed her into it,” Joshua said. “What was she going to tell you while you were on the verge of convulsions?”
No, his Queen Pea loved him.
But he knew they had a point. He was rushing her, forcing her to give up her special day. “I’ll talk to her when she comes upstairs. What’s she doing now?”
“Having coffee with Belle and the others in the dining room. Miranda should be here shortly. This week has been bittersweet for her. She’s about to lose the last of her sons.”
Ronan pursed his lips. “It will be an adjustment for her to be alone in that big house. But we’ll all live close enough. Your wives have been good to her. I think she likes them better than she likes us.”
Tynan nodded. “She and Abby have grown very close. We’ll make it a point to stop by often to visit her. At least until she’s used to being on her own.”
“Holly and I will do the same,” Joshua said. “But I wonder if we ought to hire a companion for Miranda. There are lots of genteel women who would be suitable for the position.”
Finn chuckled. “Let’s get through Ronan’s wedding ceremony first, shall we? Don’t you dare raise the possibility to Miranda until afterward. She’ll eat you alive at the mere suggestion.”
At one o’clock, the Lord Admiral stopped by to see how he was doing. Joshua led him into Ronan’s bedchamber. Dahlia had been seated beside his bed, reading a collection of poems to him. She was in the middle of reading Ozymandias by the poet, Percy Shelley, but set her book aside and skittered out after hastily greeting the man.
The Lord Admiral watched her as she left. “I hear you are getting married.”
“That’s right. I want it to happen today, but there is a concerted campaign afoot to have my wishes overruled. The family believes I should at least be able to stand on my feet, not naked, and not smelling like fungus growing in a cave.”
“Well, knowing you are to be married should square things with Stoke, although your lovely betrothed set him straight already and saved our hides.” He settled in the chair Dahlia had vacated. “I won’t stay long. I just wanted you to know that if there is to be any political chicanery over this navy scandal, I will make certain I’m the one to take the fall.”
Ronan frowned. “Dahlia read me this morning’s newspaper account. The Examiner is skewering Viscount Hawley, Lord Liverpool, and you. It isn’t fair what they are saying about you. What choice did you have in giving him this commission? The blame falls on all the lords who pressured you into appointing him, and this includes Lord Liverpool. I like the man, but this was an enormous blunder on his part.”
“Hopefully, some good will come of it. The incident would have been disastrous had we been at war. Having just ended a long and brutal engagement against the French, and having lost so many good men of our own, the country has no patience for this continued privilege nonsense. I only hope Liverpool isn’t brought down along with Hawley. As for me,” he said, shaking his head and chuckling, “I am eager to be booted out. I’m a tired, old man. I would enjoy being able to live out the rest of my life in peace and quiet.”
“And leave men like Lord Peckham and Viscount Hawley in power in the navy? I would rather take the blame for this incident than ever see you gone. But is there anything to be done about Hawley?”
“Other than promoting him to some inconsequential position? Doubtful. Well, it’s done now. Peckham, the arse, was hoping to place blame on you to misdirect everyone’s anger, but it didn’t work. The newspapers are touting you as the hero in all of this. Indeed, you are. I think the members of the House of Lords would have to be delusional to try to pin the blame on you. Mind you, many of them are.”
“Too many of them are locked in the past and refuse to see the old ways disappearing.”
“Then they will be smacked in the face by this changing world.” The Lord Admiral patted his arm as he rose. “I’ll leave you now. We’ll see what political storm hits us on Monday. Congratulations, Brayden. Rest up. I’ll need you in fighting shape as soon as possible.”
Dahlia came back upstairs once the Lord Admiral left. “What did he have to say?”
He grimaced. “The lords are in turmoil, trying to figure out how to save their hides. Lord Liverpool’s party might lose control over Parliament because of this. It was on his insistence that Hawley was promoted to a fleet admiral and given command of The Invictus. Liverpool is an able leader. I don’t know who will fill his shoes if he tumbles. Hopefully, someone less keen on rewarding rank instead of merit.”