Dukes By the Dozen

She stepped forward. “No. No, Jack has enough problems.”

Adam regained his feet with a wince. “I hope we settle this situation soon. I don’t think my knee can take another round.” Balanced on his cane, he reached out once again for her hand. “Jack will never forgive you if you do not allow him to stand by your side. He will truly never forgive you if he cannot give you away when you wed your duke.” He grinned. “Your next duke.”

She faltered, tried to gage the expression in his eyes. Tested her own heart to realize that she was terrified he wasn’t being serious. She wanted this. Oh, Jamie, she wanted this.

“You don’t have to go to those lengths, Adam.”

His smile grew and softened. “Oh, but I do, Georgie. Please don’t make me face this dukedom all on my own. I need someone who understands how to be flexible and bold, brave and loyal.” Now, he was grinning outright. “It would help if she set my blood to fire with her kisses.”

Georgie blushed, her own blood heating quite effectively. “She does?”

“Most assuredly. I have a confession to make. I began to fall in love with you through Jamie’s letters. I tumbled the rest of the way when I watched you thoroughly rout the kidnappers with the help of people who you have inspired into loyalty and respect. They would all die for you. Our attraction is only the icing on the cake. You would make an exemplary duchess. I only hope you could find your way to being my duchess.”

Those pesky tears rose again. This time, though, they were cleansing, joyful, verdant. Spring had come to her soul, and the sun rose. “I believe I could,” she admitted.

He dropped his cane and caught her other hand. “And you could settle for an old soldier who comes to you a bit worse for wear?”

“With all my heart.”

He pulled her close, nestling her against his heart where she had so longed to be. “Do you think Jamie would have approved?”

“I think he made sure that if he couldn’t be here to see Lully and I through, you would. Do you mind?”

He laid his hand against her back and bent his head to hers. “I will be thankful every day of my life.”

For the longest time they remained where they were, pledging a new love, honoring an old one, setting a path for the future.

“Now,” he finally said. “Shall we go secure a duchy for your daughter?”

And for the first time in years, Georgie laughed with a free heart. “Yes,” she said, reaching up to kiss him one final time before sharing their news. “Let’s.”

ANYONE LOOKING on the tableau in the Marquess of Wyndham’s Great Parlor would at first assume that the family gathered before him was seeking a boon, not making an accusation. The Marquess, white-haired and rigidly erect, sat in his favorite chair, the one that looked suspiciously like the Regent’s throne, his beringed hands clutching the chair arms, his austere face set in a terrifying scowl. His wife the Marchioness sat alongside him, just as regal in her puce damask day dress and ropes of heirloom pearls. Her patrician face, though, betrayed a bit of bemusement, as if she had stumbled onto a conversation that had already been in progress.

Along one side of the gathered gilt-edged Louis Quinze furniture sat Georgie’s brother Jack, the Earl of Gracechurch, and his wife Olivia, both humming with tension, both carrying battle scars, even though faded with time. Side by side on an elegant straw settee, he brunette and she blonde, they held hands, much to the Marquess’s discomfort.

On the other side of the room sat Georgie and Adam, also holding hands. For the first time in her life, Georgie faced her father without fear. Without a word Adam reminded her of how strong she was.

“Where is the child?” the marquess barked.

“Why?” Georgie asked, knowing Adam would not intervene for her. “So you can try to nab her again?”

The marquess bristled. “Don’t be absurd, girl.”

The marchioness, her own white-haired head swiveling toward her husband, suddenly scowled. “What does she mean?” .

“This does not concern you, madame,” he snapped at her. “I am speaking to your daughter.”

“That daughter who has new groomsmen,” Georgie said quite as calmly as when she’d faced the kidnappers. She hoped Adam had the brandy ready for when this was over. “Jem is not coming back, father. I should probably tell you that Jem’s father will be joining his son at our home where he is assured no one will coerce his family into illegal and immoral behavior. No one will ever again try to kidnap my daughter, sir. ”

The marquess looked close to a seizure. “How dare you…?”

The marchioness stiffened. “Kidnap?”

“Don’t be absurd,”he barked.

Georgie had had enough of this. “I’m not being absurd when you try to lock my four-year-old daughter away in a home for the insane.”

That brought the marchioness to her feet. “You said you would send her to Aunt Marguerite!” she shrilled at her husband. “You said that Lilly Charlotte was in danger where she was! You said Georgiana knew!”