Page 84 of Cherish and the Duke
The man certainly did know how to kiss.
Reggie cleared his throat. “Great idea. I think I need to bid Margaret a proper farewell.”
Gawain growled. “Reggie! Don’t—”
But his nephew had taken Margaret in his arms and was kissing her with shocking heat.
Cherish exchanged a delighted glance with Fiona. There would be another wedding in the works.
Gawain growled.
Cherish laughed as she placed a restraining hand on Gawain’s arm. “You have only yourself to blame. You really are setting a terrible example for him.”
“Because I love my wife and wish to kiss her?”
He’d said it aloud, proclaimed his love in front of Fiona, Reggie, Durham, and everyone present, including Margaret and her parents. Margaret’s father appeared livid until Reggie approached him and asked to speak to him upon his return from London. “I love your daughter,” he said, and then turned to Gawain. “You’re not the only one who found love this weekend.”
Lord Durham was a very good sort and would not gossip about what he had just seen and heard. But Fiona? The news would be all over Brighton within minutes. If gossip could fly, the news of this Silver Duke being in love with his wife would reach London within the hour. That his nephew had also fallen in love was perhaps less interesting, but that news would also travel fast because Margaret’s family was not without prominence.
Gawain stole another scorching kiss from Cherish.
“Are you trying to outdo your nephew?” she teased, her cheeks turning to fire.
“No, sweetheart. Just kissing the woman I love.”
Fiona and Lord Durham were grinning at her. Had they heard this, too?
Of course, everyone heard. Gawain had made certain of it.
She wanted to berate him, then stopped herself. How foolish was she to rebuke a husband who showed affection for his new wife? Yes, he was being apish about it in order to make certain everyone understood theirs was a love match and not him stepping in to save her from her wretched uncle because he pitied her.
She did not think it was necessary, for who would ever dare touch her now that she was his wife? No one was ever going to challenge the Duke of Bromleigh or dare take anything that was his.
Everyone knew Silver Dukes protected what was theirs. And after last night, was there any doubt she was his?
Chapter Seventeen
Cherish stood atthe edge of the stable, watching from a safe distance as Reggie and Durham rode off. She was standing by the fence near the spot where Lady Albin had tried to run her down, and still felt uncomfortable being so close to all these horses. Fiona’s other guests were now gathering to fetch their mounts for their morning ride. They rode massive, snorting beasts, and she was trying hard not to tremble.
But standing out here with Gawain was more important than her stupid fear.
Her cheeks were on fire and would not stop burning because Gawain had made an embarrassingly ardent show of kissing her earlier. Several of Fiona’s guests made bawdy quips, which she endured with good nature.
After all, he had a rakish reputation to uphold. But Cherish understood Gawain’s true purpose in putting on this show. If he decided to ride off for London tomorrow—because it was not in his nature to sit back while others took on Northam and his lackeys—others might view it as a husband abandoning his wife immediately after their wedding. This would have spawned the vilest gossip, and he meant to stamp out those nasty fires of innuendo before they ever blazed.
She remained standing by the fence, as far out of the way of pounding hooves as possible while the other riders rode past her. Margaret, who was proving to be a good friend, came upto her and took her hand. “Archery targets are being set up on the lawn, Cherish. Do you want to shoot a few? We can pretend those targets are Lady Albin’s rump.”
Cherish laughed. “Margaret! That sounds perfect, but Gawain and I need to ride over to Northam Hall.” She quickly related what her uncle and his wife had done to the manor house, as reported by her butler.
“Oh, what a wretched pair they are. I’m so sorry. How do you feel? Are you all right?”
She nodded. “I will be now that they are gone. But there is work to do in assessing the extent of the damage and deciding what needs to be done. Next, Gawain and I will go to Brighton to check on the land records and see what shows up in the deed registry. I think it might show that Northam Hall is mine, or else why would those two have run off so fast?”
Margaret nodded. “Or destroyed any of the house if they were the rightful owners.”
“Ready, love?” Gawain asked, returning to her side now that he had procured Fiona’s rig so they might ride straight to Northam Hall.
Margaret giggled and ran off.
