Page 95 of The Rules of Matrimony
“Of course that is the only reason,” Tom said. “Louisa is supposed to be in confinement, so we gladly gave up our seats for her comfort. You’re merely lucky to be attached to her.”
Cassandra elbowed Tom. “Don’t listen to him. He’s jealous that you let Lisette hold the baby first. Babies are all he can think about from sun up to sun down.”
Ian hadn’t even noticed the small bundle of blankets in Lisette’s arms. Lisette’s soft, blonde curls on either side of her face swayed from side to side as she dropped her head to stare at the baby. He would have to get in line to hold the little thing after Tom.
“Never mind that,” Tom said. “I can be patient for a moment longer. But only for a moment, mind you, Lisette.”
Lisette laughed and leaned into her husband, Walter, to let him see the baby too. “We will share, I promise.”
“Finish the tour,” Ian prompted.
“The tour! Right. My wife and I usually sit where Paul is, and across from us sit Lisette and Walter and Miles and Jemma. The four of them can get quite cozy since Lisette and Jemma are inseparable and don’t mind the crowding. But the crowning element of the tour is just here.” Tom scurried to the head of the room—if there could be one in the circle, this was it.
Tom rested his hands on the green upholstered chair with the tall back. “This, Lady Brilliant, is our Mother Hen’s throne of putrid.”
Amie laughed. “Throne of what?”
“The name is self-explanatory, my lady,” Miles said, and everyone laughed.
“You haven’t finished,” Jemma prompted. “There’s one seat left.”
Ian grinned. He’d been waiting for this part.
“Perhaps you recognize this,” Tom said, moving to the chair directly beside Ian’s throne.
Amie turned her head to look up at Ian. “It does look a great deal like the one in our townhome. The one you always like to sit in.”
“It’s the very same,” Ian said with pride. “My Pocock original. I had it sent up just for you.”
Tom cleared his throat to capture their attention again. “Instead of getting you a new, pretty chair with all his gobs of money, Lord Grumpy sent over his well-used favorite chair to be your new throne.”
“It’s sentimental,” Lisette explained. “I think it’s terribly romantic.”
Ian slipped his hand down to find Amie’s and wove their fingers together. “Well, Lady Brilliant? Care to be seated?”
She eyed him, laughing at his use of Tom’s nickname. “I would be honored.”
Ian led her through the middle of the room to her chair and held it out for her. She relaxed into it and sighed. “It’s comfortable in all the right places.”
“It’s Moroccan leather. Wait until you put your feet up.” He turned to Tom. “See? I knew she would love it.”
Ian planted himself on his throne and captured Amie’s hand again. He never liked to be parted from her for long if he could help it. He still couldn’t believe what had possessed him to create rule number one all those months before. It was by far the most idiotic idea he’d had to date.
Ian used his free hand to motion to the room at large. “Everyone else, find a seat. I have an announcement to make.”
“I do love announcements,” Jemma said, pulling Miles toward the sofa.
When everyone was seated, Ian began. “This is not exactly how I imagined us all ending up—married.”
Everyone chuckled. It was a far cry from the day not many years ago when they had all pledged to stay single against the threat of the Matchmaking Mamas.
“But we can all agree,” he continued, “that we’re all better for it.”
Miles put his arm around Jemma, and Lisette’s and Walter’s arms were already entwined. Tom winked at his Cassandra, and Paul mirrored Louisa’s ever-present smile and took her hand. There was a feeling about the room—a rightness Ian had never imagined possible. He believed Amie’s hand in his had a great deal to do with it.
He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a folded piece of parchment. “The Rebels are twice as many as we started with, which means we have been able to make twice the difference in the world with our efforts. I received a letter just this morning that I have been anxious to read to you.”
He unfolded the paper and found the section he desired. “This is from Sir James Mackintosh. I wanted you to be among the first to hear the good news:
