Page 90 of As the Earl Likes
Sheff nodded. “Of course. I’ll dispatch a letter to my secretary in the morning, and he can handle the arrangements. I will purchase a special license, which should not be a problem, particularly since I have been in residence in Weston for several weeks.”
Jo gave him a sheepish look. “I’m afraid I didn’t pack most of my new clothing—some of which I haven’t even worn yet. I do have a gown that would be nice for the wedding.”
“Then I shall instruct my secretary to coordinate the delivery of your clothing along with your father. Can your housekeeper organize everything?”
“I can write a letter to her if you could also dispatch that in the morning.” She laughed. “We are suddenly very busy.”
“Because we have a future waiting for us, and we are eager to start it!” He grinned at her, love overflowing from every part of him. “Wellesbourne told me that when you realize you are in love, you can’t wait for the happily ever after to begin. Or something like that. In fact, another gentleman told me the same thing. Now, I understand, and I wholeheartedly concur.”
“I think we started a while ago when you invited me into your room,” Jo said with a sly smile. “Shall we continue?” She took his hand and put it on her breast.
Sheff narrowed his eyes. “Yes, please.” He gathered her to him with a growl, settling her on his lap. “I can’t believe how much I love you. Even more now than when you walked through that door.”
“And I love you. More now than when you asked me to marry you. I expect to love you more still when we wake in the morning.”
“That assumes we will sleep.” He waggled his brows at her.
She looked at him in horror. “We must sleep. I was exhausted after the journey today, and some idiot next door to my room kept me from falling asleep. The babe is absolutely draining.”
Sheff grimaced. “Hell, I wasn’t thinking.” He lifted her from her lap and guided her down onto the mattress. “Sleep, now.”
“In a while. I’m not quite as exhausted as I was earlier.” She gave him a sultry look. “You’re going to have to tire me out, I think.”
Sheff smiled down at her. “I will do whatever you need, my love.”
Chapter 19
The garden drawing room—so called because it was one of two drawing rooms and opened onto the garden—at the Grove was full of Jo’s family and friends following her wedding to Sheff. After dashing to the retiring room, which had become a regular occurrence in recent days, and would apparently only become more persistent according to her mother and Persephone, Jo now stood just inside the doorway. She wanted to take a moment to survey all the people she cared about most and cherish that they were all here to celebrate her most special day.
Good heavens, but pregnancy had turned her into a nostalgic sentimentalist.
And she didn’t mind. She glanced at her left hand, thinking Sheff’s grandmother’s ring still felt odd, but it also felt right. Jo had returned the ring to Min after the fake betrothal had ended, then Min had brought it with her to Weston, much to Jo’s surprise and delight.
Sheff had made a show of putting it on her finger in front of Min and Ellis, who were there. He’d even dropped to his knee again.
Being with Ellis was difficult. Jo and Sheff wanted nothing more than to tell her the truth, to reveal her parentage. But they were resolved in their decision to wait until all parties could be informed. That meant that Min didn’t know the truth yet either.
Upon arriving in Weston, Jo had told her mother that Ellis was, definitively, Jo’s half sister. Her mother was not surprised and immediately suggested they not tell her father when he arrived in Weston. He would go straight to Ellis, and they’d agreed that might not be the best way for her to learn about her parentage. Finding out she was the duchess’s daughter would affect her greatly, and they’d reasoned it was best to wait until Sheff had spoken with his father. Jo ached to tell her father about his other daughter—and to recognize Ellis as her sister—but knew the timing was not yet right. It would be soon.
Sheff had agreed with this plan. Then he’d just kept telling Jo not to fret, that this time was for them, to celebrate their love and, today, their marriage. It had been a very joyous week. Jo could not remember ever being this happy.
“Do your cheeks ache yet?” Jo’s mother asked as she approached her.
“Not yet, but I’m sure they will.” Jo grinned. “Can one overdose on happiness?”
“I never thought so, but I don’t know that I’ve ever achieved your level of joy.” She kissed Jo’s cheek. “Your love for Sheff appears to exceed anything I felt for your father.”
“What about Marcel?” Jo glanced toward her mother’s lover, a lithe gentleman with gray-and-sable hair who stood across the room speaking with Wellesbourne and Droxford.
Her mother’s lips curved into a small smile. “I do love him, but I am not sure it is the same all-consuming passion you seem to have for Sheff. And, more importantly, that he has for you. I’ve never seen a man more smitten. It makes me want to roll my eyes, quite frankly.”
Jo laughed. “I might feel the same if I were not the recipient.”
Sobering, her mother said, “Marcel and I are returning to London tomorrow.”
Jo pivoted to face her. “You are? I thought you were staying until the end of the month.”
“Or as long as I could stand it. I am past my ability to withstand another week in this sleepy enclave.” She shuddered. “Honestly, I would have left days ago, but you arrived and announced you were marrying as soon as possible, and I had to stay.” Her expression softened. “I wanted to stay. But now I want to go home.”
