Page 98 of Educated By the Earl (Second Sons of London 1)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Spencer awoke andkept his eyes closed. The familiar scent of lavender still lingered in the air but Tessa’s hand did not hold his, as it had for most of the past week.

Gradually, he opened his eyes, thinking his body ached everywhere. Surprisingly, though, after only three days the bruises were all but gone. Tessa told him it had been thanks to Dr. Presley’s leeches and the gel containing arnica that Rigsby had coated across Spencer’s body.

After a week, however, his ribs still troubled him and would for a bit longer, according to the physician.

Not enough to prevent him from attending his own wedding.

Or keeping him from bedding his wife.

Spencer had done everything in his power to be ready for today, which had been designated as their wedding day, even doing the torturous breathing exercises prescribed by Dr. Presley. Actually, they had only been awful the first day. Both Tessa and Rigsby rode roughshod over him, talking him through inhaling deep breaths which forced his ribcage to expand. Almost as painful had been the short huffs and forced cough.

He had repeated the exercises several times a day and found they did help though he would never divulge that to the two tyrants known as his fiancée and valet.

Rigsby entered the room, carrying a breakfast tray. “Ah, good morning, my lord. Ready to slip on the old ball and chain today?”

If he were to be a prisoner, he would choose to be Tessa’s prisoner again and again.

She had told him that Lord Ellington wouldn’t be bothering them anymore but hadn’t given him any details. Those had come from Miss Goulding, who came to visit him a few days after the now-infamous ball at the Blasingames’ residence.

Miss Goulding had shooed Tessa away, telling her cousin she would sit a few hours with Spencer while Tessa took a long bath and napped. While Tessa was gone, Lady Adalyn arrived. Together, the two women gave him an elaborate account of the encounter between Tessa and Ellington, even standing and acting out what had occurred. To hear of Ellington’s shame and disgrace in front of all of Polite Society had brought a smile to Spencer’s face.

That—and knowing his Boudica had gone into battle once more.

For him.

For love.

“Please refrain from thinking that my bride will be my jailer, Rigsby,” he told his valet, seeing the smile the servant bit back as he placed the breakfast tray down and helped Spencer sit up.

As he breakfasted, the valet kept up a running dialogue, filled with his usual gossip. Instead of cutting Rigsby off, he listened. It seemed thetonhad united as a whole behind Tessa and her bravery in calling Ellington out. She was its new darling, despite having gone to no more events since she spent every waking moment by his side.

The two of them had talked things over and decided after today’s wedding that they would retire to the country for the remainder of the Season. When he next attended a ball with Tessa as his wife, he wanted to dance the waltz with her in front of everyone, gliding across the dance floor and twirling her about. As it was now, he would have to gingerly make love to her until his ribs healed.

Rigsby put him through the dreaded breathing exercises, which seemed easier today than in days past. Afterward, he soaked in a hot bath and allowed Rigsby to gently bathe him. Dressing proved to be an arduous task but it would be worth it to stand next to Tessa and speak his vows.

He had practiced walking about his bedchamber and now Rigsby gave Spencer a walking stick.

“I’m not an invalid,” he muttered but took the stick in hand and it helped him ease down the stairs.

Together, he and his valet crossed the square to Lord Uxbridge’s townhouse.

“I’ll leave you here, my lord,” Rigsby said as they approached the front door. “Bridget’ll be waiting for me at the servants’ entrance around back. I’ll return—”

“Stay as long as you like,” Spencer said. “At least for today—and tonight—I will have a new, vastly improved valet to undress me.”

Rigsby roared with laughter. “Just another thing Lady Tessa can add to her list of accomplishments. I mean, Lady Middlefield,” the valet corrected as he parted from Spencer.

Before Spencer could knock, the door to Lord Uxbridge’s townhouse swung open and Rainey, the butler, greeted him, a broad smile on his face.

“Good morning, Lord Middlefield,” Rainey said. “May I say you are looking particularly well this day?”

He hoped he looked well enough to wed and merely said, “Thank you, Rainey. Is everything here in good order?”

The butler nodded reassuringly. “All is well, my lord. Thank you for providing Cook with a list of your favorite dishes. You will find them all on the table today for the wedding breakfast.”

“Excellent,” he replied. “Where is the wedding being held?”

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