Page 139 of Duchess Material

“Winston, are you crying?”

“Sorry, I’m a crier!”

“I know. You’re happy? Not sad.”

“Happy. Not sad.”

“Okay. Well, shit. We’re doing it.”

“We’re doing it.”

“We hope.”

Winston gave her another big kiss. “We will, Lulu. We will.”

“Okay, well try to dry your eyes and look normal, baby. We gotta go back downstairs and act like nothing is going on. Also, you must drink my drinks and such so it’s not abundantly clear.”

* * *

Ed returned to the UK just in time for the Society Wedding of The Year. Ed wasn’t clear on what made it so special, but he was hopeful that Gerry and Sheena would have a nice wedding weekend. The docket included chasing the King for some facetime. Ed knew to get the go-ahead to propose, he had to exert some initiative. He’d been in America more than he had been back, so his time was limited. This quest was better planned than it was implemented from the outset.

Going anywhere with Natalie was a disaster. Add her entire family and you had a total circus. She was over-the-moon to have her brothers home, spend time at Thirlestane, and see her cousins again. Ed was drowning in relatives. It was like his Irish family had reunited with bonus press coverage. Some of his annoyance stemmed from resenting being on camera while off the clock. Most of it was due the fact that he hadn’t shagged Natalie in weeks and all he could think about was seeing her naked.

Absence did make the heart grow fonder. It also made Ed impatient. Natalie was finally off the clock for more than two days. They had an entire week to spend. Yet, she was having a brilliant time drinking with her cousins. She wanted Ed integrated. Usually, he enjoyed this. In this case, he just wanted her alone.

“Why are you being a grump?” Natalie dropped into Ed’s lap, drink in hand. It was late. He was tired of chasing her in around trying to get a word in edgewise. She was downright difficult to be upset with when she did this. He loved it.

“I am not being a grump.”

“You are being a grump, Edwin.”

“Oh, well, I’m sorry if I am being a tinge grumpy. My girlfriend has been talking to everyone but me.”

“Does someone feel left out?”

“A little.” She wanted to pity him.

Natalie leaned in and kissed him, her lips barely grazing his for a moment, then deeper. He longed to run her upstairs. In fact, he would have snogged her like a hopeless teenager right there, if that were an option. Still, she pulled away.

“You’ll get me all to yourself in about five minutes, okay? I promise you.”

“Uh-huh.” Ed didn’t buy it.

Natalie could never just leave anything.

Ed refilled his drink, hoping it was like packing an umbrella. Once he did it, he wouldn’t need the top up. That was when Natalie began singing with her cousins and all bets were off.

“She’s like her mother. You’ll never get her out of here.”

Ed turned to see Natalie’s Uncle Duncan.

“Oh, really?”

“It’s a blessing and a curse,” Duncan said. “She’s in a wild mood. Let her be. She’ll come back. I’m sure that’s no consolation with you having been gone for weeks.”

“How is anyone able to entertain so many people?”

“It’s a blessing and a curse like I said. A blessing in her line of work. A curse for you.”

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