“Colin, don’t let them win! I cannot marry that man!”
“What if he were me?”
Her eyes widened. “Do not toy with me. I am—”
Colin cupped her cheek and sighed. “Do you know how much I love you? How much I care for you? Do you think for one second I would be able to let you go for a second time?”
Gemma shook her head. “But how—”
“I am Bridgewater.”
Gemma gasped and raised her hand as if to slap him. Was she truly going to hit him after such an admission?
And then she laughed. “You horrid man! If you ever do anything to me like that again, I shall strike you!”
“Bravo, sister. You have come to your senses at last,” came the marquess’s voice from behind them.
“Apologies, gentlemen,” Colin addressed Rutledge and Van Burge’s solicitor. “I was otherwise occupied.”
“Are you well?” Rutledge pointed to Colin’s swollen eye.
“Of course.” Colin laughed. “I was dealing with an unruly animal earlier. I’m afraid he got the better of me and kicked me in the face. All is well now.”
Van Burge turned crimson. “Is there a reason for your intrusion, Wilde? I thought we had an understanding. You were to stay away from my sister once and for all. Have some dignity.”
Colin smiled and turned to Rutledge. “Is everything settled?”
“Now, see here!” Van Burge roared. “I am to be meeting the Duke of Bridgewater, a very important man, a man worthy of my sister, a man worthy of this family!”
Rutledge opened his mouth to say something, but Colin cut him off. “No, no, let him finish. He’s doing quite well.”
“You should be so lucky as to be standing in the same room with such a man. In fact, I insist that you stay. I shall enjoy signing over my sister’s life while you watch!”
Without a word, Rutledge held out the contracts, and the other solicitor handed Van Burge a quill. “There.”
The contracts were signed. “It is all taken care of.” Rutledge smiled and turned to Colin. “By the by, did you know that upon your marriage, you shall receive a healthy dowry from Miss Reynolds? Are you sure you still mean to allow the marquess to keep it?”
“Of course.” Colin nodded. “After all, he has his… future wife to look after. Amongst other things.”
“You truly did not need to do that,” Gemma interjected, cupping Colin’s face.
“Gemma, not now. He is not your betrothed!” Van Burge snapped. “This is a conversation between gentlemen, and—”
“Pardon me, did you just speak to my future wife as if she were nothing more than a fixture in your house?”
“Yes!” Van Burge yelled and then took a step back. “What did you just say?”
Rutledge chuckled. “My lord, allow me to introduce you to his grace, the Duke of Bridgewater.”
Van Burge’s face turned a brilliant shade of purple before he bellowed, “How dare you deceive me! I shall cut you from limb to limb! I shall—”
“You shall do no such thing, Hawke!” Gemma interrupted.
“Gemma, know your place!” He pointed his finger at Colin. “I will not be silent about this! I do not care who you are or how much money you possess, nor—”
Colin’s fist sailed into the marquess’s face, sending him to the ground in a heap.
Van Burge’s solicitor smiled. “Do you know, I’ve been itching to do that for ten years?”
“Get in line.” Gemma huffed.
Rutledge cleared his throat. “It seems we are finished here. Pleasure doing business with you, your grace.” The men bowed their heads briefly and walked out of the room.
“Your grace?” Gemma repeated. “Your grace. I love the sound of that.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Duchess.” Colin dipped her back and kissed her neck.
“And now will you tell me how this all came to be?”
Hawke stirred from the floor. Colin kissed Gemma’s mouth again and led her out of the room. The minute they were in the hall, he pressed her against the wall. “I will explain it all later, but for now…”
“For now?” She sighed. “For now, what?”
“I want to kiss you,” Colin said against her lips. “I want to kiss my future wife, my future duchess. I’ve always wanted to kiss a duchess.”
“That can be arranged.” Gemma giggled.
Epilogue
Ambrose grinned as he watched his twin dance with Bridget, his wife.
“What are you smiling about?” Cordelia asked, grabbing her husband’s hand and bestowing a kiss upon it.
“Wallflowers.”
“Pardon?” She laughed.
“They are… not always as they seem.” He gazed down at his beautiful wife, with her easy smile and warm laugh.
“Nobody truly is.” She laid her head against his shoulder. “Where are Colin and Gemma?”
Just then Colin appeared with Gemma on his arm. They had been married four weeks ago and were just back from their honeymoon.
“Over here!” Cordelia called them.
Gemma walked briskly towards Cordelia and embraced her. Soon Anthony and Bridget joined them.
“A toast!” Anthony called, grabbing goblets of champagne from a passing servant.
“To what?” Gemma asked.
Just then a gasp was heard from the crowd, and then some cursing as Lady Van Burge, the marquess’s new wife, pulled him by his cravat through the hall. Poor fellow was digging his heels into the floor.
“Must have gotten caught with another maid.” Gemma sighed. “You were saying?”
“I believe that man is getting exactly what he deserves.” Anthony cleared his throat. “A toast to rakes and the women who reform them.”
“Hear, hear!” They lifted their glasses and cheered.