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“Lay off him, Sinclair. Not all of us get to do our weddings twice,” Daniel drawled.

“The first one does not even count,” Ethan protested.

He walked up to the window and frowned when he saw what Hudson had been glowering at for the past few minutes—the Marquess of Colton staring after Scarlett as if he were some forlorn whelp in a tragic romance.

“Lord Colton seems unable to recognize when he has overstayed his welcome.”

“Lady Southford invited him in the first place.” Hudson shrugged and finished the rest of his glass. “I see no reason to antagonize my future mother-in-law by criticizing her poor judgment in wedding guests.”

“Then you must be one of the most obliging men for it,” Colin muttered. “I would have kicked him out at the very first opportunity.”

His friend would kick anyone out at the very first opportunity. He had even punched Daniel for marrying his sister behind his back—not that Ashton did not deserve it.

“Not,” Ethan snickered, “if dear Alice had any say about it.”

“Alice has never liked the Marquess either,” Colin countered. “None of the ladies do.”

Indeed, none of his friends’ wives—Scarlett’s closest friends—seemed to approve of the Marquess.

However, Hudson also recalled that Phoebe was not overly fond of him either, as she had made known in the orangery. Not that he did not deserve it, but he admired Ethan’s Duchess for standing up for her friend at that moment.

Courage and loyalty were rare in men. To find both in a woman who was nearly half his size was truly remarkable. Ethan was a rather fortunate idiot, he supposed—but still an idiot, nonetheless.

“Our offer still stands, you know.” Daniel smirked. “We can… take care of less desirable guests for you. As your groomsmen, it is only our duty, of course.”

Of course, Daniel was going to find an excuse to orchestrate the downfall of a nobleman. His opinion of the aristocracy had changed very little since he married Evelyn, although he was better able to tolerate more of them.

“That will not be necessary.” Hudson brushed him off with a grateful nod.

Colton might be a nuisance, but not so much that he deserved to have the Duke of Ash after him. The last thing Scarlett needed was another scandal surrounding their wedding. For her, Hudson could be a little bit more patient.

Just one more day.One more night, and I can finally be rid of these infernal guests.

Then, he would have the estate all to himself again. With his new bride. Whom he had promised not to touch.

Bloodyhell.

“You know that you can also take your own advice, Wolf.” Daniel looked at him pointedly. “You can leave the past where it belongs and look forward with your Duchess.”

His own advice came to bite him in the arse the evening before his wedding. Just bloodywonderful.

“I seem to recall you did not take too kindly to the same advice, Ashton.”

Daniel simply smirked at him. “I never said it was going to be easy. I am simply saying that it would be in your best interests. For both of you.”

“Why are you so charitable with your advice now?” Hudson grumbled.

The Duke of Ash shrugged his shoulders. “I simply want my wife to be happy, and Evelyn wants her friend to have a happy marriage.”

So, it was still all about his wife, the damned traitor. It seemed that his betrothed had more loyal friends on her side than he had on his.

And when the morning came, his betrothed would become his wife. His in name and nothing else—and he would have no one else but himself to blame for that.

Hudson ran a hand over his face in frustration. That townhouse in London was sounding like a much better idea by the minute.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

She had thought only women of a certain age—like her mama—suffered from nerves. Either that or she had ageddecadesin the two weeks that it took to plan her wedding.