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He pressed his forehead to hers. “Thank goodness. I had run out of arguments.”

“I noticed. We could be handsome together? Terrible argument.” She grinned and pressed a swift kiss to his lips. “I love you, Adam.”

“I love you, Rosie.”

∞∞∞

“So you’re to be an innkeeper?” Leo shook his head at Adam as he took a swing with the mallet and struck the ball perfectly, sending it through the loop.

“Indeed.”

Leo’s smile widened. “That means I win.”

Adam scowled. “You win what?”

“The wager. I told Alex you’d fall hard for Rosie.”

“You had a bet on me?”

“Indeed,” Leo mimicked.

“Blast. I do so loathe it when I am left out of a wager.”

“You won the woman did you not?”

Adam grinned. “I did.”

“Well, that is prize enough I am sure, though I am not certain what Mother will say on the matter.” Leo slung the putter over his shoulder.

He fixed his brother with a look. “You know full well I have little care what that manipulative woman wants. Besides—” Adam nodded toward where the wives were gathered on the lawns with their mother and Lucy’s mother and sister— “she will be distracted enough once you inform her that Rebecca is with child.”

Leo rubbed his forehead. “How the devil did you know that?”

“Mary-Anne gave it away.”

“But of course.”

“And I had a wager with her.”

“Did you win?”

Adam lifted a shoulder. “Naturally.”

“Well, so long as you are happy, Brother. I should have known you would pursue something different. You were always too clever to sit idle for the rest of your life.” Leo paused. “And if you repeat that to anyone I shall deny it.”

He smirked. “Did you say something?”

Leo clapped a hand on his shoulder. “At least our mother got her wish. All of us happily settled—and the scandal is done.”

“I cannot help but be a little grateful for the scandal. And our mother’s meddling. We would never have come here otherwise.”

“That is true.” Leo looped an arm around Adam’s neck and drew him close. “But if you tell our mother that, I shall disown you, Brother.”

“Oh believe me, I shall never admit such a thing, even under pain or torture.”

“I imagine you have an inn to return to.”

“I do indeed.”

Leo’s grin turned wicked. “And the Beauty of Buttermere. Only you could wed the most famed beauty in England.”

“Would you expect anything less of me?”

His brother simply chuckled.

THE END