Page 55 of A Marriage is Arranged

The Earl looked from his beloved grandmother to, as he had but recently realized, his equally beloved wife, and knew his grandmother was right. Love would make you do the stupidest things.

He stood up, raising his wife to her feet, and held her close.

“And just to think, I asked you earlier if you had any artistic talent!”

He kissed the top of her head.

“Stop crying, my dear. I can’t afford another ruined waistcoat, not if you’re going to order a gown embroidered with diamonds.”

She looked up at him.

“Oh Gareth, I do so love you,” she said, half-crying and half-laughing.

He kissed her on the lips.

“Good, that’s settled,” said the Dowager. “Now I’d better be going home.”

“Not before dinner!” Louise, released herself from her husband’s embrace and went to take her grandmother-in-law’s hands. “I’m sure Lisle has already had a place laid for you.”

“Oh, my dear, I would definitely be de trop .”

“You can never be de trop as far as I am concerned.” Her grandson joined his wife. “I owe my happiness entirely to you. I remember complaining that women were so dull, but you found me the perfect match. She lectures me on women’s equality, she gives away our jewels, she draws scurrilous pictures of us all and allows them to be published in the newspaper. There’s never a dull moment. I have to go to the House to get some rest.”

“And I owe my happiness to you too,” agreed Louise. “You found me the perfect husband. He’s rude, frowning and overbearing, but for some reason, I adore him.”

The Dowager smiled lovingly at them both. “Very well then, but I shall leave directly after dinner. You two have things to do.”

“What things?” asked Louise before she could stop herself.

Her husband raised his eyebrows. She blushed and the Dowager laughed.

Lisle chose that moment to come in and announce, “Dinner is served, my lady.”

The following morning the Earl left the house soon after breakfast on some mysterious mission of his own which he vouchsafed to no one.

Then the couple spent the afternoon playing cards in the garden sitting room with the doors open and the sounds of summer reaching their ears. Louise confessed she had misled her husband about her card playing.

“You see, I didn’t want to play as your partner that first time. I was very upset with you and I was hoping you’d choose to play with someone else.”

“Well,” responded her husband, shuffling expertly. “You’d better do your best now. I warn you, I have some interesting ideas for penalties if you lose, and they’re nothing to do with vowels or bracelets.”

That evening they were invited to the last party of the season at the home of the Duke and Duchess of Avondale. This was a not-to-be-missed event every year and all the best and brightest would be there. They had accepted weeks ago, and the Earl was determined to go. Louise begged her husband to allow her to send excuses.

“We can’t possibly go!” she cried. “Everyone will snub us. It will be dreadful. Oh, please, Gareth, can’t we stay quietly at home?”

“By no means,” he said firmly. “We are going. Put on your best bib and tucker. Wear all the diamonds.”

“Even the necklace?” Louise gulped.

“Yes.”

“I shall look like a turkey.”

“I like turkeys.” He kissed her. “Do as I ask, my love. It will be fine. You’ll see.”

So Louise arrayed herself in yet another new gown. This was of grey-blue silk, exactly the color of her eyes. Her bosom and narrow waist were enhanced by an insert of ivory lace over the silk in the bodice. Otherwise, the gown was perfectly plain. She wore matching ivory lace gloves, the bracelet, and the drop earrings, but was in despair about what to do with the necklace. It looked dreadful with the V neck of the gown and felt as if it were strangling her. Then Susan suggested wearing it around the curls on the top of her head.

“You’ve got a lot of hair, m’lady,” she said. “I know I can fasten it so it don’t slip.”

They tried it and it looked very regal. Louise’s abundant and springy hair held up the ponderous piece.

“I’ll have to make sure his lordship approves of my wearing a necklace on my head,” said Louise, “but it does solve the problem. Thank you, Susan.”

Her husband’s reaction was characteristic. “I don’t care if you wear it as a belt,” he said, kissing her. “But it looks very nice like that. Perhaps we don’t need to alter it after all.”

“Especially if the next Countess has the neck of a swan,” said Louise.

“Or a boa constrictor,” added her husband.