Page 24 of Dukes All Night Long

Four weeks later, London

T he ballrooms, salons, and drawing rooms of London were abuzz with the news. The meaning of the advertisement run in The Teatime Tattler and other newspapers was dissected, discussed, and argued over everywhere Garry and Jenna went.

It had been simple enough.

“To anyone who has been the victim of blackmail by T.C., a villain of the darkest sort and a disgrace to his class: He no longer holds your letters, drawings, or other materials, and can do you no harm. All items have been burned to ashes. To anyone owed money by T.C., he no longer has sufficient income to cover even his living expenses, let alone debt repayment. Only the first few to demand payment are likely to be satisfied. ”

Garry had wanted it to read, “Sir T.C.”, but His Grace had advised against it.

“No, grandson. The papers won’t do it, for fear of a suit of libel, and it is not needed.

People will soon work it out, especially when those who hold his debts demand repayment.

Since he is only a baronet and not a peer, he will have to flee overseas to escape debtors’ prison. ”

Listening to the gossip as he watched the dancing at the ball Congleton had thrown for his eldest daughter and her new husband, Garry discovered his grandfather was right.

Although the advertisement had only been published two days ago, people were already naming Sir Thomas Carter as the blackmailer.

But then the Duke of Dellborough was always right. He had also been right about Garry and Jenna. Garry smiled at his betrothed, who was currently dancing with her new brother-in-law.

The music ended, and Wolf escorted her back to Garry’s side. “In five days’ time,” he said to her, “we shall be wed.”

“And on our way to the seaside,” Jenna reminded him. “Parsons shall have the house ready for us, I am sure. The adventure of the valet in a wardrobe at midnight has had a happy ending.”

“I am looking forward to embarking on another adventure,” Garry commented, and stopped there, knowing his impatient love was sure to ask the question.

“What adventure?” Jenna demanded. “Do you mean our marriage?”

“In a way,” Garry admitted. “I meant making a great grandson for His Grace.”

Jenna rapped him with her fan. “Gareth Versey!” But in the next moment, she showed her true mettle with a wistful, “It will be a very wonderful adventure.”

Garry couldn’t agree more.

The End

The Versey family have appeared in several of my books, making their first appearance in One Perfect Dance .

Garry and Jenna are part of the supporting cast in The Talons of a Lyon , and other books also mention one or both.

Apart from The Sincerest Flattery , in which the Duke of Dellborough arranges the marriage of Garry’s parents, Garry and Jenna are already married in most of the books, and the longed-for great-grandson has been joined by brothers and sisters.

While I was writing A Gift to the Heart , in which Garry is a firm friend of the hero brothers, I thought it would be fun to write about how Garry and Jenna first met.