Page 31 of King of Clubs (The Ladies’ Wagering Whist Society #9)

H annah was exhausted. She had never thought to be so busy at this time of her life, then again, she’d never been this fascinated by anything. This club was going to be the best thing that had ever happened to her. She knew she’d agreed to sit back and let Gwendolyn run it, but already she had ideas of what she wanted to do. Options for the menus, decorations for the rooms, enticements for the members. So many ideas were running through her mind she almost didn’t hear the footman come in and announce that she had a visitor.

“Who did you say was here?” she asked the man, sitting up from the sofa where she’d lain down in her exhaustion. She would have retired for the evening, only there was still dinner to be had, and she wanted to discuss some of her ideas with Joshua.

“Lord Keppel, my lady. Are you at home?” the footman repeated.

“Oh! Er, yes, yes, of course.” She quickly gave her hair a pat to make sure it was all still in place and then stood to greet the gentleman. “Lord Keppel, what a pleasant surprise.”

He paused to bow to her after he entered the cozy little room. “My lady, I do hope you will excuse this intrusion.”

“Of course. Please, come in. Shall I order some tea, or perhaps you’d prefer a glass of brandy?” she offered.

“Nothing, thank you. Just… just a moment of your time if I may?” He came over and waited for her to seat herself on the sofa before taking his place beside her.

She wondered if this was usual for a gentleman to sit so close when visiting a lady. On the other hand, she had no idea whether a gentleman should visit a lady alone. She knew that young ladies shouldn’t entertain gentlemen on their own, but she wasn’t certain what the rules were for widows such as herself.

She was even more shocked when he not only turned to face her but took her hands in his own. “Lady Wickford, Hannah, if I may?”

She gave a small nod and knew this was most definitely an unusual situation.

He smiled. “Hannah, I am a man who has loved. I loved my wife deeply and, honestly, when I lost her I thought my life was over. I thought I could never feel happiness again. I thought I would be alone for the rest of my life. And then I met you.”

For some reason, Hannah suddenly found herself having trouble breathing.

“I know we do not know each other very well, but what I do know is that you make me happy. You make me hope. You make me…” His gaze strayed to the ceiling as he thought. He refocused on her. “…want to live. Would you do me the very great honor of considering marriage? Er, to me, I mean,” he ended with a little chuckle.

Hannah’s breathing evened out just as suddenly as it had stopped. “Lord Keppel—”

“Marcus,” he interrupted.

She smiled. “Marcus. I am beyond surprised by this declaration, but I understand completely what you are saying. I, too, loved my husband. It was a horrible shock to me when he died suddenly, but it was a long time ago. I have lived only half a life since then. Been half a person. I feel…” She dropped her gaze to their linked hands. “I feel that you complete me.”

“So, is that a yes?” he asked quickly.

She looked back up at his brown eyes and smiled. “Yes.”

He leaned toward her, and for the first time in over ten years, Hannah kissed a man. It was just the lightest feather touch at first, as if he wasn’t sure, but then he gained in confidence and pressed his lips more firmly to hers. Before she even realized it, he had opened his mouth, and she hers, and their tongues intertwined as they breathed in each other’s breath. It was the most beautiful, intimate thing she had experienced in so very, very long.

“Oh! Mother!” Joshua’s shocked voice had Hannah and Marcus jumping away from each other like guilty children.

“Joshua!” Hannah stood quickly, followed by Marcus.

“Lord Wickford, er, perhaps I should have come to you first,” Marcus started.

“Come to me to do what?” Joshua asked.

“Marcus has asked me to marry him,” Hannah said. She moved to her son, unable able to stop herself from smiling.

“Marry? Really?” The surprise in his voice made both Hannah and Marcus laugh.

“Yes, my son, old people can love as well,” she said.

“I knew that! I just didn’t realize… I didn’t know your relationship had gone so far,” he said, correcting himself.

“I have to say, it’s rather come as a shock to us as well. But I think we have the beginning of something very special,” Marcus said, giving Hannah a loving look.

“Indeed.” She moved back to him to take his hand.

Joshua just looked at them both, standing together. “Well then, I say this calls for some champagne!”

~June 2~

Gwendolyn walked into the Ryder Street club, a little after one the following afternoon. She had planned on arriving a little after three-thirty or possibly even four, just so it would look like she was simply another member of the club. A note that morning from Lord Wickford, however, requested her presence early in the afternoon.

The tea room looked spectacular. The tables were covered with new lilac-colored table cloths that Lady Wickford had insisted on purchasing, and there was a small arrangement of the flowers on each as well.

Gwendolyn couldn’t help herself. As soon as she walked in, she took in a deep breath, basking in the smell.

“It is lovely, isn’t it?” Lord Wickford asked, coming forward from the back of the room. Gwendolyn hadn’t noticed him there, but then her eyes had been filled with the sight of so many lilacs.

She gave him a bright smile. “It is! And it looks beautiful. Your mother has really outdone herself.”

“I’m afraid the lilacs were my idea,” he admitted, looking down at her with a soft smile on his lips.

“Really? Well, it’s wonderful. I love it!”

“And I love you,” he said so softly, Gwendolyn almost thought for a moment that she’d misheard.

“I… I beg your pardon?” she asked.

“I said, I love you. There’s no sense in hiding it. And nothing you can say will make me change my mind because it’s not my mind that is involved here—it’s my heart, and that cannot be changed.”

“My lord,” Gwendolyn said. Her own heart stuttered.

“No, Gwendolyn.” He took her hands in his. “This time you have no excuse. I spoke with your father when we arranged for the purchase of the club, and he has given me his blessing.”

Gwendolyn’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. She snapped it shut and swallowed. “What? You… you asked my father?”

“I did. You told me you didn’t think he’d approve of me.” His smile broadened. “He did. He was very happy, in fact.”

“He was?” Gwendolyn couldn’t believe this. Her father had approved of this man? This perfect, wonderful, thoughtful, handsome man?

“Yes. Now I ask you, Gwendolyn Sherman, will you make me the happiest man and agree to become my wife?”

Gwendolyn couldn’t believe it. He wanted her? After all the nastiness, all the rudeness, all the horrible things she’d done and said to this man, he still wanted her?

He frowned. “You’re taking longer than I’d hoped to answer.”

“I…” She gave an embarrassed little laugh. “I just can’t believe this is true. I can’t believe you really want to marry me.”

“I told you, I love you.”

The hard shell that Gwendolyn had built up around her heart to protect it, precisely from this man, dissolved into nothing.

“I don’t understand how you possibly could,” she said honestly.

He laughed. “I have to admit, you haven’t made it easy, but I can’t help but admire a woman as intelligent as you. You know what you want, and you work to attain it. You don’t let anyone stand in your way.”

She smiled. “That is so very true!”

“You are beautiful and graceful,” he continued.

She frowned. “Surely not!”

“Of course you are!” He chuckled. “And I honestly think we’ll make very good partners in every way.”

Gwendolyn could only shake her head. “I don’t know what I did to deserve a man as wonderful as you. I’ve fought so hard against loving you. It hasn’t been easy.”

He laughed. “You’ve done an excellent job.”

“You forgive me for all the horrible things—”

“Don’t even mention them,” he said quickly.

“It was only because I was attracted to you and didn’t want to be.”

He nodded, and she knew he truly was the most perfect man—for her. “Yes, Lord Wickford, I love you too, and I will marry you.”

He pulled her into his arms, and Gwendolyn finally felt as if she were in the right place with the right man. He didn’t want her money. He didn’t want anything from her but her love and her companionship. When his lips came down upon hers, her heart kicked up a happy beat. Oh yes, she could stay in his arms for a long, long time.

The feel of his strength surrounding her, the knowledge that he loved her beyond reason, the sense that this was finally right. Gwendolyn never wanted this moment to end.

~*~

With a sigh, Gwendolyn untangled herself from Joshua. “I really don’t want to do this, but I—”

“Oh! I do beg your pardon, Miss Sherman!” Jamieson said from the door to the kitchen.

“Yes, I know. I did want to ask before the ladies came, though,” Joshua said with a little laugh. He looked up at the majordomo who was standing there awkwardly. “It’s all right, Jamieson. Now that Miss Sherman has agreed to become my wife, I’m leaving.” The man’s mouth dropped open before spreading into a ridiculously large grin.

“Congratulations!”

“Thank you.” Joshua turned to Gwendolyn and placed a delicate little kiss on her lips. “Good luck today.”

She giggled. “Thank you.” She then turned to Jamieson. “Yes, what fire needs to be put out now?”

“Er, no fires, Miss, just, er, the chef wants to know whether you want all the cakes and biscuits laid out at once or perhaps a few at a time? Oh, and will we be opening the card room this afternoon, or would you prefer to keep that closed for today? Ah, and one final thing—”

Gwendolyn burst out laughing. She held up a hand to Jamieson. “Very well, I will take care of it all. Let me just see Lord Wickford to the door. And where is Lady Wickford? Have you seen her today?”

“No, Miss, I have not,” Jamieson started.

“She is enjoying a little time with her new fiancé,” Joshua said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

“Her new what?” Gwendolyn nearly screeched.

Joshua laughed. “Lord Keppel proposed to her last night.”

“Oh, that’s so exciting! I’m so happy for her,” Gwendolyn said. “But, er, I do need her here. She needs to greet everyone.”

“She is well aware of this. I’m certain she’ll be here.” With that, he gave a little wave and left.

Gwendolyn then followed Jamieson to the kitchen to deal with all the little details in preparation for whoever might come this afternoon. Taking a look around at the trays and trays of cakes, biscuits, and little sandwiches, Gwendolyn hoped that people would come. Otherwise, she was sure the local urchin population would be getting a wonderful treat.

Two hours later, Gwendolyn was wondering if there would be enough food! How was it that Lady Wickford had managed to entice nearly every woman of the ton to the club? She stole a peek at the nearly empty plate on the table where she sat with Bel, Bee, and Cassie. They had simply decided to have individual plates of goodies on each table and then replenish them as necessary. That hadn’t worked out so well, however, when there were more ladies than chairs.

Lady Wickford had quickly arranged to have more tables and chairs brought in from the dining room, but it was a tight fit. Her new tea blend was definitely well received as well. Gwendolyn and her friends had liked it so much as to order a second pot for their table.

“Ladies, how is everything?” Lady Wickford asked, coming over.

“Excellent,” Bee said immediately.

“Superb!” Bel said at the same time.

The lady laughed. “Good.”

“How are we doing for cakes?” Gwendolyn asked.

“Don’t you worry about that. We’re fine,” Lady Wickford said with a little wink.

“Congratulations, my lady,” Cassie said. “Gwendolyn told us about your wonderful news.”

“Will there be an announcement in the papers soon?” Bel asked.

Lady Wickford’s face glowed with happiness. “I believe there will be. Joshua and Lord Keppel will probably have to decide who will make their announcement first.”

“I think it should be you and Lord Keppel,” Gwendolyn started.

“Well, it will have to depend on when we each decide to hold our weddings,” Lady Wickford said.

“You don’t want to have a double wedding? That’s what Bel and I did,” Bee offered.

“For twins, that makes sense. For a mother and son… I think not. Lord Keppel and I will probably have a very small, quiet ceremony while Joshua and Gwendolyn should have a larger, wonderful affair with so many people, parties, and the like.”

Gwendolyn burst out laughing. “You’ve been speaking to my father, haven’t you?”

Lady Wickford laughed. “I haven’t, but I think we have a lot to agree upon.”

She was called away to speak to some other ladies, and Gwendolyn turned back to her friends. “This has been the most incredible day.”

The four of them sighed in unison, sending them all into giggles.