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T wo months later, Tiffany stood in her bedchamber while the dressmaker put the finishing touches to her wedding gown. All the girls fussed around her and she took a sip of brandy to calm her nerves. Soon she’d be walking down the aisle of Saint Paul’s Cathedral in front of hundreds of people, including Prinny. She still couldn’t get used to having the eyes of the ton upon her.

She was marrying the man of her dreams, her prince from that night long ago, even though she’d won their wager. Armley Mill’s share price had increased the most. She teased Wolf about her win constantly and Wolf didn’t mind. That was why she loved him.

Milly had done her hair and layered in so many gems, she felt like a walking jewelry box. She looked the best she’d ever looked. For once she didn’t feel as if she would let Wolf down. Wolf! She could never have dreamed of a better lover, friend and husband-to-be. They had waited two months to wed, until her cousin Dayton could return from India. She was surprised but pleased he’d agreed to come home for her wedding.

All these months, Wolf had doted on her. He’d spend most of his day with her and then she’d sneak into his house, or he into hers, and spend the night making wondrous love. They read the scandalous book Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure from cover to cover and, just as he’d promised, he demonstrated the learnings, much to Tiffany’s pleasure.

He had kept his word and let her invest with Mr. Lane. And she’d already helped him increase his share portfolio with excellent results.

The ladies’ challenge against the men was going well. She was pleased with her investments. If Mr. Lane had told Wolf about the shares she’d purchased, he didn’t let on. Nor, as far as she knew, had the men discovered their secret—that they were the challengers.

Now she had another secret.

She pressed a hand gently to her belly. Thank goodness they were marrying, as she was sure she was with child. She’d missed her monthly courses last week. And she was never late. She hadn’t told Wolf yet. She would tell him when they reached Cornwall. It would be her wedding present to him.

She hoped it was a boy, and that he would look just like his father: thick black curls, mesmerizing blue eyes, and a smile that could soften the hardest heart. A wave of sadness filtered through her joy. She wished her mother and father could have been here with her. Perhaps they were watching from heaven.

Tiffany’s veil was in place and her nerves calmed with another sip of brandy. Finally, the dressmaker declared she was ready and left the room to give her a moment with her friends.

“You are absolutely glowing,” Valora declared.

“It’s the brandy,” Tiffany replied with a wink.

Farah and Lauren looked at her and sighed. Courtney teased her. “I bet you can’t wait for the wedding night.”

“I can vouch for how wonderful it will be,” Serena added.

Tiffany’s face heated.

Ashleigh choked back a snort, and Ivy dug her in the side. The two had caught Tiffany slipping from Wolf’s bedchamber numerous times.

Claire stood quietly looking at her. Claire, her cousin, who she loved so much. Claire, the sister she’d never had. A small tear escaped Claire’s eye. Tiffany moved to embrace her. “Please don’t cry or I will too, and I don’t want to walk down that long aisle in front of everyone with red eyes.”

“For many years, I’ve never woken up and not had you sleeping in the bedchamber next door. You’re the first person I speak to every morning and the last I say good night to. You’re my rock, my friend and my… I don’t know what I’ll do without you. I shall miss you.”

“I’m only going two doors up the road. When I go to Yorkshire you’ll probably be pleased to see the back of me.” Tiffany wished Claire could find someone as wonderful as Wolf. Then she wouldn’t be lonely. But with Fane as an example of how men behaved, Claire had lost faith in marriage. Maybe Dayton was returning at exactly the right time. Claire needed her other brother, since Fane paid her little attention.

“Just promise me you’ll be happy,” Tiffany said. “One day this will be you.” She turned to all of them. “One day, each of you will marry the man of your dreams. I know it.”

“If I found a good man, an honest man who made me as happy as you look, I’d grab him. Not everyone is so lucky. And not every man is good,” Ashleigh said.

“I had the best man ever, but I lost him. If men birthed a child, they’d never let them go to war.” Courtney still mourned her fiancé, Lucien—Lauren’s brother—who had died in the Irish Rebellion.

“I believe your heart is big enough to love more than one person. You’ll see.”

Courtney smiled at Tiffany. “I hope so.”

Tiffany turned away from her friends and walked toward the mirror glass. She looked at herself in her wedding dress, not quite believing this day was here. “He does make me very happy.”

Valora stepped forward. “Then let’s not keep him waiting. He might be getting nervous, thinking you’ve changed your mind.”

*

The cathedral was filled to overflowing. All of society was here to see Lord Wolfarth marry his best friend’s ward.

As she entered on Fane’s arm, Tiffany’s nerves vanished. She’d never felt surer of the step she was taking. She loved Wolf so much, and when she saw him gazing at her with such pride and love shining from his eyes, she knew he loved her.

Fane handed her into Wolf’s keeping, and her almost-husband smiled and said, “You look beautiful beyond words, my love.” Her heart went soft at the warm endearment.

She smiled, and replied with perfect truth, “So do you.”

The service flew by. Once they’d exchanged vows and the Bishop pronounced them man and wife, Wolf took her arm and she let him guide her down the aisle toward her new life. There would be a small breakfast at the Wolfarth’s for a select few, and then on their return, they would hold a ball. She’d host her first ball as Marchioness Wolfarth. But they had a trip to make before that.

Wolf beamed with pride. He had the woman of his dreams by his side to share his life with and to love, whatever the world threw at them. Tiffany was beautiful. In fact, he could hardly wait to take her home, strip her of her gown, and make love to her until she fell into an exhausted sleep.

Ignoring the now cheering crowd around them, he pulled her into his arms and hugged her fiercely. “I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

He led her to the carriage and helped her climb in. The cheers were deafening as they moved off toward Wolfarth House.

*

The wedding breakfast was noisy and fun, and like a dream. She’d formally met all the staff on her arrival, although she’d known most of them for years. It was clear they thought Wolf had made a good choice in his wife. She had a new lady’s maid, Anna, since she’d left Milly with Claire.

It didn’t seem as if the party was ever going to end. She felt the brush of Wolf’s lips at her temple and her breath faltered.

“It will soon be time to leave, sweeting. Do you need to change and gather your things?”

Fane had given them the cottage on the beach at St. Ives in Cornwall for a week of privacy, away from the intrusive and gossiping ton . It had been Claire’s suggestion. It was somewhere familiar for Tiffany, but also a place where she and Wolf could move into this new relationship with no interruptions. They could swim in the sea in private and pretend they were the only two people in the world.

He spoke softly but with a hint of impatience. “I think it will be easier on Fane if we slip away quietly. He’s struggling with the fact that you are now in my care.” He pulled her into an embrace. “ My responsibility.”

Her stomach fluttered wildly.

She couldn’t form a coherent word. She simply nodded and slipped out of his arms and through the door. With her mind racing about what was to come—revealing her secret on her wedding night—she made her way quietly to her room. The countess’s apartments. She didn’t know how often she’d sleep in her own bed. Wolf had made it perfectly clear she would sleep with him every night.

As she entered the bedchamber, she saw Wolf’s wedding present on the wall above her bed. The portrait of her in the garden below. He’d said he wanted her to see it every day so she would always remember how beautiful she looked to him.

He’d spent a fortune buying it at the Royal Academy of Art auction. The picture had created quite the stir as people quickly understood the woman in the painting was her. Society now looked at her in a different light.

She loved her husband so much.

She would miss the ladies over the next few weeks. However, they had their instructions and they would write. The ladies knew all her secrets, but she had a husband to share her secrets with now. That might be difficult given most of her secrets revolved around him and the challenge.

The door opened and Ashleigh, her new sister-in-law, slipped into the room. “How are you holding up?”

“On the outside, perfectly well. On the inside, I’m terrified. I hope I don’t let Wolf down. Everyone will be expecting much from me, and I’ve never enjoyed being the center of attention. I’m not very good marchioness material. I never paid much attention to the ins and outs of running a house this size. I never expected to marry, or ever marry a man of such social standing. I’m hoping you and Ivy will help me.”

“You are the perfect woman for my brother, and that is what counts. He loves you, as do Ivy and I. I’m so happy you are part of our family. And I wanted to thank you.”

“Thank me?”

“Thank you for helping my brother open his heart and love again. Margo’s death saw him living in the shadows, too scared to risk his heart again. Then he met you. And even after your capture by Sprat, you made Wolf overcome his fear and let you into his heart.”

“And you? Seeing Wolf and I find love, has it made you unlock your heart a little bit, perhaps enough to let someone worthy of you come near?”

Ashleigh smiled sadly. “Perhaps. I’m not sure my reputation encourages any man who is worthy. But I will try.”

She squeezed Ashleigh’s hand. “Look after Claire for me over the coming weeks. She will be lost for a while. Thank goodness Dayton is home. I think he understands Claire’s loneliness. She has no other female in the house now.”

“Ivy and I will keep her busy until your return. Valora is up to her usual tricks. She seems to think Vale and Claire would make the perfect couple. Can you see those two together?”

Tiffany shook her head. “Who am I to give an opinion? I would never in a million years have thought Wolf and I were suited. Perhaps Valora is right. I hope so. Vale is a nice man.”

A knock sounded and Wolf poked his head around the door. “Ready to leave. We should make it half way to Devon by nightfall but we need to leave now.

Tiffany linked arms with her sister-in-law, and they walked down the stairs. She waved to all her friends as she held her husband’s hand, and together they set off on their honeymoon.

He pulled her onto his lap. “Happy?”

“Immensely. I love you.”

He kissed her, and soon she barely noticed the miles flying by.

*

Three days later they reached the cottage on the beach and Tiffany knew tonight would be the night she’d reveal her wedding gift.

While Wolf sorted out the staff and their trunks, Tiffany stripped off her stockings and slippers and paddled her feet in the cool water.

She decided to lie in the shade and wait for Wolf, but soon her eyelids grew heavy and she succumbed to sleep, tired from three days of travel over bumpy ground and sleeping in strange beds—when they’d slept at all. They couldn’t get enough of each other.

Wolf had taken longer than he’d anticipated, as he’d organized a light supper and given the staff the night off. He wanted his bride all to himself for what would likely be their only spell of privacy for a good while.

He strolled down to the beach in pants and shirt only, and found Tiffany fast asleep under the tree. He stood watching her sleep and his heart swelled with love. She’d made him see that love was worth any risk. Love fed your soul and made life worth living rather than merely existing.

He lay down beside her and pulled her back against his chest. He pressed little kisses down her cheek and neck. Slowly she woke and turned into his embrace.

“Hello, husband.”

“Hello, wife.”

Then he kissed her. He deepened the kiss and his desire ignited as it always did when he held Tiffany in his arms.

She broke the kiss. “The staff will be scandalized on the very first day.”

“I’ve given them the rest of the day and night off. They won’t be back until early tomorrow morning.”

“Such a clever husband.”

He rolled her over until he rose above her. He unhooked her gown and undressed her. Then he shed his pants and shirt. “Time for a dip in the sea.” He scooped her up and carried her into the waves, kissing her as they went.

She clung to him as he walked into deeper water. Soon they were swimming and romping in the sea and enjoying the freedom of their private space.

Finally she swam back to him and hooked her legs around his waist, lying back in the water, her hair floating around them.

“I have a secret.”

Wolf looked at her grinning face. “If your secret is that you and your friends are the anonymous investment challenger, I’ve already guessed. Mr. Lane thought I should know what my wife was up to in the investing arena. But don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. I’m quite looking forward to Blackstone’s horror when he learns he’s been beaten by a woman.”

“That’s not my only secret.”

He frowned as he pulled her up so her arms wrapped around his neck. “I think we should make a pact that we have no secrets.”

“That’s only because you want to know what my secret is.”

“Are you going to tell me, or will I have to tickle it out of you?” With that he began to tickle her sides, and she fell back in the water and quickly swam away.

“That’s not fair. If you promise to take me to bed and make love to me, I’ll share my secret with you.”

He threw back his head and laughed. “That’s the easiest promise to make.”

She swam back to him. “My courses are late. And I’m never late.”

It took Wolf mere moments to understand. “You’re with child.”

“Most likely. We’ll know for sure in another month.”

He pulled her to him and carried her out of the water, past their clothes, into the cottage and up the stairs to their bedchamber.

“Don’t put me on the bed, I’m all wet.”

He set her on her feet and found some towels and dried her off, gently running the towel over her stomach. “I’m going to be a father. What could be more perfect than that?” And he pressed a kiss to her belly.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, leading him to the bed, and proceeded to show him what else was perfect—their love for each other.