Page 21 of Starlight and the Duke (Cherish and the Duke #5)

A fter a late breakfast the following morning, Rob stood on the terrace of Northam Hall with Gawain and Reggie, the three of them looking on as they watched Fiona, Cherish, and Margaret engage in lawn games with the other house party guests.

He was pleased to see Reggie much matured and proving to be of great help to Gawain in managing the Bromleigh properties.

Apparently, marriage was good for some men.

Reggie had married Margaret a little over three months ago and seemed quite besotted with the sweet girl. But she was still a bit of a peahen, not that Rob would ever admit this to his best friend.

Margaret’s strength was that she had the kindest impulses. She also clearly adored Reggie, who needed a boost in his confidence from time to time, especially whenever he was around his uncle, the imposing Duke of Bromleigh. Reggie idolized the man.

And Margaret thought the sun and the moon revolved around Reggie. This unconditional adoration was something Margaret provided her husband simply by loving him wholeheartedly and believing he was the most wonderful man alive.

But love seemed present everywhere at Northam Hall, for Gawain was also completely enamored with Cherish, his gaze constantly on his wife as she participated in a game of archery.

As hostess, Cherish had organized her guests in teams, and points were to be awarded for every game. The team who had the most points at the end of each game was to be given a prize. The team amassing the most points by the end of the week was to receive a grand prize.

Just what that grand prize was, no one knew yet. Cherish would not reveal what it was.

As Rob watched, he saw that teammates Margaret and Cherish were demolishing their competition. Fiona, who had been partnered with Lord Pershing, did not look happy at all. In fact, her expression was murderous.

Not that Rob blamed her, for Pershing was already deep in his cups and it was not yet noon. Fiona was doomed to take last place in every event while burdened with that wastrel on her team.

“You are a terrible influence on Cherish,” Reggie remarked in jest to Gawain.

“She is as ruthless as you and Fiona at these games, not to mention she is turning Margaret into a competitive beast with killer instincts. We should not have allowed them to team up. They are showing no mercy to the others.”

Gawain laughed. “I shall be content so long as they beat Fiona’s team. Stomp on them. Rout them. Annihilate them.”

“Uncle Gawain!” Reggie tried to appear disapproving, but Rob heard his friend’s chortle and knew he was just as eager to see Fiona defeated.

They loved her, of course. Fiona, Gawain, and Reggie were family and quite close knit. But Fiona and Gawain were both competitive and could be ruthless on the field of play.

Well, Rob knew he could always step in if Fiona needed his help. But she was scrappy and knew how to fight for herself in most instances.

As for Gawain, he was out for good-natured revenge in retaliation for the team Fiona had saddled him with during her own house party last year.

However, he would never take it beyond a friendly feud.

This was Gawain’s chance to exact harmless revenge, for this was his turf now and his rules would apply.

Even Rob could not help laughing as he watched this archery competition play out. And what could be a more fitting revenge than to have Cherish and Margaret, the two sweetest and gentlest ladies at this party, defeat her?

“You invited Pershing just to stick him on Fiona’s team, didn’t you?

” Reggie accused his uncle. “Lord, he’s so drunk, I’m surprised he is still standing.

I ought to go over and take his place. He is going to shoot someone through the eye with his arrow, probably himself.

The man is utterly useless. He has yet to hit a single target. ”

Gawain stopped him. “Fiona is about to strangle him with his own bow. I cannot wait to watch this.”

Rob could not suppress a burst of laughter as he watched Fiona chase Pershing around the lawn. “You are cruel, Bromleigh. When are you going give Fiona a reprieve?”

“Perhaps tomorrow, but not yet. I am enjoying this too much.” Gawain grinned. “Pershing is too drunk to keep running for long. He’ll pass out soon. I’ll rescue him before Fiona actually strangles him.

“Oh, hell,” he said a moment later. “Cherish is going to rescue him. Botheration, I had better get down there before she ends up with a black eye.”

Rob followed because he wanted to protect Fiona on the chance Pershing lashed out at her.

Gawain was two strides ahead of him as they raced onto the lawn. “Love,” he said, reaching Cherish and immediately placing a protective arm around her waist, “you are in no condition to be mixing it up with those two.”

“Fiona knows my condition and will be careful around me,” she assured him.

Her what ?

Rob’s heart sank as he overheard the pair talking.

No, it could not be. Perhaps Cherish had recently been ill and this was all her husband meant by telling her to take it easy and not step between Fiona and Pershing.

“But Pershing doesn’t know,” Gawain insisted, lowering his voice. However, his whispers still reached Rob’s ears. “You are only four months along and hardly showing yet. I will have to kill him if he hurts you, accident or no.”

Rob let out a pained breath. Gad, what an idiot he was. Cherish was with child…and had just assured her husband that Fiona knew and would be careful not to harm her. Which meant Fiona must have been given the happy news either last night or earlier this morning.

His heart broke as he studied Fiona. How was she taking it?

Of course, she would be ecstatic for the pair. But she had to be secretly aching.

Cherish cast her husband a loving look as he kept an arm around her.

“Gawain, you are being apishly protective again. But very well. For the sake of saving Pershing’s life, go ahead and separate those two before Fiona knocks out one of his teeth.

You know how competitive she is, so why torment her?

You are having far too much fun with this. ”

“It is nothing to the agony she put me through last year. Although she did find me my perfect match, so I suppose I ought to be grateful. All right, I’ll put Durham on her team tonight.”

He turned and gave Rob a grin as he strode closer.

“He’s a very smart fellow,” Gawain added, knowing Rob could now hear every word between husband and wife.

“They’ll win every game once he is on her team.

Will this make you happy?” He gave Cherish a lingering kiss, and then ran off to haul Fiona off Pershing, who was sprawled on the grass and not moving.

Rob followed him, just because he felt the need to be close to Fiona.

“He looks dead,” Gawain muttered. “You didn’t kill him, did you, Fiona?”

“No, but it isn’t for lack of trying,” she grumbled. “I can hear him snoring. Just leave him there. He is in no one’s way and will eventually wake up on his own. I hope it rains on him.”

Gawain glanced up at the sky that was a deep, cloudless blue. “No rain today.”

“Too bad.” Fiona refused to look at Rob, no doubt sensing he understood her turmoil and the true reason behind it.

He followed her as she returned to the other guests to finish the archery game her team could not possibly win, since Pershing had just forfeited his turn.

“Come take a walk with me, Fiona. The game’s over,” he said a few minutes later as Cherish and Margaret were declared the winners, received their prizes—a little bow-and-arrow bracelet charm for each—and the players began to disband.

“No,” Fiona said, her lips quivering. “I’m tired.”

“Then come sit with me.”

“You’ll want to talk, and that will only make me cry.”

“I’ll do my best not to say a word and let you do all the talking.”

“Rob,” she whispered in utter anguish, “just leave me alone.”

How could he when he knew how badly she was aching?

But he sighed and glanced up at the noonday sun beating down on them. “All right. Care for a lemonade? It’s hot out here. I’ll fetch it for you, and then you can tell me to go away.”

“And you will?”

“Yes, if you still want to be left on your own.”

She relented and gave a nod. He settled her in a shady spot and went off to fetch her a drink.

Along with hers, he poured one for himself before returning to her side.

“Stay, Rob,” she said, looking ready to talk once he handed over her glass.

He sank into the chair beside hers, nursing his lemonade while waiting for her to start the conversation.

“Cherish and I are as close as sisters,” she said after taking a sip of the refreshing libation. “How could I not be overjoyed for her? She asked me last night if I would be godmother to their child.”

“Did you accept?”

She let out a ragged breath. “Yes, of course. She and Gawain will reveal her delicate condition to the others once she starts to show in another month or two. Meanwhile, they would prefer to keep it quiet and share the news only with their closest friends.”

“I won’t say a word,” Rob assured her.

Perhaps he wasn’t meant to know yet, but Cherish and Gawain had not tried very hard to keep it a secret from him.

“Do you want to hear something hilariously ironic?” Fiona said, letting out another shaky breath.

Rob’s heart sank. “What is so amusing?” However, he knew by the quiver of her lips that it was not at all funny.

“Margaret suspects she may also be with child. But it is very early days yet and she cannot be sure. She hasn’t even told Reggie because she is afraid he would be crushed if it turned out to be a false alarm.”

Blessed saints.

Both of her dear friends with child?

He knew Fiona was happy for them and only wished them well. But the news had to be as painful as a knife plunged through her heart.

Rob did not know what to say.

Fiona cast him a wistful smile. “I’ll be all right. Do not worry about me.”