Page 72 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman (The Marlow Family Secrets #3)

Rob sat in his club reading his announcement.

‘Rob!’ Tarquin called his name.

Rob looked up to see his most foolish friend pulling up an imaginary noose at the side of his neck.

Rob laughed. ‘You will be jealous.’

‘I am jealous,’ he stated. ‘I have heard a dozen rumours about the quality of her beauty.’

His father’s hand settled on Rob’s shoulder. ‘They are here.’

Rob’s thoughts had been drifting, he had not heard a carriage. He rose, his heart racing with joy. If he could run downstairs he would. Instead, he held the banister and limped heavily down them, but a little faster than he had been able to move even a week ago. Every week his recovery progressed.

John, Kate and his mother were already in the hall.

He wanted to be the first to greet Caro.

So here was another emotion Caro engendered in him – possessiveness.

If this was how he felt over Caro, he wondered how he would feel towards their child…

His father was always a guardian at their shoulders.

He could understand that now and understand why his father always helped.

Caro came through the door beside Mary and her gaze immediately found him.

She smiled as he walked forward. If he were healthy he would lift her off her feet and twirl her.

Instead, he held her hands. Her eyes were gilded by the sunlight that flooded the hall.

He pulled the ribbons of her bonnet loose and lifted it from her head. ‘Was your journey good?’

She nodded as he passed the bonnet to a footman.

‘Let me take your pelisse too.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Have you written invitations?’ he asked as she removed it.

‘Yes. We have them with us to send out. We thought the footmen could deliver most by hand.’

‘Caroline, do come upstairs.’ His mother came to welcome her.

He gave Caro’s pelisse to the footman, then followed Caro and his mother, as everyone else greeted Drew and the children.

‘Wait.’ On the landing he caught hold of her arm before she could walk on. ‘The announcement has appeared in the paper.’

‘I know. Drew showed me. Where are your sisters? We found some fabric, and Mary said your mother or Kate would know someone who could make the bridesmaids’ dresses up quickly.’

The note of excitement in her voice lifted his mood .

‘Caroline,’ his mother called. ‘I asked John’s chef to discuss the wedding breakfast menu with you.’

Caro glanced at Rob and smiled.

He wished he could find a moment to pull her about a corner and kiss her. Opportunities for that would be unlikely in this house when Finch was so all-knowing. But Rob could wait until tonight, then he would go to her bed.