Page 37 of Toni and Addie Go Viral

Toni glanced at her as Addie unplaited her long hair and began to re-braid it, transforming her from disheveled woman to proper lady. Toni felt like she froze that image in her mind, and suddenly understood why the Victorians had invented photography.

Addie was so at ease, so natural, so beautiful.

And in my room.

“Exploring works,” Toni said, sounding raspier than she liked.

Luckily Addie didn’t comment. There was something about Addie that made Toni imagine things that were impossible.

The flicker of the idea of seeing Addie getting dressed in Toni’s home was a weird temptation, but Toni wanted her.

Not just her body. Toni wanted Addie’s presence, her laughter, her bluntness, her ethereal charm.

As Addie braided, Toni pulled on clean underwear and trousers.

She left her black tank on, but then she added the stiffly starched shirt over it.

Then a low vest—cut to accommodate her smallish bust without having to have buttons bulge—and over that a tailed dinner jacket with burgundy trim.

She was silent up until she added her burgundy cravat.

Then she stood in front of Addie, feeling uncharacteristically awkward, and asked, “Well?”

“Can I unwrap you later?” Addie asked in a voice that made Toni feel both like she was altogether willing to be “unwrapped” right then and like she owed Emily a thank-you gift for sending the suit.

Insecurity fled at the look on Addie’s expression and the tone of her words.

“Yes. Most definitely, yes,” Toni agreed.

“You are gorgeous,” Addie said, gaze sweeping Toni from head to toe and back again. “Smart, bold, beautiful, possessive… and talented. I am obviously already the luckiest woman at this event. Probably in the whole state.”

“Just the state?” Toni teased.

“And you’re so deliciously arrogant,” Addie continued with a small laugh. “Did I mention that I like a confident woman?”

Toni hadn’t felt arrogant over the last few years.

Something about her professional mien and busy schedule had kept her from catting around as much, and the release of The Whitechapel Widow had brought out all of her old insecurities about being judged and found lacking.

Addie made her feel like she was worthy of attention; she’d reminded Toni that the weight of her family obligations didn’t define her.

As they left the room, Toni offered her arm to Addie.

“Thank you,” Addie whispered. “Sometimes, on set, I worry about tumbling over with the corset and small bustle. I think about the character—and about me—having to fight someone or run, and I think someone ought to talk to the studio. You know there was a very popular show that did away with corsets?”

Toni nodded. “I’ll talk to the producer. The last thing I want is any woman being limited, especially on a show for my book.”

They walked into the foyer where the woman waiting, Lady Dove, smiled at them. “Well, aren’t you just a picture!” She held up a mobile phone. “May I?”

“Only if you send us both copies,” Addie said firmly.

“There were contracted terms about photography, as I’m sure you recall.

Only preauthorized photography of anyone involved in the show.

” She flashed a smile that softened her words, but only just. The sternness was still there even as she added, “You and the second Lady Dove ought to have signed the paperwork the studio sent over. Every guest should also have done so with their reservation. Have they?”

Her smile implied that she had no voice in the matter, that she was relatable and understood how difficult they were. Toni shot her an admiring gaze. Like Em, Addie had a way of managing people that seemed so natural.

Maybe I ought to ask for pointers there.

A few photos later, Toni summarized the room situation. She ended with, “I think Miss Stewart was shown to the wrong suite.”

“That was Nelly, my sister. The other Lady Dove,” this Lady Dove explained calmly, hands folded over her belly like a statue. “The note said that there was a person coming about the book, but your publisher only reserved the one room, Darbyshire.”

“Where am I to go?” Addie’s far-too-blue eyes filled with tears.

“The rest of the manor is full,” Lady Dove pointed out. “They failed to communicate—”

“Yes, I suspect there was a miscommunication,” Toni said, already mentally spinning the idea of their shared quarters as simply practicality. She couldn’t exactly have the star of the show left sleeping on the billiards table or somewhere else.

As if I’d allow that.

“No worries, Lady Dove. Miss Stewart can take my bed. I can sleep on the floor or a cot or something,” Toni cut in. As far as she was concerned, the matter was solved.

Addie’s hand tightened on Toni’s arm, but she remained silent, seeming content to let Toni resolve matters.

Toni, obviously, had no intention of sleeping anywhere other than at Addie’s side, but there were still appearances to consider.

“That simply won’t do,” Lady Dove said with a shake of her head.

“I can go to a hotel and travel back and forth or something,” Addie offered.

“Hush.” Toni patted Addie’s hand.

“Darbyshire,” Lady Dove murmured softly. “I assume you will introduce Miss Stewart as your intended bride if you’ll be sharing a room. Cape Dove Manor is not the place for inappropriate acts, and as you are not dressed as a woman—”

“She is! Women can wear trousers!” Addie interrupted with a scowl, eyes flashing, finger suddenly shaking like a furious governess. In a blink, the meek woman who had waited for Toni to handle things was gone. In her place was a fierce do-not-cross woman.

“Do you have any idea how many women actually wore split skirts?” Addie demanded.

Lady Dove nodded toward Toni. “ That is not a split skirt, and respectable women do not wear suits in the Victorian era.” In a voice that was not open to negotiation, Lady Dove added, “We make allowances for those who would have had Boston marriages. Darbyshire has a valet and is wearing trousers. I don’t care what you have inside your drawers.

To each her own, I say, but you cannot be the sort who compromises women and share a room with a woman. ”

“But it’s not actually the 1800s!” Addie retorted, releasing Toni’s arm and stepping closer to the older woman.

“It is in this house.” Lady Dove’s chin tilted like she was ready for a fight.

“So I should call the studio?” Addie said in a tone that sounded exactly like the threat it was.

And Toni was torn between the thought of bad press—which could hurt Addie—and the fact that Addie had defended Toni. It made something in Toni’s chest tighten in unfamiliar ways.

Foolishly, Toni offered, “Let’s have a wedding for the guests then. Turn the inconvenience into something fun.” She tucked Addie’s hand back in the crook of her arm. “That way there’s no hint of impropriety this weekend.”

Lady Dove smiled widely. “That’s a capital idea. We do have a reverend on the grounds.”

“Toni?” Addie whispered.

“This is fine, love.” Toni patted Addie’s hand where it again rested on Toni’s arm.

“The guests will be happy to participate. Lady Dove? Would you mind terribly if we imposed on the houseguests for an impromptu wedding? It would be a lovely chance for photographs, pending studio and publisher permissions, of course!” When Lady Dove agreed, Toni smiled wider and then added, “I know my lovely bride was not prepared, though. Is there a veil of some sort? A coronet of flower blossoms for her hair?”

Addie looked flabbergasted, verging on alarmed as Toni pointed out, “You have your engagement ring. Is there anything else you need?”

“You. Only you.”

“Scandalous creature,” Lady Dove chastised. “Why don’t we do the ceremony after dinner this evening? I’d hate to see poor Miss Wight be debauched.”

Toni didn’t look away from Addie. “You aren’t invited to watch. Propriety, Lady Dove. You will upset my bride with such scandalous speech.”

Addie giggled.

Lady Dove tsk ed and walked away with a huff, calling to someone. “Fetch William for me. Tell him to get out the ministerial garb. We are to have a wedding tonight after dinner.”

When they were alone, Toni lifted Addie’s hand and kissed the air just over her knuckles. “Walk with me somewhere private? As we are engaged, Miss Stewart, I see no harm in it… unless you worry for your virtue.”

Addie gave a single nod.

They stepped outside, descended the stairs, and stood for a moment in strange silence, but a servant appeared. “The gardens are that way, Darbyshire.”

Toni led Addie to a remarkably well-maintained garden.

The last of the year’s roses and a few other flowers still blossomed, even though leaves were turning and there was a definite chill in the air.

Wrought-iron benches were scattered around.

In all, it was lovely, even if Toni’s flower identification skills were only adept enough to declare the flowers “roses” and “not roses.”

“Do you mind fake-marrying me?” Toni asked after a few moments. “We can spin it as a promo event, and then note that in reality I slept on the floor.”

“Fake-marrying…” Addie echoed.

“I should’ve asked you if you minded. Do it up right.” Toni decided then and there to make a show of it. “May I borrow your future engagement ring?”

Mutely, Addie slid the opal off her finger and gave it to Toni, who dropped to a knee and held the ring out.

The shiver Toni felt was surely just because of the October chill. That was all. It wasn’t anything more.

“You’re the first person to warm my bed over several states and two continents, the only woman in the last year and a half, and I like you, Adelaine Stewart.

” Toni felt a flicker of panic at just how real her words were.

“You’re brave and beautiful, smart and unforgettable.

You’re funny, and you’re a wonderful lover.

Will you do me the honor of being my bride for the weekend? ”

“I will,” Addie whispered. Her hand shook as Toni slid the fire opal onto the spot where her wedding ring would belong.

Toni stood, realizing that they had watchers, and in a low voice, she said, “I fully intended to ravish you, fake bride of mine, but we’re in the 1800s today, so I can’t even kiss you the way I want to right now.”

“I am yours, Lord Darbyshire. Wholly and completely yours,” Addie said in a regular volume. Her voice quavered as she added, “You have protected me from the moment we met while abroad to this moment, and nothing would make me happier than spending my life with you.”

Smiling at how well she’d resolved their room problem, Toni offered Addie her arm. Speaking lowly, she praised Addie, “You role-play beautifully, love. I look forward to spiriting you away after our fake nuptials.”

After their walk, they were directed inside for dinner. Their absence from predinner mingling had been excused with murmurs of “young love.”

Dinner itself was a tedious affair with too many courses, many of which were not historically authentic.

An opener of fresh figs draped with prosciutto and parmesan cheese was followed by a cold soup, which was followed by an appetizer of asparagus branches, and then the first entrée was presented: seared salmon with a lemon-dill sauce and accompanied by roasted root vegetables.

In all it was far more food than Toni ever ate, and that was before the dessert—jelly cakes, strawberries, and cream. After that was the dessert wine, Madeira from Portugal or sherry from Spain.

During the entire meal, Toni was in a strange blend of professor and author persona, answering writing questions and sharing historical tidbits, but through it all, she couldn’t stop staring at the ring she’d slid onto Addie’s finger.

It’s not a real engagement.

It was her ring already.

It’s a fake wedding.

But when Toni was a kid, marriage between two women was illegal, and it felt strange to even pretend to marry Addie. Not that Toni wanted a real wedding, of course. She wasn’t built for that, and Addie deserved someone who could give her the sort of wholehearted love she deserved.

But I can pretend for the weekend.

The thought of it made Toni feel a tightness in her chest. This was the only wedding she’d ever have, and it felt right to have it with Addie. She felt right.

It’s not real. Toni needed to remind herself of that more than she expected. The truth was that Toni wasn’t built for forevers. She was not going to ruin anyone’s life the way her father had—especially if that someone was as wonderful as Addie.

As everyone rose from dinner, the elder Lady Dove announced, “We have a bit of a surprise tonight! If you would all join me in the ballroom.”

She marched out of the room, bustle waggling like a honeybee leading them to pollen.

“Are you really okay with this?” Toni asked Addie as the group adjourned to the ballroom for what was about to be their wedding.

“I am.”

“We could leave,” Toni blurted. “Call in sick or—”

“Toni.” Addie looked up at her. “I’d have said yes even if it was a real wedding.”

Toni tripped over her feet. “What?” She backed away a step. “You know I think you’re great. You’re funny and sexy and… I mean, I’m sure you’ll make someone an amazing bride, but—”

“I know this is a fake wedding,” Addie cut her off.

“I just want you to know that I care about you.” She looked around to be sure they were alone.

Then she stepped closer, leaned up, and caught Toni’s mouth in a soft kiss, and when she pulled back, she said, “If marrying you meant I had two nights in your bed, I’d have said yes. ”

At her words, Toni relaxed. “You really missed me, did you?”

“Marry me, and I’ll show you exactly how much,” Addie teased.