Love Everlasting (Kingston Novel Book 3), page 21
Toriana raised a brow. “Without question?”
“Without question. The only thing I care about is having you with me for the rest of my days. Nothing else matters.”
Holding back tears of happiness, Toriana met his gaze again and smiled. “For the rest of our days,” she whispered. “Have I told you how much I love you?”
“You have,” Kinsley answered before Drake could. “I heard you tell him inside the coach.”
Drake couldn’t help but smile over Kinsley’s interruption. “Aye, she did, but never will I tire of hearing her say the words, or me saying them to her.”
“Forever is my ears harassed with such dribble,” Logan teased as took up his position next to Kinsley.
“I say, this is an outstanding piece of property,” Javan stated, looking over the outside of the townhouse.
Toriana’s smile widened. “I want to thank you for including Javan in the invitation, also,” she whispered for Drake’s ears only.
“Yesterday it was made clear that he was not only a friend to your family, but an adopted brother, so he’s my family and brother now as well. Besides, he stated his mother was still at the dressmakers so he is in our care. We could do no less but to let him come along with us.”
Toriana smiled up at him. “You are such a good man.”
Drake leaned close so that his cheek touched hers. “Do you know what I would like to do right now?”
Toriana’s heart started beating fast, her stomach fluttered, and her legs quivered. “A kiss?” she whispered.
“A kiss is where we would start and finish, but there would be so much more in between those two kisses,” he murmured.
Vance kept a watchful eye on Toriana and Drake. Hell! It was only a couple of weeks ago he had been in nearly the same position. He knew exactly what Drake was feeling. Raw, undiluted, desire for the woman he loved. But just because he understood didn’t mean he was about to let him take advantage of the situation…not while he was chaperoning. If there was going to be any seducing from either party it could be done under Bartley’s watch. That thought almost made Vance smile. It sure in the hell made him feel better.
“Children, let’s move along. The afternoon is growing late,” Vance interrupted. “Bartley has appointed me chaperone, and though I detest such a title, I will uphold all the responsibilities which comes with it.”
Alianore linked her arm with his and shook her head. “Children? Really?”
Vance winked at her and then turned back to the rest of them. “Need I point out to the soon-to-be bride and groom that there will be no detours to any nearby dark corners or bedchambers?”
Drake met Vance’s gaze. “I don’t appreciate what you’re insinuating and don’t ever call me a child again.”
Vance couldn’t help but grin for the simple reason Drake’s words weren’t given in a growl or even heated tone. In fact, they weren’t even given in the context of an order, but more as a suggestion.
“I should’ve phrased that better,” Vance conceded. “Being in charge of so many Telfords can be quite nerve racking.”
“You may have been appointed chaperone, but I thought I was the one in charge,” Drake stated with a serious expression before suddenly grinning.
Vance gave a hearty laugh. “By God! I do like you. I feel much better now knowing you’re in charge.”
“Are we going inside or standing out here for the rest of the afternoon?” Logan inquired, and then smiled when he received several heated glares. “I was asking because your man, Henry has noticed our arrival and is waiting at the door.”
“Actually, we’re going to wait right here,” Alianore told her brother. “Toriana needs to meet her new staff without us hovering at her shoulder. I remember how nervous I was meeting Vance’s staff.”
“They all adore you,” Vance pointed out.
“Yes, and Toriana’s staff will adore her, but it will be easier if we’re not standing right behind her when she first meets them.”
Vance nodded. “Five minutes.”
Drake placed Toriana’s hand on his arm and guided her up the walkway toward their townhouse. “I do like your family.”
“And, in case you didn’t notice, they like you as well.”
“Our butler, Henry Cates, is a nice old man. He comes across as kind of dour, but he’s not. I think you’ll like him.”
“I’m sure I will.” Toriana nodded and glanced up toward the front doorway to where the older man stood. “And what about the man standing next to him?” she whispered.
Drake looked up and then gave a heavy sigh. “That would be Benjamin Price, my bloody valet.”
“You don’t like him?”
“If he’d stop insisting trying to dress and bathe me we would get along fine. He comes across as uppity, but he can be friendly enough, I guess. To tell you the truth, I don’t believe the man has ever smiled a day in his life. I’m beginning to wonder if he knows how.”
Toriana tried not to smile over his grumbling tone. She could just imagine the fuss Drake put up when the older man insisted on doing his duties. “Some valets can come across as being snobs. I’m sure he just wants to do his job to the best of his ability.”
“The man is damn irritating,” Drake muttered.
As they started up the steps Toriana noticed the staff lined up inside to greet them. All of a sudden she felt quite nervous. She reminded herself that this was going to be her home…her staff…and for that reason alone she wanted to make a good impression. But more than that, she wanted to do Drake proud.
Toriana felt the muscles beneath her fingers tense as they stopped at the door. Glancing up at Drake’s handsome face she realized her great giant of a man was more nervous than her. Giving his arm a gentle squeeze, she let him know that it was going to be all right.
“Your Grace,” Henry stated, with a bow.
“Toriana, this is Mr. Henry Cates and Mr. Benjamin Price, our butler and my valet. Gentlemen, may I introduce Lady Toriana Telford, soon to be my wife. We have the special license and are only waiting on her grandparents to arrive so that they may witness the blessed event,” Drake stated as a smile glowed upon his face.
“Milady, it is a pleasure to meet you.” Henry’s gaze moved from one to the other and then he glanced at the small crowd still lingering out front.
“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Cates,” Toriana replied. “I hope you don’t mind, I brought some of my family along with me.”
“Just call me, Henry, everyone does,” he replied. “And we don’t mind in the least.”
“Thank you, Henry.” Toriana smiled. “My siblings, at my parent’s request, are acting as our chaperones today. But, seeing as I’m the youngest, and quite spoiled, they’re giving us a few minutes to meet all of you on our own.”
Henry wasn’t sure how to respond so he nodded.
Drake laughed. “Spoiled? Not yet, but soon I’ll show you the true meaning, this I promise.”
Benjamin stood silently at the side and watched. In the six weeks he had known His Grace he had never seen him so relaxed or at ease…or so friendly. To say he was shocked by the transformation was putting it mildly. Apparently, having the woman at his side had everything to do with the change.
Toriana turned her attention to the tall distinguished man at Henry’s side. “Mr. Price, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
All thoughts seemed to scatter from Benjamin’s head when those light blues eyes came to him. Somehow he managed to give a formal bow. “Benjamin will do, milady…and the pleasure is mine.”
“Benjamin, I want to thank you for seeing to Drake’s care,” Toriana told him as she reached out and touched the older man’s hand. “He has never had that before, so to have someone like you, with your experience, looking out for him, puts my mind at ease. Again, thank you.”
Touched by her words, Benjamin again bowed. “Milady, you do me a great honor with your words. I am quite pleased to be of service to His Grace. I look forward to the time you will join our household, milady.”
Drake nearly fell over when a smile flashed across Benjamin’s face. That quickly, Toriana had bewitched the sour old man. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes he wouldn’t have believed it. Glancing over at Henry, Drake found him staring slacked jaw at the sight as well.
Toriana turned to Henry. “Would you be so kind to introduce us to the staff before my family comes charging in?”
It took Henry a moment to pull his gaze away from Benjamin and give his attention to the lovely soon-to-be Duchess. “Of course, milady.”
Benjamin ignored both His Grace and Henry’s rude stares.
“After the introductions, you can show us the rest of the house,” Drake informed Henry. “We won’t be doing any kind of inspection. We already know you saw to every detail, so we’ll find no fault.”
“That’s right,” Toriana agree. “We have full faith in you.”
Henry gave a smart tug of his coat. “Right this way, Your Grace. If you like, lunch can be prepared for you, Lady Toriana, and her family.”
Drake shook his head. “We won’t be here long. Her family isn’t giving me much time to spend with her just yet.”
“I see,” Henry murmured.
“Hopefully, my grandparents will be arriving anytime and then we’ll be married.”
Drake guided her over the polished floor to where the other servants stood waiting. “We had that same hope yesterday,” he muttered and then offered her a slight smile. “But we won’t give up hope today.”
“If your grandparents arrive where will you wed?” Benjamin asked as he followed along behind the couple.
“My parent’s house,” Toriana told him.
“What about a wedding meal?” Henry asked. “Mrs. Richards came along with us from Hertworth Hall.”
Toriana looked to Drake. “Who is Mrs. Richards?”
“She’s our cook and she is unbelievable,” he murmured with a smile. “Best food I’ve tasted.”
Toriana studied all three men for a moment. “I know that my parents have already seen to some sort of wedding meal to be served after our vows, but that doesn’t mean we can’t give a wedding dinner here…maybe two days afterwards?” she asked. “It might just be my family, but it would still be our first dinner party given as husband and wife.”
Drake smiled. “Husband and wife…I do like the sound of that. Whatever you want to do is fine with me. After that, I would like to take you on a visit to Hertworth Hall. I know it will be an inconvenience, but I want you to see your new home.”
Toriana glanced over her shoulder toward the front door. “How long would this visit be?”
As if reading her mind, Drake brushed his fingertips to the side of her face and smiled. “I think, for now, it will wait,” he told her. “We won’t let Kinsley finish the Season without you.”
Tears misted in her eyes. “Thank you. Once again I’m going to tell you what a good man you are, Drake Easton.”
Henry and Benjamin exchanged looks, both looking quite pleased at the show of affection between His Grace and Lady Toriana.
“Drake! Your five minutes is about up!” Logan called out from the doorway.
“I like your brother,” Drake stated before issuing a heavy drawn out sigh. “Not at this moment…but I do like him.
Toriana laughed. “He likes you, too. If not, he would be doing his best to dissuade me from marrying you.”
“I know.” Drake slowly guided her toward their waiting staff. Leaning down, he whispered close to her ear, “We’ll have sons like him.”
His words filled her entire body with warmth. Toriana found herself pausing again. Facing him, she crooked a finger at him and then laughed when he raised a brow at her before dutiful bending forward so she could whisper in his ear.
“Our sons may have a bit of Logan in them, but they will be more like you…but what a combination they will be, my love.”
“Aye,” he murmured. “And let’s not forget about our daughters.”
“I want at least a half dozen of each…perhaps more.”
Drake wasn’t sure how long they stood there staring into each other’s eyes. It seemed to him only moments, only a matter of heartbeats…whatever the time was, it wasn’t nearly long enough.
“Jeez! What are you about?!” Logan shouted, with a grin as he entered Drake’s townhouse. “I thought you were meeting your staff? Instead you both stand there making moon-eyes at each other.”
Drake closed his eyes, shook his head, and then slowly opened them. Placing his arm around Toriana, he turned to face her family, even as he pulled her to his side.
“What am I about? I’m about to throw your arse out that door,” he stated calmly. “I have waited six weeks to be reunited with the woman I love. Six weeks to see her face. Six weeks to hear her voice. Six weeks to, as you say, make moon-eyes at her. SIX BLOODY DAMN WEEKS!”
Logan could have sworn the crystal chandelier above them shook with Drake’s shout. He wouldn’t have been surprised if they hadn’t heard him all the way to Scotland. One thing was for certain, he had gained everyone’s attention.
Drake took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He couldn’t believe he had lost control. It was Logan’s fault for his constant jesting. A man could only take so much of him.
Finally, he looked at Toriana to see how she was handling his outburst and to his amazement he found her smiling up at him. If he didn’t know better, he would think she was trying hard not to laugh.
Next he looked at Henry. The old man was trying hard not to smile. Benjamin, on the other hand, looked quite shocked, but that didn’t surprise Drake at all. As to his new staff, some of them looked as if they wanted to run and hide, while others were much in the same state as Henry.
Drake turned his attention back to Logan and his warped sense of humor. “Benjamin can show you and the rest of the family around while Henry introduces me and Toriana to the staff. We will join afterwards.”
Logan nodded, trying his best not to laugh. “As you wish.”
Vance nudged him. “Did you have to make him bloody furious?”
“He’s not furious,” Kinsley whispered. “He’s just anxious. He’s tired of waiting. He wants Toriana to be his wife. It’s romantic.”
Logan thought about that for a moment and suddenly lost his smile. “Aye, he’s anxious all right,” he muttered. “And if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll be waiting to speak his vows before claiming his husbandly rights.”
“Logan!” Alianore scolded softly, glancing toward Kinsley.
Logan had the good grace to blush. “Sorry.”
Kinsley laughed. “If I were you, I’d worry more about Toriana than Drake…in case you failed to notice, we, your sisters, tend to take after our mother’s side of the family more than the Telford side.”
Alianore nodded. “It’s true.”
Javan raised a brow. “Am I missing something?”
“Only that the women in this particularly family tend to be the seducer rather than the seducible,” Vance replied, smiling at Alianore.
“Oh, I say,” Javan murmured, even as his gaze moved to where Kinsley stood. He then recalled last evening’s conversation when her father, quite boldly, stated that his wife had compromised him. At the time Javan thought Bartley had been jesting, but apparently not.
Kinsley laughed and shook her head at him. “No,” she told him.
“Well, I guess that settles that than doesn’t it,” Javan stated with a look of disappointment.
“Oh, what nonsense,” Kinsley replied. “You don’t love me and I don’t love you. Instead you’re a dear friend. But when you do find the woman you love, I’ll be sure to inform her about seducing you. What say you to that?”
Javan winked at her. “Have I told you that you are my dearest and bestest friend?” he teased.
“What a bunch of….” Logan took a deep breath and shook his head. “Kinsley will do no such thing,” he grumbled out.
“I don’t know why not. We’ll do the same for you, brother,” Alianore stated, with laughter glittering in her eyes.
Logan met Alianore and then Kinsley’s gazes. He should have seen through their rouse. They were trying to keep him preoccupied and off center. It was a ploy all his sisters tried their hand at…for the most part they were unsuccessful.
“You both think you’re being very sly and cunning, but I’m on to you, don’t think I’m not,” he told them, before turning his attention to Drake and Toriana again. “We don’t have another six weeks, Hertworth! So move it along!”
Drake turned around. “Benjamin, open the door and then stand back.”
Logan tossed back his head and laughed.
“You’re a bloody arse!” Drake shouted.
Logan bowed in response.
Kinsley offered Mr. Price a smile. “Please forgive us. We’re actually a very nice family.”
“And usually, we are on our best behavior,” Alianore added, with a grin.
Benjamin couldn’t help but smile. Never, in all his years as a valet, had he been required to deal with such lovely and charming young women as these Telford siblings. They were quite enough to take a man’s breath away.
“Don’t believe either of them,” Vance stated. “If the last name is Telford I can assure they are an unruly sort.”
Alianore cast a side-glance at him. “Need I remind you this Telford is your wife, my lord?”
Vance winked at her. “I should have added that their women are beautiful mischievous imps.”
Logan took mercy on the older man. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. Price.”
Benjamin nodded. “Lord Rhyshire.”
Kinsley turned to Logan. “How do you know Mr. Price?”
“Father and I went to Hertworth Hall,” he reminded her.
“Oh, I did forget.”
Logan placed a kiss on Kinsley’s cheek. “If you like, Mr. Price, just show us to the parlor until Drake and Toriana are finished. I promise we’ll try to behave.”
“This way, milord.”
“I say, this is quite nice,” Javan murmured appreciatively as they followed Benjamin to the front sitting room. “This place makes my townhouse feel almost drab.”
