To Tame a Dragon (17 page)

“You forgot best-dressed.”

“Second best-dressed. I can not love you for
that.”

He narrowed his eyes. “And just who is the
first?”

“One of my suitors was fond of wearing a pink
feather in every buttonhole. I still consider him the finest
dressed gentleman of my acquaintance.”

He thought for a moment. “I’ll allow it. Now
should I tell you that I love you?”

“You already did, last night.”

“Did I? Damn laudanum, I can’t remember it.”

“You said your ghosts were afraid of me. If
that isn’t a declaration of love, I don’t know what is.”

They looked into each other’s eyes until he
closed his, sighing. “I suppose I will need another dose of that
hateful stuff. My leg is on fire.”

“You can tell me again.”

He opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling.
“That I love you? That I would shrivel and die without you? That
I leave everyday wondering how soon I can come back to you? That
I watch you leave with a worry that you won’t be able to come
back to me?”

“I wonder that the poets write so much about
love. It sounds a painful affliction to me.”

“It does, doesn’t it?”

She offered him a spoonful of laudanum and he
took it grudgingly. “I have the most vivid dreams. I can’t tell
what is real and what is not when I’m taking this stuff. Will I
think this all a dream?”

She leaned over him, catching his eye before
she kissed him lightly. “We’ll put it in the marriage contract.
Then when we are arguing I can shove it in your face how much I
love you.”

One side of his mouth quirked up. “How
horrible. No wonder my ghosts are afraid of you.”

She looked down at him imperiously. “Nearly
everyone is.”

He smiled, taking her hand in his, and
closing his eyes to sleep. “Nearly.”

Two weeks later he was well enough to hobble
around on a crutch. “I will have to get a cane. Something
fashionable. I can’t be seen like this.” He looked at her
askance. “I’m thinking of getting one with the head of a dragon.
I can say I have you in the palm of my hand.”

She rolled her eyes. “Did you not learn your
lesson with the horse?”

“Oh, yes. I have no intention of naming the
cane after you.”

She sighed. “They will think you even more
dashing with a cane.”

“They?”

“Oh, everyone. I am forced to hear ad nauseam
how wonderful you must be as a husband.”

He smirked. “And do you tell them the truth?
That you wake singing my name and have never been happier?”

“I have never sung your name.”

“Mmm. You have; you do. When you’re com—”

She cleared her throat. “Does no one make
comments to you on our marriage? Not one day goes by I don’t
hear a sigh and a congratulations on catching you. And it’s not
always young, silly girls as you would expect.”

“Oh, when we were first married I received
quite a bit of ribbing. Some men seemed to think being married
to the dragon would be a chore.” She pursed her lips. “But I
would simply smile and tell them there are distinct advantages
to having a wife with a sharp tongue.”

She inhaled sharply. “You did not.”

He grasped her hand, laughing. “Not in so
many words. But I believe I have made it clear I am quite happy.
The jokes have fallen off precipitously.”

“How very unfair that I am the joke and you
are the paragon.”

“It is indeed, my dear. And I see no hope for
you; who would believe that it is a chore to be married to
me
?”

She helped him sit as Robin was announced.
“Robin, you believe me that marriage to Jameson is naught but
one big headache, don’t you?”

“Is it?” he said and Jameson laughed.

Robin paced the length of the room and Amelia
watched him. “He is obviously distracted, otherwise he would
have agreed with me.”

“Obviously. Sit down, old friend. Whatever
the matter is, Amelia is dying to jump in and fix it for you.”

Robin hemmed. He cleared his throat. He
gripped his hat between his hands.

“Robin, you’re crumpling your hat. Sit down.”

Jameson wiggled his eyebrows at Amelia. “I’ll
bet you a fiver it’s about a girl.”

Robin jerked and Amelia sighed. “Please don’t
tell me you’ve fallen in love with a barmaid.”

“As long as you’ve not actually married the
chit, you can get out of it.”

Amelia looked at Jameson askance. “You would
know, my dear.”

He winked at Amelia and Robin cleared his
throat, realizing they would never stop if he didn’t just tell
them.

“I wanted to tell you that I’ve become
engaged before you hear it elsewhere.”

Jameson shook his head sadly as Amelia jumped
to her feet.

“Robin! What have you done! Does mother know?
Who is the girl? You can not just go around proposing. Jameson may
be able to wheedle out of his responsibilities, but you can not.”

Jameson tipped his head at her. “Ouch, my
dear. Two blighters with one stone. Well done.”

Robin ignored both of them and continued to
talk to his hat. “Mother knows. She thinks very highly of the
girl.”

“That’s a relief. She must come from a good
family, then. Still, I can not believe you didn’t at least
hint...” Recognition dawned in her eyes and her mouth fell open.
She stared at her brother.

Jameson looked at his wife’s expression. “I
didn’t catch the name. Someone shocking, I suppose?”

Amelia shut her mouth and cleared her throat.
“Well, this will be a pretty story. Still, I can not fault the
girl, only the timing.”

“Let me in on the joke, will you? The only
girl I’d known you’d been spending any time with was Miss
Underwood... Never!”

“I swear men should not be in charge of these
things.”

“Did she accept, old chap?”

Robin nodded. “We’ll be married as soon as
the banns have been read.”

Amelia frowned. “Is that enough time? A
normal
wedding takes some planning.”

“She didn’t want a long engagement,” he said,
studiously avoiding his friend’s eyes.

Amelia had no such qualms. “I wonder why ever
not.”

Jameson refused to be baited and toasted his
friend. “Congratulations are in order, I believe. Many
felicities to the both of you.”

“I wanted to be sure there were no hard
feelings.”

“Why should there be? I was the fop who let a
nice decent girl get away and married
that
instead.”

His wife gave him an arch look and said, “It
is really too bad that you deserve exactly what you got.”

He looked at her through lidded eyes and gave
her a heated smile. “Do I deserve you indeed, my dear? How did I
ever get so fortunate.”

Robin cleared his throat, hoping to bring
their attention back to himself. After a moment, he quietly left
the room, shaking his head. He had never expected to see the
sight of his sister flustered and distracted by the smile of any
man, let alone one she’d been bossing around since she was six.

He smiled slightly and hoped his friend could
continue to keep this one advantage over her. With Amelia, one
needed all the help one could get.

Amelia invited her mother, her brother, and
Clarice for dinner in celebration. Jameson’s leg kept him at
home so events had to be brought to him.

“I appreciate that I will get to dress up, my
dear. But did you have to invite her here?”

“Still afraid of her, hmm?”

He looked at her as if she was dim. “Of
course I am still afraid of her. If you have any hope of
continuing our marital relations in the next week I propose you
stand in front to protect me.”

“If
you
have any hope of continuing
our marital relations in the next week, you will make nice with
her. We will be family soon and I’d just as well not have a
feud.”

“That was a low blow.”

“I’d watch for hers.”

He huffed out a breath and hobbled down the
stairs, waving off her help. He gripped his new cane and thought
he could probably use it as a sort of shield if worse came to
worst. He caressed it lovingly, pricking his finger lightly on
the sharp teeth just to remind himself that though Miss
Underwood might be the more imminent danger, the woman walking
beside him would always be the more dangerous of the two. One
had to keep her happy, no matter what the physical price might
be.

They greeted their guests warmly and Jameson
approached Miss Underwood when Amelia led Robin away.

“Miss Underwood.”

Crow was not a dish Jameson was familiar
with, but he saw it in her eyes. He sighed.

“I hope that you truly care for Robin. He is
a better man than I and does not deserve a punishment meant for
me.”

“Is that what you believe, Lord Nighting?
That I’d marry him to get even with you? Lady Amelia was right. A
large head, an even larger ego. I can only assume that you
somehow tricked her into marrying you, since she seems to be so
brilliant.

“But let me put your mind at ease. I am not
marrying Robin because of you. I am marrying him because he is
the kindest, most gracious, and most sincere
gentleman
I’ve ever met. My only regret is that I will now be related to his
opposite in every way.”

“I am glad that his relations have not
hindered such an harmonious match. My felicitations, Miss
Underwood. Lord Beckham is one of the best men I know. Excuse
me.”

He headed back toward Amelia, hurt and
knowing he deserved it. He only hoped Miss Underwood was
truthful with herself. Robin was the best friend a man could
have and Jameson hoped they would be happy. He would perhaps
warn Robin to watch for her right knee if they ever argued.

“Family dinners will be rousing. Are you
happy now that I’ve been insulted, Amelia?”

She slid her hand around his arm and hugged
him to her side. She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Yes. Yes,
I’m very happy. I hope they will be, too. I think they just
might be.” Amelia watched as Robin approached Clarice and she
turned to him, completely dismissing Jameson and Amelia. “She
did all that with a smile on her face, too. Just think what an
excellent countess she will make.”

“Oh, yes. There are not enough countesses in
the world who can give a man a good set-down.”

A laugh escaped her. “Not with a smile.”

Amelia waited with her mother as the carriage
was brought around. Clarice stood close to Robin a little ways
off and they talked quietly as newly-engaged people did.

“Well, I for one am glad that is over.”

Lady Beckham nodded, watching the couple with
a small smile. “I would not trouble yourself too much over
Clarice and Jameson. A year from now none will remember they
were engaged.”

“One can only hope. But will they remember? I
like Clarice. I couldn’t hope for a better sister, it’s just
she’s not quite forgiven us yet, has she?”

“Of course she hasn’t. She sees you and
Jameson happy together and only knows that it was at her
expense. She’ll realize one day that her happiness is better
than your misery.”