The Scandalous Adventures of the Sister of the Bride (4 page)

“I suppose if I knew the answer to what I was looking for, I would know where to find
it. Or him.” Teddy thought for a moment. “I suppose all I want is what you and Grayson
have found.” She toyed absently with her spoon. “It’s quite remarkable you know and
terribly obvious to anyone around the two of you. I can’t tell you how many weddings
my mother and I have planned when neither the bride nor the groom looked especially
happy about their union. What you have is exceedingly rare.”

“No one is more aware of that than I am. And no one is more grateful.” Camille smiled.
“I hope the two of you find that one day.” She glanced at Delilah. “If that’s what
you want of course.”

“Well, I for one, have a plan,” Delilah said. “I find things have always worked out
quite nicely when I have a plan.”

Camille and Teddy exchanged glances as if each knew Delilah well enough to know what
she was thinking. Absurd of course. While Teddy probably knew Delilah better than
anyone in the world, Camille scarcely knew her at all. Camille and Beryl were five
years older than their younger sister, old enough that their lives had never particularly
included her. Although admittedly all three sisters were making an effort to change
that. Why, hadn’t Delilah accompanied Camille and Grayson on their brief trip to the
city of New York for the exact purpose of getting to know her sister better?

And hadn’t that worked out well?
a little voice whispered in the back of her head.

She pushed the thought aside. She had come to know Camille, and even Beryl, much better
in the months since Christmas when they had vowed to make an effort to be, well, sisters
rather than merely blood relations.

“A plan?” Camille’s brow rose. “What kind of plan?”

“Oh, Dee always has a plan of some sort.” Teddy cast her friend an affectionate smile.
“She’s had plans for as long as I’ve known her about one thing or another.”

“I’ve heard about your plans,” Camille said slowly.

“From Mother I assume.”

Camille nodded.

“Then you have heard the majority of them turn out most successfully.”

“Well, yes, I have heard that as well.” Camille nodded.

Teddy wisely held her tongue.

“Perhaps you have forgotten.” Delilah ticked the points off on her fingers. “I had
a plan for exactly the kind of man I intended to marry. No less than a viscount, a
sizable income, and no previous wives or children to muck things up. I married exactly
as I was expected to.”

“I thought that was our mother’s plan,” Camille said in an aside to Teddy.

“Regardless it was an excellent plan,” Delilah said. And exactly the same plan followed
by her older sisters. “And proved to be exceptionally well thought out.” Although
admittedly she had not thought Phillip would die at such a young age. He had scarcely
passed his forty-third year. Dashing, charming, unobtainable Phillip.

“After Phillip died, I decided upon a plan whereas I would actively begin looking
for a new husband once he had been deceased for three years.” She paused to collect
her thoughts. “I must confess though it’s not entirely my idea. Phillip left a letter
along with his will in which he suggested I mourn no more than six months and remarry
again after two to three years. That time has now passed.”

“Wasn’t that thoughtful of him,” Teddy offered with a pleasant enough smile that wasn’t
the least bit genuine. It was the mark of a true friend that while Delilah might have
forgiven Phillip, Teddy never would.

“It was thoughtful,” Delilah said firmly. “But I haven’t had a plan since Phillip’s
death and now I do.”

“I see.” Camille considered her sister thoughtfully. “And does your plan include the
name of your future husband?”

“Don’t be silly.” Delilah scoffed. “I haven’t selected my next husband. I don’t know
that I’ve met him yet but it’s possible that I have. I have more, oh, requirements,
I suppose than an actual individual.” Once again, she counted the points off on her
fingers. “One, I want a title at least equal to my own.”

“One would hate for you to have to give up being Viscountess Hargate for simply being
Lady Whoever,” Teddy said.

Delilah ignored the sarcasm in her friend’s voice. “Exactly. One should always marry
up. It defeats the purpose to marry down. Two, he should have a fortune again at least
equal to my own. I agree that a woman should not be wealthier than her husband.” She
paused. “Although I shall follow Beryl’s example in terms of legalities and make certain
my funds remain mine.”

“Very wise. One never knows what might happen in life.” Camille nodded.

“I want him to be intelligent. Perhaps even of a scholarly nature.”

“Scholarly?” Doubt rang in Teddy’s voice.

“I cannot abide stupid men.” Delilah shuddered. “I prefer a man who can carry on an
interesting conversation. One who isn’t overly amusing—”

“Can’t have that,” Camille said.

“Although I wouldn’t mind a droll sort of wit. And above all, I want a gentleman of
honor, of good English stock. A man who understands the value of tradition and heritage.
One who treasures the symbols of that heritage like Millworth Manor and Hargate Hall.”
Delilah’s gaze shifted between her sister and her friend. “Is that too much to ask?”

“Probably.” Camille chuckled then sobered. “But what of love?”

Teddy shot Delilah a quick look.

“You haven’t mentioned love or passion,” Camille continued. “This time, Delilah, don’t
you want that?”

“Not necessarily. With the right match, love will surely come in time. Love is much
more difficult to find than a suitable income and much less important.” Delilah refilled
her cup. “And a suitable income would come in handy at the moment.”

“What do you mean?” Camille’s eyes narrowed. “Phillip left you a fortune. Don’t tell
me you’ve gone through it.”

“That’s not all like you, Dee.” Teddy stared at her friend.

“Of course it’s not like me. And it’s nothing of the sort. It’s a . . . oh, a legal
difficulty I would say.” Delilah braced herself. She couldn’t continue to hide the
truth forever. Still, she had avoided it up till now and had hoped it would be resolved
before she had to mention it to her family and her closest friend. She chose her words
carefully and adopted a casual tone. As if this was of no importance whatsoever. “While
I had always assumed Phillip had no heirs, indeed he thought the same, there seems
to now be a claim on his—or rather my—properties and fortune and, well, everything
from some scoundrel in Leister or somewhere thereabouts.”

“Good Lord.” Camille stared.

“My solicitors have assured me this is nothing more than a momentary annoyance. It
should be resolved in no more than a few months although it does seem to be taking
forever. Unfortunately, my assets are not available to me until this matter is settled.
So you see . . .” Delilah cast them her brightest smile. “There is nothing to worry
about at all.”

“Nothing? Delilah.” Camille leaned closer and put her hand on her sister’s arm. “Nothing
is exactly what you could end up with. And you are not the type of woman to survive
long without money.”

“I admit, it is a bit awkward. I have had to economize,” Delilah said smoothly but
then she had known she would have to reveal her predicament eventually and she had
practiced. Why, the word
economize
scarcely stuck in her throat at all now. “I have closed Hargate Hall and the house
in London for the immediate future. I intend to stay here at Millworth until this
is settled. With any luck at all, it will be over before the wedding.”

“And if it isn’t resolved in your favor?”

“I shall cross that road when I come to it.” That was a possibility Delilah tried
not to consider even if it loomed in her mind nonetheless. “I am confident this is
nothing more than a temporary inconvenience.”

“When did you learn this?” Teddy asked.

“Oh, let me think.” Delilah forced an offhand note to her voice. “Six weeks or so
I believe, something like that.” Six weeks, two days, and twenty-some hours but she
couldn’t be exact without looking at a clock.

“Delilah.” Camille chose her words with obvious care. “I know we haven’t been especially
close in the past—”

Teddy choked then coughed and smiled apologetically.

“—but I shall of course provide you with whatever funding you need.”

“Thank you, but it hasn’t come to that yet. And I doubt that it will.” Delilah had
practiced that air of confidence as well.

“Are you sure?” Worry colored Camille’s face.

“Quite. But I do appreciate the offer.” She drew a deep breath. “And if you don’t
mind, I’d much prefer not to discuss it further. It does tend to make my head pound.”

Teddy nodded. “Understandable.”

“So you can see why a suitable income would be appreciated,” Delilah said in hopes
of steering the conversation in a different direction.

This was not something she wished to talk about, even with her sister and her dearest
friend. It was bad enough that it was scarcely ever off her mind. Bad enough that
a heavy weight that felt suspiciously like doom had settled in the pit of her stomach
the moment she’d been informed about this difficulty, six weeks, two days, and twenty-some
hours ago. She had never been an especially patient person and waiting to find out
her financial fate was wearing on her nerves. The only time her finances were out
of her mind was when her thoughts turned to Mr. Russell. Which was every bit as disconcerting.

“Even so.” Camille studied her sister. “Don’t you want to find what Beryl and I have
found? Don’t you want to be happy?”

“I fully intend to be happy. However, it’s been my observation that love does not
ensure happiness. One only has to look at the trials and tribulations you and Grayson
have experienced to see that. No, I think life is much easier without allowing emotions
to muck things up.” Delilah shrugged. “I shall be quite happy with a man with a respectable
title and impressive fortune.”

“And should he be handsome as well?” Teddy teased. “Tall and broad-shouldered with
a square jaw and a twinkle of amusement in his dark, smoldering eyes?”

“Goodness, Teddy. You’ve been reading romantic novels again. I am not so shallow as
to judge a man on his appearance. Why, that would be the very definition of shallow.”

The other women glanced at each other then burst into laughter.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Delilah huffed. “And choosing a man for his position
and his fortune is not the least bit shallow. It’s practical.”

Teddy grinned. “So you wouldn’t refuse to consider a man who was handsome?”

“That too would be silly, if he met all of my other requirements. This is absurd.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I will confess, I don’t want a man whose visage
would make small children run in fear. I will have to share his bed after all. He
should be of acceptable appearance. And I would prefer that he not be more than ten
years older than I. I would like my next marriage to last longer than the mere five
years my first marriage did.”

“I see.” Camille glanced at Teddy’s notebook. “Do you have the list of everyone we
have invited?”

Teddy turned a page then slid the notebook across the table to Camille. “It starts
here.”

“Let me see.” Camille studied the list.

Delilah didn’t like the look of that. “What are you doing?”

“Helping you with your plan.” Camille ran her finger down the page.

“Oh?” Delilah arched a brow. “I had the distinct feeling you were not impressed with
my plan.”

“It’s not a bad plan, as far as it goes, although I think there are any number of
variables you have not considered. In truth, I have always believed in plans and in
being prepared. I have had quite a few excellent plans myself in the past.” Camille’s
voice was absent, her gaze on the list of names before her. “The weakness in my plans
has always been that I was not fully prepared. Or perhaps they were not well thought-out,”
she added under her breath.

As evidenced by Camille’s Christmas plan to substitute a theater troupe for her family
to impress a prince into a marriage proposal,
not well thought-out
was something of an understatement.

“Here’s an excellent possibility. In fact there are several.” Camille glanced up.
“Mother has done a very good job. Better than I would have thought.” She looked back
at the guest list. “Most of these gentlemen meet all your requirements including that
of age. Let me see, there is Lord—”

“Goodness, Camille, that’s enough.” Delilah blew a long breath. “Any other time, I
would quite relish this discussion and perhaps later we can look at every eligible
gentleman on the guest list and debate the possibilities. But right now I would really
rather discuss something, anything, else.”

Teddy cast her a sympathetic look. But then Teddy, far more than Camille, could understand
how the fear of becoming penniless might well take the fun out of debating the relative
merits of one prospective husband over another.

“Of course.” Camille smiled affectionately at her younger sister. “There’s time enough
for this later. Why, there’s no hurry at all, really.” She turned to Teddy. “And aren’t
we supposed to be discussing the flower arrangements?”

Teddy nodded, pulled her notebook closer, and flipped through the pages. “We’ve ordered
nearly everything at this point but unfortunately, the . . .”

Perhaps Camille did understand, at least a little. After all, it was one thing to
wish to marry a man with a suitable income and position and quite another to need
to. Regardless, Delilah had no intention of leaping into an ill-advised marriage simply
to save herself from poverty. She did hope for a certain amount of affection in a
new match. If nothing else she wanted to like the next man she married. She intended
to spend the rest of her life with him after all. But as much as she wanted to marry
again, and there was no doubt as to the type of man she wished to wed, the idea of
having to do so for financial reasons did indeed make her feel like a fortune hunter.
Still, she had no intention of becoming a poor relation either.