The Bookseller and the Earl (The Merry Misfits of Bath 1)

“His son is very important to him. And I think as a good, responsible father, he made the correct decision.” Addie didn’t add that she also wanted the whole thing over with as quickly as possible. Never having been the center of attention, she found she did not enjoy the idea of everyone watching her every move. Lord knew her moves were clumsy at best.

Addie’s thoughts came back to the vision of herself in the mirror. She had made some concessions to her mother and had agreed to keep her somewhat happy by wearing the newly traditional white wedding gown and veil, even though at her age she felt ridiculous. Some compromises needed to be made and she could live with this one.

“Oh, my, you look beautiful,” Lottie gushed, as she and Pamela burst into her room. Her friends had arrived two days before and they’d spent as much time as possible catching up on things Addie had missed in her time away. The women were fortunate enough to find someone they trusted to mind the bookstore while they traveled to London and attended the wedding.

“I look like a bride.” Addie smirked.

“Yes. And that is what you are. Who would ever have guessed when Lord Berkshire walked into your bookstore that morning, he would end up your husband?” Lottie shook her head.

“I am sure stranger things have been recorded throughout time.” Addie adjusted the top of her veil, containing fresh flowers that Mother must have had a devil of a time finding at this time of the year.

Lottie had declined acting as a bridesmaid not wanting to call attention to herself. Which was utterly impossible, since Lottie was the most beautiful woman Addie had ever seen. But she’d noticed a distinct sense of unease in her friend from the moment she had arrived in London.

Lottie had once confessed to Addie and Pamela that her mother was well-known in London and they’d had terrible falling out before Lottie had quit London to take up residency in Bath.

Pamela would act as her witness and bridesmaid, and Grayson had asked Mr. Carter Westbrooke, his solicitor from Bath and a close friend, to act as his witness.

“Adeline, it’s time to leave for the church, dear.” Mother entered her room, studying her hands as she pulled on her gloves. She looked up and came to an abrupt halt. To Addie’s dismay, tears filled Mother’s eyes. “Oh, my.”

Addie felt her own eyes moisten and prayed she could pull herself together and not arrive at the church with a blotchy face. “Oh, Mother, please don’t.”

They crossed the room toward each other and embraced. “You are a beautiful bride, Adeline.” Mother leaned back and looked at her. “And a wonderful daughter. Be happy, my dear.”

By now all four women were patting the corners of their eyes. “Enough of this,” Lottie said, waving her hand around. “I believe it is time to leave for the church.”

Mother had fallen in love with Lottie and Pamela as much as Addie had. In fact, her mother had told her at breakfast a couple of days before that if she knew Addie had such good friends in Bath, she would not have worried about her so much.

Of course, Mother’s next question about her friends had been to ask why they were not seeking husbands. Addie dodged that question by suggesting they could use another pot of tea, and quickly left the room to fetch it from the kitchen.

The four women made their way downstairs where Father and Addie’s brother, Marcus, waited to escort the ladies to the church.

“What a bevy of beauties,” Marcus said, as he made his bow to the ladies.

“Indeed.” Father’s face glowed with happiness, which made Addie proud.

They all trooped down to the two carriages to carry them to the church. Grayson had loaned them his rented carriage, so they could all travel at the same time to St. Paul’s Cathedral where the wedding would take place.

Mother, Father, and Addie took one carriage. Lottie, Pamela, and Marcus the other. Marcus had been quite the host since her friends had arrived: joking, teasing, and flirting with them. She felt it necessary, however, to warn them that Marcus had managed to dodge the parson’s noose for years and she had no reason to believe he was ready to succumb anytime soon.

Of course, both girls waved her off with assurances that they had no intention of pursuing her brother. Or any other man for that matter.

Only a handful of friends had been invited to the ceremony with another fifty guests to join in the celebration at the wedding breakfast to follow at the Mallory townhouse.

Mother would have liked to double the number of guests at her only daughter’s wedding, but there was simply not enough time to plan for a wedding breakfast of that magnitude in the short time allotted for the preparations.

Addie was hit with a wave of panic as they drew up to the church. Her hand felt damp under her gloves and her stomach cramped. This was it. What she’d wanted as a young girl and decided she would never have as a young lady.

How well did she even know Lord Berkshire? Since their hurried betrothal they’d spent very little time together, and almost no time alone. He arrived the day after his meeting with Father, with a beautiful opal and diamond ring that had been in his family for years.

He had been careful to assure her that it had not been worn by his deceased wife. It stung that he’d been remarkably silent on that subject. Did he not trust her with that part of his life? The little she knew she’d heard from gossip: that his wife had died under scandalous circumstances. Being an unmarried lady, she was not privy to what those scandalous circumstances had been.

He was a good man. That much she knew. Did she love him? Probably not, but there was a very good chance she would. She doubted if he loved her, but hopefully love would grow there, too. From what she’d seen so far, they certainly shared passion. That was one part of her upcoming nuptials that she had to admit she was anticipating.

Also, in just a matter of minutes she would be a mother. Something she’d always wanted. That part was exciting. Despite all the frenzy about the wedding she had managed to spend as much time as possible with Michael and the tutor, Mr. Graves, learning sign language. The boy was progressing remarkably fast, and Mr. Graves told her that her word blindness—which he said had now been termed ‘dyslexia’— actually made her a good candidate for sign language.

Her mind back to the matter at hand, she took a deep breath as Pamela shook out the back of her gown and the organist began to play. Father stepped up to her and after giving her a kiss on the cheek, placed her hand on his arm and they began

the walk down the aisle.