******
Sighing, Hugh watched his new bride and his sister walk away. Irene seemed quite skittish at the moment, although he chalked that up to wedding nerves. Especially now that they were going to be alone in a carriage for hours, and it would be the first time that they would be alone and completely unchaperoned together, but as long as they made good time then they should be to the first of his family’s estates by sundown. Understandably she also might be a bit nervous about the wedding night.
He could only imagine what her icicle of a mother had told her to expect.
“What is the matter with Nell?” he asked, wondering why she’d been so sharp with Edwin.
“I have no idea,” Edwin replied, staring daggers after his wife as she left the room with her arm linked through Irene’s. They made an attractive pair with their contrasting hair of gold and red copper. “But I certainly intend to find out.”
With a wry smile, Hugh gave his friend a sidelong look, thankful that he’d ended up with a sweet bride like Irene and not a termagant like his sister. Not that he wanted to hear any details about why Edwin enjoyed disciplining his sister so much, but he had to admit he found himself curious as to what discipline might have to do with bedroom activities. It was certainly not something he’d ever thought to combine, despite the fact that he’d been raised to wield the cane when necessary, whereas Edwin certainly had not. But it was only a mild curiosity and he was quite content to have it go unsatisfied. With a docile, sweet wife like Irene he was quite sure he would never need to use any kind of strict discipline.
“Excuse me, Viscount Petersham?”
Now that
was a sentence he’d heard more than enough of this morning, and the masculine voice was completely unfamiliar, as quite a few of them had been. Stifling a groan he put on his best social smile and turned to find himself facing Lord Brooke.
“Ah, Lord Brooke, thank you for coming today,” he said with a smile, holding out his hand for the other man to grip. He felt rather relieved that he didn’t need to search the other man out to speak with him, it also boded well that Brooke had approached him first.
“Brooke,” said Edwin, offering his hand in turn.
“Hyde.”
“Standish tells me you and Irene grew up together,” Hugh said once they’d gotten past the pleasantries. “I confess I’m glad she had a long-time friend to attend the wedding today, although she’s made some acquaintances in London, I could tell that she feels much more comfortable with you.” Hugh did his best to sound nonchalant, although truly he was waiting to see the other man’s reaction to his words. Wondering whether Standish’s depiction of Irene and Brooke’s relationship was correct.
Brooke’s smile seemed to almost split open his face, like a crack in a rock. Not that his face was particularly craggy, just that the man always seemed morosely somber when Hugh saw him. In fact he couldn’t remember having ever seen Brooke smile before. Then again, considering the state of his marriage and his lack of heir, he didn’t have much to smile about.
“She was the little sister I never had,” Brooke said, shaking his head at the mental vision he had of a little girl with red pigtails done up in clashing pink ribbon. It was had been a shock for him to see Irene all grown up, every time he’d returned to visit after leaving for school. Seeing her on her wedding day had been double that. “Still is. I hope you don’t mind, but I felt it was my brotherly duty to speak with you.”
Hugh raised an eyebrow, a little surprised but not offended. In fact he was feeling quite relaxed now that he’d heard Brooke’s own declaration. “You waited until now?”
“Ah, I just came back to town recently,” Brooke said, his face hardening again. “I’ve had some business to attend to at my estates.” Apparently not very pleasant business. Or perhaps it was just the necessary business of making enough money to cover his wife’s outrageous expenses. The woman did seem to enjoy spending his money even if she avoided his company. A small smile broke through again as he refocused on why he was speaking with Hugh. "I wouldn't have missed Irene's wedding for the world."
"That's good of you," said Hugh, smiling back. There was still that small twinge of jealousy that this man had known his wife for so much longer, but it was obvious from the way Brooke spoke of her, not to mention Standish' attitude, that there was nothing romantic between the two of them. While Hugh had to admit to himself that he would prefer his new wife’s friends be female, if she was going to have a close male friend at least it was one like Lord Brooke who obviously saw her in a familial light. "She seems to be quite shy, although I’ve quite enjoyed the time that we’ve spent together."
“She and Eleanor seem to get along well,” Edwin offered. “Nell likes her quite a bit, so I’m sure she’ll make certain that Viscountess Petersham is never left out at social events. My wife can be quite the champion for her friends.” It felt strange to call a woman by his friend’s title, but the obvious masculine smugness that settled onto Hugh’s expression had Edwin and Brooke exchange an amused look. From his relaxed demeanor, every moment with Hugh was helping to ease Brooke’s potential qualms about how well Irene would be cared for.
"I'm sure she'd be a wallflower if her mother would let her," Brooke said dryly, with a little twitch at the corner of his mouth. He shook his head. "Every time I see her in a ballroom it's a bit of a shock, she's much more at home out in the country."
"So she and her father have told me. I'll admit, I was relieved to hear that she prefers the countryside although we’ll have to come to London for at least part of the Season of course. My parents would have pushed for the match anyway, for the land she brings with her, but I couldn't imagine myself with a wife who wanted to spend all her time in London."
"Yes... I'd heard it was an arranged match." Brooke hesitated, unsure of his right to say his next words and yet determined to do his duty by Irene anyway. "Do you… care for her at all?"
"Quite a bit," said Hugh honestly, unaware of the smile that spread across his face as he thought of Irene's sweet smile and beautiful face. "Otherwise I wouldn't have offered for her, land or no land. The more I've come to know her, the more I appreciate her company."
"You'll probably enjoy her company even more in the country," said Alex, looking rather relieved. More so at the change in Hugh's expression than his reassuring words, anyone paying attention could tell that he was sincere in his affection for his new wife. "She blossoms out there." His voice lowered to a mutter. "Especially once she's away from her mother."
Edwin murmured his agreement and Hugh made a small expression of distaste. Obviously none of the men were enamored of the Baroness. It hadn’t taken Hugh or Edwin long to realize that Irene quickly clammed up in the presence of her mother and barely dared to breathe when the woman was watching.
"We'll be touring my estates for our honeymoon, I'm hoping she'll enjoy that. She didn't seem interested in going further afield, although Edwin and my sister just returned from their honeymoon in Paris." He nodded at his friend, acknowledging the trip.
Brooke raised an eyebrow. "That surprises me, I always thought Irene wanted to travel more than she was able to. But I’m sure she feels that it's more important to see her new home."
"Hmm, perhaps," said Hugh, slightly perplexed but not wanting to show it. Irene had been rather adamant about not wanting to travel. Then again, perhaps Brooke didn't know her as well as he thought he did. He rather liked that interpretation.
A flurry of activity at the bottom of the staircase drew the men's attention and they turned to see Eleanor and Irene descending. Irene had changed into a dress more suited for travel, made of muslin which had been dyed forest green; the clever cut showed off her neat figure quite nicely, although the tempting expanse of bosom that her wedding gown had displayed was no longer visible. The vivid color went beautifully with her coloring, much more so than her previous gown which had made her pale cheeks seem even paler even if her hair had flamed by contrast.
Hugh drew in a little breath at the sight of her, already picturing peeling the dress off of her and revealing all the delightful sights that it was modestly covering. Beside him Brooke stirred and gave him an amused look, content at seeing the expression of near-infatuation on Hugh's face. With a quick word of farewell, Hugh was striding eagerly across the room to claim his wife, leaving Edwin and Brooke to amuse themselves at his expense.