The Husband Hunt (Madison Sisters 3)

Robert was scowling when she added, "I want to write it down so I never forget what you said. " He was just relaxin

g, a smile curving his lips when she added, "I have long wanted to try my hand at writing and what you said was beautiful. I should like the hero in my tale to say exactly that to the heroine at the end. "

"Dear God," Robert muttered, and gave up his patience to stride across the room, catch her by the hand and drag her out of her seat.

"Robert, I want to get down what you said," she protested as he dragged her to the bed. "I shall forget the last of it entirely if I do not write it down at once, and really it was the most touching and beautiful speech a girl could ask for. "

"I am glad it pleased you," he said wryly, pausing beside the bed and bringing her in front of him and then turning her so her back was to him. Quickly undoing her gown, he added, "However, I cannot recall what it is exactly I said. "

"You can't?" she asked with obvious disappointment as he finished with the gown and pushed it off her shoulders. The material drifted down like a feather to pool on the floor.

"Not precisely, no," he said, setting to work on her chemise next. "However, never fear, there is a lifetime of speeches like that in your future, my love. "

"Oh, that's lovely too," she murmured, her words coming muffled under the material of her chemise as he lifted it up and off over her head. "Pray, try to remember that one for later, my lord. I would write it down as well. "

"As you wish," he said with amusement, tossing the chemise aside. Lisa immediately turned to face him.

"You really do love me, don't you Robert?" she said with a shy smile.

"I really do," he assured her, slipping his arms around her and drawing her against his chest. "But you knew that, didn't you?" "I thought so," she said quietly, and then admitted, "but there were times when I was sure I had been mistaken. "

"You were not mistaken," he assured her, bending to press a kiss to her forehead. "You were absolutely right and I was just too stubborn and . . . er . . . "

"Stupid," she offered to aid his memory.

"Yes, that," he muttered. "I didn't see it. "

"I'm glad your eyes are open now," she said with a happy smile. "So am I, my love. So am I," he assured her, allowing those open eyes to roam all the lovely flesh he'd revealed. Then he bent to kiss her as his hands followed the same path his eyes had blazed. Lisa responded at once, pressing closer and slipping her arms around his neck with a little moan, and Robert saw something else with his open eyes; he saw a long, happy life with a marriage full of friendship, love, passion, children and trust. He was quite sure the Langley curse had finally been broken.

"Ah hem. "

Robert stilled and then broke their kiss to glance around at that very loud and obvious throat clearing. Richard and Christiana stood in the door with Daniel and Suzette behind, he saw with confusion, and then glanced back to Lisa with surprise when she squealed and dropped to her haunches, trying to cover her nakedness.

Scowling at the embarrassing intrusion, Robert quickly grabbed his robe off the bed and knelt to help her into it. Once he had her properly covered up, he straightened and turned to scowl at the two couples. "What is the meaning of this?"

Four pairs of eyebrows shot up at the question and Robert was just realizing that his outrage may have been misplaced when Richard asked, "Shall I have the carriage readied for a trip to Gretna Green?"

"The alternate course is that you head back to your house and visit Lisa with someone present until we can arrange a wedding here in town," Christiana pointed out gently.

"She could be carrying your child even now," Suzette pointed out. "A quick trip to Scotland might be best. "

"Besides, why break with a family tradition now," Daniel asked dryly. "We all made hasty trips to Gretna Green. "

"We were married at Radnor," Christiana reminded Daniel quickly.

"Only by luck. The plan was for Gretna Green," Suzette pointed out at once.

"True," Christiana acknowledged.

All four people then turned back to peer at him in question. Gretna Green or a long wait to be wed properly, Robert thought. And no doubt with the four of them ensuring that he and Lisa had absolutely no time alone together. The preferred option was obvious.

"You four get packing. I shall arrange the carriage," Robert said dryly.

"No need," Richard said with amusement. "We knew you'd come to your senses eventually. We have been packed for days. "

"Christiana and I will help Lisa pack though, while you boys have the carriages readied and loaded," Suzette announced, bustling into the room to urge Lisa to her feet. She then glanced back to add, "We will need three, of course, for everyone. We cannot go without our maids. "

"Damn," Robert muttered, mentally calculating how long it would take them to crawl to Gretna Green with three carriages stuffed full of them, their servants, and their luggage. It would be a couple days before he got to finish what he'd just tried to start with Lisa.

"Cheer up," Daniel said, slapping him on the back with amusement. "You're about to join the ranks of the soldiers in matrimonial hell. "

Robert smiled wryly. "There is that. "

"Welcome to the family," Richard said, as he and Daniel urged him toward the door. "It's official now. Instead of being a pseudo brother to Suzette and Christiana you will be a brother-in-law to them . . . but not to Lisa," he pointed out.

"No, never to Lisa," Robert agreed solemnly as they stepped out of the room.