Breaking Her In (Court of Paravel 2)

“But you’ve made Aubrey happy, so it seems that Lungren was able to do one decent thing on this earth before leaving it forever.”

Cassian answers without hesitation. “If I’m a good man, I prefer to think it’s all my mother’s doing.”

Daddy’s lips curve in the merest of smiles. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if you were right. Excuse me. It’s my wedding day.”

Daddy comes over and kisses me and then actually holds out his hand to Cassian. My fiancé shakes it. They don’t smile at each other, but at least there’s not naked mistrust on their faces. Baby steps.

Wraye enthusiastically kisses us both, and then she and Daddy walk hand in hand back into the ballroom, leaving Cassian and I alone.

I sag against the arm of a sofa, breathing a sigh of relief. “I don’t know how you pulled that off. I’m still back there in the ballroom when you stood on my foot. I’ll catch up in a minute.”

Cassian draws me into his arms, grinning. “The Archduke was easy. It was taming his daughter that gave me all the headaches. Who’d have thought I’d break you in?”

I smile up at my husband-to-be. “Not broken. Just intermittently tamed.”

“Exactly how I like you, Mrs. Cassian Bellerose.”

I’m really going to be his wife. Live in that house. Devote my sweat and determination to the horses and stables. “Are we going to be all right? What about your business?”

Cassian sits down on the sofa and pulls me against him. “We’re going to be just fine. The King was so impressed by your dressage skills that he wants the stables to become the Bellerose Royal Livery Stable and Dressage School.”

I clutch Cassian’s arm. “He’s going to endorse the stables?”

“Yes, he is. How do you feel about teaching dressage as well as competing?”

Excitement bubbles through me. “I could do that. I’d love to do that. I’ve been thinking about my dressage coaches in France and how they would do well here, but there’s no reason I couldn’t coach some of the beginners myself as well. I helped some of the younger girls back at my riding school.”

Bellerose Stables would be the ideal place to teach. Riders will love it there. What’s more, it’s something that Cassian and I can do together. “This is even better than getting married.”

Cassian tweaks my nose. “Oh, thanks.”

I grin at him. “I mean, you and I doing this is even better than getting married. It’s something of ours that we can grow. I can’t tell you how much I was dreading getting married and then simply being a wife with nothing to do.”

“I like the sound of that. How about I marry you and become a kept man?” Cassian teases. “You can buy me expensive suits and teach me to dance, and I’ll drink champagne at Court every night.”

“We’ll call that Plan B, shall we?”

“We might have to. Even with the King’s endorsement, people might not want to go anywhere near my stables.”

“They will,” I assure him. “You’re going to show them that you’re your own man. I’ve already seen that. I can’t wait for everyone else to know you, too.”

We rejoin the wedding reception and walk around together, holding hands. King Anson is there as well, talking with his subjects. He has a knack for putting even the most nervous of them at ease.

Cassian’s gaze lands on the King. “I never thought I’d say this about any ruler, but I think I like King Anson.”

“I like him, too. He seems to have a good heart, and he cares about Paravel. I wonder if he’s got someone to make him happy,” I say wistfully, watching him move off among the crowd alone. It must be lonely at the top. I hope he gets married soon, and to someone who loves him as much as he seems to love all of us.

Wraye approaches us, her bouquet clasped in her hands and a determined expression in her eyes. “Aubrey, it’s time to throw the bouquet.”

I look around for the crowd of hopeful young women. “Where would you like me to stand?”

“Right there. Are you ready?”

Wraye motions, as if she’s about to throw the bouquet to me from two feet away, and I start to laugh. “You can’t do it like that. It’s cheating.”

“No, it’s not. You’re going to be the next one to get married. There’s no point in throwing it to anyone else.”

“Maybe we’ll have a long engagement.” We probably will, come to think of it. We don’t have any money to get married with, and I’m not taking anything from Daddy. Cassian and I are going to make a go of this together, on our own.

“Maybe you will, but this is yours. Here.”

Wraye tosses the bouquet, and I catch it by reflex. I smile down at the pink and white roses, suddenly feeling bridal. “It doesn’t count if you throw it right to me.”