It hurt to smile, but Sunny couldn’t help it.Wick didn’t help either when he clapped him on the shoulder.Sunny groaned.It seemed as if there were bruises all over his body.But he didn’t mind.For once, he’d been exactly where Mantheria needed him to be.
* * *
“My dear Selina,I think you need to let them go,” Mantheria’s father said lovingly.“I think you are suffocating both our eldest daughter and grandson.”
Mantheria’s mother didn’t listen to her father.Instead, she hugged them even tighter before releasing her hold.“I was so worried for you two and a little hurt that I, too, was not invited on the adventure.”
Andrew scrunched up his nose.“But you’re a grandmother.”
“Can’t grandmothers go on adventures?”Mama said, her eyebrows raised and her mouth prim, but her eyes danced with mischief.“I’ve been on one for the last two days.Once we got your mother’s express from Bath, we mounted our horses to find you, and what a merry chase you have led us.”
Mantheria saw her son’s cheeks redden.“Sorry, Grandmother.It is no excuse, but I didn’t want to be in our black and sad London house any longer.I thought about going and seeing the Roman ruins at Bath, but then this man and his wife tried to kidnap me.I didn’t know how to get back to London, so I tried to go home to Avalon Palace.And I nearly made it home safely, until a man came out of the woods and took my coat with the last of my two silver buttons.Maybe if I didn’t try to fight him for the coat, he wouldn’t have grabbed me and tied me up, and Mama wouldn’t have had to shoot him.”
A hush fell over the group, and Mantheria felt every eye upon her.
Her father was the first to speak.He leaned forward, his eyes bright.“Was it a good, solid shot?”
“Theophilus!”her mother said in a sharp voice.
Mantheria shook her head.“I only winged him.”
Papa grinned at her and patted her on the shoulder like he would have one of her brothers.“I couldn’t be prouder, my dear.Think of what a mess it would be if you’d killed him.Norwich here might have had to get his fancy boots muddy helping dig the grave.”
She glanced at her soon-to-be brother-in-law, expecting to see him white-faced or chagrined.The tassels on his Hessians were certainly ostentatious.Instead, Norwich smiled benignly back at the group.“Hampford’s right.My boots are works of art.It would have been a travesty to destroy them.”
Becca was the first to laugh, but soon, they all joined in.Mantheria managed to chuckle, too, despite having experienced the most terrifying day of her life.Her little sister then added, “And Matthew’s hands have never seen a day of physical work.”
Her brother grinned.“A hit, Becca.”
Mantheria covered her mouth with her hand as she remembered what day it was.“Becca, your engagement ball is only a couple of days away.What are you doing here?”
Her younger sister shrugged one shoulder.“I suppose it is, but you could hardly have expected us to stay idly home when Andrew was missing.”
Mantheria’s hand slid down to her throat.Her pulse was strong there.“But Mama has put so much work into the party, and I know that she wanted to make it so special for you.I hope that I haven’t ruined it for you, like I have ruined everything else.”
“Nonsense, dearest,” Mama said with a wry smile.“My secretary has done the bulk of the work, and Becca will arrive back in London in time to be the belle of the ball.”
She felt a hand on her shoulder and saw that Becca had dismounted.“What is a ball compared to a grand adventure?Right, Andrew?”
Her son’s face was rather red, but he nodded eagerly.
Mantheria choked on her words.“But-but I had wanted to make up for my poor behavior at the ball, and instead, I may have ruined another special night for you.”
Becca put her arms around Mantheria and whispered in her ear, “I have forgiven you, and I think it is time for you to forgive yourself.”
All Mantheria could do was nod and sniff.
“This is turning mawkish,” Matthew complained in a droll voice.“And I’m hungry.Climb up behind me, Mantheria, and let’s ride to Avalon Palace, where you can order one of your many servants to bring me delicious food.Sunny can ride with Andrew, unless Wick cannot be parted from his friend any longer.”
If Wick could have reached Matthew, Mantheria was certain that another bout of fisticuffs would have broken out.Exhaling, Mantheria held up her arm, and Matthew swung her up behind him like they’d done as youths.Part of her was surprised that she could still perform the trick.
Andrew’s mouth hung open.“Mama, that was incredible!”
Sunny picked her son up without any difficulty and set him back on the horse in the sidesaddle, then swung up behind him.They looked good together—the two men in her life.
Turning her head to face the opposite direction, she held tighter to Matthew.Mantheria reminded herself that Sunny was not a man in her life and that he would soon marry another young woman, and she would be even more alone.
* * *