“You are a wonder, Artemis Jonquil. An absolute wonder.”
She could feel the eyes of every person in the room, though she did not know how many of them were actually watching. She dropped her eyes, unsure what to say or do in that moment. Give her an enemy and she could strategize better than Wellington himself. But allies weren’t quite so familiar.
Charlie stepped up close enough to her to whisper, “Did I do something to embarrass you? I really do intend to keep my promise not to do that again.”
Artemis leaned against his chest, resting her hand on the silk of his green waistcoat. He set his arms around her and held her softly.
“Catherine was right,” she said.
“Right about what?”
“That you and your brothers are good and kind gentlemen.”
She was nearly certain she felt him kiss the top of her head. “I am trying, Artie,” he said quietly.
The whole room grew quiet at the sound of carriage wheels. The drawing room windows overlooked the front drive, and several people moved to look out.
Philip, who was among those at the windows, announced, “It’s Arabella and Linus. Best send word to the dower house. Mater will wish to know they have arrived.”
Charlie stepped back, his arms slipping away. “We should go greet them.” He held out a hand to her, which she gladly accepted. They walked hand in hand to the front portico, arriving just as a footman handed Arabella down from the carriage, followed by Linus.
Artemis resigned herself to waiting while her brother greeted Charlie, the two being quite good friends. But Linus surprised her.
He pulled her into a fierce embrace. “Oh, Artemis. I should have been there.”
“Been where?” she asked, letting herself enjoy the firm, brotherly hug.
“In London. For your predicament and your engagement and wedding. What good is a brother if he can’t protect you against anything?”
“No good at all.” She stepped back and assumed her most dismissive air. “You’d best return to Shropshire.”
He knew her too well to be fooled by her theatrics; she’d not have wielded them otherwise. “I’ll leave it to you to tell Arabella. She will, I warn you, shoot the messenger, as the saying goes.”
“She is fond of this family, is she?”
“Extremely. And you, my dear sister, are now one of them. It boggles the mind.”
“Believe me,” she answered dryly, “I am thoroughly boggled.”
He laughed lightly. “We will soon be accosted by six or seven thousand Jonquils—however many there are now—but please promise that sometime this evening, we can sit down and talk. I’ve not seen you in an age, and I need to be assured that you are well.”
She readily and happily agreed. Had Linus arrived mere days earlier, she would have struggled to pretend she was unconcerned, but she would have done her utmost. To do otherwise would have led to prying questions she did not wish to answer. But now she felt confident she could honestly tell him she felt hopeful.
For the first time in years, she felt hopeful.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The clock in Charlie’s bedchamberstruck one. Artemis had not yet retired for the night. She had been in the drawing room, deep in conversation with her brother, when Charlie had taken his leave nearly two hours earlier. He did not begrudge her the time with her sibling, but he was growing a little concerned. He had, on more than one occasion, come upon her when she had either been tucked in the shadows weeping and unhappy or had fallen asleep in a place and position that could not have been comfortable. He did not like the thought that she might be somewhere in this house suffering.
He pulled on a pair of loose trousers—ones he meant to hide so they would survive Wilson’s upcoming cleansing of Charlie’s wardrobe—then snatched up his dressing gown. He tied it on and slipped from the room. He knew this house too well to be confused while navigating it, even with all the wall sconces extinguished. He made his way, without hesitation or difficulty, to the drawing room on the ground floor.
Other than two candelabras still lit across the room, all was in darkness. In that lone spill of light, Artemis sat on a sofa opposite Linus. Their voices were low, their words indistinguishable, and their tone impossible to identify from a distance.
Charlie moved closer, determined to intervene if Artemis seemed the least unhappy. He’d nearly reached them when Artemis’s laughter rang out. Relief washed over him. Close on the heels of that reassurance was the realization that he had very nearly made a fool of himself, searching her out in a state of dishabille because he’d let himself fret enough to overcome his usual logic.
He fully meant to turn around and slip out quietly, but Linus spotted him there.
“Couldn’t sleep?” Linus asked him.
