Wizards Daughter

"As I said, I have an excellent estate manager, Peter Pritchard, the son of my grandfather's man. I have already hired servants, all local, which bodes well for loyalty to me. The tenant farmers are very pleased with me, as is the town of Wyverly-on-Arden since I've ordered most all our supplies from the local merchants. I honestly believe both of us will be safe there until I am able to find out who is behind this."

"You don't wish to take Rosalind on a honeymoon?"

"Not yet, sir. There would be too many risks to her safety. Let her settle into Wyverly first, see what she thinks of the place."

Ryder eyed him a moment. "I hate to tell you this, but it wouldn't matter if Wyverly were a grand palace, she would still redecorate it. She will doubtless redesign and replant the gardens, she will add peacocks, and heaven knows the racket they make."

Nicholas's left eyebrow shot up.

"It's in her blood, she says, whatever blood that is. She was always trying to change Brandon House, and when Jane refused, Rosalind brought herself to our house and made immediate plans to change the draperies in my estate room as well as rearrange all my furniture." He gri

Nicholas nodded. "I shall visit Bishop Dundridge to procure a special license. I know Rosalind is having her final fitting today with the earl and his wife and yours."

Ryder nodded. "I will meet with Willicombe and Cook to see that all is in order for Saturday morning." He paused a moment, then nodded to himself. "We shall invite all your relatives, Nicholas." He quickly raised his hand. "No, this is important. Trust me on this."

"They won't come."

"You are the head of the family. Society would not look kindly upon them if they refused to attend your wedding. And trust me, society will know if they come since I will ensure that all know."

"But-"

"No, it must be done. Your half brothers and your stepmother must see that it is done, it is over. Douglas and I will be there. It will be all right."

Nicholas left the Sherbrooke town house feeling a bit light-headed. He paid a visit to Sir Robert Peel on Bow Street, then returned to Grillon's Hotel to inform Lee Po of the new plans.

Lee Po raised a thin black brow that was already arched high, sending it nearly into his hair, and said in perfect English, "And I had thought to be bored in this frigid rain-soaked country. But instead, you and your betrothed are both in mortal danger, not to mention the magic and mystery of this Pale place-what an excellent diversion, my lord. You can be sure I shall be on my guard. None of the three halfwit brothers will harm you when I am about."

Nicholas laughed. "Thank you. Now, there is much to be done." Then he told Lee Po about the two men Sir Robert Peel was sending to him.

Rosalind found out quite by accident about the attempt on Nicholas's life. She had raised her hand to knock on the estate room door, when she heard Uncle Ryder's low voice and pressed her ear to the door. Uncle Ryder was telling Uncle Douglas about someone firing a gun at Nicholas.

"You fleabrain," she whispered to the absent Nicholas. "You will learn to confide in me if I have to box your ears." But since the debacle was the catalyst for their quick marriage, and that was surely very fine, she kept her peace. She had years in front of her to bring Nicholas around to trusting her absolutely. Given his unfortunate childhood, not to mention the villains he'd surely had to deal with since he was twelve, she knew it would be small of her not to accept his silence, but still, it hurt. What hurt too, but angered her more, was the attempt on his life. She wished she had Richard Vail's neck between her hands.

It was Grayson, told by his father that Rosalind had very likely eavesdropped when he told Uncle Douglas about the murder attempt, who warned Nicholas to stay away. Grayson told him, "Otherwise, she might call it all off and shoot you herself. She's a fine shot, my word on that, so don't take any chances. My father fed her some drivel about a problem at Wyverly Chase and that was why you needed to have the wedding moved to Saturday. Rosalind pretended to believe him, though I know very well she didn't. Truth be told, I don't know what she's thinking right now, she's been very quiet, perhaps too quiet."

Nicholas said, "I would wager every groat in my pocket she's pla

Grayson agreed, told him to keep his distance, and wished him the hast of luck.

Nicholas called after him, "Please invite Lorelei Kilbourne,

Grayson. Both Rosalind and I are very fond of her. Since she suffered for Rosalind, it's only right she be invited." Grayson said stiffly, "I will consult her father." "Ask her parents to come as well," Nicholas said. "And her four sisters?" "Naturally."

Nicholas laughed when Grayson muttered, "The giggling gaggle."

26

At ten o'clock Saturday morning, Rosalind was modestly accepting all the fulsome compliments, knowing she looked very fine indeed in Madame Fouquet's pale yellow silk gown, but she wasn't thinking about this, her wedding day, she was thinking about Nicholas's half brothers, how they should be dispatched to Hell.

And they were coming to her wedding.

Perhaps she should carry a small knife. And what about their mother, Lady Mountjoy, probably escorted by Alfred Lemming? Perhaps Rosalind should carry a knife up her other sleeve as well. She wondered idly how long Alfred Lemming had been Lady Mountjoy's lover. Before her husband had died? She wondered about the third son, Aubrey. For all she knew, he could be devout as a vicar, or as rotten as his brothers.

"Just look at this lovely nightgown and peignoir Alex has given you, dearest," Aunt Sophie was saying. "Ah, I venture to say your groom's eyes will roll back in his head when he sees you in it"

"Peach silk," Alex said, "it makes a man's heels drum. The silk is as sheer as your veil, Rosalind."

Rosalind saw herself standing in front of Nicholas wearing this delicious, sinful confection, and Nicholas, eyes blazing hot, striding to her, those big hands of his outstretched to touch her. She saw his big hands molding over the silk and-

Sophie said, "Ah, dearest, I only wish you could have been married at Brandon House. How the children would have loved that. They always accepted you, Rosalind, just as they always knew you were different."

She hugged Aunt Sophie close. "Let us have another wedding for them, all right? Perhaps in a few months. I have already bought them all presents here in London-I will save them until Nicholas and I come to Brandon House. Ah, how I wish Nicholas were not constrained to return to his home so very quickly. I ca

Alex and Sophie had no clue Rosalind was lying through her teeth, since she had perfected the necessary lie very early on. "No," Alex said, demure as a nun, "we have no idea what happened." She gave Rosalind a fat smile and hoped Nicholas came up with some plausible catastrophe before they arrived at his family home. "Nicholas told me Wyverly Chase was named after an heiress in the sixteenth century who filled the family coffers and paid for the house- Catherine Wyverly, a duke's daughter. Nicholas told us her ghost roams about the vast corridors of the east wing, though he admitted he'd never seen her."

"Now, dearest"-Sophie patted the sheer material that sheathed Rosalind's arms-"forget about the ghost, I understand Douglas has declared your groom sufficiently blessed with good taste to clothe you properly. Ah, how very wonderful it all is. I am so excited." And Sophie wiped away a tear she'd managed to manufacture to distract Rosalind.