Page 113 of The Earl’s Entanglement

Emma stopped, remembering the horse. “He brought a gift for me.”

They’d reached the stairs, but rather than climb them, the two women remained at the bottom, their heads tipped together as if they shared an important secret.

“He did?”

Emma pictured the horse’s perfect white coat and sighed. “The most beautiful pure Spanish you’ve ever seen.”

“A wedding gift?”

That and so much more. “I suppose,” she said, not wanting to explain just now. “But I wonder what the earl said to Magnus? Is his army marching on Clave now?”

“I don’t believe Garrick would be here preparing for dinner if that were so.” Sara pulled on her hand, and Emma followed her sister-in-law up the stairs.

“I need to tell him about the messenger.”

“Aye,” Sara answered. “You do.”

“I should go to him now—”

“Nay. It won’t do well for you to be alone with him.”

“Uh, no. Of course not.”

“Under the watchful eye of your brother,” Sara finished.

Was Sara really suggesting she should go to him later?

Aye, she would. They needed time alone, away from prying eyes, to settle all the questions that remained between them. But before the night was through, there would be no doubt.

The man she loved would be hers.

Tonight . . . and forever.

30

Why was he still here?

He owed as much to Lady Sara after listening to his offer—nay, his plea—for Emma’s hand in marriage. For her friendship and their shared history.

Who am I fooling?

He was still here because of her. Could there truly be hope? Geoffrey had made it fairly clear there wasn’t any, and yet he couldn’t bear to accept that he was too late.

“Lord Clave.” Geoffrey Waryn strode through the hall to where he stood waiting by the mantel. “Come, sit with me.”

Garrick followed Geoffrey to the raised dais. His host indicated for him to sit next to him, and so he did.

“The ladies should arrive shortly,” Geoffrey said, then thanked the cupbearer for filling his goblet with wine, and Garrick did the same.

“I assume a toast will be in order?” his host said.

Though Garrick didn’t understand his meaning, he lifted his goblet anyway.

Which was when Geoffrey burst into laughter. “I can see they didn’t tell you yet.”

As they watched the hall continue to fill, a flash of green and blue peeked out from the crowd. Sara and Emma appeared on the opposite side of the hall.

The men stood.