Wedding Matilda (Redcakes Book 6) (24 page)

“The best to you and your bride.” The solicitor forced a wobbly smile.

“Go to some European spa, man, and get your health back,” Ewan suggested, throwing the words over his shoulder as he walked out.

When he went into his room, he found his almost bride half-dressed again, sitting on the edge of the bed.

“I can’t lace my own stays,” she said, her cheeks pinking at his frank regard.

“I don’t think you need them laced.” He threw down a newspaper-wrapped package of fish and chips. “May not be what you’re used to, but it will get us through the night. Then, tomorrow, you can dress at St. James’s Square before our wedding.”

“Oh?” Matilda pushed strands of fiery hair out of her eyes.

“It’s done, my darling.” Ewan sank onto the bed next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I’m very afraid that it was all my fault. Fitzwalter wanted to make your family less influential. He wanted to hurt you to get to me.”

“But Jacob?”

“A horrible coincidence,” Ewan admitted. “They must have reached Izabela before they could act on the servants around Noel or Lady Mary Ellen.”

“What happened to her?”

“Suicide, according to Fitzwalter’s solicitor.”

“So she felt so guilty in the end that she took her own life? And her baby’s?”

“A sad ending,” Ewan agreed. “But we have a new start for ourselves. I’m afraid Wyld is a blood relative of mine, however. Are you sure you want to marry into a mad family?”

Matilda leaned her head on his shoulder. “Given the adventures of my own siblings over the years, I can hardly declare us categorically sane, Ewan darling. At least Greggory and his family are a quieter lot. I think we should raise our children under Uncle Charles’s influence instead of my own father’s.”

Ewan smiled. “I like your father.”

“I know it.”

He kissed her cheek. “But you are correct. We are bound for Bristol. I look forward to shaking the hand of every one of your men who helped us.”

Matilda nodded. “I plan more than that. I want to throw a party, with gifts, a welcome home for Jacob that all the factory workers can join in on.”

“It can be a wedding celebration, too. How about we stroll over to Redcake’s and make some telephone calls? Do you want your family at your wedding?”

“Will there be time?”

He nodded. “I suppose I will have to lace you back into your stays after all?”

“Just for today. Then you can spend the rest of your days removing me from them.”

Her smile was so tender, so naughty and loving, that Ewan knew, if he had ever had any doubt, that he’d found his home within the Redcake clan forever. This redheaded hoyden would soon be his wife, and the mother of his children.

“If we can manage it soon enough, they may even be able to bring Jacob up to us tonight,” he suggested. “Turn around, my love, and let’s see you dressed.”

Don’t miss the rest of the Redcakes series, available where eBooks are sold!

The Marquess of Cake
One Taste of Scandal
His Wicked Smile
The Kidnapped Bride
(novella)
Christmas Delights

About the Author

Heather Hiestand was born in Illinois, but her family migrated west before she started school. Since then she has claimed Washington State as home, except for a few years in California. She wrote her first story at age seven and went on to major in creative writing at the University of Washington. Her first published fiction was a mystery short story, but since then it has been all about the many flavors of romance. Heather’s first published romance short story was set in the Victorian period and she continues to return to historical fiction, ever fascinated by the past. The author of many novels, novellas, and short stories, she has achieved best-seller status at both Amazon, and Barnes & Noble. With her husband and son, she makes her home in a small town and supposedly works out of her tiny office, though she mostly writes in her easy chair in the living room.

For more information, visit Heather’s website at
www.heatherhiestand.com
.Heather loves to hear from readers! Her email is [email protected]

To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

LYRICAL PRESS BOOKS are published by

Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018

Lyrical and the L logo are trademarks of Kensington Publishing Corp.

First Electronic Edition: August 2015

ISBN: 978-1-6165-0794-7

eISBN-10: 1-61650-794-2

ISBN-13: 978-1-61650-795-4

ISBN-10: 1-61650-795-0