Lord Newbury blanched.
―She generally sleeps late," Annabel said helpfully. Her spirits were starting to return, and after all that Lord Newbury had done to her, she could not resist a little poke. Beside her she heard Sebastian smother a laugh, so she added, ―But I don‘t."
―Furthermore," Lady Vickers continued, giving Annabel a glare for having dared to interrupt,
―you will put a halt to this ridiculous quest for a bride. My granddaughter is marrying your nephew and you‘re going to let him inherit."
―Oh no—" Lord Newbury started to rage.
―Silence," Lady Vickers snapped. ―Robert, you‘re older than I am. It‘s unseemly."
―You were going to let me marry her," he pointed out.
―That‘s because I thought you would die ."
He looked a bit taken aback at that.
―Let it go gracefully," she said. ―For the love of God, look at you. If you take a wife, you‘ll probably injure the poor thing in the process. Or die on top of her. And you two—" She whipped around to face Sebastian and Annabel, who were both trying not to laugh. ―This isn‘t funny."
―Well, actually," Sebastian murmured, ―it is a bit."
Lady Vickers shook her head, looking as if she‘d dearly like to be rid of all of them. ―Get out of here," she said to Lord Newbury.
He did, making all sorts of angry sounds as he went. But they all knew that he would be gone by morning. He would probably resume his search for a bride; he wasn‘t so cowed by Lady Vickers as that . But any threat he might pose to Sebastian and Annabel‘s marriage was gone.
―And you ," Lady Vickers said dramatically. She was facing both Annabel and Sebastian, and it was difficult to tell who she meant. ―You."
―Me?" Annabel asked.
―Both of you." She let out another of those dramatic sighs, then turned to Sebastian. ―You are going to marry her, aren‘t you?"
―I will," he said solemnly.
―Good," she grunted. ―I don‘t know that I could manage another disaster." She patted her chest.
―My heart, you know."
Annabel rather suspected that her grandmother‘s heart would outbeat her own.
―I‘m going to bed," Lady Vickers announced, ―and I don‘t want to be disturbed."
―Of course not," Sebastian murmured, and Annabel, sensing that some sort of filial comment was required, added, ―May I get you anything?"
―Silence. You may get me silence." Lady Vickers looked over at Sebastian again, this time with narrowed eyes. ―You do understand my meaning, don‘t you?"
He nodded, smiling.
―I‘m going to my room," Lady Vickers announced. ―The two of you may do whatever you wish.
But don‘t wake me up."
And with that, she left, shutting the connecting door behind her.
Annabel stared at the door, then turned to Sebastian, feeling quite dazed. ―I think my grandmother may have just given me permission to ruin myself."
―I‘ll do all the ruining tonight," he said with a grin. ―If you don‘t mind."
Annabel looked back at the door, then back at him, her mouth hanging open. ―I think she might be mad," she finally concluded.
―Au contraire," he said, coming up behind her. ―She has clearly proven herself the sanest among us." He leaned down and kissed her on the back of her neck. ―I do believe we are alone."
Annabel turned around, twisting in his arms. ―I don‘t feel alone," she said, motioning with her head over at the door to her grandmother‘s room.
He wrapped his arms around her and moved his lips to the hollow above her collarbone. For a moment Annabel thought he was dismissing her concerns and trying to be intimate, but then she realized he was laughing. Or at the very least, trying not to. ―What?" she demanded.
―I keep picturing her listening at the door," he answered, his words muffled.
―That‘s funny?"
―It is." He sounded like he wasn‘t sure why, though.
―She had an affair with your uncle," Annabel said.
Sebastian went utterly still. ―If you‘re trying to completely kill my ardor, there is no image more guaranteed to do it."
―I knew my uncles Thomas and Arthur were not my grandfather‘s, but Percy…" Annabel shook her head, still not quite able to believe the events of the evening. ―I had no idea." She started to sigh into him, letting her back mold against his front, but then she straightened like a bolt.
―What is it?"
―My mother. I have no idea…"
―She was a Vickers," Seb said with quiet firmness. ―You have your grandfather‘s eyes."
―I do?"
―Not the color, but the shape." He turned her around, putting his hands on her shoulders and gently rotating her until they were facing. ―Right here," he said softly, touching his finger against the outer corner of her eye. ―The same curve."
He tilted his head to the side, regarding her face with tender concentration. ―The cheekbones, too," he murmured.
―I do look a great deal like my mother," she said, unable to take her eyes off him.
―You‘re a Vickers," he concluded with a benign smile.
She tried to suppress a smile of her own. ―For what that‘s worth."
―Quite a lot, I think," he said, leaning down to kiss the corner of her mouth. ―Do you think she‘s asleep yet?"
She shook her head.
He kissed the other side of her mouth. ―What about now?"
She shook her head again.
He pulled back, and she could only laugh as he silently counted from one to ten, mouthing each number while his eyes flicked up toward the ceiling.