Eliott cleared his throat. “Your mother is well, Edward?”
“She enjoys her ill health, as always. Uncle Edgar’s death came as something of a shock to her.”
“Your uncle was an honorable gentleman,” Eliott said. “Your estate was in capable hands. Speaking of hands, Edward, did that shoulder wound you suffered a couple of years ago heal well?”
“Not even a twinge now. I was fortunate enough to fall into the care of a sober surgeon. In India, that commodity is hard to find.”
“I insist upon seeing the scar,” Cassie said.
Eliott frowned at his sister. “Really, Cass, Edward will think that you have not been properly raised. You should have seen her, Edward, when you finally wrote of your wound. She was like a raging virago, and if it had not been for my calm good sense, I think she would have sailed her sloop to India by herself.”
“I was very worried, though speaking of Eliott and good sense together is far off the mark. But since he became Baron Tinnsdale, he is so full of self-consequence that he must needs continually make up all sorts of outrageous qualities for himself.”
“At least his idea of good sense does not include swimming like some sea nymph in the ocean or taking his life in his hands in a rickety sailboat.”
“My boat is not at all rickety, my lord. And as for my imitating a sea nymph, I will doubt your honesty if you say that you were displeased.”
“Cass, I trust you were wearing something while you were swimming.”
“She was like Venus coming from the sea. Quite a lovely prospect, I must admit.”
“I was wearing a shift,” Cassie said, gazing from her brother’s raised brows to Edward. She rose gracefully and shook out her skirts. “Now that you know the extent of Lord Delford’s brazen behavior, Eliott, I shall leave you to deal with him. Do not let him escape, brother, else I shall have to take my shredded virtue and hie myself to a convent.”
After Cassie left the library, Eliott turned to Edward in some embarrassment. “She is ever forthright to a fault, but of course you know that.” He tugged a moment at his collar. “You did not, that is, Cassie did not—”
Edward blinked in surprise, and said in an amused voice, “She was wearing a shift, Eliott, a very wet but quite modest shift. My intentions are honorable, you know, so there is no need to call me out. I want to marry her, but I must admit I am uncertain what to do about her London Season. She flatly refuses now even to consider it. As well as being forthright, she is headstrong.”
“Stubborn as a mule once her mind is made up.”
“True. Still, if you insist that she spend the Season in London, then between the two of us, we should be able to rein her in.”
“She has never wavered in her affection for you, Edward, though I believed for some years that it was naught save hero worship for a brave—and absent—military man. If you wish to wed her now, I’ll not cast a rub in your way.”
“Such support will likely result in Cassie naming our first son after you.”
“Cassie a mother.” Eliott shook his head, bemused. “It seems but yesterday that she was a child herself, intent only upon learning how to bait her hook. Yet I remember the time I crammed my horse over a fence and broke my leg. She was motherly, bullying me and forcing all manner of vile potions down my throat.”
“I am glad that I did not return to England when I was laid up with my shoulder wound.” Edward smiled gently at the still-bemused Eliott. “What do you say, Eliott, can we arrange a wedding in, say, two months?”
“Captain Lord Delford moves quickly once he is on the attack, I see. I can see no problem. Becky will take charge and see that everything comes off aright. Speaking of Miss Petersham, it is better that I deal with her myself.”
“As you will, Eliott. Now, my friend, there is much I wish to discuss with you. How has Eliott Brougham found life as the fourth Baron Tinnsdale?”