Long Live the Baron by Jarrett Nina

Author:Jarrett, Nina
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rogue Press
Published: 2024-01-05T00:00:00+00:00

The wedding breakfast had been a success, despite the aged state of the room, many members of their party already being familiar with each other. The room had been filled with hothouse flowers, providing bright spots of color alongside shining crystal and glinting silver. Lily’s groom had expressed his doubts about hosting the breakfast, but Sophia had insisted that the Abbotts needed to feel welcome in Lily’s new home to set their minds at ease. Personally, Lily preferred Ridley House for the event because it was set off on a side street close to the square, rather than the Abbotts’ home which was directly across from Lady Slight’s townhouse.

Lily thanked each person as they took their leave, struggling against a suffocating embrace from her weeping mother before Papa had taken her by the arm to depart.

Brendan’s odd-fish friend, Lord Trafford, walked up. He had a bizarre thatch of blond hair, while the lower portions of his hair were more of a contrasting brown, and Lily wondered if it was an affectation that his valet had somehow bleached. If so, the heir to Lord Stirling might have too much time on his hands.

The gentleman bowed deeply, his frothy cuffs flittering around his wrists, with the air of a man who had stepped off a fashion plate. “Congratulations, Lady Filminster. Ridley is a good chap. Take care of him, you hear?”

Lily smiled tentatively, unsure how to respond to such a remark. Lord Trafford strolled away to join the duke and her husband, who were standing in the dim hall, leaving the duchess alone with Lily in the breakfast room. Like the other rooms Lily had been in, the breakfast room had ebony wood paneling cladding the walls, worn carpeting, and fading wallpaper. The furniture was large and brooding, and the townhouse needed to be renovated.

My townhouse!

The duchess rose from a heavy hardwood chair and made her way to where Lily was standing.

“Your Grace.” Lily sank into a curtsy. “Thank you for attending.”

The duchess shook her head, smiling down at Lily, whose head barely cleared her chin. “We are sisters now, Lily. You may address me as Annabel.”

Lily’s jaw dropped. She quickly shut it.

You will catch flies if you allow your mouth to hang open like that. Mama’s admonishment from childhood echoed in her ears, while Lily’s thoughts scrambled at the idea that a duchess viewed her as a sister. “Thank you, Your—Annabel.”

“It is I who must thank you. I appreciate what you have done for my brother. It was a remarkable sacrifice, and I am pleased to welcome you to the family. Sophia regards you very highly, and it is a wonderful day for the Ridley family to welcome such an exceptional young woman into our midst.”

“Um—I—thank … you.” Lily was rarely speechless, but she had always been somewhat in awe of the duchess, so it was going to take time to accustom herself to being on a first-name basis.

Annabel smiled, leaning over to buss her on the cheek. “Welcome to the family, Lily Ridley.

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