“Not in the least.” Cassie glanced down at her own chest, and for a moment, lost herself in her own thoughts.
“Cassie?” Millie prompted.
“Do you know why you had to wait to see the solicitor this morning?”
“Presumably for Harbury to go over his will.”
“He wrote in a few additional instructions, yes.” Cassie placed a hand over her stomach. “Because soon, he may have more than just an heir presumptive.”
“Oh, Cassie! Already?”
Cassie chuckled. “Well, Harbury has applied himself studiously to the task.”
Millie hugged her sister. “What a lovely wedding day gift!”
When they parted, tears were shining in Cassie’s eyes. “I’m so very happy, Millie. Happy for you. Happy for me. Happy for Eliza. When we were growing up, I had dreams, but I never truly believed things would end so well for us.”
Millie cocked a brow. “If father had lived, they wouldn’t have.”
“I know.”
“I apologize for complaining so horribly about having to come to London. I’m so glad, now, we did.”
Cassie hugged her close again. “Thank heavens for Lady Asquith and her generosity.”
Thank heavens for Lord Asquith and his choice of friends. “I haven’t made it entirely through the woods,” Millie cautioned. “Not yet. We don’t know how this marriage will be received.”
“This is Neville,” Cassie reminded. “He’s always been above reproach. People will accept the story version we give them.”
A knock sounded on the door. Millie and Cassie exchanged a glance. Was it finally time?
“Lord Neville has returned,” Cassie’s maid explained. “And he has brought Lady Neville with him as well.”
“Lady Nev—” Millie stopped herself. “Oh, his mother.”
Cassie’s sidelong smile was almost too much a roast to bear.
“Send up Aunt Jane, would you, Sally?”
“No!” Millie whispered. They’d met before, but meeting your brother-in-law’s aunt is one thing, and greeting your future mother-in-law quite another.
“I don’t see why you should object,” Cassie reasoned. “I think Jane would like to see her son’s bridebeforethe wedding.”
“Of course I would.” Lady Neville peeked around the door Cassie’s maid had left cracked. “Oh, what a stunning dress, my dear.”
“I sent home for it.” Millie blushed. Would she have done so if she’d known his mother would be here?Probably.
“It’s certainly…”
“Memorable?” Millie suggested.
Lady Neville’s lips quirked. “Just lovely.” She came toward Millie. “May I?”
Millie nodded. Neville’s mother touched her shoulder, smoothed her hand down Millie’s arm, and then fluffed out the skirts.
“Just lovely,” she repeated.
“Do you really like it?” Millie asked, suddenly nervous.