STILL HOLDING Corinna's hand, Sean walked with her and Deirdre toward Mr. Lawless, who stood by the door where he'd been busy ushering everyone out. Although Sean's little party was the last to leave the chamber, excited chatter could be heard from the corridor. The reading of Lord Lincolnshire's will would doubtless be talked about for weeks.
"I'll be setting up the trust in the next few days," the solicitor said. "I'll need to meet with you to go over the details. Shall we say next Monday, at the same time?"
Sean nodded. "Agreed. But I've one question I'd like answered today."
"I have lots of questions," Corinna said.
"I'm thinking your brother can answer most of them," Sean told her, and looked back to Lawless. "Why did the letter I received requesting my presence here come from your partner rather than yourself?"
"Those were Lord Lincolnshire's instructions. He didn't want my name on the letter. He thought you might not show, fearing arrest."
"Lincolnshire was a clever man," Sean said, as arrest was exactly what he'd feared on seeing Lawless's name. "My thanks." He held out his free hand, and the solicitor gave it a firm shake. "I shall return a week from today."
As Sean, Corinna, and Deirdre stepped into the corridor, the chatter ceased. Apparently a nosy lot, most of the people followed them outside, where Corinna's family waited bunched together on the pavement.
Sean tried to drop Corinna's hand as they approached, but she tightened her grip. Lady Stafford, Corinna's middle sister, elbowed their brother when she noticed the two of them walk up.
Cainewood turned. "Ah, there you are, Corinna. Due to the atmosphere here on Queen Street"—he waved a hand, indicating all the busybodies—"we've decided to discuss these developments at home." He looked to Sean. "If you could follow us there, I'd appreciate your participation in the discussion."
"I'm riding home with Sean," Corinna announced.
"Sean? Since when do you call the man Sean?" Glancing down to their clasped hands, her brother's eyes widened. "It isn't proper for you to ride alone with an unmarried man."
"Sean has an open curricle, so I can assure you nothing improper will happen."
Snickers came from all around them, this sort of exchange being exactly what nosy busybodies loved to overhear. Cainewood's jaw seemed to be clenched. Suspecting none of this boded well for the man's approval of his suit, Sean looked to Corinna. "I need to take Deirdre with me, a rún," he told her apologetically. "The curricle seats only two."
"Your sister is welcome to ride with my husband and myself," Lady Stafford piped up at the same time Cainewood said, "What did you just call my sister?"
Deirdre smiled. "A rún. It means 'my love.'" She didn't seem to notice Cainewood's reaction as she turned to his middle sister. "And I would be pleased to ride with you, Lady Stafford. Thank you for the offer."
"I think you should call me Juliana," Lady Stafford told her. "I've a feeling we'll be related soon."
The buzz around their little group was becoming deafening. Cainewood's next words came from between his teeth. "I think—"
"Oh, let them ride together, Griffin," Corinna's eldest sister interrupted, wheeling a squeaky perambulator back and forth. "My goodness, what do you think could happen in an open curricle? There's my carriage now." A large vehicle crept to a stop in the snarl of traffic. "Let's all go," she said, pushing the perambulator toward it.
Her husband followed. Lady Stafford took her own husband's arm and smiled at Deirdre. "Our carriage is this way, Lady Lincolnshire."
"Call me Deirdre," Deirdre said. "I won't be Lady Lincolnshire for long."
As the three of them walked off, a lovely young woman moved to stand squarely before Corinna's fuming brother. "It seems your sister may be getting married a lot sooner than you expected, hmm?" she all but purred.
"Good God," Cainewood said, and walked off, too.
A delighted smile on her face, the woman joined three other young adults that looked like they might be her sisters and brother. "I want you to drop me off at Griffin's house," she said as they all departed.
Leaving Sean and Corinna alone.
Well, except for the dozens of buzzing busybodies.
"Who was that?" Sean asked.
"My cousin Rachael. I think Juliana is about to get even more smug. Where is your curricle?"
"In a mews about two blocks from here." Still holding her hand, he drew her in the right direction. The crowd parted to let them through, but Sean felt at least a hundred eyes on his back.
"Am I dreaming?" Corinna asked, seemingly oblivious to all the curious gazes. "Just an hour ago, all was lost. Now suddenly your reputation is restored—no, more than that, it's golden—and we can get…"
Her voice trailed off, as though she were afraid to say what came next.
"Married?" Sean supplied.
"You never actually asked me." They turned a corner, and she threw herself into his arms. "Oh, Sean, I've never been so happy!"
He held her tight and risked a short kiss, since they'd escaped the prying eyes. She tasted better than forbidden sin, and she felt divine pressed against him. But he couldn't bring himself to share in her happiness quite yet.
"Let's not count our chickens before they're hatched," he advised, remembering Cainewood's clenched jaw. "Lincolnshire's endorsement notwithstanding, your brother may not approve."
"Oh, don't worry about Griffin," she said gaily, rising to her toes for another quick kiss. He obliged her, of course. "I have a plan to persuade him."
"What do you mean?"
"Never mind." A bounce in her step, she turned and resumed walking. "We're all going to live happily ever after, just like in Minerva Press novels."
"Not all of us," he pointed out. "Not Hamilton."
"No one will buy his paintings now, will they? He's going to need half the income from his uncle's trust."
"Very clever, that stipulation." They turned into the mews where his curricle was waiting. "Lincolnshire knew it would get him to free Deirdre."
"She looked so happy, Sean."
"Believe me, she is." Digging a coin from his pocket, he handed it to one groom as another helped Corinna climb up. Sean walked around to the driver's side and swung up beside her. "And I'm relieved to know she won't be living in sin," he added as he lifted the reins. "Or at least, not for long."
As the horses clip-clopped out of the mews, Corinna snuggled against him. "What do you mean?"
"Deirdre won't be waiting for the divorce to come through before she moves in with Raleigh," he said with a sigh, turning onto the street. "That will take a long while, and she won't be patient. Impulsive, my sister is, not to mention a wee bit wild."
"I guess that wildness runs in your family," Corinna said, grinning up at him. "Her brother posed naked for an artist."