“She’s only been awake a quarter-hour at most. She’ll not be down for a spell.”

She felt about as awkward as a chicken in a ballroom. She was too early. “I’m happy to wait for her.”

Brogan motioned her inside. He looked curious, but he asked no questions. “Make yourself at home, Gemma.” He indicated a small sitting room. “Sit wherever you’d like.”

She chose an upholstered chair, while he sat on the arm of the sofa, studying her a bit.

“I can see you’s dying of curiosity,” she said. “I ain’t one for sitting about long without something to do. I don’t have a job, and I need one.”

“And you’re needing one before the roosters’ve even yawned themselves awake?”

She didn’t know how long the Donnellys had been in London, but there was no mistaking they were from Ireland. It flavored every word they said.

“I ain’t one for squandering even an hour.”

Brogan laughed. “You mean on useless things like sleep?”

“Devilish waste of time. I avoid it whenever possible.”

His smile didn’t waver. “We’re happy to have you here, no matter the hour.”

Though she felt relieved at that, he’d not yet consulted the others in this house. Gemma wasn’t worried about Móirín, but she hadn’t the first idea about Brogan’s wife.

“I know you’re married,” she said. “Give your missus my solemn word that I’ll not make a habit of being here at this hour. I know well enough how to not make myself a burden on a household.” Nothing had kept her safer over the years than proving herself both useful and unobtrusive.

“She’ll likely be joining us in another moment. She heard you knock at the door just as I did. She simply doesn’t move very quickly.”

Gemma nodded. “I’d like to meet her. Everyone at the charitable event spoke highly of her.”

“’Tis an easy thing to do,” Brogan said with unmistakable fondness in his voice. “She’s a wonderful person.” He lowered his voice. “So you’re not caught unawares—there was a fire at the shop where she worked, and while she wasn’t caught in it, she was hurt by it. She moves with a great deal of difficulty and is still healing in a lot of ways. You’ll not miss the stiffness of her movements or the way she winces now and then. I’ve found it helps to let people know ’tis nothing personal against them, simply the struggles of a person whose body is at war with itself.”

That he loved his wife deeply was crystal clear. What would that be like?

Mere moments later, the sound of shuffling steps reached the sitting room. A woman slipped into the doorway. Gemma looked up and gasped in surprise at the sight that met her: Vera Sorokina.

The Bachelor and the Bride