“Besides, why break with a family tradition now,” Daniel asked dryly. “We all made hasty trips to Gretna Green.”

“We were married at Radnor,” Christiana reminded Daniel quickly.

“Only by luck. The plan was for Gretna Green,” Suzette pointed out at once.

“True,” Christiana acknowledged.

All four people then turned back to peer at him in question.

Gretna Green or a long wait to be wed properly, Robert thought. And no doubt with the four of them ensuring that he and Lisa had absolutely no time alone together. The preferred option was obvious.

“You four get packing. I shall arrange the carriage,” Robert said dryly.

“No need,” Richard said with amusement. “We knew you’d come to your senses eventually. We have been packed for days.”

“Christiana and I will help Lisa pack though, while you boys have the carriages readied and loaded,” Suzette announced, bustling into the room to urge Lisa to her feet. She then glanced back to add, “We will need three, of course, for everyone. We cannot go without our maids.”

“Damn,” Robert muttered, mentally calculating how long it would take them to crawl to Gretna Green with three carriages stuffed full of them, their servants, and their luggage. It would be a couple days before he got to finish what he’d just tried to start with Lisa.

“Cheer up,” Daniel said, slapping him on the back with amusement. “You’re about to join the ranks of the soldiers in matrimonial hell.”

Robert smiled wryly. “There is that.”

“Welcome to the family,” Richard said, as he and Daniel urged him toward the door. “It’s official now. Instead of being a pseudo brother to Suzette and Christiana you will be a brother-in-law to them . . . but not to Lisa,” he pointed out.

“No, never to Lisa,” Robert agreed solemnly as they stepped out of the room.

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

“I am going up there,” Robert said grimly, heading for the parlor door.

“I would not suggest it,” Richard said quietly, standing to place his son against his shoulder and rub the crying three-month-old’s back soothingly. “The women will not welcome you, and Lisa will not be happy to see you.”

“Hmm,” Daniel said with amusement. “Do you not recall what happened when Richard went up while Christiana was in labor?”

The words made Robert pause. He did recall. Christiana had cursed her husband, and thrown the first thing she could find at him, ranting about putting her through “this hell” before screaming in agony as another contraction had hit her. Richard had come away with a bloody nose from being hit in the face with the book Christiana had wheeled at him.

“About now Lisa is probably cursing all men to hell, but most especially you for getting her into this predicament,” Richard pointed out in almost a whisper as his son, Richard Junior, began to nod off to sleep.