Claringdon squinted against the afternoon sun. “More?”

“That’s right.” Swifdon’s interest in passing a bill for the veterans had given Garrett a new purpose. He’d spent the last years since he’d returned from war being the perfect caricature of a Society male, a future earl. He’d gone drinking, gambled, flirted with ladies, even taken a few of the widows to bed. All in an effort to forget. Not that any of it had worked. In addition to sleepless nights plagued by awful dreams and memories, he’d been unable to fill the void in his soul. A generous bank draft made out to Harold’s widow each fortnight had done little to staunch the tidal wave of guilt that followed him wherever he went. Now, with this bill, Garrett finally had a chance to do something. He was not yet a member of Parliament himself, but he had two close friends who were, Claringdon and Swifdon.

“What did you have in mind?” Claringdon asked.

“I want to expand it. Make it so that not only the soldiers are taken care of, but their families, as well.”

The edges of Claringdon’s mouth drew up in a frown. “You know it’s going to be a fight for the soldiers alone.”

“I know.” Garrett nodded. “But I think it’s important.”

“I don’t disagree with you,” Claringdon said with a firm nod. “We’ll speak to Swifdon.”

“Thank you,” Garrett replied. “Care to try your luck with the bow?”

Claringdon stepped forward. “Don’t mind if I do. I actually came here to see Lucy. She told me that she and Daphne were shooting.”

“They just left. They had Miss Lowndes with them.”

Claringdon took the bow and pulled back. “Jane?”

“Yes.”

Claringdon shook his head. “I do hope those two think things through a bit more before they get themselves into trouble.”

“Trouble?”

“Yes. Didn’t Lucy tell you? She’s hired a new chaperone for Jane. A Mrs. Bunbury.”

“Bunbury?” Garrett cursed under his breath. It wasn’t the first time he’d heard that name.

CHAPTER SIX

“How is the beautiful bride?” Jane asked an hour later, as she and Lucy entered Cass’s bedchamber in the large manor house. Cass’s room was as lovely as she was, all pink and white and cheery. There was a gorgeous four-poster bed in the center of the room, a delicate whitewashed bookshelf that took up an entire wall and made Jane nearly salivate, and watercolors of flowers on the wall that Cass had painted herself.

Cass stood from her writing desk to greet her friends, her honey-blond hair cascading over her shoulders. She was still wearing her dressing gown. “The bride? I’m nervous,” she responded with a tremulous smile. “And I have a horrible red spot on my nose that had better be gone before the wedding or I don’t know what I shall do.”

“A red spot? Let me see.” Lucy hurried over to Cass and examined her nose. “It’s not that bad, truly.”

“Not that bad? It looks as if I have a third eye.” Cass touched her fingertip to the offending spot.