Married By Midnight Read Free Page A

Then all at once the world came back into focus and he found himself stepping out of his sister’s embrace to behold the other members of his family. They were all crowded around, shivering in the cold, waiting to welcome him home.
    “ Mother, it is good to see you.” He stepped forward to kiss her on the cheek.
    She looked older. Still beautiful, though.
    God, his head was spinning. Had it really been seven years?
    As he backed away from his mother, he turned to face his two older brothers, Devon and Blake. They had dark coloring and tall, broad-shouldered frames. Like their father.
    Garrett, on the other hand—for reasons no one wished to talk about—bore no resemblance to the duke whatsoever. He and Charlotte were golden-haired like their mother.
    “ You two look well.” He glanced toward the palace door. “Is Vincent here?”
    “ No,” Charlotte explained. “He and Cassandra have traveled abroad for an extended honeymoon. We are not certain when they will return. They seemed very determined to enjoy themselves.”
    Devon stuck out his hand. “Words cannot express how pleased we are to have you home again.”
    Garrett stared down at his brother’s outstretched hand. For a hazy moment, he was overcome by a surprising sense of nostalgia as he remembered the carefree days of his childhood when his father was nowhere in sight and he and his older brothers chased each other through the subterranean passages of the palace and played hide-and-seek in the garden.
    Those days were long gone now, however. He knew why they were so pleased to see him, and it had little to do with brotherly affection. They simply needed him to secure their inheritances.
    “ Don’t get too used to it,” Garrett replied. “I hope I was clear in my letter. I don’t intend to stay long.”
    An awkward silence ensued.
    He met his mother’s wounded gaze and felt an instant’s stirring of regret. She was a kind woman who had been his greatest protector when he was young, and he bore no ill will toward her, of all people. He would have to do better than this.
    “ I apologize,” he said. “It’s been a long journey. I am overtired and out of sorts.”
    “ No apologies are necessary.” She slid her arm through his. “Come inside, my darling. It’s much warmer by the fire. Are you hungry? I will have a hot supper prepared.”
    “ Thank you.” He glanced up at the tall clock tower overhead as they ascended the steps, and it was then that he noticed the duke had not come outside to greet him. He was not surprised.
    “ Where is Father?”
    There was a long pause, as if they each hoped someone else would provide an answer.
    As it happened, Blake was the only one willing to offer an explanation. “He is sleeping. The doctor gave him something to calm his nerves. We won’t likely see him until late tomorrow morning.”
    It hardly mattered. Garrett had no illusions about being welcomed home with open arms by His Grace. The only son the duke ever cared about was Devon, his eldest—and the heir. The rest of them might as well have been born invisible.
    Or not at all. Especially Garrett and Charlotte.
    A fierce gust of wind blew across the courtyard, and the horses shook in their harnesses. Garrett and the others hurried inside to escape the cold.
    A short while later they were seated in the library, crowded around a blazing fire in the hearth. Sparks snapped wildly and flew up the chimney.
    Still feeling numb to the bone, Garrett glanced up as Blake handed him a glass of brandy. “You look as if you could use this.”
    Garrett accepted it with a nod of thanks. He took a sip, then leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and collect his thoughts.
    “ Well?” he said. “Is she here?”
    Devon cleared his throat while the others remained silent.
    “ There is no point dancing around the issue,” Garrett continued. “Let us all be frank. I am here to fulfill my obligations and secure our inheritances. I will take a wife—as you