Emilia was playing patience at the table when Theo burst into the sitting room, making her jump in surprise and drop the cards she was holding.

"Now look what you've done," she complained, surveying the cards on the table, now mixed with the rest of the deck. Her game was effectively ruined.

Theo gave her a sly grin and lifted his hand to show where he was clutching a paper between his fingers. "Terribly sorry, sister. I thought you might like to see this."

"What is it?" Emilia asked, squinting to see. But Theo quickly slipped his hand behind his back, hiding it from view.

"I shouldn't like to disturb you," Theo teased with a smile, slowly withdrawing from the room.

Emilia's curiosity was piqued now, however, and she rushed over to him, trying to grab his hand out from behind his back.

"I don't think so," Theo said, refusing her with a grin. She seized his wrist, but then he shook her off and lifted it into the air. It looked like he had a pamphlet of some sort, and he waived high above her.

"Theo!" she cried. "What is it? Let me see!"

Her brother broke into laughter as he watched Emilia jump on her slippered feet, trying to reach whatever it was. Finally, Theo lowered his hand. As he let her grab the paper from him, Emilia immediately saw Will's name stick out on the heading; she sucked in a breath.

Lord Trotten, Bachelor No More

It would seem that the admirable Lord Trotten finally came to his senses about the charming Lady Emilia Shepard. A fashionable choice for a wife, she is, and he is lucky to catch her. It is the perfect match, anyway, for him to be with a lady equally dynamic in London's scene. Lady Emilia returned to society when she attended the Baxley ball several months ago on the arm of her brother, the Duke of Kingfield. Since then, she has been a most desired attendee of notable London events.

And yet, she's been elusive, keeping the ton waiting for her to reappear. Is her marriage to the influential Lord Trotten a sign of her return to us? In other news, Lord Trotten has announced his retirement from Parliament effective immediately. He will not be returning when the new session begins at the start of the season. Rumor has it that his visits to Buckingham Palace will cease as well, much to the king's rue. Lord Trotten and Lady Emilia will be married very early next month.

Yours Truly, Madame Mischief

Emilia squealed and then laughed.

"Very early next month?" Theo teased her, noting how it had been emphasized in the article. "Is it possible your future husband had a hand in writing this?"

"Most definitely," Emilia said between bouts of laughter. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy. Lady Humphries had gone above and beyond, and Emilia was unsure if anyone would believe such flattering words about her. But she didn't truly care; simply reading it made her feel good.

She had gotten a very brief note from Will the previous morning, merely stating, "It's done."

Emilia had wanted desperately to run across town to see him but knew that he wouldn't be pleased to see her. They had decided that Will would keep his distance from Kingfield House and the people who lived within it for a few days after discussing with the king. Emilia and Theo hadn't been happy about it, but Will couldn't be persuaded otherwise; if there was to be any immediate retaliation from Ernest, he didn't want them apart of it.

Not that Will seemed genuinely concerned. They had trapped the king in a tight bind.

"It looks like it is time to start preparing." Emilia smiled, hardly able to believe that she was actually getting married. To Will.  "I think I shall run some errands. I do not suppose Lady Worthington might like to go with me?"

Theo chuckled. "Are you asking me if I think Lady Worthington wants to go shopping for your wedding with you? After this article was released to the entire ton today?"

"That is precisely what I am asking, of course."

"I think she might have heart palpitations when you ask her."

Emilia swatted the arm of her brother.

"Oh, stop." Emilia rolled her eyes as she left the room to retrieve her bonnet. She glanced back at Theo, saying, "It isn't to be that big of deal."

"Surely you are kidding." Theo gave her an incredulous look. "After what Madame Mischief wrote here, you are about to become the epitome of fashionable company. Lady Worthington will be beside herself."

Emilia shrugged and then smiled as she crushed her bonnet over her pinned curls. "Well, that shall be odd."

Her brother smirked. "I can only imagine. But I hope you continue to show the ton how much you do not care about their opinions of you."

"Oh, I intend to," Emilia replied with a wink. The opinions, whether favorable or not, of those she did not know were of little consequence to her now.

Upon arriving at the elderly countess's home, Emilia soon found that Theo wasn't wrong about his predictions of Lady Worthington and her excitement toward an outing with Emilia. She had nearly upended a tray of biscuits and her cup of tea with it before Emilia had steadied her.

Lady Worthington had demanded further details, of course, of how Will had finally come to his senses, but Emilia was able to distract her with the talk of wedding planning.

Once Lady Worthington's hysterics had been controlled, the two of them departed for Bond Street, an area famous for its shopping. There was a specific modiste that Emilia had in mind for her wedding gown, and it wasn't long before they were nearing the location of the shop. Emilia couldn't seem to get Lady Worthington to cease her chattering, but for once, she did not mind.

"Oh my dear," Lady Worthington exclaimed, "your wedding gown shall be the most exquisite the ton has ever seen!" She clapped her hands together in excitement.

"Well, a very few people are going to see it, Lady Worthington," Emilia countered, though she smiled despite herself.

"But whatever do you mean?" she asked, all aghast as she whipped around in the street to stare at Emilia.

"Will and I decided that our ceremony shall be quite small. There's a local church near his country manor, and we plan to host a small wedding breakfast afterward."

"Oh no," Lady Worthington lamented. Her face fell; it would appear that a small tragedy had befallen her.

"Well, of course, you shall you be invited, my lady!" Emilia was quick to add.

"Of course," Lady Worthington sniffed, and Emilia refrained from rolling her eyes. "But your wedding is worthy of a grand affair, Lady Emilia!" the countess persisted.

Emilia was rather grateful that they were approaching their destination, so she would not be required to listen to all the reasons why they should have a big wedding.

"We have had enough of the spotlight for the time being," Emilia replied with an amused smile. As they crossed the threshold into Madame Baudet's shop, she could hear Lady Worthington muttering under her breath behind her.

Emilia ignored her, instead taking in their surroundings, being assaulted by fabric of every color and texture. The smell of French perfume overwhelmed her, nearly making her eyes water.

"Oh my! Do my eyes deceive me?" a sharp gasp greeted them. "Or is that my dear Lady Emilia Shepard?"

One of the pieces of fabric in the corner began to move toward them, and Emilia realized that it was actually a rather puffy gown worn by an exuberant woman.

"It is." Emilia grinned at Madame Baudet, and the woman's broad smile reached her twinkling eyes. Her fiery red hair was piled high upon her head, and it bounced as she made her way across the small room. Bustling closer, she grasped Emilia's hands in her own.

"And you have brought the very esteemable Lady Worthington with you, I see."

Lady Worthington greeted the designer politely, though Emilia could tell she was pleased by such a warm greeting.

Madame Baudet gave Emilia an appraising look and then said, "I shall only forgive you for your prolonged absence if you are here to allow me to create your wedding gown."

"How did you know?" Emilia asked, genuinely shocked that she had already heard the news.

"Oh darling, it is all over the town! Mischief in Mayfair spared no detail!"

Madame Baudet matched Lady Worthington in her enthusiasm for Emilia's announced nuptials. Grabbing Emilia's hand, the woman pulled her further into the store eagerly.

Emilia giggled and murmured, "You would be surprised." If only the other ladies knew everything that had happened and all the details not included in the article. Perhaps one day, she could tell them.

Emilia thought she had been quiet in her mutterings, but the women both stopped and stared at her with raised brows and intrigued expressions. But when she did little to explain further, Madame Baudet turned away, dragging Emilia to a set of large mirrors. They were positioned at the back of the room, flanking a short pedestal.

Madame Baudent instructed Emilia to stand on the raised platform, and Emilia obeyed.

"What is it that you'd like me to make for you, my dear?"

Lady Worthington shuffled to a place behind Emilia, surveying her through the mirror with a reflective pose.

Emilia couldn't help a sly smile from slipping onto her face as she said, "I know exactly what I want."

"You do?" the modiste asked, her surprise evident at Emilia's confident tone. On her previous visits to the shop, Emilia had been a rather apathetic shopper, letting Madame Baudet pick her gowns for her, buying whatever was suggested as fashionable.

Their eyes connected through the mirror, and Emilia cocked one brow up.

"Most definitely."

****

Will hadn't been pleased about waiting a month to marry Emilia. He understood that she wished for time to plan, but he was done waiting for Emilia.

But he couldn't complain. Not really, considering that he had been the one to put them through the last hellish years apart.

Will told himself that he should be content with the knowledge that it was happening at all.

After Buckingham Palace was quiet in the aftermath of Will's proclamation, he had begun to visit Kingfield House often, helping Emilia with planning for the wedding. Of course, he hadn't really been needed in the conversation. Will would have agreed to anything that Emilia—or Lady Worthington, naturally—had suggested. But this way, Will had an excuse to see Emilia nearly every day.

Though, Will had to admit that it wasn't enough to merely see Emilia. He certainly wasn't beyond sneaking kisses when Lady Worthington wasn't looking, but those stolen moments did very little to satisfy him.

To his frustration, Emilia had been remarkably proper when it came to their interactions. Oh, she smiled and kissed him back—eagerly—when he stole her lips between his. But that was always the end of it, and then Will would have to leave until the next day.

He was going mad. He was going mad wanting Emilia.

Will didn't want to have to hide his love for her anymore. He didn't want to restrain his desire to be near her, touching her at all times. He loathed having to say goodnight to her in the foyer of her home before spending the night tossing and turning in his own cold, empty bed.

So when the day of the wedding arrived, Will could hardly contain himself.

He stood at the front of the chapel, eagerly awaiting the moment that Emilia would walk through the door opposite him. He barely saw the faces of their friends and family in the pews; his eyes were set on the end of the aisle.

Finally, the doors opened, and after a long month of waiting to marry her, Will nearly lost his mind. Emilia emerged gracefully flanked by Theo, her face glowing, lit up by her bright smile.

And the rest of her...dear God, the rest of her.

She wore a cream-colored gown that shimmered with gold accents, illuminated by her fair strands of hair curling around that beautiful face. But the gown was cut in a devastatingly similar fashion to that crimson one—the dress that had haunted Will's dreams so many times.

In fact, Will was almost sure that it was precisely the same, only in a different shade. The accents were in all the same places, the texture equally silken. He couldn't be sure, but it sent his mind racing, ravaging him with the reminder of exactly what was beneath that resplendent fabric if it was indeed the same dress.

He thought of what was between the thin gown and her lithe body as she moved gracefully down the aisle toward him.

Nothing.

Will remembered her face as she had told him that no undergarments would fit beneath the tight fabric of that gown and felt his own body tighten.

If Will hadn't known that, he might have been saved from the startling ache he felt for his bride at such an inappropriate time. Her veil covered her bare shoulders and draped in front of her, meaning that Will only saw flashes of her decolletage and her finely designed bodice. No one else would bat an eye at her wedding attire right now.

But he saw enough to know—to know it was the same.

He was unsure if the back of her wedding gown dipped as dangerously low as the one scarlet one she had worn that night; her veil would undoubtedly cover that as well. But dear Lord, he couldn't wait to find out later.

Oh, this dear woman was playing games with him again.

Will shifted awkwardly next to the officiant and studied Emilia's face instead. She was gorgeous, even as she grinned knowingly, nearing him now. Will realized that his mouth was gaping open awkwardly and flashed her a smile. How this beautiful creature was marrying him, Will would never know.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Theo passed Emilia off to Will and then moved to stand beside him. Passing by his shoulder, Theo whispered, "Get your shit together, Trotten."

Will nodded with a chuckle and then turned to his wife.

In a few—hopefully short—minutes, Emilia was going to be his wife.

And he could hardly wait.