Brenn took that same hand and pressed a kiss in the palm before promising, "I shall claim the baby as my own. You need never fear on that account."

The smile froze on her face. "The what?"

He looked over his shoulder both ways to prevent anyone from overhearing. "Your baby," he whispered.

"I accept it."

"My baby?" she squeaked out. She looked around as if searching for someone and then turned back toBrenn. "You think I'm having a baby?" She started to draw her hand away but he held it fast."Isn't that the secret you've been hiding? I overheard the maids talking. That's how I knew.""You think that's my secret?" she repeated blankly."Well, isn't it?"Tess blinked and then seemed come to her senses and said, "Yes! Yes, that's it!" She took a worried step away from him and then muttered, "I need a gla.s.s of wine. Oh, my Lord, I need a gla.s.s of wine."She grabbed a gla.s.s off the tray of a pa.s.sing footman and to Brenn's surprise downed it.He took her by the arms. "Are you all right?"She smiled up at him. "I'm fine." She held her empty gla.s.s out to be filled to the brim by a pa.s.sing servant carrying champagne. She raised her gla.s.s.

Brenn intercepted the gla.s.s before it met her lips, lifting it right out of her fingers. "Tess, is it wise to drink this much?"

"I daresay, not. It's just that-oh, Brenn, oh Brenn." She paused and then said half to herself, "The

moonstone is beautiful and everything will be fine. Just fine. I must find my brother; you'll excuse me?"

"Wait, I'll go with you," he said, setting the gla.s.s on a hallway table. When he came back around, she was gone.

He would have gone in search of her, but Uncle Isaac caught up with him and proceeded to hold forth,

reminiscing about Tess's father. Brenn listened with half an ear, expecting the old codger to confide that drunkenness ran in the family. On the other side of the hall, he saw Neil Hamlin chirp his way merrily from one room to another, a gla.s.s of wine in each hand.

Finally Stella had the butler announce that breakfast was served. In actuality the wedding breakfast was a full, heavy meal of ham, leg of lamb, and a good side of sirloin. Rounding out the meal were fish courses, soup, Turkish figs, and lemon ices.

And to Brenn's chagrin, a new wine was served with each course. It took all of his ingenuity to save his wife, now seated by his side, from drinking herself under the table. She completely ignored him, keeping her back to him as if pretending that if she didn't see him, he wasn't there.

What the devil had come over her?

After her third gla.s.s of wine, he waved the wine steward away-only to watch her attempt to drink from a neighbor's gla.s.s. He ended up draining one gla.s.s when she wasn't looking and then boldly knocked over another.

No one noticed his antics. They were all too busy doing the same thing! The whole affair was in danger of turning into a drunken orgy. Prinny was burbling in his champagne gla.s.s, the hair-styles and ostrich feathers of usually dignified women were listing at odd angles, and even the discreet Anne Burnett giggled with unusual brightness.

Worse, Hamlin kept leaning across his sister and drunkenly carrying on about what a "rum fellow" Brenn was.

"But you must treat her right," Hamlin repeated over and over. "She's worth more than diamonds."

After nearly two hours Brenn had had enough. When Uncle Isaac rose to propose another b.l.o.o.d.y toast, Brenn "accidentally" knocked Tess's elbow as she lifted her gla.s.s, spilling her wine on her lovely dress. Her soft cry of dismay alerted Stella, who seemed to be the only person besides Brenn left sober. She smoothly announced that it was time the ladies left the table to freshen up for the dancing scheduled to follow dinner.

Brenn sat back, exhausted. His brother-in-law was busy overindulging in port with the other male guests but Brenn didn't care. His one thought was of Tess. It was half past three and already a long day.

"Not much longer, eh?" Deland G.o.dwin moved to take Tess's vacant seat.

"Longer for what?" Brenn asked curtly.

"Until you claim the prize." He winked as he said those words.

"I don't understand your meaning," Brenn said stonily, his coldness a warning. He had little patience left.

G.o.dwin pursed his fat lips. "So many of us have watched Tess tease and promise over the years." He lifted his brandy gla.s.s. "We are just wondering if she is going to be worth the ride."

Brenn acted on instinct. He would not have his wife's name bandied about by the likes of G.o.dwin. He grabbed the man by his starched neck cloth. The brandy gla.s.s tumbled out of G.o.dwin's hand onto the white linen tablecloth while his face turned a shade of beet-red.

"You listen, and you listen well," Brenn said in a silky voice. "I will not have you or any man speculate about my lady wife. Do I make myself clear?"

The room had gone quiet. G.o.dwin made a choking sound but Brenn didn't release his hold. He might have been overreacting but Tess was his and he would let no man denigrate her.

The silence was suddenly broken by the sound of Prinny laughing. "Great G.o.d, it is about time someone

grabbed G.o.dwin by the throat." He stood. "Merton, I salute you!"

A chorus of "Aye's!" supported his declaration. The other men stood and raised their gla.s.ses to Brenn.

Anything for another drink, Brenn thought, completely jaded.

He released his hold on G.o.dwin who fell back into the chair, his legs too weak to support him. He reached for his neck. "You have made an enemy, Merton," he croaked out.

"I can sleep with that fact," Brenn answered. "I've offended better men than you."Hot color flooded G.o.dwin's face, causing Hamlin and the others to drunkenly laugh out loud. G.o.dwinstared at them with burning eyes, but the revelers showed no fear.

He staggered to his feet. "I will make you pay, Merton." With those words, he turned, pushing the man

standing next to him aside, and stormed out of the room.

"Very good, Merton," Hamlin said happily. "I've been waiting for that man to receive his comeuppance for years. You did it handily." He hiccuped on the last word.

The hiccup reminded Brenn that he had another concern. Tess. "Shouldn't we be joining the ladies?"

"Oh, yes, yes!" Hamlin said, and motioned everyone toward the door.

Outside the dining room the house was more crowded than ever. Apparently, a good number of guests

who had not been invited to the breakfast had now arrived for the dancing. Brenn made his way through their company, searching for Tess. The dancing started, only adding to the confusion. The noise rose as guests spoke louder to be heard above the music.

Every few feet or so, he was frustrated in his quest by people stopping him and wishing him well. Where

the devil was Tess?At last he caught sight of his wife's red hair in what Hamlin called the Garden Room. Here the musicwasn't so loud and groups had gathered to converse. He breathed a sigh of relief, until he realized shewas still wearing her wedding dress. She gestured to whomever she spoke with an empty winegla.s.s.

Brenn shook his head and started toward her but stopped in mid-stride when the gentleman Tess was

talking to raised his head. He found himself looking into the laughing eyes of Captain Draycutt.

At that moment, someone laid a hand on his arm. Brenn turned, still stunned by the blasted man's presence at his wedding party, and found himself staring at Stella.

She smiled up at him. "I want you to meet my Aunt Sally. Auntie, this is my new brother-in-law, Brenn Owen, earl of Merton."

Ancient Aunt Sally held out a shaking hand. "A pleasure, my lord." But Brenn didn't take it.

Instead, he demanded, "What is that rake Draycutt doing here?"

Stella blinked at his vehemence. "Tess invited him. I know he is a bit-" She hesitated, as if not knowing the right word.

"Unsavory?" Brenn supplied for her.

"Well, um, he is very amusing."

As if to punctuate her words, Tess laughed at something Draycutt said to her.

Brenn couldn't ever recall her laughing at anything he'd ever said, at least not in the way she was over

Draycutt's words. And then Draycutt lifted a hand and brushed a stray strand of Tess's hair back from her face.

It was a small gesture, almost offhand...and it sent anger roaring through Brenn.

He charged forward.

Tess must have sensed him coming. Weaving slightly, she turned and greeted him. "Brenn, have you met

Captain Draycutt?"

That stopped him dead in his tracks. He couldn't believe his wife would dare to introduce him to herlover.He glared at Draycutt who straightened and took a cautious step back. "Her name hasn't crossed my lips," Draycutt a.s.sured him.

Brenn could have cheerfully murdered the man on the spot.

Suddenly, he'd had enough of ceremonies, drunken relatives, nosy gossips, and cavalry officers. He

wanted Tess to understand that she belonged to him now. She was his. And no one poached on his

territory.

Acting with the swift decisiveness of a man long accustomed to command, he took his wife's wrist and started for the door.

He'd moved so quickly that she didn't have time to dig in her heels until they were out in the hallway.

"Where are you taking me?" she demanded.

"To bed," he replied.

Chapter Seven.

Tess attempted to shake away his hand. "You're mad!"