A Regency Officer's Wedding: The Admiral's Penniless Bride / Marrying the Royal Marine. Carla Kelly

well. You can tell her in the morning.’

      She went upstairs slowly, tired in body, but more in mind. Etienne said he would bring supper soon, but she craved company more than soup or meat. She looked in the sitting room and up at the ceiling, which had been painted a sedate soft white.

      ‘Starkey said it’s only the first coat,’ the admiral said from the sofa, where he sat with his shoes off and his feet out in front of him. ‘You can tell them tomorrow what colour you would like.’

      It was utterly prosaic, but she burst into tears anyway, and soon found herself burrowed in close to the admiral, his arm about her.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ she managed to gasp, before a fresh wave of tears made her shoulders shake.

      ‘Oh, belay that,’ he murmured. ‘Is she going to be all right?’

      She nodded, taking the handkerchief he held out with his hook. ‘I don’t know. Can we send for a physician tomorrow? When she was in the bath, I noticed her private parts… Oh, Charles, they’re all inflamed. Do you think that horrible man…?’ She couldn’t say any more. He held her close.

      ‘The physician will sort her out,’ he said, his voice hard. ‘Too bad I cannot have that man flogged around the fleet until the skin comes off his back in tatters.’

      She shuddered. ‘You’ve done that?’

      ‘That and more, and for less offense, Sophie,’ he said. He put his hand over her eyes, closing them. ‘Don’t think about it. The best thing that happened to Twenty was you.’

      ‘Her name is Vivienne. Etienne named her.’

      She sighed, happy to close her eyes behind his hand. He kissed the top of her head and cradled her against his chest.

      ‘It’s a tough world, my dear,’ he said.

      ‘Not here, not in this decrepit den of thieves,’ she said softly. ‘I’d like a very soft green in this room. Of course, that might require new furniture.’

      She felt him chuckle, more than heard him.

      They were sitting like that, close together, heads touching, when Starkey opened the door and cleared his throat.

      ‘Sir, your sisters are here.’ He paused, and closed his eyes against the horror of it all. ‘They have brought Egyptian furniture.’

      Charles groaned. ‘Oh, Lord, there you go—new furniture.’

       Chapter Eleven

      Sally tried to sit up, but her husband had anchored her to him. She heard his intake of breath and looked at the door to see two ladies staring back, their mouths open, their eyes wide.

      ‘Charles,’ one of them wailed. ‘What have you done? And without our permission!’

      ‘My sisters,’ the admiral said in a flat voice. He released Sally and got to his feet, holding out his hand for her. ‘Sisters, my wife.’

      The ladies in the doorway continued to stare. Finally, the younger one spoke and it was not a pleasant tone of voice.

      ‘Charles William Edward Bright, What Have You Done?’

      Dear me, she really does speak in capital letters, Sally thought. She glanced at her husband, who had turned bright red. ‘Breathe, dear,’ she murmured.

      He cleared his throat. ‘Fannie and Dora, I have somehow managed to find myself a wife without any assistance.’

      Now what? she thought, eyeing the women. They were noticeably older than their little brother, and from the angry looks they darted at her, obviously considered themselves the last court of appeals for their little brother.

      Charles tucked her hand in the crook of his arm and towed her to the door. ‘Fannie and Dora, let me introduce Sophie Bright. We were married in Plymouth recently. Dearest, the one on the left is Fannie—more properly Mrs William Thorndyke—and the other one is Dora, more properly Lady Turnbooth. Their husbands have predeceased them, and they have ample time on their hands.’

      ‘The better to provide our little brother with the guidance he requires on land,’ Fannie said, not acknowledging Sally’s curtsy.

      ‘You have taught me well,’ Charles said smoothly. ‘I managed to find a wife on my own.’

      ‘She’s from Scotland!’ Dora burst out. To Sally’s chagrin, she buried her face in her handkerchief and the feathers on her bonnet quivered.

      ‘Dora, it’s not another planet,’ her brother said, with just the merest hint of exasperation in his voice.

      ‘Oats! Mildew!’ Dora exclaimed, which made Charles’s lips twitch, to Sally’s amusement.

      ‘I speak English,’ Sally assured them. ‘Won’t you please have a seat? I will inform our chef of your arrival.’

      ‘You needn’t bother,’ Fannie said in the brusque tone of someone used to commanding the field. ‘I know how to handle French cooks. I will go down there and tell him what is what. I have done it before.’

      Sally glanced at her husband. This is one of those duties you have outlined, she thought. Let us see if I can earn my keep. ‘Mrs Thorndyke, that is my responsibility.’

      Fannie didn’t surrender without a fight. ‘He is French! I can handle him.’

      ‘So can I,’ Sally said, grateful they could not see her heart jumping about in her breast. ‘Do have a seat and visit with your brother.’ She couldn’t help herself. ‘I know he has been expecting your company.’

      Shame on her. Sally set her lips firmly together as Charles struggled manfully to turn his guffaw into a cough. ‘Bad lungs from all that cold weather on the blockade,’ he managed to say. She closed the door behind her, but not before he gave her a measuring look.

      She leaned against the door for a moment. When she composed herself, she noticed a rough-looking man in the foyer. ‘Yes?’ she asked, wondering where he fit into the picture.

      ‘I gots a wagonload of furniture,’ he said, with no preliminaries. ‘Nasty black dogs to sit on—Lord ’elp us—a statue of a bloke wearing a nappy. ’E walks funny, too, one leg in front of t’other.’

      A pharaoh would have been right at home with our over-eager Penelope beside the front door, she thought, wishing Charles were there for this delicious interview. ‘Just leave the dogs and statue in the wagon.’

      The man revolved his battered hat in nervous hands. He eyed the sitting-room door with something close to terror. ‘Them gentry morts will ’ave my ’ide if I don’t unload.’