Harry looked very somber when Percy and Maria came to his study—having been summoned.

“Ah, here you are,” he said, standing in front his desk and clasping his hands behind his back.

Maria suddenly felt a chill, as she was unaccustomed to seeing Harry looking so grim. “What is it, Harry. Has something gone wrong?”

He indicated the two chairs pulled up in front of his desk. “Sit,” he said.

Maria was not accustomed to taking orders from her brother and she went over to him and slapped him on the shoulder. “Harry Buxton, stop playing games. I do not know what you are up to, but you had better behave yourself, or you shall have me to deal with.”

Harry laughed. “Oh, Maria, you are spoiling my surprise. I wanted to make you think there was trouble ahead.”

She slapped his shoulder again. “You know, I know you better than anyone, and I will not take your foolishness. Come out with it. What is it you need to tell us?”

“Very well, but I still want you to sit down. We have a lot to discuss.” They did. “You asked for my advice and help and here is what we have come up with?”

“Who is we?” Maria asked.

“Anna and I.”

Astonished, Maria asked, “Anna?”

“Yes, I explained your situation and she has offered to help.”

“Why would Anna want to help me?” Percy asked.

“We want to help the both of you. Percy, you are my friend as well as being Maria’s intended. Now listen carefully.” Harry then outlined the proposal. When he was finished, Percy and Maria were so stunned they could not immediately respond. “Well? What do you think?”

Maria and Percy turned to each other in unison—mouths agape.

“It is beyond generous,” Maria finally said. “How absolutely dear and generous Anna is.”

Percy stood and gave Harry a hug, tears in his eyes. “I do not deserve a friend like you, Harry.”

Harry patted him on the back. “Now, Percy… you have struggled for a long time, not only with your father but with yourself. You deserve a break.”

Then Maria stood and hugged the two of them. Harry blushed.

When they finally let go, Harry straightened his waistcoat and gestured for them to sit again.

“I take it you accept Anna’s offer to manage her estate?”

They nodded.

“But how shall you manage without me here at Creassey?” Maria asked.

“You forget I am marrying too. Anna will be able to help me.”

Maria laughed. “I hope she knows what she is letting herself in for.”

“I expect we will be able to hire more staff and the burden will be less.” Harry picked up a paper and studied it. “But there are just a couple of more issues.”

“Uh oh,” Percy said.

“It is nothing to worry about,” Harry said. “It concerns your dowry, Maria.”

“Oh, yes, that.”

“I am going to increase it to thirty-thousand,” Harry said casually.

Maria gasped. “But that is enormous. How can you do that?”

“Anna and I wish you both to have a good start to the marriage. We are taking the funds from what she is bringing to our marriage. Believe me, it is a small sum considering what she is inheriting.”

“I had no idea…” Maria said.

Harry then turned to Percy. “But there is a stipulation that I am adding.”

“What is that?”

“You may not give more than one-quarter of that sum to your father. That money is to be for you and Maria. I want her to be secure and I cannot have you squandering it on your reprobate father.”

“Believe me, I do understand. I would not give him anything, but I cannot help myself. I must also consider my mother.”

“I understand. That is why I am allowing you to give them a quarter.”

“But that will not solve your father’s problems,” Maria said to Percy.

“Yes, I know. But the rest is up to him. If he can find any wisdom, he might take that money and increase it through wise investment. Who knows…?”

“And there is one last issue,” Harry said. “What would you say to having Dorothy’s, Anna and my, and your weddings together. A triple wedding. Does that not sound delightful?”

“I think it sounds marvelous,” she said smiling broadly.

“Here, here!” Percy added.

Anna, Dorothy, and Maria were having lunch together at Repington Hall. Anna was making a list of what they needed to go over that afternoon as they began to plan their joint weddings. The champagne was flowing freely and they were a little tipsy and giggly.

“Of course, our first concern must be setting the date,” Dorothy said. “Christopher and I have set our wedding for next May—which seems ridiculously far away to me, but it seems we must observe mourning forever…”

“How do you feel about that, Anna, now that you are to be married too?” Maria asked. “It does seem a very long time away. Might there be a way to marry earlier so that we may get on with our lives?”

Anna said thoughtfully, “Indeed it does. And you make a good point. Considering our various needs in moving forward I am willing to agree to a late autumn wedding. Does that sound suitable?”

Dorothy was ecstatic. “Oh, yes, yes. October?”

“Late October.”

“And can we make all the arrangements for a triple wedding in that time frame?” Maria asked.

“I think the three of us are capable of arranging that. If we put our minds to it and make it our priority,” Anna concluded.

“Then let us start with the dresses…” Dorothy suggested. And Anna wrote it on her list.

“I have my mother’s dress,” Maria said.

“But my dear, you deserve your own. Your mother’s dress must be horribly out of date. She was married in the last century. The fashions have changed drastically since then,” Dorothy insisted.

“Perhaps. A new dress would be nice.”

Dorothy threw her hands up in the air. “The wedding dresses shall be on me,” she exclaimed. “Let us take a trip to London, the three of us together. Let us have our dresses properly made.”

“Can you get away for a few days?” Anna asked Maria.

“Well, as I shall no longer be mistress of Creassey, I guess you will need to answer that yourself, Lady Creassey.”

“I shall allow it,” Anna said bowing and laughing after taking another sip of champagne.

“Very well, that is settled. Now, the flowers.”

“We can discuss that later,” Dorothy said.

“Then we need to decide on food, the guest list—oh my, guests for three weddings. That is going to be enormous.”

“Well your and my guest lists will be almost the same—except for the extended Stewart family. We are only adding Maria’s.”

“True. And accommodations for the guests. Maria, will you be able to put some of them up at Creassey?”

“Of course, I am fairly certain we can accommodate all of my guests.”

“That does help. Now, let me see, what else do we need to consider? We, of course, will hold the weddings here, if that is all right with you, Maria.”

“I believe you have more room than we do. That sounds perfect. What about a budget? Three weddings will not come without significant cost,” Maria asked.

“We plan to cover that. Since both Dorothy and I are getting married adding one more will not increase the cost very much,” Anna said crossing that item off her list.

Maria took a deep breath. “Can you believe all of this? Just a few weeks ago there was only Dorothy’s wedding to be thought of.”

“And that almost fell through,” Dorothy said. “My brute of a fiancé nearly ruined everything.” Then she smiled. “But he is really very sweet and I forgave him.”

With lunch being finished, Anna stood and said, “Then, shall we retire to my study and begin working on what is left to do?”

The triple wedding had become the sensation of Wiltshire. Everyone was talking about it and the social circle was eagerly waiting for their invitations. However, many were to be disappointed, as the three brides had decided to keep the guest list to the very closest family and friends.

Not on the list was the Duke of Crauford, even though he was the father of one of the grooms. However, Percy’s mother was being invited. She had never stood up for Percy in his battles with his father, but Percy felt it was important to have at least one member of his family present.

The Duke’s health had suffered greatly after Percy’s rebellion and refusal to marry Anna. The Duke barely spoke to his son anymore and he spent his days holed up in his study, taking his meals there and fending off increasing requests for payment on his debts.

Percy found him there one morning soon after the announcement of his engagement to Maria.

“Father, might I have a word with you?” Percy asked standing at the study door.

“What could you possibly have to say to me, you traitor?” his father growled.

“We need to talk. We have family matters to discuss.”

“You are no longer a member of this family.”

“Father… I think what I have to tell you will cheer you up somewhat.”

His father gestured to the chair by his desk. “What?”

Percy sat. “I know you wanted me to marry Anna for her fortune. And I know you expected to clear all of your debts with her substantial dowry.”

“Why bring that failure up?”

“Because if I had done that, you would have used the money to pay off your debts, but you would not have done anything to secure the future of the dukedom. I know you.”

“What are you getting at?”

“Father, Harry increased Maria’s dowry substantially and, in addition, we are going to have a nice living from our management of Repington.”

“Huh. What is that to me?”

“I am prepared to give you the sum of seventy-five hundred pounds for the use of your estate. Part you may use to partially satisfy the creditors, and the rest I want you to use to create an income for the dukedom. Are you willing to accept that proviso?”

“And what exactly did you have in mind?” Arnold asked, his interest suddenly engaged.

“I want you to buy back part of the land you sold and use it to produce something of value. We need to build the estate back up.”

“Huh… What you are offering is a pittance of what is needed.”

“It is enough to get started. And with guidance and hard work I believe something worthwhile can be made of the land.”

“Guidance? And just where is this guidance to come from?”

“From Harry, Maria, and me.”