The wedding was a small, summer affair with only friends and family present. Peter offered to host it at Starcross Castle, mostly because at the beginning of May, Mariah gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl—whom they named Annalisa in what Katya thought was a touching tribute to Peter’s tragic first wife—and neither of them wanted to be far from home.

Starcross Castle was perfect, as far as Katya was concerned. She and Malcolm were able to have a quiet ceremony at the local chapel, and then a loud and raucous celebration at the castle itself.

“I knew the two of you would marry eventually,” Natalia declared, unable to stop giggling after Katya allowed her to have a single glass of punch. “I knew it.”

“To be honest, we all knew it,” Peter told her, then plucked the half-empty crystal punch glass from her hands. He handed the glass to Marigold, who stood nearby with Alex and young Master James beside her. James hugged her skirts, shy of the celebrating adults around him.

“Did you really?” Lavinia asked, blinking innocently as she leaned heavily on Armand’s arm, looking pleasantly round and in the family way. “All the two of you used to do was fight.”

“We enjoy fighting,” Katya said, turning a saucy grin on Malcolm, whose hand she hadn’t let go of since she joined him at the front of the chapel.

“Fighting means making up is that much more exciting,” Malcolm agreed with a wink.

“Oh,” Natalia exclaimed, then hiccupped loudly. Her cheeks went bright pink.

“Perhaps you would like to come see the baby?” Peter asked, resting a hand on the small of her back and steering her to the other end of the lawn, where Mariah and Annalisa were surrounded by a ring of admirers, including Basil and Elaine—who had made the long trip from Brynthwaite for the occasion—and Victoria, who held baby Peter, and Sir Christopher Dowland.

“Have there been any sparks between the two of them yet?” Armand asked, nodding to Victoria and Christopher.

“Christopher let slip to me last night that he’s impressed with Vicky,” Katya revealed as their group all turned to watch the interaction. “But Victoria is keeping her emotions veiled these days.”

“Poor thing,” Lavinia sighed. “Do you suppose she’s still traumatized by the things William deVere did to her?”

Katya sent a wry grin Lavinia’s way. The young woman must have had a bit too much to drink to speak so openly about something so terrible and personal for Victoria.

“I think that’s it exactly,” Katya said. “But time heals all wounds.” She turned her smile to Malcolm, and when that wasn’t enough to express her joy and relief, she leaned in to kiss his lips.

“Mama,” Rupert scolded her, striding forward with Cece on his arm. “There’s no need to engage in shocking displays of affection in public.”

He was teasing her, but all the same, Katya replied, “Just wait until you find yourself in a similar position, young man.”

Katya glanced to Cece, intending to wink at the woman she was certain would end up as her daughter-in-law as well as her step-daughter, but Cece lowered her eyes with a hint of wistfulness.

“I don’t think that will be happening any time soon, Lady Stanhope.” Cece glanced up. “Or are you Lady Campbell now?”

“I’m Mama to you, thank you very much,” Katya said. Her expression filled with concern. “Is there something we need to talk about?” she asked, peeking at Rupert.

Rupert cleared his throat. “I’ve decided to enlist in the army, at least for a time.”

Katya opened her mouth to express her shock and worry and to tell him off, but Rupert rushed on.

“I inherited the earldom at such a young age, Mama, and the last year has shown me that a university education is not enough to make effective decisions, either at home or in the House of Lords. I need more experience of the world, and a commission in the army is the way to accomplish that.”

“Rupert, how could you—”

“A wise decision,” Malcolm said, cutting Katya off and slapping Rupert’s back. “A stint abroad, fighting for queen and country, is just the thing a young man needs.”

Katya gaped at Malcolm, ready to slap him. “He could be hurt or killed,” she argued. “That would break more hearts than just mine.”

“A man cannot make all his decisions based on the softness of a woman’s heart,” Malcolm replied with a frown.

“I assure you, my heart can be as hard as steel when it needs to be,” Katya snapped.

“As I well know,” Malcolm grumbled.

“Don’t you go picking a fight with me, Malcolm. I’ll best you every time.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Katya planted her fists on her hips and was about to go on when Cece burst into laughter.

“Some things will never change,” she said. “No matter who marries or doesn’t marry.” She sent a sly, sideways look to Rupert.

Rupert flushed, looking tense and embarrassed. “It wouldn’t do to make any decisions in haste,” he said. “And it will only be a few years.”

“Will it?” Cece asked, indignant. “How many is a few?”

“Not very many,” Rupert told her, growing defensive. “You’ll see.”

“Oh, will I?” Cece stared hard at him.

In spite of her fear on Rupert’s behalf, Katya’s lips twitched into a grin and glanced to Malcolm. “Isn’t there a saying about apples and trees and the distance from one to the other?” she asked.

“There is,” he replied with mock gravity. “We have no one to blame but ourselves.”

“At least we agree on that score.”

The further questions Katya wanted to ask Rupert about his potentially mad endeavor were prevented by the sight of Inspector Craig marching across the lawn.

“Craig,” Malcolm greeted him, a note of surprise in his voice. “I didn’t expect you to accept the invitation.” He escorted Katya across the lawn to meet him.

“I haven’t accepted the invitation,” Inspector Craig replied. “Not exactly. I just arrived by train to let you know—”

A flash of skirts and a high-pitched squeal interrupted him as Bianca tore across the lawn as fast as a thoroughbred. “Good heavens! Inspector Craig. I didn’t inspect you to be here.” Bianca followed her words with a mad giggle, proving she’d had as much punch as Natalia had or more. “I mean, expect,” she added, turning pink from her forehead to the exposed expanse of her décolletage.

“Lady Bianca,” Inspector Craig greeted her with a broad, knowing grin and a polite bow. “Lovely to see you.”

“Likewise, I’m sure,” Bianca said, her eyes full of stars.

“I’ve just come to tell your mother and Lord Malcolm that Lord Shayles has finally been sentenced,” he said, his smile fading into a look of gravity.

The silence that followed his statement was like that of the world holding still after a rumble of thunder. The others noticed as well and left Mariah and Victoria with the babies to hurry over to hear what Inspector Craig had to say.

“Tell me it’s the noose,” Malcolm said, eyes narrowed, old enmity on display.

Inspector Craig let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair. “Hardly. He’s been fined fifty-thousand pounds and sentenced to six months in prison, including the month he’s already served.”

Katya gasped in horror and indignation. Malcolm radiated fury. Their friends expressed a broad range of shock and frustration.

“That’s preposterous,” Peter said. “After all the evidence that was presented?”

“Did they not take the deaths of the women who were trapped in that hellhole into consideration?” Rupert asked.

“No,” Inspector Craig said with a simple shrug. “In the end, he was convicted of profiting off prostitution and a few counts of temporarily holding women against their will. All the other charges were ignored or dismissed.”

“That’s an outrage,” Malcolm seethed.

“We’ll do something about it,” Alex reassured him. “In Parliament if not elsewhere.”

“You might not have to do much,” Inspector Craig went on. “The man is penniless and friendless, if I’m reading things right. And he seems to have forgotten you lot.”

“Forgotten us?” Katya blinked.

Inspector Craig nodded. “His guards say that all he can talk about is Lord Gatwick and how he’ll make sure the man gets what he deserves in October.”

“October?” Lavinia asked. She, more than anyone else, looked desperately worried for Gatwick.

“When Lord Shayles gets out,” Inspector Craig confirmed. “Come this autumn, Lord Gatwick had better watch his back.”

“We have to help him,” Lavinia said, pleading with Armand.

Armand raised her hand and kissed it. “We will,” he said, though Katya could tell he was at war with himself.

None of the rest of them seemed excited about jumping to Mark Gatwick’s defense.

“Enough of this bad news,” Katya said, putting on a smile. “We’re here to celebrate. Inspector Craig, you’re more than welcome to stay and celebrate with us.”

Inspector Craig glanced to Bianca, who hadn’t taken her eyes off him. “Thanks, m’lady. I think I will.”

“We’ve all got our eyes on you, Craig,” Malcolm warned him in a fatherly tone.

Inspector Craig seemed amused by the threat. “I know where the lines are, my lord, and I won’t cross them.”

“Oh,” Bianca said with a disappointed sigh.

Natalia burst into a giggle behind her, and within seconds, the group had broken up and gone their own ways, to seek refreshments, to coo over baby Annalisa, or to stroll through the garden.

Katya stayed with Malcolm, surveying the whole scene. “I think we’ve done rather well in the end,” she said, looping her arm through his and hugging him.

“Not bad,” Malcolm grumbled in his usual dour tone.

Katya laughed at him. “Are you upset about Shayles?”

Malcolm considered her question, then shrugged. “Yes and no. The man is ruined, one way or another. If he truly is intent on seeking revenge against Gatwick, then that proves his guilt further.”

“Does it?” Katya asked.

“Shayles wouldn’t be so hell-bent on revenge if he thought the game was over for him. Gatwick must still know things that would destroy Shayles even more.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Katya paused. “Should we offer help to Gatwick?”

“Gatwick can take care of himself,” Malcolm said with an air of menace. He turned to Katya, and that menace melted into a smile. “I’m through with throwing my life away on Shayles,” he declared. “He’s had enough of my time. I want to give the rest of it to you, unreservedly.”

Katya’s heart fluttered as though she were a girl receiving her first compliment at a ball. She swayed into Malcolm, sliding her arms over his shoulders and leaning in to kiss him.

“I love you, Malcolm Campbell. I always have and I always will,” she said, then kissed him again.

“Good,” Malcolm nodded, tugging her close. “Because you’re stuck with me now.”

Katya laughed deep in her throat, feeling wicked and wonderful. She’d never been so happy to be a part of something as she was to be part of the couple they’d always been.

I hope you’ve enjoyed Katya and Malcolm’s story! But what about Lord Mark Gatwick? Is he a good guy or a bad guy, and what made him the way he is? How is he going to handle Shayle’s release from prison? What if love made that even more complicated? Find out in March with the release of October Revenge, Book 6 in The Silver Foxes of Westminster!

And while we’re thinking ahead, what will become of Cece Campbell and Rupert Marlowe? Will true love endure or will time and distance drive a wedge between the two of them? You’ll find out next summer with A Lady’s First Lie, the first book in an all new series, The May Flowers.

Be sure to so that you can be alerted when all of these exciting books are released!