family gathered under one roof at the same time. Even the two newest members of the family, James and Georgina’s daughter Jacqueline, and Anthony and Roslynn’s daughter Judith, were tucked away upstairs so their motherswouldn’t have to return home to feed them. Reggie’s son was up there too, though he was old enough to feed himself now.
Reggie looked around the room at her expanding family. The other newest member of the family was, of course, the bridegroom, Warren Anderson, well and truly leg-shackled now, after that beautiful wedding ceremony they’d all just come from. Reggie smiled fondly at the newlyweds across the room. They made such a lovely pair, Warren taller than any of the Malorys at six feet four, with his golden brown hair and light lime-green eyes, and Amy, a stunning bride all in white, with her black hair and cobalt-blue eyes.
Reggie had that same coloring, as did Anthony and Jeremy, and Reggie’s mother, Melissa, who’d died when Reggie was only two. The five of them were the only ones in the family who had taken after Reggie’s great-grandmother. Everyone else was on the fair side, mostly all blond and green-eyed, with only Marshall and Travis taking after their mother, Charlotte, with brown hair and eyes.
The reception was in Uncle Edward’s mansion on Grosvenor Square. Large, jovial, always good-humored, unlike the rest of her uncles, Edward was beaming proudly even as he patted the hand of his wife, Charlotte, who was quietly sniffling beside him. In fact, Aunt Charlotte had cried all through the ceremony. But, then, Amy was her youngest child—although, come to think of it, Aunt Charlotte cried at all weddings.
All of Reggie’s other cousins were scattered about the room. Edward’s brood included Diana and Clare, with their husbands, and Amy’s brothers, Marshall and Travis. Reggie’s cousin Derek, Uncle Jason’s only child, was talking with her husband, Nicholas, and her uncles Tony and James. Derek and Nicholas had been best of friends ever since their school days, long before Reggie had ever met Nicholas and fallen hopelessly in love with him. But she had to worry anytime her two youngest uncles were around her husband.
Reggie sighed, wondering if they would ever get along. Not likely. In Uncle Tony’s case, he hadn’t thought Nick was good enough for her, Nicholas having been a rake. In Uncle James’s case, well, feelings ran a little deeper, since Nick had unfortunately had a run-in with James on the high seas during James’s pirating days. James had lost that battle, and his son Jeremy had been injured in it, though not seriously. But that had been the start of many confrontations between those two, the last serious one ending with Nicholas so soundly beaten he’d nearly missed their wedding; James had ended up in jail and nearly hung for piracy.
Of course, now that Nicholas was a member of the family, and had been for several years, they no longer tried to kill each other at each meeting. It was quite possible they even liked each other now, though neither one of them would ever admit it, and listening to them, you’d certainly never guess it. Mortal enemiesis more what they sounded like when they were together. And Reggie didn’t doubt for a minute that they both enjoyed baiting each other. But that did run in the family, leastwise with the men in the family.
It was a known fact that the four Malory brothers were happiest when they were arguing among themselves, though they would stand united against any other opposition. The bridegroom and his four brothers were a prime example of that, at least where Tony and James were concerned.
It was James who had been at complete odds with them because of his unorthodox courtship of their sister Georgina—and that he had previously disabled a couple of their Skylark ships when he’d been known as the Hawk didn’t help. They’d beat James soundly and were going to turn him over for hanging, but he’d escaped and
Reggie looked around the room at her expanding family. The other newest member of the family was, of course, the bridegroom, Warren Anderson, well and truly leg-shackled now, after that beautiful wedding ceremony they’d all just come from. Reggie smiled fondly at the newlyweds across the room. They made such a lovely pair, Warren taller than any of the Malorys at six feet four, with his golden brown hair and light lime-green eyes, and Amy, a stunning bride all in white, with her black hair and cobalt-blue eyes.
Reggie had that same coloring, as did Anthony and Jeremy, and Reggie’s mother, Melissa, who’d died when Reggie was only two. The five of them were the only ones in the family who had taken after Reggie’s great-grandmother. Everyone else was on the fair side, mostly all blond and green-eyed, with only Marshall and Travis taking after their mother, Charlotte, with brown hair and eyes.
The reception was in Uncle Edward’s mansion on Grosvenor Square. Large, jovial, always good-humored, unlike the rest of her uncles, Edward was beaming proudly even as he patted the hand of his wife, Charlotte, who was quietly sniffling beside him. In fact, Aunt Charlotte had cried all through the ceremony. But, then, Amy was her youngest child—although, come to think of it, Aunt Charlotte cried at all weddings.
All of Reggie’s other cousins were scattered about the room. Edward’s brood included Diana and Clare, with their husbands, and Amy’s brothers, Marshall and Travis. Reggie’s cousin Derek, Uncle Jason’s only child, was talking with her husband, Nicholas, and her uncles Tony and James. Derek and Nicholas had been best of friends ever since their school days, long before Reggie had ever met Nicholas and fallen hopelessly in love with him. But she had to worry anytime her two youngest uncles were around her husband.
Reggie sighed, wondering if they would ever get along. Not likely. In Uncle Tony’s case, he hadn’t thought Nick was good enough for her, Nicholas having been a rake. In Uncle James’s case, well, feelings ran a little deeper, since Nick had unfortunately had a run-in with James on the high seas during James’s pirating days. James had lost that battle, and his son Jeremy had been injured in it, though not seriously. But that had been the start of many confrontations between those two, the last serious one ending with Nicholas so soundly beaten he’d nearly missed their wedding; James had ended up in jail and nearly hung for piracy.
Of course, now that Nicholas was a member of the family, and had been for several years, they no longer tried to kill each other at each meeting. It was quite possible they even liked each other now, though neither one of them would ever admit it, and listening to them, you’d certainly never guess it. Mortal enemiesis more what they sounded like when they were together. And Reggie didn’t doubt for a minute that they both enjoyed baiting each other. But that did run in the family, leastwise with the men in the family.
It was a known fact that the four Malory brothers were happiest when they were arguing among themselves, though they would stand united against any other opposition. The bridegroom and his four brothers were a prime example of that, at least where Tony and James were concerned.
It was James who had been at complete odds with them because of his unorthodox courtship of their sister Georgina—and that he had previously disabled a couple of their Skylark ships when he’d been known as the Hawk didn’t help. They’d beat James soundly and were going to turn him over for hanging, but he’d escaped and
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