One Wicked Season

IV. Wedding Plans

Finally, the day came. The Everards surpassed another storm intact, stronger than ever.

Agatha was finally cleared of all accusations against her.

There were still those who were wary, but as typical of the Everards, they did not care because scandal or not, the wedding happened just in time for the start of the Wickhurst Season.

Clarice could not attend, claiming she was not feeling well. Typical of Clarice to always play safe in such social games, Tori thought as she sat in the pew behind Lady Alice and her daughters.

Everyone else present, save for the family and those who cared for the wedding, was ogling the Everard brothers sitting opposite their mother and sisters.

One, however, was missing.

Tori turned and frowned when Levi sat beside her, pulling the sleeves of his coat down his wrists while he craned his neck, looking for—or hiding from—someone. Or everyone.

"Should you not be sitting with your brothers?" she whispered, turning her head back to the altar where the eldest of the Everards was being wed. Benedict was secretly referred to as the beast because of the scars on his face. Tori had to admit that the man could be quite intimidating, even for her. Today, however, the beast was far from terrifying because of the look in his eyes as he stared down at his bride. No one could tell how the romance between the two started, but perhaps love was indeed a mysterious thing.

"Have you not seen the flock of mothers and their daughters around us?" Levi answered under his breath, his eyes directed at the alter as well. "To stand or sit or be anywhere near my unmarried brothers, most especially now that the scandal passed, would equate to suicide."

She let out a small scoff, covering it with a fake cough when a few heads turned. Margaret, who was sitting beside Lady Alice in front, looked over her shoulder and threw her brother a scalding look.

"It was her!" Levi pointed at Tori.

"Hush!" she hissed, inching away from him.

He slid closer, as if she could shield him from everyone else. She considered sliding farther away, but Lord Forshaw was to her left and she would hate to spend the entire ceremony dizzy with the man's unique smell.

"But don't you think marriage might be good after all?" she asked him. "One look at your brother and his bride will give anyone hope."

"My, Tori, do not tell me you are thinking of announcing your betrothal soon?" he inquired, slightly turning his head to look at her from the corner of his eye.

Tori blinked. "Well, yes, as a matter of fact."

He was obviously startled by her response. "You are?"

"Yes."

"To whom?" Was it doubt or challenge she heard in his voice?

"If my stepmother wins, it will be with a man she can control and fool. If I win, it would be with someone I chose."

Levi frowned, and this time his whole body shifted and he faced her fully. Tearing her eyes off Benedict and Agatha, she stole him a look.

Tori had to be reminded once more that she was talking to the most handsome of the Everard brothers—in her opinion, of course. He was slightly larger than Benedict and while his eldest brother's face was filled with scars, his was... well, glorious.

No man ought to have such face, really. The sharp edges of his face, and those dazzling emerald eyes that seemed to always glimmer with wickedness, promised disaster. Even after many years of having been around him growing up, and even after seeing him charming his way around the Town before he disappeared from Wickhurst three years ago, Tori found herself startled and transfixed by his beauty still.