The Shocking Secret of a Guest at the Wedding (Millworth Manor) by Victoria Alexander

much as a question about whether he’d chosen life as an earl or return to the only life he had ever known in New York. His father was obviously hoping for the former but was wise enough not to press his newfound offspring.
    It was clear that his uncle Nigel saw him as not only a miracle but a savior as well. Jack had no desire to be anyone’s savior but he didn’t know what he did want. His entire life had been turned upside down. He had a father he had never known and a heritage he had never expected. Still, there was no need to decide anything tonight.
    For now, he would follow his father’s advice and take this one step at a time. Even if he had no idea where those steps would lead.

Chapter Five
    Teddy closed her bedroom door behind her and started down the long corridor to the main stairway, heading toward the dining room for a leisurely late morning breakfast. She had slept later than usual this morning but then she always did sleep soundly the night after a successful event. Besides, she had no desire to be engulfed by the chaos and bustle surrounding today’s departing guests.
    Millworth had been filled with assorted relatives and distant friends, some of whom had arrived at the manor as early as a few weeks ago. Most of them intended to leave today and with luck Teddy had missed those departures. Camille and Grayson did not intend to take any sort of wedding trip until the spring and Teddy planned to stay a few more days to assist Camille with cataloguing those gifts that had arrived in the past few days.
    Then Teddy would return to London to resume her life. No, she amended that thought. To start her new life. Already she was going over a list in her head of upcoming events and a second list of how to increase and expand business. If she was going to be an independent woman of business she was going to be a brilliantly successful one.
    The ball had wound down in the wee hours of the morning with Teddy on hand to make certain the additional staff she had hired began the task of cleaning up. She hadn’t stayed long. Clement had insisted she retire for the night and assured her he would oversee the work. As the butler’s nose was more than a bit out of joint that Teddy had seen fit to hire outsiders in the first place, she graciously and gratefully accepted his assistance and turned this last task over to him. She did plan to surreptitiously check on the ballroom after breakfast to make sure all was in order although she had no intention of allowing the butler to know she did so.
    Hopefully she would see Dee at breakfast. She’d only spoken to her in passing last night. Her friend had said she had a great deal to tell Teddy, most of it quite astonishing, but it was best to speak in private so they wouldn’t be overheard. Teddy suspected it had to do with Sam. Yesterday morning, Dee wasn’t certain he would even appear at the wedding given the discord between them, although he and Grayson were good friends. Obviously, he had come around and just as obviously, given her observation of her friend dancing in the arms of the American at the ball, he and Dee had resolved their differences. Teddy wasn’t sure she’d term that astonishing. In truth, she would have been quite shocked if they hadn’t worked things out between them as Dee was so clearly in love with the man. And he was so obviously in love with her.
    Teddy didn’t catch sight of her mysterious American again, which was something of a pity. He had been most intriguing and there had been something . . . It scarcely mattered really. She had no wish to be distracted by a man in her life right now. Even if he was handsome and charming with an endearing smile and compelling blue eyes. It was probably for the best that she didn’t know his name and would more than likely never see him again. Her heart twisted slightly at the thought. She ignored it.
    Teddy reached the foot of the stairs, avoided the large gathering of departing guests at the front entry,