Emmalee smoothed down her navy blue satin dress as she climbed out of the carriage. Her mother and father had gone to have tea with the Brodrick's earlier that week, leaving Emmalee home with just her brother and sister for entertainment. The rest of the week flew by as they took Emmalee to plays, concerts, and garden parties with her parents. They introduced her to many gentlemen, but no one sent her stomach into fits or made her head spin. Her heart fluttered as she thought of Wes, Les and Lee, for she still believed those are their proper names. This evening her father came along. He even asked Emmalee for the first dance of the evening, which she gratefully accepted.
Emmalee found her dance card on the table by the door when she opened it. Three names appeared to have filled in every dance. Arthur, Charlie and Wesley. Emmalee shook her head, returning to her father. "Did you find your card?"
"I did father and to my surprise tis full." She handed her father the card, smiling as he looked over the names.
"I will have a chat with these gentlemen, we will still have our first dance." Lord Northstone replied by taking the card and placing it in his jacket. He extended both his elbows to both ladies.
"Oh come now, let Emmalee have her gentlemen." Charlotte whispered as her husband escorted them into the ballroom. "I want to dance the first dance with you, Emmalee can have you second. I need to tier you out."
Emmalee watched as her parents took to the floor. She smiled as the orchestra above played the first few notes. She suddenly did not feel cold, but warm on all sides. Her heart fluttered as she took in a deep breath. The smells of the three men filled her lungs. Parchment for the library, grass and flowers from the gardens, and port mixed with sweat from dancing. Emmalee smiled without turning around to look. "What took you so long?"
"Were you waiting for us?" Lee asked, but others knew him as Arthur.
"I am always waiting." Emmalee relied.
"I believe I am first on your card." Les said, holding out his hand.
"I would not know Sir Brodstone, for my father has my card. Tis him who requested the second dance." Emmalee replied, still watching the couples on the floor.
"Let us not waste this music." Les encouraged looking down at Emmalee.
"Yes, let us not waste the music." Emmalee replied by taking Les' hand. She counted off the tempo as they entered the dance. Emmalee's heart soared as Les held her tight, spinning around in the large circle. Les missed many steps, and Emmalee smiled, playing it off as if it were nothing.
Emmalee was soon after returning to her father, Les bowed and left. A slower melody played as Emmalee waltzed with her father. Standing close to the floor stood Wesley, Arthur and Charlie watching as Emmalee glided across the floor. Her beauty held the gentlemen captive as the music played.
"Those three are going to be the death of me," Whispered Lord Northstone to his daughter. "They have a hunger in their eyes I once had. You might have to kill two of them."
"Father, whom shall I keep if it comes to that?" Emmalee asked, worried of breaking two hearts.
"Lord Brodrick is the only gentleman I know. He is kind, very handsome. He will take care of you when I am gone." Lord Northstone answered honestly. "He is also very wealthy, I wonder why no other lady has fancied him."
"They are afraid he is like the other Lord Brodrick." Emmalee relied. "They all warned me about the male race in the Brodrick home."
"Pity."
The music began its crescendo and ended with a flurry. Those in the room clapped. When the music played another up beat tempo, Wes was about to ask Emmalee for a dance when she surprised them all.
"Forgive me, Lord Brodrick, but I believe this tempo is well suits this dance for Sir Brodstone." Emmalee and Lee took to the floor and much to everyone's surprise, she was right. Lee took to the floor, making it look as if Emmalee was the swan.
The music played, and the couples danced. Emmalee needed some air and asked the gentlemen to join her. She had caught more of the names she had first heard every so often. It was time; she wanted to know more. While looking at a picture on the wall, Emmalee saw a door to the left. She smiled and entered to find just enough light and it was empty. A sitting room for later in the evening. She smiled as the three gentlemen followed her.
"Now, will you three please tell me what is going on?" Emmalee asked, walking around a table. Wes, Les, and Lee followed her. She made her way back to the door, locking them in, or was it locking others out. "We are not to leave until I get answers."
She looked from one gentleman to another.
"What do you know?" asked Wes, looking at her with an air of curiosity.
Emmalee walked up to Charlie, pulled off his wig and smiled. She looked over at Arthur. He just pulled his wig off. "I knew it. However, I did not expect to find triplets."
"How?" Les asked, taking off his glasses as well.
"You are all wrong for your names first." Emmalee relied. "And you let your proper names slip."
"We did not." Wes replied, puffing his chest as he sat in a chair.
"You did Wes, as hard as you could. It must have been hard because," Emmalee was inches from his face when she said, "I have excellent hearing."
Les and Lee looked at each other, blushing a deep red like Wes was. Emmalee never felt more daring and more in control. She liked it more than she would care to admit. Her cheeks warmed at being close to Wes, for she also felt his breath on her face.
"I came here to find a husband. My father has denied me many seasons. I came here to find one, for love." Emmalee paced the floor. Les and Lee took seats on the sofa. "I thought I was going to have to offend two of you, something I did not think my heart could take. True, you are all very handsome and you have your faults. Unfortunately, my heart had fallen for all three of you the moment I danced with you. Dancing is my a favorite pastime. I thought fro sure there was something wrong with me, even my sister agreed. There is no way I could love or have all three of you as my husband. When you confirmed you are triplets hiding in plain sight. I must admit my heart did leap for joy. I need to know why. Why the hiding? Why the disguise?"
Wes explained everything. From the moment they were born to the present. Les explained why they could not go separate ways and get new birth certificates. Lee explained sharing a bride and that it did not bother them.
"You all put on disguises and find a bride?" Emmalee looked at the wigs on the table. Shaking her head, she picked up the blond wig. "You have it all wrong. Wes needs the glasses and this hair. He is the quiet one and should not be on the floor unless it is a slow melody. I have heard you talk with other books, and politics. You should embrace it and this shows others how smart you really are."
"You really think so?" Wes asked, taking the wig. Emmalee smiled, ones he was in disguise. He was definitely the book smart brother. Her heart and stomach did abnormal things as she moved on to the next brother. Wes complained, "This feels odd."
"But this is more you." Emmalee pointed out. "Les, you need the ponytail. I can't explain it, but you are more dangerous that your brothers. No, wait, that is not the word I want." Emmalee paused, thinking for a moment. "Your voice holds command, and that wig tells me that i need to respect you. When you talk, you hold other captive and they want to do you bidding right away."
"Commander Les," Les said with a smile. "I like how that sounds."
"You father, were not a mean man, would have picked the eldest to run the estate and you would have been free. I could see you on a navy boat." Emmalee admitted. Les gave her a wink, making Emmalee's knees give out just a little. But she caught herself. "Unfortunately, your father was not so nice. That leaves Lee, be you. You have been to these many times, there is no need to hide you. You are Lord Brodrick you know half the people here and they know you. Your history with them is something your brothers do not have. Approach all your acquaintances without fear. Dance with all the ladies and make the men green with envy, like I have heard you do in the past."
The room remained silent. Wes, Les and Lee looked at each other, taking in the fresh looks they don. Oddly enough, they all felt more comfortable dressed just so. Emmalee watched as the three handsome men closely. She was falling for them all hard. Of course, they all expressed that they wanted one bride. One wife to share. Just one. Did they want her? Emmalee's knees gave out a second time. This time she decided it would be safer to take a seat. They were making her so weak at just the sight of their handsome faces.
"Emmalee, you are brilliant." Lee said, picking her up spinning her around. Emmalee laughed as her head and hair flew back. Lee puled her in close after the spin and without a thought, he placed a kiss upon her lips. Lee's kiss was fun and daring it made Emmalee's knees weak again. Her heart fluttered and her head still spun.
Les was right behind her, ready for the next kiss. He took it just as Lee pulled back. Emmalee though she was stilling kissing Lee, but his lips were different. Seeking a peak, it surprised her to find Les. His lips were firm and demanded more from Emmalee. When Les let her go, it was Wes' lips that captured Emmalee's before she could catch her breath.
This time Emmalee knew she was kissing the last brother. Wes' lips were gentle and loving. Her first kiss but three men within seconds. Emmalee's thoughts scrambled in her head. She could get used to this screamed one part. This is wrong screamed another part. It was as if she were having a fight with herself.
Wes ended the kiss, Emmalee's hand when straight to her lips they tingled with the kisses she had just received. Her breathing was shallow and unsteady. Her stomach in knots, her heart all a flutter. Still her head screaming at how wrong it was. How she should not be doing this.
Three men knelt before her, smiles and sparkles in their eyes. All three asked in unison, "Marry us,"
Never had a man kissed her like the three just did. Did they really want to share her or play with her heart? Women did not have a harem, men did. Kings had harems not her. What were they thinking? Emmalee flushed and rather shocked out of her lips as the question went. "A lady does not simply marry three men. My heart screams yes. My mind scream no, this is all wrong. Does it not seem wrong to you? To share a bed with your brothers and me? To share a bed with three men? How can I marry three of you it's just wrong, so very wrong?"
They got to their feet, and the replies came all at once.
"No," Les replied, a little hurt. "'Tis not wrong, you love us, you just admit it."
"Absolutely not my dear." Wes replied, looking lost. "This feels right to me. They sent here you to be our wife. I can feel it deep in my heart."
"We love you, Emmalee. How can a man loving a woman be wrong? Even it there are a few extra men?" Lee answered, not knowing what was happening in her head. Did she not love them like they loved her? "Please Emmalee, we want you."
Emmalee stared at the men before her. All were looking at her with longing and lust. She wanted them too. How would she explain this to her family? Three men sharing her bed. Emmalee cried, happy at first, then it turned to fear. "I can not. I can not marry you three. It is so selfish and wrong."
She refused to be selfish or let the men see her in such a state. Emmalee ran from the room with the three men shouting after her. How she made it back to the ballroom was a mystery she did not want to dwell on. Using her fan to hide much of her face, she went in search of her parents.
"Emmalee, there you are, my dear," Her father had spotted her almost instantly. "Come, I wish for you to meet a dear friend of mine."
Emmalee dried her eyes quickly, pinched her cheeks, and bit her lips to hide the fact that she was in distress. "Yes, father."
"Emmalee, this is Lord Wright and his son Martin." Lord Northstone said jesting to the men before him. "Lord Wright and I go back many years."
Emmalee gave a small courtesy as she looked over the gentlemen before her. Martin Wright was a scrawny, pale man with a mousy voice. When he spoke, Emmalee's head throbbed uncontrollably. She was not sure how long she stood there in conversation with Martin. after some time she could not comprehend what the men were saying. Her thought went back to the room she had just fled from. Her body swayed a little towards her father.
"Easy, dear," Lord Northstone said, catching his daughter.
"Lord Northstone, is your daughter unwell?" Lord Wright asked, all eyes on Emmalee.
"I am not well, father." Emmalee admitted. "Perhaps we could find mother and retire for the night?"
"Of course, my child. Please forgive us Lord Wright." Lord Northstone said as he bowed and looked for his wife. Noticing he would have to hunt harder for her, he set Emmalee on a chair. Then went in search of his wife. He had not gone more than half a step when Lee, who was not in disguise but looked like Lord Brodrick, approached.
"Is Lady Emmalee unwell?" Lee asked look hurt.
"Ah Lord Brodrick, yes she is, I am afraid." He paused for a moment, "Could you sit with her? I must find her mother."
"Allow me, my lord."
Before Lord Northstone could object, Lee was off in search of Lady Northstone. Lord Northstone grabbed his wife and daughter's cloaks while he waited for Lord Brodrick to return. "I would be thrilled, if he is the one you choose."
Emmalee remained silent, the one, if only he knew the truth. Her thoughts were a million and three miles away as she thought of the kiss, the three kisses she had just shared. A harem, of all the things. Yet as she thought her heart fluttered, her stomach was in knots and she yearned to be back in their embrace. Emmalee had fallen hard for the three Lords Of Oakwood manor. What was she to do?
****Hello acquaintances. Who is still with me? Anyone? Thank you for keeping up with me. Please do not take my work. That is just rude. Thanks for sticking around please comment, vote or don't I get it! Until next time, stay warm, stay dry and sleep well.*****