“I’d like that very much,” she said. “Aunt Alberta?”
She expected her aunt to tell her no, or to insist that they wait until Duncan came back so that he could accompany them as a chaperone. To her surprise, however, Aunt Alberta had taken out a handkerchief and was dabbing at her eyes.
“Don’t go far,” she said. “You’ll stay in the garden, yes?”
“Of course,” Lord Woodsford promised.
“And only for fifteen minutes,” Aunt Alberta said. “After that, I want you to come back. You will, won’t you?”
“Certainly,” Lord Woodsford said. “Whatever you ask, Lady Earlington.”
Aunt Alberta nodded. “In that case, I’ll go and inform the kitchen that you’ll be staying with us for dinner tonight,” she said. “This calls for a fine dinner. It’s a special occasion, after all.”
“Thank you,” Lord Woodsford said. “I’ll be happy to join you for dinner.”
Aunt Alberta headed to the kitchen, pausing briefly to smile over her shoulder at Valeria.
And then they were alone again.
Valeria felt light-headed with happiness. “Is this really happening?” she asked. “Are we really free of that debt collector?”
“Oh, yes,” Thomas said. “He knows what a narrow escape he had. If the constables do let him go—which I don’t believe they will—he’ll never darken our door again. He was so afraid that he would be hanged for his crimes that I’d be surprised if he didn’t leave town.”
“And Lord Harlston?” Valeria asked. “I know he’s your friend. Was it very difficult for you to confront him?”
“It was difficult,” Thomas said. “But it was what needed to be done in order for us to be together. Being without you would have been much harder than losing him was.”
They passed through the ballroom and out into the garden. The sun had started to sink below the horizon, and the evening air was cool and refreshing.
Lord Woodsford still hadn’t let go of Valeria’s hand, nor did she want him to.
He waited until they had moved a good distance away from the Manor, ensuring that they wouldn’t be heard. Then he came to a stop and turned so that he was facing her head-on.
“I want you to know something,” he said quietly.
Her heart beat faster.
“I would marry you today,” he said. “I would marry you right here and now, if you would have me.”
“I would have you,” she said. She was surprised by how little she had needed to think about it. She was certain of him in a way that she had never been certain of anyone in all her life.
He nodded. “But I think we should take our time,” he said. “If that’s still all right with you, I mean.”
“I don’t need to,” she said. “I could make my decision tonight.”
“But I don’t want you to,” he said. “Even though my mind is set—even though I believe yours is too—we deserve a courtship, don’t we? One that’s not carried out in the shadow of fear. We truly have nothing to be afraid of now, and I want to take advantage of that. I want to take you around town. I want to bring you to parties. I want to show everyone in the ton that the loveliest young lady in all of Society is onmyarm.”
Valeria laughed. “I don’t think they’ll consider me much of a prize,” she said. “Have you forgotten?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten,” he said. “But if they can’t recognize something beautiful, that’s a flaw in them, not in you.”
He pulled her close, so that there was barely an inch of space between their bodies.
Valeria drew in a sharp breath. She had thought of this so many times. She had longed for it. And when she had ended their courtship, she had believed she was losing it forever, that she would never know his embrace.
But she belonged to him now. It was real. And whatever happened, she was confident that would last.
She closed the distance between them, allowing him to wrap his arms around her, and tilted her face up toward his. She knew what was coming. She longed for it.
