“Should we really tell them?” Emma asked, threading her fingers through Samuel’s.
The sisters gasped, rocking back as if the mere threading of fingers could fell them.
“I suppose we should.” Samuel lifted her hand and kissed Emma’s knuckles.
“Catch me, Trudy,” June cried, “I’m going to swoon!” She put the back of her hand to her forehead and teetered backward, lurched off-balance, and fell right into the waiting arms of Gertrude and Avelford on either side. They shared an eye roll that could be seen downstairs and across the ballroom and likely across the Channel and jiggled June until she stood on her own feet once more.
Stood? No. She bounced. “Oh!” She launched herself at Samuel, tackling him in a hug with arms tight around his neck.
Then the others swarmed.
“Is it true?” Diana asked.
Emma nodded.
“I’m so happy I’m going to cry!” Glenna wiped tears from her eyes.
Felicity and Gertrude hugged Samuel, too, the three sisters together almost bringing him to his knees.
“Enough!” Samuel cried, “Enough.” But he laughed.
And held tight in the arms of her sisters, Emma laughed, too, her gaze catching Samuel’s. Sisters. Not a plague. A treasure. Precious and perfect.
“When will you announce it?” Felicity asked, releasing her brother.
“Tonight,” Samuel clasped June to his side.
“Right now, more like,” Avelford mumbled. “Everyone can see up here. I’m sure they’re wondering what all the fuss is about.”
Samuel’s fingers twitched. She’d begun to recognize it as a sign he wished for the reassurance of a blade in his hand. No need for knives now. He had her. Emma took his hand, and his fingers stilled, steadied. Would it always be this way between them? Giving and taking eagerly when needed and in equal measure? It would be a good life if so.
“Have you told Papa?” Glenna asked.
“I wrote to him.” They should likely wait to announce it to the world. She didn’t want to. “I wrote to tell him. Not for permission.” A brazen act. A necessary one.
“He won’t be pleased,” Briar whispered.
Emma hugged her younger sister tightly to her side. “I’ll worry about Papa.”
“Will we stay here? With you, in London?” Diana asked.
“I hope you will.” Samuel tweaked Diana’s ear. “I like to keep a close eye on my sisters, particularly when they are so very mischievous.”
He would keep them happy, too, happier than Papa had ever managed. Or cared to manage.
When Samuel stepped toward her, the sisters receded like an ocean wave with a happy sigh. “I must find Lottie. Wait for me here?”
Emma nodded, and he squeezed her hand, then bounded away and down the stairs. She watched his every step. Theperfectly tailored suit of evening clothes, stark black and white sculpted a duke thetonexpected, demanded—cool and confident and unquestionably powerful. It hid the man she knew—caring and concerned, doubting and loving.
Better than his clothes, he wore a smile tonight, one that seemed not to leave his lips.
Her smile died as he passed the entry doors to the ballroom. Her gaze snagged on the two men standing there.
Her father and Viscount Parkington.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Her sisters hadn't noticed yet. Behind Emma, they laughed and chatted and bragged about having created a love match, and the young earl groaned and teased.
