He growled. “One of these days I’m going to strangle them both.” He ducked his chin and looked at her through his long eyelashes. “I sent a note as soon as I could. It must have arrived after you’d already left London.”
“Was Westbrook with you? He’s been missing, too.”
David nodded. “Along with Fairfax, Sutcliff, and Leighton. We’ve all been in Brighton, at the Royal Pavilion, entertaining the prince and his guests. They’re still there, eating and drinking. And singing.”
Ashley felt a bubble of hysterical laughter rise up. “We just passed through Brighton this afternoon.”
“While I made a mad dash up to London and then down to Bognor.” He squeezed one of her hands. “Georgia thanks you for your note. As do I. I wouldn’t have been able to find you so quickly otherwise.”
“It looks like you had a comfortable ride.” As she watched, Gilroy stepped out of the gilt-encrusted carriage and stretched his legs, walking along the street.
“I have been in agony.” David let go one hand to cup her cheek. “I composed that song for you. I sang it for you.Toyou.” He caressed her cheek with one thumb. “I’d barely played the last note when I was practically dragged away from you.”
He looked at the street for a moment, where Sally was climbing out of Ashley’s hired carriage. “Lord Alvanley saw our schoolboy skit and thought the prince would enjoy it. His Highness remembered that his ancestor granted my ancestor the Ravencroft earldom for performing before the court, and decided it was time for another command performance. He even remembered my father entertaining at court when His Highness was a child.”
“But how…” Ashley gestured at the royal carriage. She dropped her arm when she noticed Sally and Gilroy holding hands, their heads bowed in close conversation.
“It was several days before I could convince the courtiers to give me a private audience with His Highness. Turns out Prinny is a romantic. When I explained what he’d interrupted, he sent me packing. With an escort. And his apology for you.”
Ashley’s heart, which had settled down to its usual pace while they talked, began to pound again. “About that interruption…”
David held her hands and raised them in turn to kiss her knuckles, his lips soft and warm. He cleared his throat, his eyes searching her own. “Ashley, I love you beyond distraction. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
For a moment she was frozen, absorbing his words and their meaning, words she’d given up hope of hearing from him. Then she gulped in a deep breath and nodded. Suddenly tears were streaming unchecked down her cheeks. She reached up to grasp his face with both hands, bringing him close. “Yes!”
He claimed her lips in a kiss, tender at first, but they both quickly let loose the emotions they’d been holding so tight. All the fear and worry, gone, replaced by love that had blossomed from their unconventional friendship and scandalous first meeting.
She could have happily gone on kissing him, until the sound of cheers, whoops, and a few whistles brought her crashing back to the present. To where they stood in the front garden of a school for young ladies, with many of the students gawking and cheering. Uncle Edward had left the carriage and stood on the front walk with his arm around Aunt Eunice, who rested her head on his shoulder, both of them beaming at David and Ashley. Maggie was half-hanging out of one carriage window, cheering, while Mr. Chadburn, alone in the other coach, just looked confused. The grooms, outriders, and postilions cheered and whistled.
They quickly sorted things out, with Mrs. Platt and the students going indoors, everyone else taking Uncle Edward’s coaches to the inn, and David asking the royal postilions to also take them to the inn, just, “Take the long way around.”
“Your carriage awaits, milady,” David said with an elegant bow and sweep of his arm.
Ashley accepted his hand as he helped her into the coach.
She barely spared a glance for the opulent interior, with its gold lanterns and sparkling glass chimneys, crimson velvet curtains, and had no idea how comfortable the dark red velvet squabs were, because as soon as David sat on the bench, he pulled her sideways onto his lap. She wrapped one arm around his neck.
“This seems vaguely familiar,” he murmured, nuzzling her neck.
She tilted her head back to give him better access, then twined her fingers in his hair and pushed aside his neckcloth so she could rest her head against his chest long enough to hear his heartbeat racing just as fast as hers. She inhaled his honey lemon scent. “No one is being abducted this time.”
“I didn’t abduct you that first night,” he said between kisses along her jaw. “It was a rescue.”
Coherent thought was becoming difficult as he nibbled the sensitive skin below her ear. “Just as I rescued you from the alley after the fight.”
“No, you kidnapped me.”
She pulled back far enough to see his face. “Speaking of ransom… We need to talk about the extra money in my bank account.”
He shook his head. “It’s a gift. Consider it an anonymous donation for your school. Teach girls to be like you.”
She gazed into his beautiful hazel eyes. “To be a bluestocking?”
“Resilient.” He gently bit her left ear lobe. “Resourceful.” He kissed below her right ear. “Compassionate.”
Before he could aim somewhere else, she cupped his cheeks and held him still so she could kiss his mouth. His deep rumble of approval went right through her, making her stomach flutter. Desire stirred low in her belly, shocking her with its intensity. She turned more fully toward him, running her fingers through his thick hair, letting the kiss go on and on.
He broke it off, his warm breath stirring the fine hairs beside her cheek.
