He stiffened inside her, and he groaned in her ears as he stilled. For a few moments, it was just the sound of their breath and the beating of their hearts. When he pulled away from her, it was only to draw her close to lay in the crux of his arm, her head on his chest.
“I will tell you this, Jane. That if you are with child, and even if you are not,” he said, kissing her on the head, that I want youas a wife, and I wish to be a father to any children that come from us. I do not want you as an heiress. I have no intention of claiming your fortune. It will come to only you. Your love is enough, and I want you to know that. I am happy to sign papers that say that very thing. So, will you marry me?”
Jane leaned back a little to look up at him after he spoke. She smiled. She couldn’t think of a more romantic proposal.
“I want all of you too, Nathaniel. I want only that. Yes, I will marry you.”
He grinned widely, and he leaned down to kiss her long and deep. Several minutes later, when she pulled away, she said, “I want to help you and your family, though. We will share the inheritance, my love.”
And with that, Jane knew that she had made the right choice. She would be with someone she loved, and they could enjoy the money together. There was only one thing left: how to deal with Edward and Delilah.
Chapter 45
The next day, Jane came to breakfast with his mother and sister, and he kept his eyes on her throughout the meal, glad to see her there with them. Thomas was there too, at Emily’s side, and Nathaniel smiled to think of what their future family would look like.
If only Father would get better. He could see all this with his own eyes.
He’d spent hours with him, talking to him, sitting with him, and still there had been no change. But he still hoped for it, as did his mother and sister. And after last night with Jane, Nathaniel was filled with even more hope. The day was new, and while there are still obstacles, he knew it was possible for them to solve them.
“Mother, Emily, I wanted to make an announcement.” He glanced at Jane, who reddened a little, their eyes passing secrets to one another about all that had transpired last night. “Jane has agreed to marry me,” he said with a big smile, and Emily and his mother both gasped, but then they clapped with delight.
“Oh, what wonderful news,” his mother said, coming to kiss him on the cheek before she went to Jane. “That is some good news amidst all this darkness.”
“But,” he said, making them pause, “while it is good news, and one that makes me happier than ever, there is still the matter of Delilah to resolve. I must return to London to speak with her father at his request.”
His mother sat down again, paling a little. “Her father has written to you?”
“Yes, he has. And because I am a gentleman, I must act as a gentleman should. It seems that there were things transpiring against us. Everything was put into the papers by someone who wished for Jane to marry him instead. Not only that, but he helped Delilah to get me alone at Lady Danver’s ball in order to compromise us both. I will explain it all to her father. Please understand, Mother, that I must do this, and I hope Father will be all right in my absence.”
His mother, looking stronger than she had looked yesterday, reached out and covered his hand with hers. “Yes, of course you must go, Nathaniel. She turned to smile at Jane. “This has given me new hope for your father and for everything. Go, do what you must, and we wish you luck.”
Nathaniel had left feeling confident, but as he stood outside of Delilah’s home two hours later, he wasn't sure just how confident he felt anymore. He twisted his hat in his hand, and when the butler opened the door, he felt dread heavy in his stomach. He had made plans of what to stay, but all the wordsjumbled in his mind as he stepped inside and asked to meet with Delilah's father.
He began to pace when the butler walked away, footsteps echoing along the passage. When he heard footsteps coming a few seconds later, he was surprised at such a speedy return, but then he saw it was only Delilah. Her eyes widened with pleasure, and her smile spread over her face. She looked him up and down with a flirtatious batting of her eyelashes and put her hands behind her back.
“How wonderful for you to come, Nathaniel,” she said in a low, sultry tone. “I see we have been written about so thoroughly in the papers. You must be here for a veryparticularreason.”
She stepped towards him, her eyelashes still fluttering, ready to place her hand on his chest, lifting her chin to his face. He quickly stepped back, and he scowled at her.
“I know everything that has occurred, Delilah, and I know who helped you to get me alone, pretending that there was a note I’d sent you. You were tricked into this as well, but do not feign a true love for me. If you truly cared, you would not do such underhanded things.”
Delilah paled and said nothing, looking slightly dumbstruck when the butler returned to take him to her father's study. He didn’t look back as he followed the butler. When he entered, Lord Mortimer was sitting behind his desk, his arms crossed.He did not rise at Nathaniel's arrival. The butler shut the door behind them, and Nathaniel watched the scowl deepened on the man's face.
“So, you have come to do the right thing, have you?” Lord Mortimer asked. “It seems that you are nearby when my daughter is embroiled in scandal yet again. For yet again, I find you in a compromising position with her.”
Nathaniel sat down, and he stared blankly at the angry father. “My lord, I understand your feelings, but I will not marry your daughter.”
Lord Mortimer slapped a hand on the table, his face reddening with anger. “How dare you? You claim to be a gentleman, and yet you disgrace my daughter, letting her name be dragged through the mud in the newspapers while you get to flit about with that heiress of yours.” He nodded furiously. “Oh yes, we all know exactly why you are doing such a thing. Despicable!”
Nathaniel kept his anger tightly leashed. It would do no good in this moment, and he needed to be calm and focused in order to convince Lord Mortimer.
“You may challenge me as a gentleman, but I have come to tell you something. I swear to you that I am not at fault, and the truth has emerged. Lord Edward Claridge has recently returned to London, the cousin of Lady Jane Caldwell. He has inherited the title, but no fortune.
That was to all go to Jane instead. Since the beginning, he has been scheming to get her to marry him instead of myself. Just a few days ago, he encouraged your daughter to join him in this scheme by getting me out of the way so that he could marry Jane himself. He asked her to become compromised in order to do so.”
All the blood drained from Lord Mortimer’s face, and he leaned forward, both hands on the table now. “There are a few witnesses to this truth. Lord Claridge gave a note to your daughter, pretending that I was asking to meet her on the balcony.
And she also asked her mother to come along with all the society gossips in order to catch us there. So, if you wish to have a duel, then it is with him you should duel. He is the one who used your daughter to his advantage. I am sure she knew most of it, but perhaps not all.”
