She must have made a sound, because he looked up. And froze.
She forced herself to keep walking. Absurd to be so nervous of her own husband looking at her, but… They weren’t butterflies in her stomach; they were sparrows. Whole flocks of them, circling and dipping.
His eyes, a deep, glittering blue, devoured her. He didn’t say a word, but the look in his face… it made her chest thicken and her heart pound.
For the first time in her life, she felt—no, sheknewshe was beautiful.
Sprotton had sent away the yellow hire carriage, and Lady Gosforth’s landau awaited them. Luke handed Isabella up. “You know,” he said, as the carriage moved off, “there’s something I’ve neglected to tell you.”
“Oh?” It sounded important.
“Yes. It occurred to me just now when you came down the stairs looking more beautiful than any man’s wife should look.”
“Oh.”
“I should have said it a long time ago.”
“Oh?” It was ridiculous; she couldn’t think of a single thing to say. Her heart was beating so fast. The carriage slowed. Were they there, already?
“Yes, back on the boat. Or the carriage. Or even before that, at Castillo de Rasal.” He frowned. “Possibly even at Valle Verde. Or at Ayerbe in the Inn With No Fleas—” The carriage stopped. He looked out of the window. “Ah, we’re here. I’ll tell you later.”
She grabbed his wrist. “Don’t you dare tease me like this, Luke Ripton. Just tell me now!”
He looked at her, a little smile playing around his lips. “It’s not urgent. It’ll keep.”
“Luke!”
His voice deepened. He leaned forward and drew her into his arms. “It’s just this: I love you, Isabella Ripton. I have for I don’t know how long. It might have been at the convent, or later at—”
A servant pulled the carriage door open. “Lord Ripton, you’re home!” the man exclaimed joyfully.
Luke chuckled and pulled back from the kiss he’d been about to give her. “See, I said I should tell you later.”
Bella was too stunned to move. “You love me?” she repeated blankly.
The servant gave her a startled glance, looked at Luke, grinned, and promptly began to close the carriage door.
“No.” Luke stopped him. He took Bella’s hand. “Come, my love, they’re all waiting for us. I sent a note around. Dinner has been put back.”
She followed him in a daze. He loved her? Or was that just something he said to make them all feel better about the marriage? He’d said it in front of his servant, after all.
Oh, it didn’t matter. He loved her; he’d said so. She didn’t care if it was a ruse or not. For tonight, she’d just believe it. Tonight she felt beautiful and her husband had told her he loved her. It was enough.
She entered the house in a daze, and she spent the whole evening in a daze. She met dozens of people. His family were all natural beauties. She was the ugly duckling among them, but tonight she didn’t care. He loved her.
His friends were all tall and amazingly good-looking. Not as good-looking as Bella’s husband. And he loved her.
Somehow—she had no idea how—she got through the dinner. And then the orchestra struck up the first waltz. Luke had promised the first waltz to his little sister, Molly. It was a long-standing promise, and Bella was glad he was able to honor it, even if she had to resign herself to sitting out the dance with Luke’s mother.
She could manage some of the country dances—they were similar to dances she’d learned as a child—but she didn’t know how to waltz. Luke had tried to give her a lesson in waltzing on the ship coming over, but the sea wasn’t exactly smooth and it had been one-two-three-stagger, one-two-stagger.
She sat with Luke’s mother and Lady Gosforth and watched Luke and Molly twirling around the floor. She vowed to learn as quickly as possible. It looked like fun.
And then it was the second waltz. Luke’s friend Harry bowed and led Molly out onto the floor. Molly was glowing with happiness. She didn’t just have one big brother; she had four.
“My waltz, I believe,” Luke said and bowed before Bella.
“No,” Bella said, and then realized it sounded rude, and Luke’s mother was right there, watching. “You know I can’t waltz.”
