But he was shaking his head.“I should be the one apologizing for what you were forced to do because of my club.And I will, profusely, for the rest of my life.But that’s for later.For now, just tell me again what you said when you arrived.”
It didn’t take her long to realize what he was asking for.She smiled, her heart full.“I love you, Ethan—”
She was in his arms before the words were out, his mouth on hers, as if he would swallow her confession down to the very depths of his soul.
“Again,” he demanded when he broke the kiss, eyes blazing down into hers.
Her smile widened.“I love you.”
He kissed her eyes, her cheeks, her nose.“Again,” he breathed.
She laughed—her joy was so great—even as tears prickled her eyes.“I love you,” she managed through a throat tight with emotion.
He pulled back, gazed down at her.“Thank God,” he whispered.He cradled her to him, his eyes scouring her face as if he could not get enough of looking at her.One hand came up and cupped her cheek with such tenderness that those blasted tears threatened to spill over.And then, his voice shaking with emotion, “I love you, Heloise.”
Her tears broke free then, trailing down her cheeks.He kissed them away, one by one, each touch of his lips reverential.Which only made the tears come faster.
“I must be dreaming,” she whispered.Yes, that was it, she was still back at home, in her lonely bed, just dreamingof this beautiful moment.
He looked down into her eyes, his own brimming with tears.“If you are dreaming,” he managed hoarsely, “then I am, too.And that I will not condone.”
She gave a watery laugh.“And how do you propose we ascertain it is not a dream?”
He smiled tenderly.“There really is only one way.”When she raised a brow in question, his smile widened.“I shall just have to take you to my bed, and make love to you until dawn.”
Which, Heloise thought happily as he lifted her in his arms and strode through the club to said bed, was a very good idea indeed.
Epilogue
One month later
Heloise, dear, some letters have come for you.”
Heloise, in the process of inspecting a sword in the makeshift fencing salon at the Wimpole Street house, glanced up excitedly.She never received letters, after all, having no one to write to.Except…
“Julia?”
Sylvia smiled.“It appears so.”
Heloise needed no further urging.Placing the sword aside, she sprinted for Sylvia, tearing into the first letter the moment it was in her hands.Her eyes fairly raced over the page, devouring every elegantly penned word before, with a happy sigh, she read it a second time, slower now, relishing every happy sentence.
“She is well?”
Heloise grinned at her.“More than well.Oh, Sylvia, I never believed she could find such joy in life.She and Miss Newberg have had the most wonderful adventures already, and only a month into their trip.It is as if she was made for traveling the world.”
“How splendid.It appears Lady Ayersley did her quite the favor forcing her to quit with that whole jewelry fiasco.”She gave Heloise a sly look.“And she is not the only one who has bloomed from the rubble of that mess.”
Heloise’s face heated, even as she smiled.That was too true.If not for Lady Ayersley and her propensity for gambling well beyond her means, she would never have lost her jewelry at Dionysus, and Heloise would never have met Ethan, and they would not have fallen in love.
Her heart thumped happily in her chest as she recalled their promise to meet that evening at the club.Not that they did not meet nightly as it was.But that did not stop the giddy anticipation from filling her.Yes, it had been serendipitous, indeed.If only…
She stopped the rogue thought in its tracks.Noif only.Did she wish to spend every possible moment with him?Yes.Did she wish they had a place of their own that was away from Dionysus, a haven that was just for them?Also yes.
But she would not complain, would take him wherever and whenever she could have him, and gladly.
“As I said,” Sylvia murmured, “she is not the only one who has bloomed.But what is that second letter you have there?”She indicated the missive Heloise had tucked beneath her arm while she’d read over Julia’s letter.
Still smiling, certain this was yet another letter from her sister-in-law that had gotten delayed in the post, she opened it as well—only to be met with an unfamiliar scrawl.Frowning, she quickly read the short note.
