“I was.” She sounded reluctant, but Hugh congratulated himself that she hadn’t yet run from the room.
“Well then we’ll keep doing that.”
“Why?”
“I beg your pardon.”
“No you don’t, you’re just biding for time,” she countered with a slight laugh. “Don’t be a ninny. Tell me why you suddenly want to go through with our sham betrothal.”
~~~~
Ellen’s stomach was in knots. She had been furious when Hugh had kissed her at Vauxhall, certain he was going to kiss and run just as he had four years ago. It had dawned on her in that moment that she had fallen in love with him during the time they had spent together in their faux betrothal. Or perhaps she had never fallen out of love with him from when she was a young girl so long ago. But whatever the case, she couldn’t wed him if it was merely an obligation on his part. She couldn’t bear to be married to a man she loved who couldn’t love her back.
He fidgeted a little bit more but to her shock, he suddenly threw himself onto the floor at her feet where she was seated in the least comfortable chair in the room. But she barely noticed her discomfort, so caught up in the moment was she.
“It’s not a sham for me. I know when I demanded you become betrothed to me I said it was to keep you safe and to protect my investigation, but it was really just an excuse. I didn’t fully realize it at the time. But I should have become engaged to you years ago, when we shared that first kiss. I never should have left you in such a shabby way.”
“Why not?” she demanded.
“Because I love you quite madly, and I was a fool to think I could live without you. Returning to London and being in your company again has proven that to me. Do, I beg of you, Ellen, say you’ll have me. I’ll do everything I can to make you love me in return.”
Ellen allowed a heartbeat to pass before she stood and pulled him up before her. Finally she shrugged.
“You really needn’t do anything more. I’ve loved you since I was a girl. I’m likely to love you until the grave. I’ll happily remain betrothed to you.”
“But only until the altar,” he countered with laughter that was quickly cut short as his head descended and he sealed her lips with his own.
Epilogue
Two years later
Ellen cradled her rounded belly as she leaned against her husband on the settee.
“I can’t believe Amelia is having trouble with her debut,” she said to Hugh as he perused the letter she had just handed him. “I’m glad Adelaide is giving her a little guidance, but it’s odd that Jeffrey isn’t there yet. If you’ll recall, it was the same for my debut. He and Father were both absent when I first made my entrance into Society. At least she has Father.”
“And just look where that led to for you,” Hugh said, glancing up from the letter with a twinkle in his eye. “From this letter, though, it doesn’t sound as though she’s finding much comfort in your father’s presence as he is far too busy with House business.”
Ellen stared off into the middle distance causing Hugh to question her. “What are you thinking, my dear wife?”
“I’m remembering the trouble I got up to when the Season wasn’t completely to my liking.”
Hugh frowned. “As I recall, you were quite enjoying your Season. It was my interference that took it off its rails.”
“In the very best way,” Ellen agreed promptly, leaning in for a kiss from her beloved. Despite the pleasant distraction, though, she couldn’t quite get her sister off her mind. “Do you think we ought to go up to Town and see to her?”
Hugh cast a significant glance at her midsection. “I suspect you wouldn’t last long in a carriage before you’d be presenting me with a child,” he said before grinning. “Or is that your intention?”
Ellen laughed. “I wouldn’t be disappointed to have this little one in my arms rather than in my belly, I cannot argue with that. But I am a little worried about Amelia. It isn’t like her to complain. Or rather, it might be like her to complain, but it’s unusual for her to think she isn’t excelling at something. And I feel as though Viscount Adelaide would be the least likely to assist her. It seems to me all he does is gossip and take snuff.”
Hugh couldn’t quite meet her gaze after that statement, and Ellen immediately noticed his reticence. “What is it that you know and aren’t telling me, my lord?” she demanded with mock severity. “I have my ways of extracting information out of you.”
“I know you do, my darling, but this isn’t my secret to tell.”
Ellen’s eyes lit up. “So you admit that there is a secret.” She threw herself into her husband’s arms and proceeded to delightfully torture him into telling her everything.
The End
