“You’re not a skillful liar.”
He had the right of that. She thought of him nearly every minute of every day. “Unhand me.”
“You haven’t your reticule filled with books.”
“I’m very good at shoving.”
Slowly he unfurled his fingers. “Come somewhere with me so we can talk.”
“No.” She intended to do little more than walk through the throng, stare them all down, and be on her way. She started her descent and he moved in front of her, barring her way.
“You rejected Beresford. You’re ruined. They’ll turn their backs on you. You’ll receive cuts—”
“I’m well aware of what I’ll be forced to endure, but I shall leave Society on my terms, not theirs. I was invited to this ball, and so I have come.”
“At least let me accompany you.”
He offered his arm, and she merely shook her head. She only possessed so much strength when it came to refusing him, and if she touched him, her resistance was likely to crumble into a heap at her feet. She despised the way her heart pounded and her body strained to be nearer to him as though he were her North Star. “I’d rather you didn’t, Matthew.” Momentarily, she squeezed her eyes shut. “Pardon my slip. I mean, Lord Rosemont.”
She started down, aware of him not following, further noting that music no longer played, that all eyes had been upon the drama playing out on the stairs. She’d wanted to face them all head-on but hadn’t expected to do it all at once.
“I love you, Miss Trewlove.”
In spite of the gasps and tittering, his voice echoed around her, his words slamming into the very fabric of her being. But this time, they seemed more intense, larger, more profound. Staggering to a stop, every muscle tensing, she slowly turned to face him. “Don’t do this, Matthew, not here.” So publicly. She hated that they had an audience, but in the aristocratic world, everything always seemed to be on display. “It will not go well.”
“Because I hurt you. Because we hurt each other.” He went down one step, then another. “If not here, if not now, then where and when?”
“Never. You didn’t tell me who you were.” She’d lowered her voice, but still it seemed to echo up the stairs.
“You knowwhoI am, Fancy. You just didn’t knowwhatI am.” He spread his arms wide. “Now you know. How am I different?”
How did she explain that he was more? Or at least he should have been. But all she saw standing before her was the man. The man who had eaten a meat pie with her on the steps, had looked at a naughty photograph, had come to her aid, had kissed her senseless. Who had introduced her to passion and shown her how to soar. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because from the moment I met you, you captured my heart with your kindness, your generosity, your openness, your acceptance. You are the most gracious, unassuming woman I’ve ever known. For me, you were never a passing fancy. I don’t believe that can be said of all the gents here.”
She knew he was referring specifically to Beresford. Was he in attendance? She hoped so. She wanted to face him as well. Matthew was saying all the right words, but he’d once said the wrong ones. “You believed me capable of deceit.”
His eyes closed, his jaw clenched. Several heartbeats passed before he finally opened them. “I was blinded by my past. I don’t excuse my accusations or my actions—and I know now that Beresford sought to compromise you. But he didn’t count on you having the strength of will to reject a life or a gentleman you didn’t favor.” Another step down. “That took courage, Miss Trewlove. As well as an understanding of your own worth. A good many ladies could learn a great deal from you.”
Another step nearer. One more and his feet would land on hers. One more and she would have no choice but to wrap her arms around him to avoid tumbling backward.Take that step, a corner of her heart pleaded.Give me an excuse to touch you once again.
“Tell me that you don’t love me.”
She hadn’t expected the command. She could no more lie to him than she could to herself. He’d told this entire assembly that he loved her. How could she do any less? “Before Lord Beresford offered to show me the library, I had decided that I wasn’t going to attend any more balls, that I didn’t want to be part of the aristocracy because you weren’t there. And afterward, when I realized to spare my family shame, I would have to marry him, I knew that never again would I know a moment of joy because you would no longer be in my life.” The tears burned her eyes, and she blinked them back. “I love you so much that I can barely remember a time when I didn’t.”
The depth of emotion reflected in his green eyes weakened her knees. With one hand, he cradled her cheek. “I desperately want to kiss you, Fancy.”
“I desperately want you to.”
“Will you give me leave to call on you?”
She shook her head. “No, but I will give you leave to marry me.”
His grin was devilishly wicked, filled with promises. “For you, Fancy, it must be done right.”
Moving past her slightly, he went down a step and then lowered himself to one knee and took her hand. “Miss Trewlove, will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
“I have a scandalous reputation, my lord.”
