“I hope we haven’t frightened her off,” Dahlia whispered to Bryony.
“I won’t allow you to.” Heath lifted Nora’s fingers to his lips for a second kiss. “I am hoping to make her presence permanent.”
Her heart stopped. Heath hadn’t been planning on making her an offer to become his mistress. He wanted her to be hiswife.
A bolt of longing sharp enough to scald shot through her at the idea. Courted. Byhim. Her heart ached.
There was nothing she wanted more than to be Heath’s wife, to be part of this wonderful madcap family, to live happily ever after.
But she would lose him if she were honest with them. Lose all of them, all ofthis.
Nor could she wed him with such a secret hiding between them. He would never forgive such a betrayal. She would never forgiveherselfif she hurt any of them more than she already had.
Her skin prickled with cold sweat. It took all the courage she had to ruin a moment so perfect, but she forced herself to speak. “I think…”
A footman strode into the room. “Lady Grenville requests the honor of her children’s company.”
“Mother,” Camellia gasped. “I forgot all about tea.”
“I’ve never in my life forgotten tea,” Bryony said with feeling.
Heath leapt to his feet and offered his elbow to Nora. “Come, meet my mother in truth this time.”
Nora swallowed her protest. She had no choice but to take the arm of the man she loved and allow him to lead her to a mother she would never have. This was not the moment to make an uncomfortable scene for Heath. They could speak later, in private.
If such were even necessary.
More likely, Lady Grenville would put paid at once to the fantasy of her husband’s heir courting a sheep maiden from the West Midlands.
Nora’s heavy stomach churned at the idea of losing them all. She’d somehow fallen in love with Heath’s entire family in the space of an afternoon.
No wonder he would do anything in his power to protect them. Particularly from people like her.
Even if she had not involved his sister in one of her caricatures, a courtship with Nora would ruin more than Heath’s social standing. It would ruin his career. The name he had so painstakingly built for himself was as the man who kept thetonscandal-free.
She couldn’t ruin that for him.
“Is Father downstairs?” Heath asked one of the footmen in a low voice.
The footman shook his head. “No, my lord.”
Heath’s jaw tightened.
“It’s nothing to do with you,” Bryony whispered in Nora’s ear. “Father is never around.”
Heath stopped in his tracks and turned to face Nora.
She stared up at him in alarm.
“What my sister said is true.” He lifted Nora’s hands to his chest. “But it won’t happen to us. I want you to know that I am not a mercenary suitor in search of some cold alliance. I’m looking for a partner in all senses, now and forever. With you, I’ve found everything I’m looking for.”
“That’s… extremely romantic,” Dahlia whispered.
Bryony nodded, wide-eyed. “I don’t think we should be witnessing this part.”
Nora could not speak over the pounding of her heart.
“What part?” came a curious voice.
