“I. . . cannot . . . bear it.”
“Bear it?”
“I need you, Leona. Oh, God, help me. I need you! Please don’t turn me away. I don’t care if you don’t love me?—”
“Not love you!” she gasped.
“It will come. I know it will! But please, Leona, my fierce lioness, don’t turn me down! I need your strength, your heart, your humor. I need youtoo damn much!”He looked down at the letter in his hand. “I can’t. . .face it. . .alone!”
“Deveraux—Nigel!” She touched his arm, wanting with all her heart to comfort, to ease his hurt, yet not knowing how. His expression frightened her. “I do love you. More than I can say.”
“Then why?—”
She shook her head helplessly. “You must marry as my brother has, a woman of substance. I cannot offer you a dowry. I am poor! And you cannot afford to marry where there is no money. I will not beggar you!”
“Beggar me?Devil take the money!I am not a rich man, but I can afford to keep you comfortable. Oh, God, what am I saying!” He started to laugh, a humorless, bitter laugh. “With this letter I am with one stroke a wealthy man!”
“Nevin?” Leona whispered with dawning understanding.
He nodded once. “I fear so. The letter is in my sister-in-law’s hand.”
“Oh, Nigel!” Leona cried, clinging to him.
He wrapped his arms around her, his body trembling. “Please, Leona,” he whispered in her hair, “Say you’ll marry me. I don’t think I can face opening this letter if you don’t.”
She sniffed and lifted her head to look into his eyes. They glistened with unshed tears. She reached up to trace the planes of his harsh, angular face lovingly. She nodded.
With a groan of relief, he gathered her tightly in his arms. “Thank you, my love, thank you. I’ll make you happy somehow swear it.”
He led her over to the settle and sat down beside her. Leona held onto his upper arm as he loosened the wafer and spread open the letter. He scanned it; his jaw clenched tight. Suddenly he sagged back against the settle, his features easing. One tear tracked down his rugged cheek.
“Nigel?” Leona whispered.
He turned to look at her, more tears streaming down his face, but now he was smiling.“He lives!Oh God, Leona, he lives! And Emily writes that he is even much improved! Even the doctors are amazed. They think there’s a chance! They ask—they ask if I might bring Chrissy to them in Switzerland. Brandon will have to stay there a while longer, but now since he appears out of danger, they want her with them!”
Leona began to cry and then to laugh. “Oh, Nigel, that is wonderful!”
“Wonderful! It is more than wonderful!” He surged to his feet, pulling Leona up with him. “What do you say, my love? How would you feel about a wedding trip to the continent?”
“I think that would be the best wedding trip a woman could have.”
He hugged her tightly. Then he stopped and looked down at her with a new horror on his face. “Lucy and Fitzhugh. . .and everyone at Castle Marin. They all think…”
She laughed, her heart suddenly free of the bonds that bound her. She tucked her arm in his. “Well, come on, don’t you think it’s ourdutyto share some good news?”
He grinned wickedly. “Yes, my love, yes. Especially since we have so much to share!”
