“Ah, there you are,” Evan said, standing up.
His voice faded as she looked towards Evan, her cheeks heating up. She bit her lip, her embarrassment heightening. Her face was a bright red now.
Pull yourself together, Augusta. There are people watching.
She looked away from him for a moment but her eyes soon found him once again as he stood up, walking towards her with slow-paced and deliberate steps. His eyes bore into hers, his lips turning up in a smile that caused her breath to quicken.
“Lady Augusta,” he breathed, taking her hand in his. He raised it to his lips, his eyes fixed on hers.
Her skin heated at the feel of his soft lips on her skin. She kept it in hers, although she wanted to wrench it from his grasp. He made her feel things she shouldn’t.
“Your Grace. I’m glad you could make it. I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long,” she asked, the others fading into the background as he held her in a trance.
“You need not worry about that. I would have waited longer, had it been necessary,” he said. “You look beautiful.”
Augusta’s cheeks heated once again. “You’re quite generous, Your Grace. Thank you.”
A throat cleared in the background, drawing them back to the present. Augusta jerked, wrenching her hand from his. Her gaze flitted across the room at the smiling faces staring back at her and her brother who rolled his eyes at the show they’d put on, although he did not appear angry.
“Oh, you are such a darling to behold. Come dear. Come sit with me,” The Dowager Duchess said, stretching out a hand for Augusta to take.
Augusta did as she was told and sat with the woman, happy.
“Well, we’re all here. What is it you wish to discuss, Harris?” Evan asked, putting an end to the separate conversations all over the room.
“I am here formally this time, Curtis. I wish to marry your sister. She has agreed to my suit and I hope that we will have your blessing so that we can be together,” Benedict said, staring at Evan seriously.
His eyes flickered to Augusta for a moment and she gasped quietly when he tossed her a wink. She turned away, smiling shyly when his mother continued to look between the two of them amusedly.
“Hmm…”
Augusta’s head quickly in Evan’s direction when he said nothing else.What’s happening right now?
She looked at Jane who stared back at her with same confused expression.
What are you doing?Her eyes spoke in a silent conversation with Evan who remained straight-faced for a moment. She looked at Benedict who looked like he’d seen a ghost, his face paling, lips pursed into a thin line and eyes wide as waited for Evan to speak. His eyes did not stray from him, not even to look in her direction.
“Can someone please get me a handkerchief? I think I just might cry?” Evan said dramatically.
Augusta frowned. She’d feared for a moment that he had considered refusing Benedict but clearly he was only jesting. She glared at him, looking around at the room filled with people who shared her thought. She calmed a little when Jane poked him in the ribs and he grimaced, rubbing at the area.
“I can honestly say that I had already given up hope in Augusta ever getting married. In truth, whenever I thought of suitors standing at my door, seeking my blessing, I could only really picture Nancy but just look what the heavens had in store,” he replied, still maintaining his dramatic antics.
“Oh, brother. When will you be serious?”
“Ah, but you’ve always been serious enough for every member of the family,” he replied, his grin widening when Nancy giggled.
Augusta’s eyes flashed to hers and she calmed, hiding her face behind her hands. “Do forgive me for laughing, sister. I do not think you’re that serious, of course, although I suppose you do it more so than the rest of us.”
Augusta rolled her eyes before fixing her look on her brother once again.
“Right.” Evan cleared his throat. “Harris, I suppose I should welcome you to the family now that you’re going to be a part of us.”
Augusta grinned at Benedict who looked her with so much love.
“Thank you so much, Evan. Thank you for welcoming us into your family. I do have a request however,” he said, looking back at Augusta. “Might I have a moment alone with my betrothed.”
Evan chuckled, standing to his feet as he reached a hand down for his wife. “Of course. I’m sure you must have lots to talk about.”
