“That we’re stepsisters, or that we’re still looking for husbands?” Beth asks, looking gleeful.
“Both,” Lady Demeroven says, glancing at Father, who nods. “Though perhaps we can forget the rest of this season, and possibly the next.”
Gwen feels herself relax into Father’s side. “So, you don’t mind?” she asks Lady Demeroven, feeling shy but bold at once.
“No,” Lady Demeroven says softly, squeezing Beth. Beth’s shoulders seem to come down, chin high. “If you’re both happy, that’s all that matters, and I’m just as happy for you. And better—goodness, better you’re together than out there. The things Lord Ashmond said tonight,” she says, glancing at Beth, whose smile dims.
“I hope his wife is all right,” she says.
“What happened?” Father asks.
Lady Demeroven wrinkles her nose. “I think I’ve ensured this is a spectacular scandal. I suppose I should have opened with that. We’ll be... we’ll be dragging your reputation through quite a lot. God, we have to formally end your engagement,” she adds, looking to Beth.
“I do think storming out rather did that for us,” Beth counters.
Father chuckles and all three of them turn to look at him. “Don’t worry about our collective reputation. We’ll be the talk of the ton for a cycle and then they’ll forget us. I would be happy—no, honored, to pen a refusal for Beth, if you’d like.”
Lady Demeroven’s grin is positively evil. “That sounds wonderful.”
“Excellent,” Father says, squeezing Gwen to his side before stepping away and holding out his hand for his... good Lord... fiancée. “Shall we? Breakfast in the morning, girls?”
“We’re staying?” Beth asks.
Lady Demeroven takes Father’s hand. “I hardly think one more scandal can hurt us, do you?”
“Agreed,” Father says, grinning at her before looking back at them. “Have a good night, ladies.”
And with that, Father sweeps Lady Demeroven off down the hall toward his study, leaving a flabbergasted Gwen and Bethalone in the front hall, staring after them. They listen as the study door opens and shuts, and then it’s just silence, the two of them there, clutching at each other in shock.
“What the absolute hell?” Gwen finally exclaims, turning to look Beth over, the relief and happiness and confusion of the last few minutes skittering over her skin.
“Surprise?” Beth says, laughing as Gwen shakes herself, unsure if she wants to whack her or kiss her senseless.
“How?” she asks, searching for better words, but coming up empty.
“Lord Ashmond and Mother got in a heated row, and that was kind of the last straw. We stormed out, and then she was panicking and I thought, well, why not try just one more time and... itworked.”
“It worked,” Gwen repeats, glancing toward the closed study. They actually did it.
She feels Beth’s fingers trailing down her arms and turns back, tangling their hands together. They’re both wide-eyed and breathless. Gwen swallows, too many words caught in her throat. Beth is so beautiful, and so brilliant, in her foyer, hers to have and—
“I hope it’s all right with you that we’re here forever. I really don’t think I could stand to say goodbye to you a third time.”
Gwen tugs her in, instinctive and awkward. She wraps her arms tight around Beth’s shoulders and Beth laughs. “No more goodbyes, ever,” Gwen says firmly, the thought burning bright through her chest.
Beth giggles into her neck, lips brushing over her pulse. “Yeah?”
“I’m keeping you.”
Beth presses closer, squeezing her waist. “Forever and always?”
“Forever and always and eternity and infinity,” Gwen promises, a rush of heady, desperate joy descending through her shock that makes her pull back to see Beth’s face.
“For centuries, and eons, and epochs?” Beth asks, her eyes sparkling.
“For every season, and year, and decade, and—” She’s halfway onto bended knee before she even thinks about it.
“Come here,” Beth says, hauling her up into a thoroughly, exultantly, ridiculously perfect kiss. The silk of her gown beneath Gwen’s palms, the press of her lips, the pressure of her hips—it’s heaven, and they stay there kissing like it’s the end of the world for what feels like ages.
