Her tone came out frosty. “Why would I do that?”
“You may well be carrying my child, and as I have already stated, I compromised you.”
A baby--she had never considered the possibility. She moved one hand to rest upon her midsection. “I will not marry you. If I do indeed carry your offspring, I will raise it on my own, in America.”
“Do not be daft. If you are carryingourchild, we owe the babe a family and the legitimacy to be gained through our union.” His voice raised by several octaves. “Our child would be heir to a dukedom!”
She stood and paced a few steps away before glaring back to him. “I am not carrying your child.”
The idea of carrying his baby settled into her heart, and she began to hope against reason that it could indeed be the case. A baby would give her a piece of him to cherish. A piece of him that would return her love.
“You have no way of knowing that, Amelia. Marry me?” He came up behind her and placed his arms around her. His hands rested gently on top of hers so that both of them caressed her midsection.
“It is of little consequence. It does not change the fact I cannot marry you.”
He moved his mouth close to her ear. “Why is it that you cannot marry the man who loves you?”
His warm breath on her neck sent tingles down her spine, and she swallowed hard. Her knees buckled as the words registered in her mind. She slumped against his hard body. Could it be true? Did he love her? He must be lying. She regained her strength and stepped out of his embrace. “How can you claim to love me after casting me away like a common tart?” The words burned her throat. She searched his eyes for the truth.
“Can you see your scheming was part of what made me so angry? I was hurt because you remained so focused on marrying an English lord that you could not see my love for you. And I was angry at myself for compromising you despite your plans. I knew when I bedded you that you planned to return to London and marry. I could not handle the knowledge that the woman I loved did not return my affection.”
He loved her. She could see it in his tormented gaze and hear it in the way his voice cracked. She threw herself into his embrace and smiled up at him. “Say it again? Tell me you love me?”
“I love you more than mere words could ever express. I want to spend the remainder of my days and nights with you, Amelia. Be it here in England or in Scotland makes no difference to me as long as you are by my side.” He brushed a curl away from her cheek. “Lady Amelia Cosgrove, Viscountess of Everthorne, will you do me the immense honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes.”
He brought his lips to hers, kissing her soundly. Her breasts pressed against his hard chest as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He pulled her closer, his kiss demanding more.
She softened under him, meeting his hunger with her own as desire spread through her. Would this always be her reaction to him?
She giggled girlishly when he broke off the kiss and swept her into his arms. Her heart soared as she held onto him like a person in danger of drowning. He cradled her against his strong chest before carrying her to a nearby bench and arranging her on his lap.
She slapped him playfully on the arm. “Had you allowed me to speak back in Sheffield, we could have avoided all of this. I wanted to tell you that I no longer planned to marry. I had decided to abandon my trifling and go to America because I could no longer imagine a loveless marriage. I hoped against reason you would return my feelings and stop me then.”
He reached up and feathered the fingers of one hand across her cheek, sending a parade of tingles through her. “You have my sincerest apologies. I shall spend the rest of my days making it up to you.” He smiled.
“And you can be assured I will hold you to your words, but for now I would prefer to plan our wedding.”
“I will procure a special license so we can marry without delay. Where would you like to hold the ceremony?”
She beamed. “Here by the fountain, and I want it to be a small affair. Naturally, Lady Sarah will stand with me, and Grace must be here too. There will not be time enough for Uncle Lewis to attend, but I must send him a letter.”
Richard pulled her in for a tender kiss full of promise.
She had found her home.
SCANDALOUS ENDEAVORS
EPILOGUE
Amelia glanced upas Lady Sarah swept into her bedchamber with Grace and Edna on her heels.
“Good morning! We have come to help you get ready.”
Grace beamed. “It is a glorious day for a wedding.”
Amelia stood and returned their sentiments with her whole soul. “A splendid day indeed. I have never been happier.”
