She nodded, Perhaps it was the laudanum that was making her feel so weepy. “On one condition.”
His eyes widened at this. “Anything.”
Perhaps something good could come of her stepping in front of that bullet after all.
“I want you to promise me that you will not dwell on our… accident this morning. Not blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault. It was simply an accident.” She held up her one finger before he could interject. “And furthermore, I hate that you still blame yourself for Father’s death. I want you to stop blaming yourself for things.”
Bethany noticed the tick in his jaw, and then he tilted his head and made that atrocious cracking sound with his neck. And in that moment, staring at the creases at the edges of his eyes as he contemplated the past, she saw him differently. Not as an earl, not as the head of their family, but simply as a brother, as a son.
“You sound like Charley,” he finally responded.
“I knew there was a reason I liked her.” Even more than that, she loved Charley. She’d never seen her brother so happy as he’d been on his wedding day. “Even if she is American.”
Jules laughed at that, but with genuine tenderness in his eyes. Ah, yes. He was a man who was very much in love.
“So…” He cleared his throat. “I suppose I will ask you this now and then that will be the end of it. You are happy with him?”
“Oh, yes.”
“And this… er… spanking business. Will you assure me that all of it was purely a fabrication, perpetuated by the London gossips who had nothing better than to make up something like this?” Jules’ complexion deepened to an almost ruddy hue. “Because, the idea of my little sister…”
Bethany stifled a giggle. “Oh, absolutely. One enormous lie. He was simply holding my hand.”
Jules slid her a sideways glance and then closed his eyes in exasperation. “I don’t want to know anything else. Ever.”
And truth be told, Bethany didn’t want to know anything of that nature about him and Charley.
“Likewise.” Bethany reached out to shake on the matter with him but then winced at the pain in her side.
Jules’ wince was even deeper. “I’m not sure how I can ever—”
“Remember your promise.”
The door cracked open again and this time, it revealed her husband. She was thrilled that she had her entire life to look forward to with him at her side. “Everything settled in here?”
“It is.”
Jules had risen and held out a hand to Chase. “We’re good then?”
Until that moment, Bethany hadn’t realized how concerned she’d been that the scandal she’d caused might have ruined a lifelong friendship. But as she watched the two of them shake hands, and then grip one another’s upper arms reassuringly, a warmth filled the last empty place in her heart.
And when Chase closed the door behind her brother and then turned back to her, that warmth exploded into every part of her person.
Because she finally knew love for what it really was.
And Chase had discovered the true nature of love as well.
The gleam in his eyes as he approached the bed was filled with as much affection as it was with wicked sensuality. “You need to heal up quickly.” He climbed onto the mattress beside her, sliding both of them down so that they lay on the same pillow, facing one another. “Because I fully intend to bend you over my knee when you do.”
A thrill shot past her belly, making her clench her thighs. “Promise?”
“On my word of honor.”
CHAPTER
Epilogue
I Wanted To Though…
