“And even if it weren’t,” Lady Pembrooke said. “Do you think I would separate my son from a woman who makes him look at her like that?”
Lily glanced at him and found George was staring at her and there was nothing but love on his face. Powerful, pure, unshakeable love that was nothing like she’d ever dreamed of for herself.
“Yes, just like that,” Lady Pembrooke said with a sigh. “There’salwaysa chance that a marriage won’t produce children. If this one doesn’t, my husband has brothers and they have sons and there will be someone to carry on this name in the end. I wouldn’t take George away from you for some unknown grandchildren who may or may not ever exist no matter who he weds.”
There was some relief to that but Lily still met George’s stare. “The only opinion on the topic that matters is yours.”
“I want you,” he said. “I’ve made that clear enough, haven’t I? I don’t care about anything else.”
“Yes, you do,” Lily said with a shake of her head. “The last months have proven that. And therewillbe a scandal. It’s unavoidable. What if we hurt?—”
“My dear,” his mother said. “It isn’t my place to interrupt this proposal even if I keep doing so, but if you fear hurting me or my husband, we have endured a great many scandals thanks to this rogue. This one would be apleasureto navigate because it will obviously bring him happiness.”
“Thank you, Mama,” he said.
His father put his arm around Lady Pembrooke’s waist. “And it might also solve your other problem. If you two are married, that would allow Alice to live with you. After all, you would certainly have the ability to provide her with a great deal.”
Lily looked toward her. “That’s true,” she whispered. “Alicecould live with us. And you would never be in danger from…from anyone ever again.”
Alice caught her breath because it was clear the facts that had been unspoken. Mary would live with them, as well. Mary would be safe. And ultimately, they would be free to be together, at least in Lily and George’s walls.
“I would be certain of it,” George said. “For you, Alice. But also for Lily.”
Alice stepped up and touched his hand. “I did not want to call you husband, but I would be very happy to call you brother. Lily, this man and his family are working hard to resolve all your fears. You mustn’t refuse him. Please, do this for yourself. Embrace the happiness and love you’ve always deserved.”
His father let out a chuckle. “And now, my boy, you seem to have the unsolicited advice and blessing of a roomful of onlookers. We’ll leave you now to finish convincing my lovely future daughter-in-law to say yes.”
Lily blinked at his certainty and smiled as he patted her hand before he guided his wife and her sister from the room and left her alone with George.
“We never do things in the right order, have you noticed that?” he said, his face bright and filled with mischievous pleasure she hadn’t seen there before.
She felt the same on her own face, despite her misgivings. “Are you truly certain?” she asked. “Their interruptions and blessings aside, certain foryourself.”
“Perhaps I’m not being clear. Lily, I don’t want to be like my father, riddled with regrets for what I didn’t do for the woman I love. There could never be regrets about knowing I did everything for her. And you are her. I love you. I’ll repeat it a thousand times if it helps. And I’ll repeat my question as often as I need to: Will you marry me?”
There was a sweet anxiousness to his expression now. As if he didn’t know her heart. But then again, she hadn’t said it to him yet because of the barriers that had stood between them, both real and imagined.
She touched his face. “I love you, too, George. So deeply, so powerfully, so truly. To be your wife would be a dream.”
“Is that a yes, then?” he pressed.
She pressed her forehead to his, feeling their breath mingle and suddenly all her fears felt so much lighter. “Yes,” she said. And then she shouted it. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
He only silenced her with a kiss and she was very happy to end the conversation in such a way. Or start it. Or continue it. As long as he was hers.
* * *
“She’ll never allow this,” Alice said as she walked through the hallway with Lily and George.
Lily looked up at George and he felt strong as a quarter horse when she did. “I’m not asking her,” he said. “I’m telling her.”
They opened the door to the parlor where Lady Westinghouse awaited them. He felt the shift in both women. The fear he wanted to erase from both their lives. And he would in time.
“Good morning, Lady Westinghouse,” he said. “Thank you for waiting for us. I’m sure you have a great many questions.”
“I do,” she snapped, and glared at her daughter and stepdaughter. “Where did you run to, you ungrateful thing? How did Lily convince you to ruin all this?”
Alice clutched Lily’s hand. “Lily didn’t doanything, Mama. And you know why I ran. You were happy to shout it to my former fiancé without any thought for me.”
