And I will always find the patience to wait for you, darling.
For the past five days, Hannah’s words had reverberated through Eoin’s very being. But it turned out that he was the impatient one. Still, as much as he wanted to dash to her side, he hadn’t.
Hannah had been right that they both required time to sort through their emotions, and he’d needed to deal with his aunt’s treasonous operations. Even as he rode in the carriage to speak with the king, he’d thought of Hannah. He hadn’t just wished for her to be by his side, but he’d marveled at how she’d sacrificed her revenge for him.
He’d come to accept that she’d truly grown to care for him, even if their relationship had begun with lies—or at least with omissions. Slowly, a confidence had built inside Eoin, a belief that he could be loved and cherished, that he wasn’t just an empty puppet filled only with his grandfather’s goals.
“It’s been five days.” The inane announcement slipped from Eoin’s mouth before he could stop it. It was neither the mostromantic nor cleverest of statements, yet his simple words caused a massive grin to spread across Hannah’s face.
Before he could react, he found himself enfolded in an exuberant embrace. Hannah smelled of coffee, nutmeg, and home. Eoin buried his face in her red tresses, which were escaping from the bun at the nape of her neck. He accidentally knocked her mobcap askew, but Hannah didn’t seem to care as she drew him inside the coffeehouse.
“I missed you so much.” He squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to absorb every detail about her body pressed against his. Nothing in his life had ever felt this welcoming.
“As did I.” Her voice was muffled by his chest, but he could hear her clearly enough. Which was good because he wasn’t ready to let go.
“Thank you,” he breathed out. It was important, and he wanted the business with his aunt to be completely resolved between them.
“For what?” Hannah asked as she laid her cheek against him, her arms still tight around him.
“For allowing me to address Aunt Eliza’s crimes.”
Hannah shifted so she was looking up at him. Her chin poked into his waistcoat, but he didn’t care.
“What did you decide?”
“I confessed her crimes to King George. He does not want rumors circulating, and I believe he is embarrassed that the Crown’s secrets were being disseminated by a seemingly penniless widow. If Eliza had been a man, she likely would have been executed. Instead, King George is sending her to the Colonies.”
“What about your Aunt Joan and your uncles?” Hannah asked. “Will they be punished too?”
“I do not believe that they were aware of her more treasonousendeavors, but King George wishes for them all to be deported. I suspect that he’s worried that my uncles will spread rumors. And to be honest, I am astonished that they kept Eliza’s secret identity for so long. I suppose it was the stream of coin for their silence, which has dried up now.” Eoin really did not wish to speak about his relatives, but it needed to be said. Hannah and her family deserved the resolution.
“So they are facing the same fate as my father and uncle?” Hannah asked.
“They will be set up with a house and land, so it is not akin to what your family faced,” Eoin admitted. “It is not, perhaps, the revenge that you wanted. They will, however, be living rather close to the frontier, as the king fears that Eliza will try to reestablish her business, especially if they settled in Boston, Philadelphia, or the Tidewater.”
Hannah’s embrace did not change—not even by a fraction. She just kept holding him, her eyes soft with affection. The last tension that Eoin had been holding inside finally loosened.
“It will still be difficult for them, especially if they are far from any city,” Hannah said. “And there is some poetic justice in the fact that they have been sentenced with the same banishment. But I meant it when I said that my father, Sophia, and I are willing to forgo the old injuries. I’m ready to start anew, Eoin. With you.”
For a moment, Eoin could not speak. So many emotions erupted inside him that he could not tell where one started and the other ended. As much as he wanted to bask in them, he couldn’t dismiss his logical side. At least not yet.
“I will still be the Duke of Foxglen.” Eoin watched Hannah closely as he spoke. He did not want to force her into a marriage that would ultimately chain her down. “The king has no intention of stripping my title. I am not sure that I have earnedhis trust, but that is of little consequence to me. I will likely never be a favorite, but I will always be a noble, and so will my wife and children.”
Eoin took a steadying breath. Hannah’s lips twitched, and he could tell that she itched to speak. Yet she maintained her silence as she watched him with a promising warmth. Her unusual restraint was for him, and that gave Eoin the confidence to continue.
“My offer of marriage still stands, Hannah.” Eoin’s heart pounded so fiercely that his vision seemed to fade at the edges. He’d never experienced such a case of nerves. “I wish to remain by your side. Not just for a few weeks. Not just for a few years. But for the remainder of my future.”
Hannah’s mouth opened, and Eoin hurried to say the next. “I know you are worried about life as a duchess, and I have thought about your concerns. Perhaps a longer engagement might help ease your fears. It will give you time to consider your new life. Where I am able, I can adjust my lifestyle to accommodate yours as much as I possibly can. Obviously, the needs of the estate are great, and I know neither of us wishes for me to neglect those dependent on my lands. To be clear, I am not demanding that you give up your interest in the Black Sheep. When we are in London, you may still work here as you wish. It is unconventional, yet I will also be the duke whose mother and sister operate a boxing establishment. When we exchange vows, I want us both to be assured that we have an understanding of how we will jointly grow together.”
“You are the most remarkable man.” Hannah’s eyes glistened as she tugged on Eoin’s neck.
Mesmerized by the love shimmering on her upturned face, Eoin leaned down for a brief but brilliant kiss.
“A long engagement is perfect. After all, we are not the most typical of couples.” Hannah continued to stare up at him, her expression as open as ever. “But know that I do wish to marry you.”
“Even if it means being the Duchess of Foxglen?” Eoin asked, trying hard not to allow euphoria to overtake his rationality. Hannah had listened carefully to him, and now it was her turn to speak. He couldn’t smother her words with kisses, no matter how much he wanted to celebrate their love.
Hannah nodded solemnly. “You weren’t the only one who spent the last five days in contemplation, although I must admit that my revelations were rather last minute. Yet their newness has no bearing upon my conviction that they are right.”
