Hobbs shook his head. “The girl I want to marry one day is entirely convinced we’re nothing more than best friends.”
“Not to worry,” Grimaldi replied. “When the time comes, we candefinitelyhelp you with that.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Daffin sped toward the park, trying his damnedest not to skid on the snow and ice. He’d just come from Grimaldi’s town house, where he’d been informed by a smiling Lady Harriet that Regina and Nicole had taken their maids and gone to the park to build a snowwoman.
Daffin was rounding a curve in a footpath when he came upon Regina and Nicole and a fully formed snowwoman. The maids lingered nearby.
He skidded to a stop. “Regina!”
The two ladies swiveled to face him. Nicole’s face wore a bright smile. Regina’s eyes flared, a range of emotions playing across her pretty face.
“May I…” He cleared his throat and started again. “May I have a moment of your time?”
“We’ll, just… see you at home,” Nicole said, ushering the maids ahead of her down the snowy path toward the town house.
When she and Daffin were alone, Regina turned back to the snowwoman to place black licorice above the eyes. “What are you doing here, Daffin?”
“I’ve come to give you something,” he replied, doing his best to sound casual while his heart was dancing a jig. “And to ask you a question.”
She paused in her work.
Daffin took his time, strolling slowly around the back of the snowwoman and peeking his face around the side of its head.
She eyed him carefully, the hint of a smile popping to her lips.
He strolled out from behind her creation and stood facing Regina. “Happy Birthday, Regina.” He pulled a small green velvet box from his coat pocket and presented it to her.
“What’s that?” she asked, glancing at the box.
“A gift. For you. Open it and find out.”
She tossed the rest of the licorice into the snow, grabbed the box, and flipped it open to reveal a large oval sapphire ring set amidst smaller diamonds.
Daffin lowered himself to one knee, crunching through the snow on the ground.
“You’ll get your breeches wet,” she warned, tears in her eyes.
“I don’t care.”
“It’s gorgeous,” she said, covering her mouth with her mitten.
“It reminded me of your eyes,” he said. “Say yes?”
“You want to marry me?” she breathed.
“I do.” Daffin jumped to his feet and wrapped his gloved hands over her shoulders. “If you’ll have me, that is.”
She nodded tearily. “But why, why do you want to marry me?”
“For the best reason,” he continued.
“What’s that?” The tears rolled in quick succession down her cheeks.
He lifted her chin with one finger. “Because I cannot live without you.”
She dashed away the tears with her mitten.
