“Absolutely not.” He shook his head again.
“Because Lucy sent you?” she finally asked.
Collin’s bark of laughter filled the room. “I’ve never done anything Lucy told me to before, and I’ve no intention to begin now. I’m here because we’re meant for each other, and always have been. I’ll never let you go again.”
Erienne laughed. Then she cried. Then she jumped up, threw herself into his arms, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes, Collin Hunt, I’ll marry you. I’ll marry you whenever you like.”
“Excellent.” He slid an arm beneath her legs, lifted her, and marched toward the door.
“Miss Stone?” the forgotten countess called from her perch on the settee, waving her handkerchief in the air. “Does this mean you’re no longer interested in the position as governess?”
“That’s right, Lady Marsden,” Erienne replied over Collin’s shoulder, torn between tears and laughter. “I’ve changed my plans. I’m now set to wed General Collin Hunt, high-ranking official in the Home Office, and the only man I’ve ever loved.”
“I see,” Lady Marsden called as the newly betrothed couple made their way into the foyer. “Perhaps you should let Mrs. Griggs know?”
Erienne and Collin both laughed uproariously as he carried her out the front door, down the steps to the street, and to his waiting coach. He helped her inside and pulled himself up after her. Once the coach door was closed behind them, he tugged her into his arms and kissed her until she couldn’t breathe, which was fine because she’d always secretly imagined she could survive on his kisses alone.
“You came for me,” Erienne murmured after the kiss ended.
“Just righting a wrong I made fourteen years ago,” he replied with a tender smile.
“What took you so long?”
“I’ve been a fool,” he said, lifting her hand to his lips, “but I intend to make up for it with all due haste.”
She watched, hypnotized, as his tender kiss brushed across her knuckles. Then she swallowed and said, “You thought I was married in Shropsbury, didn’t you?”
Collin gave a solemn nod. “Your mother told me you were.”
“What?” Horror washed over her. How could her mother spin such a lie, and one that would destroy her own daughter’s future for so very long?
“I came for you that Christmas,” Collin said. “The Christmas after you left. Your mother told me you’d married a viscount and moved to Shropsbury.”
Erienne pressed a hand to her throat, tears welling anew on her lashes at the thought of him, so young and hopeful, arriving at her family home and meeting with the impenetrable brick wall of righteousness that was her mother. “That’s horrible. I never knew.”
“At the time, I assumed it was for the best. I thought I wasn’t good enough for you, Air. I still think that. But I intend to spend the rest of my life attempting to become good enough.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck again. “You only have to be yourself, darling.”
“Yes, well, as to that. I intend to stop working so much and take a great many more holidays.”
She laughed as he nuzzled her neck. “Is that so?”
“Yes,” he said lightly, and with complete certainty. “I find I’m quite preoccupied with my new pastime.”
“Which is?” She leaned her head back against the velvet squabs of the coach and closed her eyes.
“Making love to my beautiful wife.”
“Hmm. I like the sound of that.”
“Lord Treadway is just going to have to manage without me.”
“He’ll be fine,” Erienne replied.
“I agree,” Collin declared, pushing the sleeves of her gown over her arms to kiss the tops of her breasts.
“Are you going to make love to me in a carriage of all places?” she asked, slightly scandalized.
