Oh God.
Her eyes suddenly filled with tears as the realizations of the last hour caught up with her. He loved her. He’d used her. He’d saved her.
“I love you, Kenneth,” she managed to choke. “I-I thought we had something truly magical.”
When he sighed, his breath ruffled her hair, and he cupped her cheek. “Listen to me. Ye’re the most intelligent woman—person—I ken. Ye solved this case, after all! So I want ye tolisten, and think about my words, aye?”
Mutely, she nodded.
“That wager, tangled as it’s become, was part of the case. That’s what I wanted to tell ye before. We thought Standish was a traitor, the rumors in the gossip rags ye ken, and just as the other collectors’ misfortunes had distracted them, we were applying the same technique. By seducing ye—by giving me an excuse to seduce ye, thanks to that stupid wager—I could distract Standish with scandal.”
Kenneth’s gaze bore into hers, willing her to consider his words. To understand. To believe.
Slowly, Barbara understood the truth. “It would have worked,” she whispered.
He nodded. “Now we ken those rumors of treason were the misfortune Sinter had arranged. Barbara, I approached ye because of the wager, which was made because of the mission—but I sat down beside ye an’ I met a brilliant young woman who had opinions about the penis size of the artist of the ceiling frescos.” His lips twisted wryly as he blew out a breath and shook his head. “After that, after I touched ye…it was nae longer about the wager. It hasnae been about the wager since the verra beginning, love.”
Barbara’s chest had begun to ache as the truth dawned. “You love me,” she whispered.
“How could I no’? Ye’re smarter than me, prettier than me, more remarkable than?—”
“Kenneth Fraser, I will thank younotto disparage the man I love.”
His thumb skimmed her cheek. “Ye really do?”
“Of course I do. I thought this was just a lark for you, and for a while—I mean, I was determined to enjoy it, but you make me feelspecial, Kenneth. When I found out you did not think I was anyone exceptional, just a wager to entertain you, it broke my heart.”
Had he gone paler? “Exceptional, love.” His thumb brushed her cheek again, then his hand dropped away. “How could I no’ fall in love with ye?”
And that might have been the most romantic moment she could have fathomed, had Kenneth not chosen that moment to slump, then stumble backward. With a little shriek of fear, Barbara lunged for him, ramming her shoulder against his uninjured side and turning him toward the ruined chaise.
The housebreaker’s attack had turned it upright once more after it saved Kenneth’s life, but it needed an extended stay with a talented upholstery expert.
Still, it was intact enough that she could ease him down.
“Maybe a bit more than a scratch,” he muttered, and her heart clenched. Still, when she tried to push away, he tightened his hold on her. “Dinnae leave me?—”
“Kenneth, I am only going to get help.” Fear and worry tore at her insides. “I do not want you bleeding to death just when I finally have hope for a future with you.”
“I’m no’ going to die.” His smile was crooked as he pulled her down atop him, and hedidlook more confident. “No’ while the woman I love is in my arms.”
With an exasperated sigh, Barbara shifted so her weight wasn’t on his wound. Honestly. Men! “You need medical attention?—”
“I needyerattention.” His arms snaked around her. “What was that about a future? Ye want one with me?”
Oh.
Suddenly shy, Barbara ducked her head to avoid his determined gaze. “Only—only if you do. I suppose I would not be averse to continuing in this manner. My reputation is already ruined, after all.” She peeked up at him.
Kenneth was grinning like a fool. “Miss Fokette, are ye proposing matrimony to me?”
“Yes?” As his dimple deepened, so did her confidence. “Yes. I want you in my life, Kenneth, and I want to be in yours. I know you have a life full of adventure and excitement and I can only offer you dull antiquities studies, but?—”
He silenced her with a kiss.
It was slow and deep and lasted quite some time. When they finally pulled apart, she rested her forehead against his, and reveled in his smile.
“Diplomatic corps,” he finally said firmly, and she pulled back. “Foreign Office.”
