“Josephine.” He leaned his forehead against hers, allowing their breaths to mingle across the short distance.
“Devon.”
His name, a whisper of sweetness upon her lips, filled him with hope for the future. Miraculously, she would be his, and nothing in the world had ever felt more right or more glorious.
* * *
Gazingup into Devon’s dark eyes, Josephine trembled with love and emotion. He was her fiancé now, her soon-to-be husband. “Is this really happening?” It seemed like a dream. A marvelously wonderful dream from which she never wanted to wake.
“Yes.” He kissed her again with languorous affection. “Now you’ve agreed to marry me, I’m never letting you go.”
As if to ensure she knew he was serious, he tightened his hold and kissed her harder—until she was breathless—until she could think of nothing but him and what spending the rest of their lives together would be like. An incredible journey, she imagined. One she looked forward to with increasing excitement bubbling through her veins.
“Can we tell your sister now?”
“I hoped to have a few more minutes alone with you,” he murmured against her lips.
And since she could not complain about his reasoning, she tilted her head back and welcomed more heady kisses. They weakened her knees, imbuing her with delicious pleasure and the all-encompassing knowledge of being loved.
“We probably should inform my sister now,” Devon said a while later, his breaths coming just as rapidly as hers. “Before I lose my finely held control and do something improper.” He drew back, eyes gleaming with deep emotion entwined with desire. “Besides, it is pretty rude of us to keep her waiting in the hallway when we’re supposed to be heading out to the assembly hall.”
Josephine gasped. “I quite forgot.” Which rewarded her with a roguish grin from Devon. “Oh dear. How utterly thoughtless of us.” She drew out of his embrace, just enough to regain some measure of her composure. “We should go and join her immediately.”
“I agree.” His reluctance showed in the slowness with which he stepped away from her and moved toward the door. There he paused a second, his eyes locked with Josephine’s as he quietly said, “This moment right here is, without a doubt, the happiest of my life.”
“Mine too.”
They shared a smile before he opened the door and called for his sister to join them.
* * *
The assembly hallwas brightly lit by hundreds of candles, the music played by three violinists a cheerful collection of notes to match the good moods of those who’d come to enjoy an evening out. Resting their feet by one of the windows while Devon spoke to a gentleman friend some short distance away, Josephine and Rowena watched the country dance underway.
“Have I told you how pleased I am with your engagement to my brother?” Rowena asked.
Josephine smiled. “I believe you said it immediately after we told you, then twice on the way here, and three times since.”
“I’ve always wanted a sister, and now I shall finally have one.”
“Not only one but three if you count Eve and Louise.”
“Oh yes!” Rowena’s eager eyes met Josephine’s. “We must write Lady Channing and ask her to let Louise come down for the wedding.”
“Do you suppose she’ll allow it?”
“I cannot imagine her denying a duke. Don’t forget my brother is one of the most powerful men in England.”
It was so easy to forget, secluded as they’d been from the rest of society this past week. But that would change. Already, she’d been given a taste of how it would be as whispers had swept through the assembly hall upon their arrival. Devon was not the sort of man who could go out in public without getting noticed. His attention was sought from men and women alike, and once it became known he would marry, the news of it would likely sweep through England like a blazing fire. Especially when everyone discovered the identity of the woman whom he intended to take to wife.
Fleetingly, Josephine wondered if he would ever regret the choice he’d made. After all, he could have any lady he wished for. Most would happily walk barefoot through burning coals for a chance to wed him. And yet he’d picked her, a woman who would bring scandal to his name. It was an unwelcome thought, albeit a realistic one. It made Josephine wonder if she’d made a mistake by accepting his proposal. She’d been so overwhelmed by happiness, she’d ignored the implications of the match.
A knot began to form in her chest. It tightened around her heart, squeezing it until she grew short of breath. And then he was coming toward her, parting the crowd with his certain stride until he remained but an arm’s length away. “Forgive me for staying away from your side so long,” he murmured. “Will you do me the honor of partnering me for the next dance?”
Josephine hesitated one second longer than what was expected, long enough for him to raise a questioning eyebrow. She excused herself to Rowena, while placing her hand in Devon’s and letting him lead her onto the dance floor. She said nothing as the music started to play a cotillion, her mind in turmoil over the magnitude of the path they’d embarked on that evening. Perhaps it was selfish of her to accept his proposal. If she truly loved him, should she not encourage him to make a better choice for himself?
“Are you all right?”
The question was spoken close to her ear, forcing her away from her troubling thoughts. Swallowing, she allowed herself to meet his inquisitive gaze while he guided her through the dance steps. She did not want to ruin their evening, nor did she wish to dismiss her concerns with a lie. “Are you sure you wish to marry me, Devon?” Her voice was low, so low only he would hear.
