“You should not say such things,” she said with a swift glance directed at the maid and the footmen. All were chatting amicably with each other and paying them no mind at all.
“Not even if it is the truth?” Deliberately, he placed her hand on his forearm so he could escort her. They were almost at the woods now. He could see the wide path they would take between the fir trees.
“What are you saying?” Her voice was whisper soft, as if part of her did not want him to hear her while the other demanded an answer.
He pressed slightly closer to her side, his shoulder snug against hers, just like he wanted. The way her breath caught could mean only one thing – her awareness, her yearning, her desire for something more, was precisely the same as his own. And this bolstered his courage.
So he told her, without any attempt at pretense, “I wish to court you, Leonora.” And then, because he did not want to sound overbearing or leave her without any choice yet again, he hastily added, “If you will permit it.”
Her fingers flexed against his arm, their tips digging in until she was clutching him as if in need of added support. For long moments after, she said nothing at all, and only the sound of occasional birds and the winter breeze rustling the branches kept them company.
They entered the woods, and Philip’s insides started knotting together. He’d been so certain, so sure she felt the same, but perhaps he’d been wrong. Perhaps he’d misread her completely and—
“I will never be the housewife most men expect a woman to become when they marry,” she said, interrupting his thoughts.
“Of course not.” The tension inside him started to ease. “I already pointed out all the things I believe you would want in a husband. If you’ll recall, the willingness to let you keep running your shop was one of them.”
“So you would support me in my venture?”
“Wholeheartedly.”
She did not look entirely convinced. “My interest in plants is something of an obsession. You’ll have to put up with many discussions on the subject.”
“I see no problem with that as long as you’ll listen with interest when I speak of gentlemen’s hats, boots, pipes, and so on.”
“Of course I would. As my husband, your interests would be important to me.”
“And as my wife, yours would be of equal importance to me.” He leaned his head closer to hers and caught a quick whiff of vanilla and cinnamon. It mingled with the pine from the woods to create an alluring scent of the season. “Does that mean you’ll welcome my suit?”
“This is madness,” she murmured, and when she glanced up, her face so close he could see tiny freckles bridging her nose, her eyes were wide with wonder. “We hardly know one another. You cannot possibly profess to love me.”
“Of course not. Love isn’t something that sparks to life in a second. It takes time to develop, but I like you a lot, the necessary attraction is there, and I am confident that if you give me a chance, I will grow to love you.” He drew her to a halt so they could wait for the servants who were trying to catch up. “But if you don’t feel the same. If for some reason you cannot envision a life with me by your side then—”
“I can. I mean, yes, I...” She stared up at him as if she’d been searching for him her entire life, and his heart swelled in response. “I would welcome your courtship, Philip.” And then she smiled, bright and beautiful, and it was all Philip could do not to kiss her at that very moment.
But since they weren’t alone anymore, and they ought to be picking out a Yule log and pine for decorations instead of making eyes at each other, he accepted the shears being offered to him by one of the footmen, snipped a piece of pine from a nearby tree, and held it toward Leonora.
“To the promise of love and happily ever afters,” he whispered as he handed her the sprig.
She accepted it, her gloved fingers brushing his as she did so. “To a Christmas romance,” she replied. Her eyes sparkled and the corners of her mouth dimpled so adorably, his chest ached with the effort of encompassing his heart, which must have tripled in size these past three days.
Needing her close, he took her by the arm and led her forward. “Come. Let us find what we came for so we can return to the manor for some mulled wine and biscuits.”
#
LEONORA FELT AS IFshe’d been swept up in a dream from which she feared she might eventually have to wake up. The handsomest man she’d ever met did not merely like her, but had professed his intention to seek her hand. Except he wasn’t just handsome. He was funny as well. No one else had ever made her laugh as he did. And he was understanding and considerate, as evidenced by the fact that he would not ask her to give up her business if they chose to marry. Instead, he would support her, just as she would support him, and for the first time ever, she would actually have someone more experienced than herself to guide her and offer advice.
He’d already done so in fact, and although she refused to ask her sister for a loan to help pay her rent, she would do as he suggested when it came to the actual products she was selling.
She decided to bring this to Philip’s attention a few days later while they were wrapping red satin ribbons around a garland they’d just finished. “I intend to get rid of all vegetables as soon as I return to London. The shop’s focus going forward will be exclusively on flowers and fruit.”
“I think that’s the right decision.” He knit his brow and bit his lip while doing his best to tie a bow.
“Here. Let me help,” Leonora said when he seemed to struggle longer than necessary.
They were alone in the dining room with all their supplies spread out on a piece of brown canvas in order to protect the table. Leonora wasn’t sure where her sister or her brother-in-law were, but they had become increasingly scarce, which made her suspect a deliberate attempt at matchmaking on their parts. For although she and Philip had said nothing to either of them about their courtship, Leonora knew how observant her sister was and that there was no doubt she was on to the truth.
Leonora rose from her seat and slipped into the chair directly beside Philip. “Perhaps you can assist me with the marketing,” she said as she leaned in closer. That now-familiar scent of him, of sandalwood, leather, and coffee, assailed her senses, and for a second she could scarcely breathe. She reached for the ribbon he held, and her fingers grazed his, causing a jittery sort of unsteadiness right in the pit of her belly.
