“I will, but I need another kiss. That will seal our deal. And confirm that we’ve won the duke’s bet by choosing us.”
“Yes, ma’am. That’s an order I can humbly follow.”
Mark swept me into his arms again.
Warm, deep, searching, his kiss made me hear music.
Dizzy, I held on to him, and those talented, awakening hands began playing with my laces.
Then a cough and an “Oh my” made him stop.
Katherine and the duke had found us again, but not as innocently as before. With Mark’s hands on my thighs, my arms wrapped tightly about him underneath his coat. I could say we were very far from innocent.
“Don’t kill me, Torrance,” he said. His palms came to the top of my skirt, anchored to my waist. “We are in love and eloping tonight. We’ll be married in days.”
The duke drew a hand to his chin, which I now thought of as his scheming pose. “Lady Hampton, are you familiar with a Cossack marriage?”
“No, Your Grace, I don’t recall.”
He cast my sister an odd, hurt look. “Well, two people in love say publicly that they are in love and want to be married. A prayer is then offered. The union is complete, save consummation. I believe these young people are starting their future in the wrong order, Lady Hampton.”
“Yes, wrong order, Your Grace.”
“And if we hadn’t been taking a walk to settle our wager, I’m sure they’d have the order completely wrong. And start all that bad gossip up again.”
“Don’t care about blasted newspapers, Torrance. Nothing is ever wrong in loving Georgina Wilcox. Wait, there’s a ball, with hundreds of guests, just beyond the maze. That’s public enough.”
He reached in his pocket and produced a tiny silver band. “Marry me now, Georgie.”
My head nodded. My voice sangyesand my eyes teared as Mark slid the ring on my finger. “Now someone offer a prayer. Katherine, please.”
She looked at the duke, then me and Mark. “May this union be blessed. May God keep you focused on how you feel right now. May you be unified in all things. Amen.”
Katherine kissed my cheek, then Mark’s.
The duke hugged me, then bowed to my . . . husband. “There’s a suite upstairs at the end of the west hall. Go take care of your wife. You are married as Cossacks. But tomorrow, I’ll have a special license here so the British will recognize this union too. You never know when such a thing might be challenged.”
“Torrance,” my husband said, “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Easy thing, my friend. Never let her go.”
Mark agreed and picked me up, his bluestocking bride, and carried me through the maze and back inside Anya House.
We passed Lord Livingston, who conversed with Scarlett as an annoyed-looking Mr. Carew looked on. The physician seemed to do a lot more examining of my sister since the phlebotomy and the duke’s parade of candidates.
When the earl saw us, Mark spun my hand. I’m sure the gleam from the silver blinded him in the eyes. He wandered off looking sad and asking for more spirits.
Poor Scarlett looked scared, then delighted. I didn’t have time to tell her I hadn’t lost my mind but had found my heart.
Mr. Carew saluted, then whisked my sister back into the drawing room.
But Mark didn’t go up the stairs, he went to the duke’s kitchen. “Georgie, how long does it take to make your biscuits?”
“An hour?”
“I need everyone to leave, His Grace’s orders. I need this room.” He set me down, kicked the door closed when all fled. “An hour.”
Laughing and happy, I stared at him as he wrapped an apron about my gown. “What are you doing?”
