Page 86 of Lavender’s Lost Duke

He took her gloved hand in his own and bowed over it, bestowing a kiss on the back of her hand just as he had the first time he’d seen her. She was even more beautiful now that he knew the woman she was beneath her pretty face. “I was wondering if I could have a private audience with you, Lady Lavender.”

She nodded her head. “Of course.”

“You’ll need to ask her sponsor for that privilege, I’ll have you know,” Samuel said as he walked up the corridor.

Thomas tipped his head. “Forgive me, I am more than a little excited this morning. Might I have the privilege of speaking with Lady Lavender?”

Samuel clapped Thomas on the shoulder. “Please do. Miriam will have my neck if I keep you any longer than I already have.” He opened the door to his study. “Will this do?”

Thomas tugged Lady Lavender inside behind him. “This will do handsomely, thank you.” He snapped the door closed and pulled the comfortable chair to the middle of the room for Lady Lavender to sit in.

Her light laughter was all the encouragement he needed as he knelt on the floor before her. “Lady Lavender Gardner,” he took her hand in his own and tugged at the pinky finger of the glove she wore, “I have known you for many months.” He tugged at the fabric covering her ring finger. “I have adored you since the first time I set eyes on you.” He pulled at the middle finger. “And I have made myself a fool time and again by waiting for the right time to tell you something very important.” He slowly removed the glove from her right hand and placed a kiss upon her palm.

She shuddered under his ministrations. “And what is it that you’ve been waiting to tell me?”

Thomas set to work taking off her other glove, but her hand stopped him.

“I don’t want to feel ugly right now, Thomas.” Her voice came out as a whisper.

He shook his head. “You could never be anything but perfect to me, Lavender, scars and all—and I fully intend to let you know it beginning right now.” He pulled off her glove and traced his calloused fingers up her arm until they came to the pocked skin above her elbow. “This is beautiful.” He kissed her scars and lingered there with his breath on her arm, watching gooseflesh break across her fair skin. “These are marks of a warrior. Someone who has been to the depths of sorrow and back again.” He caressed her arm with one hand and allowed his other hand to cup her cheek as he looked into her hazel, tear-filled eyes. “Someone who has known deceit and pain and loneliness and yet chooses to give only compassion, healing, and love to those around her.”

Tears spilled from Lavender’s eyes, and it broke Thomas to know that she’d held her insecurities so close to her heart for such a long time. “I love you, for who you are inside is even more than the beautiful woman you are on the outside. My greatest desire is to marry you, to claim you as my own forever. But—” He took a deep breath and forced himself to back away from her and sit on his heels. “But I am willing to wait if your affections are not wholly made up. I don’t want you to marry me to make your father happy, or your mother, or Miriam. I only want you to marry me if it will make you happy. And I know I ought to wait, but I can’t risk you needing to go into mourning without making you my wife.”

Lavender laughed through her tears. “You do recall I proposed marriage to you first, don’t you?” She put a hand up to cover her mouth. “I have loved you for far too long to have to wait any longer.”

Thomas jumped to his feet and pulled her up to hers. “I’m confident in the truth winning the day. It might be wise to wait until—”

She cut him off with a kiss. Fast and desperate at first, until their lips melted together in a delicious rhythm. “I’m not waiting another minute, Thomas. Come what may, I will be by your side,” she breathed against his mouth.

Chapter 43

Lavender squeezed Thomas’s hand as the carriage rolled up the drive to Gardner Manor. He’d gone straight from the Gilfordshire’s townhome after his proposal to visit with the Privy Council, telling them he was taking her home to announce their engagement. He didn’t want anyone to think he was running off again.

It had been a day of travel and stolen kisses and Jack’s constant flow of conversation whenever Lavender and Thomas got too quiet staring at each other.

She had the love of Thomas Monteclare, and she was about to tell her parents she was engaged to be married.

She’d never been so frightened of a conversation with them.

Thomas jumped down and then helped her, putting out his arm. “Shall we go share the good news?”

They should, but what if her mother reacted in an embarrassing manner, what if she went on and on about how long it took her to secure her father’s last wish for her? Or worse, what if she talked about Lavender not being good enough for a duke? Lavender didn’t know if she wanted Thomas to witness any of her parents’ initial reactions to the news. “Maybe I ought to go in and tell them alone, and then send for you.”

“You are trying to save me discomfort.” Thomas’s eyes were soft and fierce all at once. “That means you are expecting something of an unfortunate nature to occur, and I will not allow you to face it alone.”

“That is my job, Thomas.”

He took her chin in his hand and bent down to kiss her cheek. “Then it’s my job in your family as well. Only I cannot pretend to be as good at it as you are. If you want to bring your father peace, we’ll do it—but not at the slightest expense of your happiness.”

Lavender smiled and tried to believe she wouldn’t be humiliated in a few minutes time, but she was unsuccessful. She was let in without so much as a knock. “My Lady.” The butler bowed. “It is good to see you again.”

“Thank you. Are my parents in my father’s room?”

“They are. Would you like me to announce your visitor?” He looked over Thomas with a raised brow.

“I’d like to do that myself,” Lavender answered, leading Thomas toward the grand staircase. She took the stairs hesitantly, savoring the seconds she gathered before the commotion of her mother broke through her peace. The bedchamber door was closed, and she could hear her father’s coughing fit just beyond.

She knocked.