Page 68 of A Wallflower to Win the Viscount

‘Lucian, are you saying that you are in love with me?’

He nodded, realising he had indeed declared it out loud, even if not in the most romantic of ways.

‘Yes, I am,’ he admitted. ‘I’m hopelessly, completely and entirely unexpectedly in love with you.’

Chapter Twenty-Three

Primrose stared at him. and he stared back, seemingly as speechless as she was.

‘I’m sorry,’ he finally said. ‘I didn’t mean to say that.’

‘You didn’t?’

‘No, and please don’t take it the wrong way.’

Wrong way? How could there be a wrong way for the man you love with all your heart to make his own declaration of love?

‘I wouldn’t want you to think this is some sort of ruse to get you to change your mind and marry me. I was planning on courting you properly.’ He looked up at the book, relegated to the high shelf. ‘That’s why I bought that ridiculous book, so I’d know what I should do.’

He looked back down at her. Primrose swallowed a smile and tried to look as serious as he did.

‘Now I’ve ruined things again, haven’t I?’

‘I wouldn’t say that.’ Primrose continued fighting to keep her smiling lips under control. ‘Maybe you could try telling me why you fell in love with me and when, and perhaps you should continue to list the reasons why.’

And please, please, please don’t spare me any details.

He looked so earnest that she knew she should put him out of his misery and tell him how she felt, but this was just too delicious. It was impossible to resist teasing him. Just a little bit. And oh, how she wanted to hear him say he loved her, again and again and again!

He nodded, as if she was kindly helping him in his quest to court her properly, when all she was doing was indulging herself in something so wonderful it was like a dream.

‘I’m not entirely sure when I first started to fall in love with you,’ he said, his brows drawn together in concentration, as if it was important to get every detail just right. ‘When I saw you standing at the bottom of the garden talking to Hamish, I definitely thought you were attractive.’ He smiled slightly remembering that day. ‘You looked like you had stepped out of a fairy tale, with your blond hair shining in the sunlight and wearing that white lacy dress.’

Was she wearing a white lacy dress that day? She definitely possessed an item that matched that description, and maybe she was wearing it that day, but she loved the thought that Lucian remembered.

‘I think that was part of the reason I was so curt with you. It was because I couldn’t bear the thought that I was drawn to you so strongly. I’m so sorry.’

‘There is nothing to be sorry about,’ she said encouragingly, not wanting to stop his flow. ‘So, go on. Are there any more reasons why you love me?’

‘There are so many. How long have you got?’

My entire life she could say, but she did not want to let him off quite that easily.

‘Well, you are supposed to be convincing me that you are serious and this is not a ruse,’ she said instead and adopted an expression that suggested she really did need convincing. ‘What happened next, after you saw me in your garden?’

‘I suppose I became aware of my growing feelings when we went to that talk, even if I was still refusing to admit the truth. I told myself I didn’t want you matched up with Ashcombe because the man was so obsessed with… I mean, because he was a complete nitwit, but I was absolutely racked with jealousy at the thought you might be attracted to him.’

‘You were?’ That was not her recollection. ‘So you were pleased when he talked about the frightful manner in which he studied birds’ plumage up close?’

He grimaced. ‘I’m so sorry, Primrose. Yes, at the time I was, but only because it meant he didn’t have a hope of capturing your interest. Now, yes, I think the man’s a barbarian, and you were right to be offended.’

‘So that was why you were smiling when you got into the carriage?’

‘Yes. I apologise for that, as well. I should have been thinking of you and how hurt you were by that man’s outrageous behaviour and concerned about the suffering of those birds. Instead, I was happy that Beatrice’s matchmaking had failed. I was only thinking of myself, and worse than that, I was completely unaware I was doing so or why.’

He looked so crestfallen, her heart went out to him, so she lightly placed her hand on his arm. ‘Then what?’ she prompted. Her heart might have gone out to him, but that did not mean she didn’t want to hear more of this declaration. Much more.

‘I was also jealous of Marchwood, even though you never met him.’ He gave a small laugh and looked over at Clawdia. ‘I was even jealous of Clawdia when you kissed her on the head to say goodbye last time you visited.’