He loves me. She needed to cease with this endless worrying.
She would invite him for dinner that evening. She would tell her sisters about their attachment this afternoon. She was going to be brave.
But first, she wanted to simply be with him.
“Eve?” Holly peeked around the door. “Oh, you look lovely. I can almost imagine that you have a beau as well. Is there something you’ve been keeping from us? Something about Lord Merriweather, perhaps?" Holly flushed and she…
Glowed.
“How was your sleigh ride? Any progress with Lord Tidemore?” Eve tied the laces of one of her boots.
“Oh, yes! I’m so happy! He loves me, Eve. He loves me!” She pressed her hands to her cheeks.
Wearing only one shoe, Eve jumped up and wrapped her arms around her little sister. Two of the Bailey sisters had become betrothed to men who they loved and who loved them back. Was their luck changing?
It was as though she was emerging from a long, dark winter. Eve’s heart raced. The possibility of all three sisters finding happiness seemed almost too good to be true. Either that or they were the luckiest ladies in all of England. Why else had these three rakes been stranded in Maybridge Falls?
Hope felt so very close at hand. All Eve had to do was reach out and embrace it.
She could tell them about Nicholas now.
“Oh!” Holly said. “I almost forgot! Lord Merriweather left Maybridge Falls in the sleigh this morning.”
That hope shriveled up and Eve felt the blood drain out of her face.
“He…? Left?”
“He said he’ll be back. And that you mustn’t worry.”
Eve’s legs nearly gave out beneath her. What did he mean, not to worry? “Did he say anything else?”
Holly touched a finger to her cheek and scrunched up her face. “I was a little distracted at the time. He swiped the sleigh from us! Seemed to be in quite a hurry!”
He’d had a change of heart and made a hasty escape. But… “The sleigh? Doesn’t that belong to Mr. Kringle?”
Holly was nodding. “It did but Blitzen—I mean, Dashlington, purchased it. You mustn’t worry, Eve. Lord Merriweather pressed upon me to assure my sister that he was returning shortly… He was most adamant in that regard.”
Eve dropped onto the chair at her vanity.
“Oh, and when I asked him if, by sister, he meant you, his answer was rather intriguing.”
“What did he say?” Eve stared down at her hands twisting nervously in her lap.
“He said ‘always.’”
“What?” She lifted her head to meet Holly’s eyes.
“Always.”
Chapter 13
“My Lord.” Dash was on his feet before Nick and his personal guest even made it through the door.
“Pleasure to meet you.” Jack followed suit with an outstretched hand.
Nick formally presented both of his friends to the Earl of Everly and, catching Mr. Rudolph’s attention, requested a round of drinks.
Lord Everly had changed a great deal since Nick had met him in London. The older man’s hair had turned white, he was much thinner, and he looked to be at least ten years older.
But he had come.
Stopping only to change out horses on his way north, Nick had arrived at Everly Park very late the same evening he’d departed from Maybridge Falls. Eve’s father hadn’t been happy to meet with him at first but had changed his tune rather quickly once Nick declared his intentions.
After getting that out of the way, Nick hadn’t minced words in informing the man, in no uncertain terms, how badly he was hurting his daughters.
They’d taken to the road back to Maybridge Falls shortly thereafter.
“You are the man who wishes to marry my youngest daughter?” Everly eyed Jack with narrowed eyes. “She’s practically a child.”
But Jack fixed a level gaze on the man and nodded confidently. “She’s a woman. A woman who knows her mind.”
The room fell silent with a heavy pause until Everly exhaled. “That she is. You’ll realize someday when you have daughters of your own that they are always little girls in your heart.” He glanced over to the table where Jack and Dash had several papers laid out. “I’ll withhold my permission, I’m sure you’ll understand, until we’ve gone over the contracts.”
Nick had to clench his teeth together to keep from laughing at the frustration on Jack’s face.
“And you’re the duke?”
Dash nodded. “I love Lady Noelle with all my heart, and I intend to spend the rest of my life, and if necessary, beyond, caring for her. I think you’ll be more than pleased with the terms we’ve had drawn up.” Dash gestured to Everly to sit down.
Nick hadn’t yet read the contracts himself as Dash and Jack had tended to this task while he’d been on the road. And although he was relieved to have Eve’s father’s permission, he’d yet to have procured consent from the lady herself.
He’d known, however, that Eve needed to see her father. She needed to have her father be a part of all this.
Dash and Jack had felt the same in regards to Noelle and Holly.
Lord Everly donned a pair of spectacles and began reading through the first page of one of the agreements.
Dash flicked cool blue eyes in Nick’s direction and nodded. He’d brought the man here, but it was up to the girl’s father to make his peace with them.
Nick sidled up beside Dash. “The girls? They don’t know?”
Jack answered with a shake of the head. Once the contracts were signed, the plan was to present themselves at Lady Tannenbaum’s home. Of course, their aunt was part of it all. She’d given Nick the directions to Everly Park.
Nick wanted nothing more than to rush across the square and propose to Eve now but had been advised to present his offer after dinner. That way, Jack had pointed out, if she refused Nick, it wouldn’t ruin the reunion.
“Just a few questions.” Lord Everly had all of them reading through the paperwork in no time and so when a flurry of activity arose outside of their private dining
