He took in a deep breath, a little surprised at how much nervousness climbed through his veins.
“It is to tell you, Lady Selina, that my heart no longer holds an affection for you.” Seeing the smile fade from her face, the startled look that came into her eyes, he spoke more quickly. “That is to say that mere affection has been replaced by a deep and ever-growing love for you. A love which, I am quite certain, will not be removed from my heart, but will linger there for the rest of my days. I cannot be without you, Lady Selina. I cannot even consider my life without your presence. I seek to court you, yes, but if I can, I will make it of such a short duration that we shall find ourselves betrothed within the week!”
For a moment, Lady Selina appeared so startled that words were stolen from her lips. Her eyes were wide, her color heightened still and then, after a few moments longer, she began to laugh.
“A week?” she asked, as he smiled down at her, his hand still in hers. “A week is much too long, Lord Barrington.” Boldly, she moved a little closer to him, her eyes still fixed to his. “When there are two hearts so similar to each other, when there is a bond already being forged which cannot be broken, it is a great burden to have to endure a week of courtship when we both long for something more.”
His heart swelled and he caught her about the waist, her hands quickly going around his neck.
“You are the most wonderful of ladies,” he told her, softly. “The most courageous, caring, kind-hearted and generous creature I have ever had the opportunity to know. How could I not be drawn to your beauty?” Bending his head, he caught her lips for the briefest of moments, not daring to do more, but yet unable to stop himself. “I love you, Selina.”
“As I love you,” came her sweet reply as Charles held her close and clasped her to his heart.
Aw, I love to see a happy ever after! I hope you enjoyed their story! The next book in the series is on pre0rder, A Christmas Match.
Want something more to read right now? Please check out one of my favorite series, The Spinsters Guild, and start with A New Beginning
A Sneak Peak of A New Beginning
Chapter One
“Good evening, Miss Taylor.”
Miss Emily Taylor, daughter to the Viscount Chesterton, kept her gaze low to the ground, her stomach knotting. The gentleman who had greeted her was, at this present moment, looking at her with something akin to a leer, his balding head already gleaming in the candlelight.
“Good evening, Lord Smithton,” she murmured, hearing the grunt from her father than indicated she should be doing more than simply acknowledging the gentleman’s presence. The last thing Emily wished to do, however, was to encourage the man any further. He was, to her eyes, grotesque, and certainly not a suitable match for someone who had only recently made her debut, even if he was a Marquess.
“Emily is delighted to see you this evening,” her father said, giving Emily a small push forward. “I am certain she will be glad to dance with you whenever you wish!”
Emily closed her eyes, resisting the urge to step back from the fellow, in the knowledge that should she do so, her father would make certain that consequences would follow. She could not bring herself to speak, almost feeling Lord Smithton’s eyes roving over her form as she opened her eyes and kept her gaze low.
“You know very well that I would be more than pleased to accompany you to the floor,” Lord Smithton said, his voice low and filled with apparent longing. Emily suppressed a shudder, forcing herself to put her hand out and let her dance card drop from her wrist. Lord Smithton, however, did not grasp her dance card but took her hand in his, making a gasp escape from her mouth. The swift intake of breath from behind her informed Emily that she was not alone in her surprise and shock, for her mother also was clearly very upset that Lord Smithton had behaved in such an improper fashion. Her father, however, said nothing and, in the silence that followed, allowed himself a small chuckle.
Emily wanted to weep. It was obvious that her father was not about to say a single word about Lord Smithton’s improper behavior. Instead, it seemed he was encouraging it. Her heart ached with the sorrow that came from having a father who cared so little for her that he would allow impropriety in front of so many of the beau monde. Her reputation could be stained from such a thing, whispers spread about her, and yet her father would stand by and allow them to go about her without even a twinge of concern.
Most likely, this was because his intention was for Emily to wed Lord Smithton. It had been something Emily had begun to suspect during these last two weeks, for Lord Smithton had been present at the same social gatherings as she had attended with her parents, and her father had always insisted that she greet him. Nothing had been said as yet, however, which came as something of a relief, but deep down, Emily feared that her father would simply announce one day that she was engaged to the old, leering Lord Smithton.
“Wonderful,” Lord Smithton murmured, finally letting go of Emily’s hand and grasping her dance card. “I see that you have no others as yet, Miss Taylor.”
“We have only just arrived,” said Emily’s mother, from just behind Emily. “That is why –”
“I am certain that Lord Smithton does not need to know such things,” Lord Chesterton interrupted, silencing Emily’s mother immediately. “He is clearly grateful that Emily has not yet had her head turned by any other gentleman as yet.”
Closing her eyes tightly, Emily forced herself to breathe
