the retiring room.” She left in the direction of the ladies’ side of the ballroom.

“Perhaps you should go with her,” Fiona suggested to Prudence.

Prudence flicked a glance toward Tobias before saying, “It seems you’re the one I should stay with.”

Fiona laughed softly. “I promise I will stay right here.”

Prudence hesitated but ultimately departed after Cassandra. Lord Lucien, who continued to frown, turned to Tobias and Fiona. “Allow me to offer my most heartfelt congratulations. However, I hope you’ll excuse me.”

“Thank you and yes.” Tobias gave him a meaningful look. “You heard what your sister said.”

“That I’m like my brother and father? Yes.” A slight tremor passed over him. “I’m going to find Upton.” He stalked off.

“Uh-oh, alone again,” Tobias murmured, moving to stand as close to her as propriety would allow. His fingers grazed hers.

“You can hardly call this alone.” She swept her gaze over the crowded ballroom and smiled.

“I suppose not. I’m just glad to be with you again, hopeless as that sounds.”

She couldn’t keep herself from staring into his eyes. “I feel the same.”

“Were you able to speak with Lord Gregory?”

“I was. He was disappointed, but he was also glad for me.”

“What did you tell him?”

“That my heart was engaged elsewhere. He wanted to ensure my feelings were reciprocated. I assured him they were.”

“If there is any question, my love,” he whispered, “let me confirm that I adore you most fervently. Did you tell him I was the gentleman who stole you away?”

Fiona briefly clasped his fingers and hated to let them go. “You didn’t steal me—I willingly chose you. I did not tell him it was you. We did not discuss anything about getting married, and I didn’t want to inadvertently spread gossip about myself.”

He chuckled. “An excellent consideration. We can send the announcement to the newspapers tomorrow and have the banns read on Sunday.”

“But then we’ll have to wait three weeks, and that will be after the twelfth.”

“I already told you I don’t need to wed by then. Anyway, something tells me the new owner of Horethorne will invite me to visit often.” His eyes gleamed with mirth.

“I want you to be the owner.” She almost touched his mouth when he parted his lips to argue. “I feel very strongly about this—it was your mother’s house, and it should be yours.”

“That is incredibly wonderful of you. However, all that matters to me is that our son or daughter inherits it someday.”

“We are agreed on that.” It was a struggle not to put her arms around him, to kiss him, to hold him. “I have an alternate idea to reading the banns on Sunday. What if we eloped to Gretna Green? I understand that’s something you’ve longed to do.”

He laughed a bit loudly, and again some people around them turned their heads. “I must admit that holds an appeal. I know how much you’d love to travel.”

“Especially with you. If we leave tomorrow, we can surely arrive and marry before the twelfth. Then you will have met your father’s deadline.”

He stared into her eyes. “You mean this in earnest.” At her effusive nod, he took her hand and brought it to his lips. “Yes. I’ll elope with you to Gretna Green tomorrow.” He kissed her knuckles and reluctantly released her.

Heat sparked along her hand and arm and spread, making her body hum with desire. “Well, in that case, I think we should go home and get some rest in anticipation of our journey.”

“Another excellent idea. We should probably also pack.”

“Let me stop into the retiring room to tell Prudence and Cassandra we are leaving.” She hesitated. “What about Prudence? What will happen to her now that I am getting married?”

“She will become companion to another young lady. I’ll ensure she’s taken care of until then.”

“Perhaps Cassandra’s father would hire her.” Fiona suspected she would have a bit less time to spend with her friend after marrying Tobias, and she worried that Cassandra would be lonely. Actually, she already worried that Cassandra was lonely. “Would you speak to Lord Lucien about it?”

“Anything for you, my love,” he murmured. “It’s an excellent idea—for both Miss Lancaster and Lady Cassandra. You are a wonderful friend. But then I would expect nothing less.”

His words warmed her. “Shall I meet you in the entry?”

“No, let’s leave in a way that will garner less attention,” he said. “Can you meet me downstairs?”

“Now who has the brilliant idea? I’m so pleased to be marrying such a clever gentleman. What a fortunate young woman I am.”

His eyes gleamed with love and pride. “The fortune is all mine.”

Epilogue

Eight days later…

“Do you think your father is scowling or laughing because you wed on the eleventh of March?” Fiona snuggled more closely against Tobias in their bed at the Bell and Broomstick in Gretna Green.

After a fortunately pleasant journey north, they were now being blanketed with snow. Which Tobias found rather lovely, for there was nowhere he would rather be than bundled up with his wife in a cozy four-poster bed at an inn.

“I would say scowling probably, but I’m going to imagine him laughing. It’s past time I let my negative feelings about him fade away. Anyway, there is really no room for them with all the love I have for you.” He turned to kiss her, and her stomach made a loud rumble.

She giggled. “Oh dear.”

A knock on the door made Tobias leap, nude, from the bed. He grabbed his banyan and cloaked himself. “Our tea has arrived just in time.” He waggled his brows at her as she burrowed beneath the coverlet.

Tobias opened the door to see Mrs. Insley, the innkeeper’s wife, holding a tray. She grinned. “I hope you’re hungry. There will be less travelers today owing to the weather, so the cook gave you extra portions.”

“Come in.” Tobias opened the door wider so Mrs. Insley, an efficient and warm-hearted woman in her late thirties, could place the tray on the table.

“There’s tea, ale, cheese, bread, biscuits, and some

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