by Deb Marlowe
“I sent him off after Miss McNamara and her forty thousand pounds.”
He laughed. “They will be perfect for each other.”
“I’m sorry for putting you through so much, but I had to know . . . I wanted to be chosen . . .”
“For yourself,” he said, taking her hands.
“And it was important that you should know, too. We both deserved to know we chose each other.” She sighed—but then tossed her head. “But I don’t care, I want—”
“No! Throw that thought right out of your head. I did. I made my choice tonight at the Sterne’s dinner party. When I thought you had no more than your dowry. Before I suspected the rest of it. Barrett invited me because he wanted to make a point and I listened. To him, and to my heart, at last. I imagined the bride I would bring back to Greystone and I knew it couldn’t ever be anyone but you.”
He took her hand. “I’ve thought for so long that all that Greystone needed was money. But Barrett made me realize—there was money at Greystone once, before my father died—and yet it was never really a home, not even then. What Greystone needs, what I need—is something that we’ve never had. It needs you. I need you. I need your heart, your love. It’s the only thing that will make it a home—a life—worth living.”
She blinked back tears, but he was grinning now. “And if you need confirmation, then ask anyone at the Sterne’s dinner. I made an ass of myself, running out in the middle of the fish course.”
“Truly?”
“I swear it. It wasn’t until I arrived here that I put it all together. I saw the butler worrying over the food—and I remembered what Madame said yesterday, about never allowing you to pay.”
She groaned and laughed. “I thought I would sink beneath the table when she said it, but you never seemed to connect her words with what I had to show you, so I just moved forward.”
“Yes, I was slow. But I was learning about you, even if I did think you were speaking of some other young lady.” He sighed. “And then I saw Bardham skulking around Miss McNamara and it all just clicked into place.”
He sighed. “I shouldn’t ask. I have nothing to give you except . . . me. These hands, a drafty, leaking estate, hard work aplenty—but we will do it together, Hope, and you will have my heart—and all of my love.”
“I was hoping for a few other things.”
“Anything,” he vowed. “Anything I can give you, I will.”
“A dance,” she whispered. “A jaunt into dangerous territory . . .”
He remembered. That first night. “And bliss,” he finished.
And she was in his arms and the kiss lasted quite a long while, as they shared their happiness, forgiveness and relief. They planned a lifetime of love with heat and passion instead of words. They kissed and touched and whispered together until a knock sounded on the door.
“You’ve been in there long enough,” Miss Nichols said through the panel. “The countess is looking for you.”
They went out then and followed her friend downstairs, still with eyes only for each other.
But Tensford’s mind had turned to their future. “We can get the large saws we need for the mill and perhaps the steam engine. It may be, if we can turn enough profit, that we will need only to cut part of the forest acreage.”
She pulled him to a stop at the bottom of the stairs. “No. We will not cut down even one tree. I have enough to do all that we could wish at Greystone.”
He frowned. “Hope—just how much does pots and pots of money work out to be?”
“A lot. Far more than Miss McNamara’s paltry forty thousand.”
He blinked. Then stumbled back a step to sit upon a nearby bench.
She followed and perched upon his knee. “We’ll have lobster patties every day!” she cried, throwing an arm high.
“And bliss every night,” he murmured, pulling her down.
And so they kissed again, while the footmen snickered and inside, the ton danced on.
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling author Deb Marlowe adores History, England and Men in Boots. Clearly she was destined to write Historical Romance.
A Golden Heart winner and Rita nominee, Deb writes Regency Romance and Young Adult Fantasy Adventure.
A proud geek, history buff and story addict, she loves to talk with readers! Find her discussing books, movies, TV, recipes from Deb Marlowe’s Regency Kitchen and her infamous Men in Boots on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
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Connect with Deb
www.DebMarlowe.com
[email protected]
Also by Deb Marlowe
A Series of Unconventional Courtships
Love Me, Lord Tender
Nothing But a Rakehell
Kiss Me, Lady, One More Time
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The Half Moon House Series
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The Novels
The Love List
The Leading Lady
The Lady’s Legacy
The Lady’s Lover
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The Novellas
An Unexpected Encounter
A Slight Miscalculation
A Waltz in the Park
Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness
Beyond a Reasonable Duke
Lady, It’s Cold Outside
The Earl’s Hired Bride
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The Castle Keyvnor Pixies
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Lady Tamsyn and the Pixie’s Curse
Lord Locryn and the Pixie’s Kiss
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Writing as D.M. Marlowe:
The Eye of the Ninja Chronicles
Eye of the Ninja
Obsidian’s Eye
The Fire in the Ice