by Meara Platt
So, he sat through the first course and absently sipped his leek and potato soup while Hortensia droned on about the pains in her knees and elbows. By the next course, Hortensia had moved on to describing the bunions on her misshapen toes. “Fascinating, Aunt Hortensia.”
He barely touched the roast goose in an apricot glaze, for his attention was fixed on Meggie who was engaged in quiet conversation with her brother and, to his frustration, not sparing him a single sidelong glance or intimate smile. Christmas goose was his favorite dish and he usually devoured half the platter before any of his cousins ever got a piece of it, but he hardly noticed the game meat now. Nor did he touch the pheasant in plum juices or the smoked trout or the jellied eels – those eels always made his skin crawl anyway.
He peered down the table at the feast set out before them, his gaze casually scanning the jelly molds of green and orange, blood pudding, quail eggs, and silver salvers and crystal glasses shining in the glow of candlelight.
The room was warm.
Everyone chattered at once.
Wine flowed generously.
He hadn’t imbibed enough. In truth, he was cold-stone sober and beginning to dread what Meggie had written on her card.
What seemed an eternity later, cakes were finally brought out. One spongy looking confection was filled with black currant jam. Another was filled with apples and another with marrow. He took a slice of all three, but merely mashed them in his plate, earning a frown from Hortensia. “Mrs. Mayhew labored for hours over those sweets. The least you can do is take a bite.”
The only sweet thing he wished to taste this evening was Meggie. He’d start with her lips and then work his way down her incredibly delectable body.
Finally, the men began to push away from the table and meander toward John’s billiards room to indulge in an apres supper Madeira port. The footmen held the chairs out for the ladies who would now retire to Sophie’s salon. William hadn’t thought about where he would take Meggie to read their miracle cards. John’s library would do, he decided.
He held Meggie back as the others walked out and then led her down the hall. “In here, Megs. Let’s do this before anyone realizes we haven’t followed them out.”
She rolled her eyes as he closed the door behind them, shutting them in with the mahogany bookshelves that supported rows and rows of neatly aligned books. “Oh, William,” she said with a light laugh that wrapped around his heart. “Everyone realizes it. They’ve been watching us all evening. Can’t this wait until after we’ve all gotten our family Christmas gifts? I bought Eloise the loveliest pair of gloves.”
“I got Graelem a stickpin for his tie,” he said with impatience. “And no, we cannot wait. Who cares if they all know something is going on? I wouldn’t be surprised if we opened this door and a dozen Farthingales tumbled in. Not to mention, a Cameron or two.”
She relented with a light chuckle. “Then we’d better get to our miracle wishing cards before the curious horde spills through the door.” She dipped into the folds of her silken waistband to withdraw her card with a shaking hand. “Read it, William.”
He took it from her, his own hand unsteady. But Meggie would not notice, for she had already closed her eyes and was now releasing the breath she had been holding. “I gave this so much thought,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “At first, I wanted to write something sensible and self-sacrificing. But this is a miracle card, as you’ve relentlessly pounded into my head. So, I had to write down the wish that I felt deepest in my heart. I had to reveal what I wanted most, the one thing that will allow me to overcome whatever hurdles are thrown in my way. This is the miracle I wished for.”
He took his own steadying breath and let it out silently.
Then he read the one-line sentence on her card.
And read it again.
I wish for William.
Thank goodness. The angels were watching over him after all.
“Megs,” he said with a groaning ache, ready to take her into his arms and claim her for his own. But he wanted her to read his card first. “Open mine. I had to be truthful as well and write what is dearest to my heart.”
She cast him a quivering smile as she opened her eyes and took the square of parchment from his outstretched hand. She hesitated a long moment, then opened it and read it, emitting a lilting peal of astonished laughter when she did. “I wish for Meggie.”
I wish for Meggie.
“No mistake,” he said with a tender smile when she continued to gaze at him in astonishment. “I did not hand you the wrong card.”
She blushed as he took her into his arms. “Meggie, you are the miracle I wished for as I lay wounded on the mountain ground worried that I might die. You are the miracle I hoped for when I returned to England and set eyes upon you again. Nothing else matters. We’ll deal with our problems and surmount them together. I’m not saying it will always be easy. But if I’m to travel through life, I want you as my heart’s companion on that journey.”
She nodded. “I want you, too. I couldn’t be happy with anyone else. I love you, William.” She paused and sighed. “What happens next?”
He arched an eyebrow and cast her a wicked grin. “You kiss me.”
“That sounds easy enough.” She smiled and lifted up on her toes while putting her arms around his neck, and then she closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his with innocent passion and an eagerness to learn more.
He emitted a growl and cupped the back of her head to draw her close. “I love you too, Megs.” He kissed her with all the depth of his love. All the love he felt for her was embedded within his heart and soul. His kiss was a promise of tender intimacy, of laughter and all the joyful times their life together would bring. “Marry me.”
She inhaled sharply and gazed at him in wonder.
He kept his arms around her, loving the softness of her body and eager to explore her every lush curve. He kissed her again on the mouth, then moved lower, trailing kisses along her throat and across the swell of her breast that she always sought to hide because of the scar that surrounded it. “Marry me, my beautiful Meggie. I promise to love and cherish you. I promise to love every part of you forever. I don’t want you to ever hide your precious heart from me.”
She laughed lightly. “Nor must you hide any part of yourself from me, no matter how hairy.”
He joined her in a chuckle. “I’m not hairy. My body is bronzed glory.”
“Is that so?” She held her breath and then burst out with another peal of laughter. “Then I must marry you. Yes, I must. And gladly. And with all the love in my heart. And a good dose of fear, William. I must be honest with you.”
“I know, my love. But I have no doubts, Meggie. You are the source of my happiness. I don’t want to spend my life without you. In truth, I don’t wish to spend another moment without you.”
She threw her arms around him again and hugged him fiercely. “I love you, William. I’ll never stop saying it. You make me want to be silly and chase snowflakes with you. You make me hopeful and happy. You fill my heart with a joy I never imagined possible.”
“Enough joy to qualify as a miracle?”
“Yes, for our finding each other and falling in love is the miracle, isn’t it?”
He nodded.
“I’m sorry I took so long to come around to realizing it. I was so afraid. Not for myself, but for the sacrifices you’d be forced to make.”
“I know, Megs.”
“But having to write down my wish forced me to understand that love is too precious ever to deny. It forced me to understand that I must have faith in the call of my heart and in us. This is what you were trying to tell me all along, and what I resisted believing. So, thank you for being so patient with me. Thank you for being my Christmas angel. Thank you for giving me that miracle wishing card.”
A cheer rang out from behind the closed door, for everyone was listening in. William sighed. “Shall we go out and allow them to congratulate us?”
“In a moment. I’m not done yet.”
He arched an eyebrow in gentle surprise. “There’s more?”
“Yes.” Meggie’s voice was suddenly ragged and overwhelmed with feeling. “Most of all, thank you for wishing for me.”
The End
Also by Meara Platt
FARTHINGALE SERIES
My Fair Lily
The Duke I’m Going To Marry
Rules For Reforming A Rake
A Midsummer’s Kiss
The Viscount’s Rose
Never Dare A Duke
Capturing The Heart Of A Cameron
THE BOOK OF LOVE SERIES
The Look of Love
The Touch of Love
The Taste of Love
De WOLFE “ANGELS” SERIES
Nobody’s Angel
Kiss An Angel
Bhrodi’s Angel
DARK GARDENS SERIES
Garden of Shadows
Garden of Light
Garden of Dragons
Garden of Destiny
THE BRAYDENS
A Match Made In Duty
Earl of Westcliff
PIRATES OF BRITANNIA
Pearls of Fire
About the Author
Meara Platt is a USA Today bestselling author and an award winning, Amazon UK All-star. Her favorite place in all the world is England’s Lake District, which may not come as a surprise since many of her stories are set in that idyllic landscape, including her award winning paranormal romance Dark Gardens series. If you’d like to learn more about the ancient Fae prophecy that is about to unfold in the Dark Gardens series, as well as Meara’s lighthearted, international bestselling Regency romances in the Farthingale Series and The Braydens series, as well as the Book of Love series, please visit Meara’s website at www.mearaplatt.com.