by Angel
Elizabeth sighed. “I know. And I realize the sacrifice you made to protect us all. It just makes me so danin mad that this happened at all. I swear, I really would have shot Elliott if I’d had a pistol handy.” “I didn’t expect him to confess.” “The guilt was eating him up, I suppose. He knows he went beyond the bounds of decency. And he deliberately put
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the idea into your head, my dear. He admitted that, too. That he was desperate is absolutely no excuse.”’ “Where is he now?” “I don’t know, nor do I care,” Elizabeth said stiffly. “I kicked him out of my house. Nor can I ever forgive him for this atrocity.” “‘It was still my choice, Aunt Elizabeth. He didn’t force me
to sell myself.” “Do not defend him-” “Then let me,” Derek cut in. “I’m bloody well glad he did what he did, for whatever reason.”” “Derek!” Kelsey exclaimed. “I am,” he insisted. “I’m sorry for the anxiety you went through, but I’m not sorry I met you, Kelsey, and I wouldn’t have met you otherwise.”’
His expression wasn’t at all inscrutable now, it was impassioned. He was quite serious. And actually it thrilled her that he was-and started her blushes all over again. “Selfish,” Elizabeth mumbled. “And beside the point. Kelsey is coming home with me. After a year or two, when this mess is forgotten, she will be launched properly.” “No,” Derek said adamantly. “If you wish me to begin a
proper courtship, I will agree to that. But I won’t agree to waiting a year or two-” “Young man,” Elizabeth interrupted sternly, “this is not your decision to make, and I don’t believe I mentioned anything about my niece marrying you.”
Kelsey gasped when he actually glared at her aunt. “Madam, you know very well that due to my relationship with Kelsey, I have compromised her beyond redemption. Why the deuce aren’t you insisting that I marry her?” “Because I will not insist that she marry anyone. The choice is hers to make as to whom she marries, and when, and I haven’t heard yet that she wants to marry you.”
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Kelsey had to cover her mouth to hide her smile. Seeing these two butt heads was … surprising, to say the least. And she knew her aunt. Elizabeth was being arbitrary just to give Derek a hard time. She probably thought he was an ideal match for Kelsey. She just wouldn’t admit that.
And then she sighed, because Derek was now looking at her for an answer, and her answer was still the same. “Nothing has changed as to that’Derek. I am not as confident as my aunt that this matter will be forgotten. Men know you were there that night, they spoke to you by name, and they know I became your mistress. They would be appalled if you married me. Nor would they keep silent about it.” “How many times must I say it, Kelsey? I don’t give a bloody darnn about any scandal that would attach to us.” “That isn’t true and you know it,” she replied. “You were extremely careful about creating any scandals because your father so abhors them.” “My father is now in support of our marrying,” he said stiffly.
She blinked. “He changed his mind because I actually have a ‘Lady’ attached to my name?” “No, because of my mother. I believe he wanted to marry her long ago, but he let convention guide him, and he now regrets that. ” “But your father’s support isn’t going to stop-”
A knock at the door cut her off, and Regina Eden didn’t wait for a “Come in” but poked her head inside, and with a big grin. “Oh, good, I’m not interrupting anything,” she said, and walked right in. “Reggie, we are having a rather private discussion here,” Derek told her. “Are you?” She feigned surprise. “Oh, dear-well, this won’t take long. I just thought you ought to be apprised of the scandal that’s going to break tomorrow.”
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“Another scandal?” He sighed. “What now?” “Well, I have it on very good authority that a rumor is
going to begin making the rounds tomorrow in London that Derek Malory’s longtime fianc6e-” She paused to glance at Kelsey. “Did you know that they’d been engaged since she was born? Well, anyway, this young lady was so worried that he wasn’t really keen on marrying her that she decided to force his hand, as it were, to see where his sentiments lay.” “Reggie, what are you talking about?” Derek asked incredulously. “I’ve never been engaged in my life!” “Of course you have, cousin, and do let me finish. This ondit gets much better.” “She’s lost her mind,” Derek assured Kelsey. “I swear I don’t have a fianc6e-” “Oh, hush, cousin, you do now,” Reggie cut in with a grin. “Now, as I was saying, this young lady is a bit of a hoyden, and is fond of practical jokes-was myself when I was
younger-and she decided that the only way to determine how Lord Malory actually felt about her was to force him to buy her, and at an auction, no less. Imagine that. Outrageous, I know, but the poor girl is so in love with him that she wasn’t thinking clearly on the matter. And he did pay to get her out of that silly auction, an exorbitant sum, I might add. So romantic, don’t you think? Of course, he took her straight back to her aunt, and he’s moved up the wedding date, to ensure that she doesn’t do anything else so foolish.”
Derek was flabbergasted. “Good God, Reggie, you’ve actually solved it, and brilliantly!”
She beamed at him, though with a bit of a smirk. “Didn’t I though. And by the by, even Uncle Edward agrees that this scandal is so silly that it will cause only a few chuckles among the ton, at least among the gentlemen. The ladies, now, are going to think it’s quite romantic, just as I do.” “That’s likely true,” Elizabeth agreed. “It does have a cer-338
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tain appeal, with the young man forced to rescue the lady from her folly.” “Kelsey?” Derek said. “This scandal is nothing compared with the truth, which no one will ever know about.”
She knew what he was asking her. And she didn’t answer immediately. It took a few moments for it to sink in that the reason she had given for not marrying him was gone. And the reason she hadn’t given him was now her only obstacle to happiness.
She blurted it out. “You expect me to marry a man who has never once said he loves me?”
Derek stared at her incredulously. Regina rolled her eyes. Elizabeth actually chuckled, saying, “Men are so remiss when it comes to that. They’ll tell everyone else, except the one who needs to hear it.” “So are women,” Derek pointed out, and raised a brow at Kelsey. “Or have I heard that sentiment from you?”
Kelsey blushed now. “I suppose I have been remiss as well.” “This is possibly our cue to leave,” Reggie said to Elizabeth. “Quite right.”
Kelsey was still staring at Derek, didn’t even hear the door close upon her friend and aunt. And he took her hand and pulled her off the sofa, then kissed her hand gently. “Say it, m’dear. Say you love me.” “I do,” she admitted. “Very, very much.”
He grinned at her. “I knew that. And you knew that I love you. You’ve known it since I first asked you to marry me. Why else would I want you for my wife?”
She sighed and leaned into him. “Who knows what motivates a man? I certainly don’t. I needed to hear it, Derek.”
He hugged her close. “Silly girl, you’ll never stop hearing
t now.
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67)_ A0600.1 E
REK ENTERED THE PARLOR AT HAVERSTON wiTH KELsey at his side, her hand firmly clasped in his. “I have another announcement to make,” he said proudly to his family, gathered there. “Not necessary, dear boy,” James replied, smiling at him. “The look on your face says it all.” “Let him say it anyway, old man,” Anthony told his brother. “Ain’t often a Malory willingly puts the shackles on.”
Derek grinned. “Lady Kelsey has agreed to marry me, thanks to Reggie’s rumor-spreading capabilities. By the by, where is the minx? I owe her a bloody big hug.” “I’d say she’s off gloating with that bounder she married,” James answe
red dryly. “The little darling is just too pleased with herself just now.” “And rightly so,” Amy put in. “I’m so happy for you, Derek.” “Still say moving to America was the better option,” Warren added. “Bite your tongue, Yank,” James said. “My nephew hap-340
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pens to be civilized. He wouldn’t have liked living amongst you hotheaded barbarians.”
Warren just chuckled. “You married one of those Americans, or has that slipped your notice?” “My George is an exception, I’ll have you know,” James insisted. “Thank you-I think,” Georgina said with a grin.
But Anthony complained, “You know, he’s no fun to goad anymore, indeed he ain’t. But at least old Nick still takes the bait-very dependably, too, I might add.” “Don’t he though?” James grinned. “But, then, the English are much more dependable.”
Warren just snorted at that added dig, but Edward said, “Give it a rest, you two. This is a time for well-wishing,” and then he added gruffly, smiling at Kelsey, “A pleasure to meet you, m’dear. I’m sure you’ll make a fine addition to the Malory fold.” “Yes, she will,” Jason said quietly.
Derek glanced at his father, in his usual spot by the fireplace. Jason’s expression was guarded, but Derek couldn’t blame him for that. Their last words hadn’t been at all pleasant.
“Might I have a word with you, Father?”
Jason nodded and led the way to his study. Derek brought Kelsey with him. And they came upon Molly coming down the hall, which saved him having to fetch her. “Would you join us, please?” Derek asked her, indicating the study, which Jason had already entered.
Molly nodded stiffly and preceded him, moving to stand beside Jason. Derek felt guilty for causing her wariness. She was his mother-but he still hadn’t quite gotten used to that fact. “I was angry, I’ll admit,” Derek began. “But there’s no
room for that with the happiness I’m feeling now.” He
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brought Kelsey’s hand up to his lips, in case there was any doubt about what had caused his happiness. “But with those hot emotions no longer clouding my thinking, I’ve realized a few things.”
He had to pause to clear his throat. That damn lump was
starting to rise again. And Molly’s expression had softened. She had smiled at Kelsey. She was now smiling at Derek.
“Oh, hell,” he said, and crossed the room to gather Molly into his arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you any distress. I was just so shocked, and felt so-deprived.” He leaned back to look at her. “I know you’ve always been there when I needed a mother. I just wish I could have called you Mother. But I think I understand why you felt that wasn’t necessary.” “Not unnecessary, Derek,” she replied gently. “Just better for you-but I’ll admit now that I might have been wrong to make that decision. I missed so much because of it. And now, knowing how you feel, I’ll probably always regret it-If “Don’t,” he cut in. “There have been too many regrets already. And at least I know now. I’ll understand, though, if you still don’t want me to call you Mother.”
She burst into tears then, and hugged him tight. “Oh, Derek, I’ve always loved you so! You can call me any bloody thing you like.”
He laughed at that. Jason chuckled as well. Derek looked over her head at his father, and saw something he never had before. Jason really and truly loved Molly Fletcher. It was
there in his eyes as he looked at her. “I don’t suppose you two have thought about getting married yourselves?” he asked.
Jason gave a long-suffering sigh. “She still won’t have me.”
Molly humphed as she wiped her eyes. “That isn’t necessary,” she said. To Derek she added, “Your father and I live
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very happily as we are, I’ll have you know. There’s no need to stir up a hornet’s nest just for a silly piece of paper, no need a’tall.”
“I plan to work on it,” Jason said, winking at Derek.
Derek grinned. “Sort of figured you would.”
“But I won’t be changing my mind,” Molly said, then smiled at Jason. “Although I won’t mind your efforts to try.”
Later that night, when Derek took Kelsey back to the inn to pack her things-she would be moving into Haverston until the wedding-he said, “You know, my Uncle Anthony had a good point tonight at dinner. I really don’t dare risk getting you angry with me-ever.”
Kelsey grinned. “Your uncle was being silly. Shooting husbands doesn’t really run in my family. Now, tossing them into fireplaces is another matter.”
Derek laughed, pulling her into his arms. “I’ll remember that, luv. But I don’t plan to ever make you angry with me. Madly in love with me is how I’ll be keeping you.”
“Hmmm, that sounds nice,” she said, kissing his cheek, then his neck. “Can I have a little demonstration, d’you think?”
He groaned and sought her lips for a very heated kiss. “Your wish is my command,” he said huskily a few minutes
later. “And that’s one request that I’ll never get tired of hearing.���
She looked up at him with love gleaming in her gray eyes. “Then show me, Derek. Show me now.” He did, with the greatest pleasure.
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”A