by Laura Landon
Maybe it was just as well. He wasn’t sure he could survive if she looked at him and he saw...happiness.
He turned away from her. The Duke of Culbertson stepped onto the platform with his son at his side. This was it, then. The final chapter. The last time he would have to give her up.
There was a loud murmur from the excited crowd followed by a cacophony of shushing sounds. Finally the room stilled enough that one could hear the proverbial pin drop to the floor. Chisolmwood stepped to the center of the stage and held up his hands. The room went silent.
"Friends, thank you for coming. This is indeed a joyous occasion. I’m glad you are here to share in my happiness. I had an exceedingly long, and monumentally impressive speech prepared for tonight’s event." He paused while the crowd tittered and guffawed. "But my son convinced me my glowing accolades would only serve to embarrass us both."
There was another round of laughter and applause, followed by a gradual quieting before the duke continued. "I intended to tell you how pleased I was that my son had finally chosen a woman with whom to share his life—"
He held up his hands when several in attendance started to clap.
"...but he informed me that news of this magnitude should be his to make."
There was general laughter at that.
"So, I’ll let my son, the Marquess of Culbertson, announce his intentions and say nothing more, except to state for all the world that I couldn’t be happier with his choice of a wife. Not only is his future bride a vision of loveliness and the perfect choice to be the future Duchess of Chisolmwood, but she is the woman with whom I’ve dreamed my son would share his life since the day she was born."
The crowd broke out in applause as the duke stepped back to allow his son to take the stage.
The man who was about to announce his engagement to Lydia stepped forward.
Gabriel couldn’t watch this. He’d had to give her up time and again and it had hurt more each time, but this was the worst. Before, when he’d separated himself from her, she’d still been free, there’d still been a glimmer of hope that he could win her back. After tonight, she’d belong to another man.
He stepped back, preparing to barge through the bodies pressed behind him in his attempt to escape. As if Austin realized his intent, he moved closer.
"Soon," Austin whispered just loud enough for Gabe to hear. It was the voice of reason he needed. For Liddy’s sake he had to put his stamp of approval on her match. For Liddy’s sake his presence was necessary so no one would think there were any lingering feelings between them. For Liddy’s sake—
Gabriel forced his mind to concentrate on the Marquess of Culbertson’s speech.
"Welcome friends. As my father said, you have been invited here tonight to be a part of a celebration. This is indeed a most joyous occasion, especially for my father, who despaired that this day would ever come."
The crowd broke out in loud laughter. When they quieted, Culbertson turned to face his father. "Your Grace, thank you. For everything. Especially for declaring publicly how pleased you are with my choice of a bride. Your acceptance and approval has always been of the utmost important to me."
The Duke of Chisolmwood smiled with fatherly pride as the crowd erupted into a lengthy applause.
After several moments, the Marquess of Culbertson held up his hand for silence. "Everything my father said about the woman I have chosen as my bride is true. She is an exquisite vision of beauty. Her grace and elegance make her the perfect woman to be my marchioness. But those are only physical attributes and not what is important when choosing a woman with whom you will spend the rest of your life.
"Finding a woman who captures your heart and soul is much more complicated. Many of you know finding a love such as this is often as elusive as capturing the mist. But when you have found that other part of your heart, you are the most fortunate of men. My father, more than anyone, knows what I mean..." The marquess turned to face his father. "...because he once found a woman he loved with all his heart and soul, as I have."
There was a rush of sighs from the crowd and Gabriel fought the urge to leap onto the small dais and stifle Culbertson’s declaration of love. How could he profess such a love when the woman he claimed he couldn’t live without didn’t share that same passion? Or had Liddy told him she did? Gabriel gritted his teeth and listened while the marquess continued.
"I consider myself the luckiest of men because I have found a woman I love with all of my heart."
After a series of sighs, the crowd exploded into a thunderous ovation.
"Thank you for accepting my offer of marriage," he said, turning his gaze to the corner beyond the small dais where Liddy stood amongst a group of her friends. "You have made me exceedingly happy. I will always be humbled that you found it in your heart to return my love."
Everyone knew the marquess intended to marry Lady Lydia Landwell, and they strained to catch a glimpse of her. But Gabriel didn’t look. He didn’t want to see her expression when she smiled at Culbertson. He didn’t want to see the glow in her eyes, whether real or not.
"The love of my life," Culbertson said, walking toward the gathering of females with his arm extended and a broad smile on his face. "Lady Emmeline Frendsdale."
Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat. Amidst the explosive gasps of surprise that came from the crowded room, he wasn’t sure if it had resumed beating or had forever stopped.
Strong fingers grasped his arm and he looked first at one brother, then the other. Their expressions turned from ones of surprised shock to elation. Their held breaths erupted in peals of laughter as they realized the ramifications of Culbertson’s announcement.
"Congratulations!" Austin yelled out, and from all around them hundreds of voices echoed his salutation. Within seconds, the room exploded in thunderous applause and boisterous shouts of approval.
Had the Duke of Chisolmwood known his son intended to marry Emmeline Frendsdale? Gabriel looked to where the duke stood and realized at a glance he hadn’t. Although there was a smile frozen on his face, anyone with an inkling of what had just happened knew the look of happiness was for the sake of appearances. His sallow complexion and the blazing glare in his eyes said this was as big a shock to him as it was to everyone else in the room. Everyone except Lady Emmeline Frendsdale, whose eyes brimmed with adoration as she focused on the man who’d publicly declared his love for her.
Gabriel searched for Liddy. He found her adding her enthusiastic applause to the loud cheering in the room. She stood close to Lady Emmeline, and a moment before Culbertson reached them, she gave the marquess’s betrothed a warm embrace.
The room seemed fixed on the scene before them, watching the interaction between Lydia and Lady Emmeline with rapt attention.
When Culbertson reached them, he brought Liddy’s hand to his lips as a show of affection, then turned to his betrothed and took her into his arms.
The onlookers broke into thunderous applause.
"Follow me, Austin." Harrison patted the money in his pocket. "We have an appointment with the Duke of Chisolmwood and I don’t want to be late."
CHAPTER 23
Lydia leaned against the low cement balustrade on the terrace and waited. The muffled roaring of excited voices still echoed from behind the patio doors as the guests offered their congratulations on Culbertson’s announcement. It had indeed been a shock to everyone.
Especially Gabriel.
She watched him as Culbertson made his announcement and recognized the restrained fury he kept from escaping. His years in the military had trained him to take charge of any situation, to accept nothing less than victory, so she knew how helpless he felt having to stand by while another man announced his engagement to her.
If the roles had been reversed, she wouldn’t have acted nearly so nobly.
Her breath caught and she clamped her hand over her mouth to stop the nervous laughter that wanted to escape. She couldn’t believe things had turned out the way they had. Only
a few days ago she thought she was the one Culbertson would announce as his future wife. And last night in the dark, she’d told Gabriel goodbye for the last time. Until Culbertson saw her and told her his plan for both of them to escape a life separated from the person they loved.
God did indeed answer prayers, and the Marquess of Culbertson realized he was as loathe to spend the rest of his life apart from the person he truly loved as she was.
If everything went as Culbertson had planned, this would be the last time she’d ever have to go through a night like this.
She paced from one end of the flagstone terrace to the other, stopping before the open doors to listen for his footsteps. The longer she waited, the more anxious she grew. She clutched her fingers around the cement railing and—
The ballroom doors opened and excited voices from inside spilled into the nighttime silence. She took a deep breath in anticipation, then turned around when the determined thud of his cane hit the flagstones behind her.
"Have you finally come for me?" she asked.
"Yes, my lady. I’ve finally come for you. And I don’t intend to ever let you go again."
"Good." The tears she swore she wouldn’t shed ran down her cheeks and she quickly swiped them away.
He took several steps toward her and stopped when he reached her. "How long have you known Culbertson was going to announce Lady Emmeline’s name instead of yours?" he asked.
"Since last night."
"I see." He breathed a heavy sigh. "I should be exceedingly angry with you."
"You should?"
"Exceedingly. The torture you put me through took several valuable years off my life."
"I have suffered more," she said as a rebuttal. "Your discomfort doesn’t come close to matching the torture you put me through when you told me you didn’t love me and left me a year ago. Then when Austin brought you back more dead than alive. Then again when Jean-Paul returned with Austin and Geoffery but you weren’t with them. And once more when you delivered us safely aboard the Silver Star and we sailed without you. And last night when you told me good-bye a final time. When I tally the score, you owe me far more in years than I owe you."
He smiled. "Let it never be said that I don’t pay my debts. I intend to devote the rest of my life making up for my rudeness."
"You most assuredly will. I intend to make sure you do. You may start this moment."
He arched his brows in a devilish gesture. "Of course. What service may I offer?"
"You may begin by holding me."
"It would be my pleasure."
He gathered her in his arms and his warmth enveloped her. She sighed with relief. "How do you think Chisolmwood will take his son’s announcement?"
She heard his chuckle beneath her ear. "Publicly? Joyous elation."
"Privately?"
"I don’t know. Your brothers can fill us in on the riveting details when they return."
She lifted her head in alarm. "The money! Do they have the money to repay His Grace?"
"Yes. Culbertson sent Harrison the amount to pay their debt."
A heavy weight lifted from her. "Oh, it seems I’m more indebted to Lord Culbertson than I thought."
"We’re all indebted to him. Especially me." He placed his finger beneath her chin and lifted until her gaze locked with his. "I love you, Liddy."
"And I love you. I always have. But what I feel is more than love. It’s... it’s..."
He ran the backs of his fingers down her cheek. "What do you feel, Liddy?"
She thought a moment then said the only word that came to her mind. "Consumed."
"Consumed by what?"
"Not what," she said. "By whom. By you." She nestled her face against his chest. "Do you know what it’s like to be consumed with thoughts of you day and night? It’s been more than a year since you walked away from me that first time and there hasn’t been a day— No, there hasn’t been an hour that I haven’t wondered what you were doing. Where you were. If someone else was taking care of you, talking to you, laughing with you..." She stopped and swallowed hard. "...holding you."
"You’re the only woman I’ll ever hold – day, night...anytime."
An errant tear spilled from her eye and she wrapped her arms around him and held tighter.
"Ah, Liddy. I love you so much I nearly died that first time I had to give you up. Then, I missed you so much I didn’t care if I came back from any of the missions I was sent on because what did it matter? Life wasn’t worth living if you weren’t a part of it."
"Oh, Gabriel."
He lowered his head and kissed her gently. "Do you know how I survived the trip to England from the Crimea? I survived because every day Austin told me when we got home you’d be waiting for me. I fought to stay alive so I could see you just once more. Then I fought to stay alive because I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving you. And tonight..."
He held her close. "Tonight was the hardest of all. Standing there while I thought Culbertson intended to announce he was going to marry you.
"I searched the room, knowing if it were possible to steal you away, I’d do it. I love you, Liddy. More than I have a right to."
She cupped her palms against his cheeks and brought his mouth down to hers.
He lifted his lips from hers. "How soon will you marry me, Liddy?"
"Tonight?"
He laughed, then kissed her again.
Oh, she’d missed the feel of his arms around her and his lips against hers. Missed feeling the warmth of his body against hers and the surety of knowing she’d spend the rest of her life with a man who loved her as much as she loved him.
For her, love was enough. It always had been.
_______________
DEDICATION
To my mom – who is the most special mom in the world. Thank you, Mom. I love you!
* * *
Also by Laura Landon
MORE THAN WILLING
SHATTERED DREAMS
* * *
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.
WHEN LOVE IS ENOUGH
Copyright © 2010 by Laura Landon
First e-book edition
Print edition ISBN 978-0-9830741-1-3
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used in the context of another work of fiction without written permission of the author or Prairie Muse Publishing.
PRAIRIE MUSE PLATINUM
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Cover art by Prairie Muse
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