by Cheryl Bolen
“Good Lord, what else did he do?”
“Fortunately, your brother and I showed up in time to prevent any real harm from occurring.”
“How did you two know to come?”
“I had known for some time Gordon was a devious man. In my concern for you, I had hired a Bow Street runner to always keep the colonel within his sight. The runner notified me yesterday morning that the colonel had left town with you. Knowing what I knew of him, I grew suspicious and gave chase.”
“And George was with you?”
“No, your brother became suspicious when a very healthy Sergeant Fordyce and his wife showed up at your door at the very same time you were supposedly fleeing to the dying man. George, quite correctly, smelled a rat.”
“So he began the journey to Blye.”
Thomas nodded. “Which is probably most fortunate for me. Your brother bounded up the stairs at the same time Colonel Gordon drew a very long knife on me.”
She saw the cuts and bandages on Thomas, and she bolted up, her face angry. “You could have been killed! Colonel Gordon has been trained to kill. Oh, I would never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of me.”
A smile played at his lips. “Is that so?”
“Oh, Thomas, I’m so very hurt and angry and . . . embarrassed. To think of all the people who have been hurt because of me.”
“Not because of you, Felicity, because of a madman.” He sat back and faced her, a sorrowful look on his handsome face. “There’s more.”
It seemed as if she could hardly breathe, yet her heart pounded in her chest. “What?”
“Colonel Gordon killed your husband.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. “Oh, no,” she moaned. “Because of me?”
Thomas nodded. “Don’t blame yourself. The colonel was wicked through and through.”
“Poor Michael, his life was cut short because—”
“Hush, my darling.” He gathered her in his arms and held her as she wept. “None of this is your fault. You never asked for the man’s attention.”
She wept for a moment, then looked up at Thomas. “And to think, if it hadn’t been for George, you would have been killed.”
He offered her his handkerchief.
She wiped her tears and handed it back to him. “I’m glad he’s dead.”
“There’s still more.”
“Oh, I cannot bear any more.” Her voice was a moan.
“I do hope you can bear this. I was coming to your home yesterday to beg your hand. Now, I will do so.”
She gazed at him. At the sincerity she saw in his earnest face. God, but she could never tire of his face. Nor of him. It was so different than it had been with Michael. There were times she had turned away from Michael in their bed. Something she could never do to Thomas. His very touch debilitated her. It had never—not even at first—been like that with poor, dear Michael. Who was dead because of her. “I cannot accept a gesture offered out of either indebtedness or gallantry because you think you have compromised me.”
He trailed his fingertips along the smooth planes of her face. “I offer for neither reason. I offer because I love you. I always have.”
“But how can I believe that when I know how very much a gentleman you are? After what happened between us at the ruins, you would feel obliged to offer for me.”
“But I loved you long before that precious day at the ruins. I’ve loved you for more than six years.” He stood up, and from his pocket he withdrew the piece of white linen. “I don’t suppose you remember this?”
Her brows lowered. “What is it?”
“ ‘Tis the piece of your petticoat. You bandaged me with it that night on the road more than six years ago.”
Her mouth opened, but no words would come.
“I knew you were to wed a fine gentleman, an officer. I knew I had no chance, but still I carried this with me. I compared every woman I ever saw to you, and they all came up wanting. I used you as my inspiration to earn a fortune so that I could be a fine gentleman like Captain Harrison. So I could one day win a woman like you. But I didn’t want a woman like you. I wanted you. The news that Captain Harrison had been killed gave me hope. You—and only you—are the reason I came to Bath. All I’ve ever wanted was to love you. Only you, Felicity.”
Tears pooled in her eyes. “Oh, Thomas, I do love you so. I’m ashamed that I never loved Michael as I love you.”
His eyes moistened, too. He moved toward her, and she moved toward him, and they merged in one blindingly happy kiss.
When it was finished, he settled his arms about her. “I propose to make you the most cherished nabob’s wife on Earth. There is just one request I have of you.”
Felicity trailed a lazy finger down his nose. “Yes, my love?”
“I beg that your wedding dress be blue.”
V1.0—Spell-checked and formatted.