Belle Of The Ball
Page 19
"It is about time you arrived," he accused them with a lazy smile. "You were so long, we were beginning to think you had lost your way."
"We may have taken a wrong turn here and there, but as you can see, we have finally arrived at the desired location," Marcus observed cryptically, slipping an arm about Belle's shoulder. "This is a group conspiracy, I take it?"
"It was my idea, actually," Toby confessed, preening with pride at his cleverness. "Figured it was the easiest way to get the pair of you safely shackled. Worked before." He slid a nervous look in the viscount's direction.
Alex ignored him with lordly indifference. "We decided a frontal assault wasn't the safest way of achieving our objective," he said with the ease of a man accustomed to thinking in military terms. "Subterfuge was clearly indicated, and while Dolitan mounted his rearguard action, we lay our ambush."
"Brilliant as always, St. Ives," Marcus commended him with a laugh. "I can see why your superiors thought so highly of you. It is a brilliant plan, but I am afraid it is all for naught."
"What do you mean for naught?" Julia demanded, sounding surprisingly like her elder brother. "You have just passed several hours in a closed carriage with my cousin, sir, and from the blush on her cheeks, I'd wager that time wasn't spent in idle conversation! You have compromised her, and if you do not do the honorable thing, Toby shall call you out! Won't you, Toby?" She glanced to her chosen knight for verification.
"Eh?" He gave a nervous start and studied his older cousin's powerful physique with decided trepidation. "Er . . . quite so, m'love, be glad to. No offense, Colford," he added hastily, least the other man take umbrage.
"None taken." Marcus inclined his head graciously. "But your Herculean efforts on our behalf are wasted as Belle and I have already decided to marry. Haven't we?" And he ducked his head to kiss Belle in front of their gaping witnesses.
While Belle and Marcus exchanged a warm kiss, the others erupted into excited babble, talking eagerly amongst themselves as they made plans to announced the coming nuptials. The couple in question ignored them, lost in a sensual world of their own making. Pledges already spoken were now silently made, and when Marcus finally raised his head, his eyes shone with love.
"We shall announce our engagement tomorrow night at Julia's ball," he said, his eyes not leaving Belle's. "And we shall marry by week's end, provided I can secure a special license."
"That shouldn't be too difficult," Alex said, producing a document from his pocket. "I have a friend in Doctor's Commons," he explained when Simon gave him a startled look. "It never hurts to be prepared."
"Then the end of the week it shall be," Marcus replied with a laugh, turning his attention back to Belle. "Unless you have some objection, my love?" he added somewhat anxiously.
The emotion in his voice melted the last of the ice that had imprisoned her for so long. Feeling freer and happier than she had in her whole life, she gently cupped Marcus's face in her hands. "The only objection I have is that the end of the week seems a lifetime away," she said softly, her lips curving in a smile of glowing love. "But I suppose I can wait . . . if I must."
And then, with the people closest to her in all the world looking on, she kissed the man she loved, embracing life and all its pains and pleasures with unrestrained joy. The Golden Icicle had melted at last.
About the Author
A winner of The Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award for Best Regency for her very first novel, Joan Overfield has written 23 Regency Historical Romances. In addition, she has also written two time travel romances: the ground-breaking THE DOOR AJAR and its sequel, TIME'S TAPESTRY. In 2000 Romantic Times Magazine voted THE DOOR AJAR one of the top 100 Romances of all time. Joan has made several bestsellers lists and won numerous awards for her work, including A Career Achievement Award in Regency Romance from Romantic Times magazine.
A life-long Anglophile, Joan uses her degrees in History and English to conduct research in the fascinating and colorful Regency period and has compiled an impressive library. She has also taught numerous workshops on the period and the craft of writing, is a member of the Beau Monde writers group, and is currently working on her newest novel.
"Ms. Overfield's sense of romance is deliciously unerring." -- -- Romantic Times