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Miranda faltered and stared at him in astonishment. “Good gracious!” she exclaimed involuntarily.
"My brother has been away from England for several years, and though he writes me often, he does not mention any plans to return to our shores soon. His estates are managed by his stewards and lawyers. Despite our family’s absence from ton life for several years, I am hoping that connection would allow your father to grant us his blessings.”
"Papa is very complacent to Mamma’s wishes," Miranda said faintly. "And I fear she would not be happy with any circumstance that does not see me marrying into a title." She took a deep breath. "Perhaps we should run away," she said with a laugh that did not reach her eyes. "I am over one and twenty, and my birthday is in less than six weeks."
“We’ll not start a scandal,” he murmured, though he could not say what he would not do to make her his.
She gave him an impish grin and looped her hands with his and leaned into his side. “We shall host many fundraising balls together for the hospital. And perhaps a festive ball for the villagers each year? Do you have a London townhouse?”
"I do, though I believe we will have to get a bigger one. My bachelor residence in Russell Square is not up to scratch."
“Hmm, that can be easily rectified. And perhaps six children.”
He choked on air. “Six!”
She sent him a wide-eyed innocent glance. “Too little or too many?”
They laughed, and the love that clutched at his heart was unlike any he’d ever felt.
“Simon?”
He peered down at her. “Yes?”
“From your fine manners and wealth, I suspected you belonged to a well-connected family, but why did you not tell me that you are the son of a duke?”
“It was foolish of me,” he said gruffly. “I felt perhaps our interactions would have been different.”
She stared up at him. “Perhaps, I am certain Mamma would have been less difficult and far more charming. And would have insisted on meeting your brother immediately! But it is of little consequence to me, only in that it gives me hope that Mamma will be more receptive of an alliance between our families.”
Stone paths guided the way toward a green hedgerow maze while stone seats invited repose and admiration of the beautiful lake in the distance. He led her toward the bench near a small brook and lowered himself onto it. Instead of urging her to sit beside him, he tugged her onto his thigh, and a look of scandalized amusement settled on her lovely face.
“Once I loved a girl, or believed I did.”
“Oh!”
"Hmm," he said, pushing a loose tendril from her chignon behind her ear. The unruly curl popped right back out. "I was one and twenty at the time, and believed I would marry Miss Phoebe Cranston, the daughter of a viscount. I presented her to my family who approved the match, but for her…it was all about using me to get closer to my brother, who has the title."
She winced. "Oh Simon, I am so terribly sorry. Did your brother marry her?"
“He did not, though he very nearly well did. William did not love her, but he believes in honor and duty. It was his luck our mamma was in the conservatory and witnessed it all when Miss Phoebe tried to compromise him.”
Miranda touched his mouth with trembling fingers. “Your heart must have been so disillusioned after.”
“Only for a few months,” he murmured.
“There is something I must tell you.” The unexpected tears in her eyes jolted his heart with alarm.
“What is it, Miranda?”
"I…I tried to compromise a duke once by slipping into his room at a garden party!" Shame darkened her eyes, and a flush mounted on her cheeks. She closed her eyes as if bracing against his disgust.
"I am delighted you failed."
Her eyes flew open. “You do not sound angry.”
He kissed her, a simple meeting of lips, an exchange of breath, without demand. “I only admire your braveness and honesty.”
She wilted against him, pressing her forehead against his shoulder. “I’ve apologized to him and his lovely wife, who is also my dearest friend, but I still feel wretched with shame whenever I recall it. I wanted to be his duchess, not because I admire the man himself, but because I desired his title and I was getting impatient for him to be captivated. And I knew I would have made Mamma very proud.”
