Douglas let out a whoop as he scooped Gwenys in his arms and hugged her fiercely. “I missed ye so much,” he told Gwenys with aching sincerity.
She responded with tears and smiles.
“I love ye, Gwenys. My heart refused to beat without ye, my sweet lass.”
“Nor would mine beat without you by my side. But you are here now, and it is bursting with happiness.”
They shared a thoroughly compromising kiss.
Oh dear.
Miranda knew she ought to put a stop to this, but simply could not bring herself to interfere with their joy.
Unfortunately, thistoo-happy reunion would be reported in all the gossip rags tomorrow morning.
Berry came to her side. “Let them be. They are so obviously in love. I promise you, Miranda, true love always wins out.”
“I hope so. Gwenys is not yet of age to give her consent. You saw what her father and stepmother attempted to do to her yesterday. That spineless man is under his wife’s thumb and is not going to allow his daughter to marry the man she loves. I know the horrible stepmother and that evil Lady Trowbridge are going to interfere.”
Berry shook her head. “Her father can deny them until he is blue in the face. That young man is going to marry her, even if it means turning right around and racing up to Gretna Green.”
“I fear this is what they’ll be forced to do,” Miranda replied with a gloomy sigh.
Douglas, still maintaining an arm around Gwenys, now approached Miranda. “I could no’ wait until the summer to see yer niece again. I heard what Lady Berry just said. She’s right. Gwenys is burned into my heart and I will no’ be deterred. Out of courtesy, I intend to seek her father’s permission for her hand in marriage. I’ll be calling on him first thing tomorrow morning.”
Gwenys was beaming. “And Douglas will have his carriage ready for us to ride off to Scotland if he denies us. Aunt Miranda, you must come with us. I cannot marry without you by my side.”
Leave London? While her business with Solway was still unfinished? There was no chance he would leave his Parliament duties to ride north with them, so she had to talk to him tomorrow at the latest.
If she left with Gwenys and Douglas, would he lose hope and take up with someone else?
Lady Trowbridge was just the sort to pounce on him, offering herself up to him because the wicked woman knew how much it would hurt Miranda. Under normal circumstances, Solwaywould have nothing to do with that woman. But he was hurt, rebuffed, and no doubt licking his wounds over the callous way she had treated him yesterday.
“Please, please, Aunt Miranda,” Gwenys implored her. “You must come with us.”
Miranda could not bring herself to deny her niece. “Of course.”
Hopefully, she would turn out to be wrong about Lord Lowery and he would surprise them all by giving his consent. Then Gwenys and Douglas could marry right here in London. No mad dash north required, and the lovebirds happily wed within the week.
However, Miranda’s heart ached in the knowledge that she was about to lose Gwenys to this worthy man. Douglas would make her very happy, but it was still so hard for Miranda to let Gwenys go.
She would, of course. Her niece deserved this love marriage. Miranda was the stupid one who had built those massive walls around her heart out of fear. Why could she think clearly about others and not herself?
“Douglas, you had better bring Solway with you when you call upon Gwenys’s father. It will make matters easier if her father can be convinced to cooperate.”
Douglas’s expression turned fierce. “Aye, I’ll bring him along. I’ll bring the entire Lanark clan along with me, if I must. But I’ll be wedding Gwenys before the week is out, whether in England or Scotland, and no one is going to stop me.”
Berry’s husband ordered champagne served in celebration and offered a toast to the happy couple. “True love always wins out,” he said, repeating Berry’s earlier words.
Well, Berry and Gideon certainly believed it. So did Gwenys and Douglas, if their besotted expressions were any indication.
Did this mean there was still a chance for her and Solway?
Where was he? Why hadn’t he come to the party with Douglas?
Chapter Fifteen
Miranda retired toher bedchamber after the soiree had ended, her mind awhirl.
