Bradford nodded, his dark eyes holding hers. “As quickly as possible, if that wasn’t already obvious. The blasted post routed your letter all the way to the northern border. It lingered there for quite some time before anyone realized.”
Then that was the reason for the delay. It was so simple Lily wanted to laugh again. A problem with the post! It was one of a hundred scenarios she’d considered, and the possibility was far too mundane to have made her list of top worries.
“I thought you might have died,” she said lightly, still grinning up at him.
“You needn’t look so pleased at the prospect.” Bradford caught her, one large hand gently cupping her elbow. “Don’t toy with me, Lily. Are you or are you not engaged?”
“Of course not,” she said. “I certainly thought you clever enough to know an empty threat when you read one.”
“That saves me the trouble of dueling a fellow, I suppose,” he grumbled. “A pity to have wasted all that time on the journey here, revising my argument for the judge and jury.”
Lily laughed. She found it delightful to tease him, now that she was fairly certain of his affection. “And why have you come, then? Are you in search of a new waistcoat or a pair of boots? It’s true that London has the finest tailors and?—”
Bradford silenced her in the most enjoyable way possible—by clasping her at the waist and pressing his lips to hers.
After a moment, she broke away with a gasp, her eyes wide. Such displays simply weren’t done, and certainly not amongst the crowds of a ballroom. Thankfully, he’d at least thought to put his back to the crowd, shielding her from view between the pillar and himself.
Though there was an exclamation amongst the guests, the furor came from the direction of the dance floor. Apparently something had occurred at just the right moment to draw the collective attention away.
“Apologies,” he said, releasing her and stepping back. “Of all the ways I planned upon doing this, that was not one of them.”
Lily nodded, her cheeks going pink. She wouldn’t admit it to him, but she found his breach of decorum romantic, not to mention delightful. “I certainly hope this means you return my feelings.”
“My darling Lily, if my feelings took corporeal shape, there wouldn’t be enough room in London to contain them. I have experienced the deepest agony ever since I parted from you.”
“Then why did you leave in the first place?”
“I needed to give you space to know what you truly felt.”
Her eyebrow flicked upward. “Do you think I’m so naive that I don’t know my own thoughts?”
“I was afraid that you’d feel you had to return my affections to guarantee my silence.”
“Ridiculous,” she snapped. “I know you would never leverage that knowledge against me. I know you well enough to be certain you would never break your word.”
Bradford shook his head, the set of his mouth grim. “And yet, I have broken my word in the past. I had to be sure, for both our sakes, that your affection was not a passing one.”
Lily opened her mouth to offer him assurances, but he held up a hand. “Forgive me, Lily, but you don’t know me as well as you think. There are things I need to tell you, things you need to know before you decide whether to accept my offer of marriage.”
It was a strange moment—Lily was half dread, half delight. He’d mentioned asking for her hand for the first time, but it was marred by his warning.
He swallowed deeply. “I have something I need to tell you, even though I fear it might change your opinion of me forever.”
Lily stiffened. Such words were never welcome from one’s potential intended, especially when one was already deeply in love.
Bradford studied her face. “Will you please meet me in the park in the morning like we used to do? This isn’t the proper place for such a discussion.”
Lily nodded.
“Until the morning, then.” Bradford gave her a tight smile, squeezed her elbow one last time, and was gone.
CHAPTER 30- LILY
Understandably, Lily slept fitfully. Though she and her sisters had stayed at the ball well past midnight, Lily was up and dressed before the sun’s rays crept over the horizon. She sat on her velvet sofa, her knee bouncing up and down, and checked the window every few moments to see whether it was light enough for Mabel to relent.
Finally, Mabel sighed and offered Lily her wrap. By the time they reached the park the sun had risen, though mist still clung to the pond in a haze. Bradford was already there, his strong back turned to her as she approached.
He must have heard her footsteps, for he turned and gave her a cautious smile. “Good morning, Lily.”
