They exited the inn and he ushered her into an awaiting coach, climbing in to sit across from her. His eyes roamed her face earnestly. “How are you faring?”
“Much better, now that you’ve come to save me.” She smiled. “What took you so long?”
Roswell chuckled. “We were forced to stop and check each inn along the route as we searched for you.”
“I’m glad you’re here,” she admitted.
“As am I,” he replied. “You should know that your mother is safe and waiting for you at the townhouse.”
“She is?”
He nodded. “I personally went and retrieved her this morning.”
“But Lord Worthington said—”
“Lord Worthington was lying to you,” Roswell said. “He just wanted to force you into marriage.”
“I should have known,” Ellie muttered. “I’m glad I shot him.”
“As am I, though I wish I had been the one to have the privilege.”
“Lord Worthington was foolish enough to not consider me a threat.”
“That he was.” Roswell moved to sit next to her. “I did a lot of thinking on the ride over here, and I have come to a conclusion.”
“Which is?”
He reached for her hand. “I wish to change the terms of our agreement.”
“In what way?”
A smile came to his lips. “I want a real engagement,” he said, “and after the banns are posted, I want to marry you in front of our friends and family.”
“You do?” she asked.
He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “You were wrong about something,” he murmured.
“Which is?”
“You are a thief,” he said. “You stole my heart right out from under me.”
Ellie laughed, feeling freer than she had in ages. “Do you truly mean it?”
“I do,” Roswell replied. “I fought my growing attraction towards you, but I soon found there was no point in doing so.”
“Why was that?”
“Because no matter what I did, I realized that you make me a better man,” he said. “A man who is in no way worthy of you.”
“I disagree,” she replied. “I quite love that man, and I won’t have you making disparaging comments about him.”
Leaning closer, he asked quietly, “Does this mean you will make me the happiest of men and marry me?”
She pretended to think about it for a moment. “I suppose it does.”
Roswell’s eyes darted towards her lips, and she willed her breath to come evenly instead of the shallow, uneven breaths she felt.
“I’m going to kiss you now, Ellie,” he said.
