“And what of your family?” she inquired.
Fredrick chuckled. “They have been conspiring against us behind our backs. I have no doubt we have their approval.”
Emilia shook her head. “I don’t believe this,” she whispered. “This is all too… perfect.”
“Before you say yes, there is one thing I must confess to you,” Fredrick said in a more serious tone. “When I served under Wellington, I was one of his spies, and I have worked a few cases since I returned to England.”
“You are a spy?” Emilia asked, a line between her brows appearing.
“I am.”
A bright smile replaced Emilia’s initial surprise. “I adore spies,” she replied. “I do hope you will regale me with some of your adventures.”
“Not all of them are adventures,” Fredrick clarified.
Emilia’s eyes lit up. “May I say yes now?”
“You may.”
“Then, yes. A hundred thousand times, yes,” she gushed.
He dropped her hand and pulled her into his arms. “I love you, Emilia.”
“I love you, too,” she replied.
Fredrick leaned back and looked at her, truly looked at her. “I promise that you will never question my love as long as you live.”
“I hope that is a very long time,” Emilia responded.
As they stared at one another, Fredrick’s eyes dropped to her lips and he asked, “May I kiss you, my love?”
“Yes, you may,” she breathed.
He slowly leaned in until his lips met hers, initiating a soft and thorough kiss. In that moment, as Emilia returned his kiss, Fredrick felt complete. It was the type of kiss that he knew would be etched in his memories forever.
A discreet clearing of Miss Delacourt’s throat reminded them that they were not alone.
Fredrick broke the kiss but remained close. “Should we go back inside and announce our engagement?”
“Now?”
“I think it is the perfect time, is it not?” he asked.
Emilia nodded. “I suppose it is.”
“I will post the banns tomorrow, and we shall marry in three weeks’ time, assuming you have no objections,” Fredrick said.
“I have none.”
Fredrick took a step back and reached for her hand. “Now that we are engaged, I intend to dance with you twice this evening.”
“I have something to look forward to, then,” Emilia responded.
As they strolled down the path, it dawned on Fredrick that it wasn’t that he didn’t want to get married. He was merely waiting for the right person to come along. That person, he now knew, was Emilia. She saw the real him, and yet she loved him anyways. How could he not love her?
With the morning sun streaming through the windows, Fredrick sat at his mother’s bedside as she peacefully slept. He wanted to share the good news with her, but he didn’t dare wake her. So instead he watched her sleep, feeling immense gratitude that she was still alive.
His mother’s eyes fluttered open and a bemused look came to her expression. “Good morning,” she greeted.
