Bennett’s eyes were fixed on her as if nothing else in the world mattered. “I have learned what love truly is because of you,” he said. “I promise to be the type of man who will never let you down.”
Delphine could feel his warm breath on her lips and she found that she desperately wanted to kiss him. “May I kiss you?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
He grinned. “You do not need to ask permission.”
With hesitant anticipation, she lifted herself onto her tiptoes, her heart fluttering as she pressed her lips against his, not knowing if she was terribly bad at it.
She broke the kiss and leaned slightly back. “Did I do that right?”
“I’m not entirely certain,” he replied, his voice soft and playful. “Perhaps we need another kiss to confirm.”
Embracing her tenderly, he drew her closer, his arms enveloping her in warmth as their lips met once more. This time, the kiss was deeper, making her feel cherished. It was the way every woman wanted to be kissed by the man she loves. She had never looked forward to forever as much as she did with Bennett by her side.
Bennett moved to rest his forehead against hers. “You do that spectacularly well, my love,” he praised. “I do not think I will ever tire of kissing you.”
Delphine could faintly hear the strains of music drifting from the ballroom. As much as she wished for this moment to stretch into eternity, she knew their absence would not go unnoticed for long.
“Shall we return to the ballroom?” she suggested reluctantly, acknowledging the inevitable.
“Yes,” Bennett agreed, but not before capturing her lips in a tender kiss.
She laughed softly against his lips. “Your words and actions seem to be at odds,” she teased.
“We should go back,” Bennett conceded, holding her close, “but I’m not quite ready to let you go.”
“Well, I suppose a few more moments won’t make a difference,” Delphine relented, content to linger in his embrace a while longer.
Epilogue
Three weeks later…
Today was the best of days. It was to be his wedding day! Bennett couldn’t quite seem to quell the excitement that was growing inside of him at that thought. Since the moment he had first offered for Delphine, he had been eagerly counting down the days, hours, and minutes until this very moment.
It had taken them some effort to get to this point. The morning after the soiree, Winston had traveled to Scotland to meet with the judge to discuss voiding Delphine’s marriage. When he presented the facts of the case, the judge promptly agreed to nullify the marriage, citing deception as the main reason. Furthermore, the judge agreed to transport the conspirators of the deception to Australia, ensuring Delphine would never have to see them again.
Once Winston returned, Bennett promptly posted the banns and waited impatiently as Delphine returned to her country estate to ensure her affairs were in order. He did not like being away from his betrothed- even for a moment. But he understood her reasoning and had no desire to curtail herindependent streak. That was just one of the many things he loved about her.
But Delphine was back at Brockhall Manor. Where she belonged… with him.
As he descended the stairs, he saw Elodie pacing in the entry hall. “Whatever is wrong?” he asked, stepping onto the marble floor.
Elodie came to a stop and turned to face him. “I am trying my best to not soil this gown for your wedding service.”
Finding the situation amusing, Bennett teased, “I thank you for your efforts. I wouldn’t be able to marry Delphie, knowing your gown was soiled.”
“You joke, but Mother was adamant that I stay away from toast,” Elodie shared.
“What is wrong with toast?”
Elodie held up her hands. “She is concerned with the butter on my fingers leaving a stain on my gown.”
“Then do not butter your toast,” he suggested.
She huffed. “What is the point of eating bread at all?”
Bennett placed his hand on his sister’s sleeve. “This conversation is pointless, and I have much more important things to worry about right now.”
Melody gracefully stepped into the entry hall with a piece of bread in her hand. “Yes, you are to be married.”
