Page 62 of The Devil to Pay

She stared up at him doubtfully. “But you’re Bedwin’s heir and I’m—”

“You are the woman my heart has chosen, the only one who has ever met me head on and held me to account… and I didn’t mind. Well,” he amended wryly. “I minded, but I wanted to be better, I wanted only to prove to you that I was as good as you believed I could be. That’s still what I want, love. To look into your eyes and know you’re proud of me, because your good opinion, your respect, it worth more to me than anything else I can think of.”

She groaned and put her head in her hands.

“I was rather hoping you’d sigh and throw yourself at me by this point,” he said, lifting her chin so she was forced to look at him.

“But it’s… ridiculous,” she protested, clutching at his lapels. “Your parents…”

Jules reached out and cupped her cheek. “My mother remembers you from your come out and heartily approves. She can’t wait to meet you properly and tells me this is probably the first sensible decision I have ever made in my life. The duke agrees with my mother because he trusts her opinion implicitly. If she says you are the woman for me, he accepts it. They are a team, a single unit that works together, that strengthens each other with their differences and never lets anyone else see a weakness in the other. They are remarkable, unstoppable, and I know we can be the same.”

He saw longing in her eyes and his heart eased a little. Perhaps it would not take him so much time and persuasion as he’d believed.

“I know it will take time to trust me, I understand that, but I’m not really the frivolous fool you read about in the papers, you know. Underneath, I think I’m pretty decent. Not perfect, and a bit conceited, I’ll need the odd set down, of course, but I’m loving, and kind, and loyal, Davenport. If I make you my wife, there will never be another. I shall give it all up, all the foolishness, and I shan’t regret it for a moment, if you are committed to me as I shall be to you.”

A tear trickled down her cheek and he caught it on his finger. “What’s this for?”

“Because it’s not fair,” she said, coming as close to pouting as he could ever imagine her doing. “You know just w-what to say to overcome all my arguments, and they were good arguments too,” she added sadly.

“I never doubted it,” he murmured, taking the glass from her hand and taking a sip. He put it aside and placed a hand on the wall on either side of her head, caging her in. “You know, Davenport, I’ll happily argue any point you like, but I shall always have an answer, or a solution, and if I don’t, we can figure one out together, but I mean to marry you. I’m just letting you know this so you don’t have the foolish notion you can put me off. Unless, that is, you don’t want me?”

She stared up at him and, to his alarm, her bottom lip trembled.

“Darling?” he said, pulling her into his arms. “What is it?”

His beloved buried her face against his shoulder and let out a sob. “I do!” she wailed. “I do want you. So m-much…”

“Well, there’s no need to cry over it,” he said with a shaky laugh. “I mean, many people may think you’ve taken leave of your senses—I’m related to most of them—but it’s not that bad.”

“Oh, you silly man,” she said crossly, pushing away from him. “You’ve not considered, not thought it through. I cannot marry you!”

Jules sighed and pulled her tighter against him. “Tell me why, then.”

She made a wobbly, hiccoughing sound, utterly wretched. “Because I cannot leave the children. Jacob might fare well enough now, for he’ll be at university, and Abigail could be put in the charge of a sensible woman if you think your family would be willing to guide her, but as for Charlie and Julia, they still need me, and I’m really the only thing resembling a mother little Benjamin has ever known, and—”

Jules kissed her, for it was really the only way of dealing with such nonsense. She sighed, softening against him instantly and wrapping her arms about his waist. He kissed her until there was no resistance in her at all and she sagged against him, all her fight gone.

“I can’t leave them,” she said brokenly, staring at the top button on his waistcoat and tracing it round and round with her finger. “No matter how much I want to marry you.”

“I’m not asking you to.”

Her head whipped up, and she stared at him open-mouthed. Jules smiled and caught an unruly lock of red hair, tucking it behind her ear.

“I believe I said we would do everything together,” he reminded her gently. “And that means raising your brothers and sisters as best we can, too. It will be good practise. I have seven siblings, you know. I’m used to a lot of noise and chaos. I’m not sure I’d know what to do with myself in a quiet house. Besides, then no one will notice that I make the most noise and mess and chaos. I can blame them.”

“You’re serious,” she said in awe. “You’d really take us all on? Are you mad?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “I’ll take you in your shift, Davenport, and I’ll take all the troubles and responsibilities that come with you. I chose a woman who was capable of taking on the world, and so if the world comes with her… so be it.”

“Oh!” she exclaimed and flung her arms about his neck.

Jules staggered, caught his heel in the carpet, and overbalanced.

The two of them crashed to the floor, leaving Jules gasping as Davenport's full weight landed on top of him. A bare moment later, the door flew open, and Abigail appeared flanked by Jacob and Charlie.

“Oh!” Abigail said in alarm and then grinned, giving Jules a saucy look. “My lord, you have ruined my sister. I insist you marry her and repair her good name.”

Jules gave Davenport a long-suffering sigh and shrugged. “Oh, all right then,” he said. “If you insist.”