Page 73 of A Scandal for the Beastly Earl

"Well, perhaps occasionally," Arabella amended. "Maybe once a year."

"Twice," Julian suggested.

"Don't push it," Lucien warned.

The carriage ride home was quiet, but it was a comfortable quiet. Arabella curled against Lucien's side, his arm around her, while Julian dozed in the opposite corner.

"Did you mean it?" she asked. "What you said?"

"Every word."

"Even the part about loving me?"

"Especially that part."

"When did you know?"

He considered. "I think I started knowing when you negotiated terms for our marriage like a shipping contract. But I truly knew, when you spent twenty minutes trying to teach Thistle to fetch your slippers and ended up with him bringing you every shoe in the house except yours."

"That's when you knew you loved me?"

"That's when I knew I couldn't imagine life without you."

"That's beautiful."

"That's terrifying."

"That too."

They rode in silence for a while, then Arabella said, "Mr. Hartwell seemed nice."

"Don't."

"I'm just saying, if Matilda had a friend..."

"Arabella."

"You said you didn't love her. Maybe she didn't love you either. Maybe you were both trapped."

"Maybe." He was quiet for a moment. "It doesn't matter now."

"No," she agreed. "It doesn't."

Blackthorn Manor was lit up when they arrived, the staff clearly having waited up to hear about the evening. Thistle rushed out to greet them, having apparently escaped the kitchen through means unknown.

"Our criminal has been busy," Lucien observed.

"Our criminal has been perfect," Arabella corrected, kneeling to accept Thistle's enthusiastic greeting. "Haven't you, boy?"

They made their way inside, where Morrison was waiting with his usual dignity only slightly marred by what appeared to be dog drool on his sleeve.

"I trust the evening was satisfactory, my Lord?"

"More than satisfactory," Lucien replied. "My wife was magnificent."

"As was my husband," Arabella added.

Morrison's expression actually shifted toward what might have been approval. "Very good, my Lord, my Lady. Shall I have refreshments sent up?"