Page 80 of The Earl and His Lady

¤

With a folded piece of paper in his hands, Lucas paced in the parlor. He wore his evening clothes to go into dinner with Virginia. He’d found the letter an hour previous, while going through Edward’s stack of artwork on his desk. He’d been surprised to recognize Virginia’s hand, to see she had written him a letter, but it remained unfinished. Why hadn’t she finished it? And why had she left it on his desk in such a manner? Was she trying to tell him something?

The letter expressed her gratitude, which he understood, but it ended on such a different note. She had missed him. She’d longed for him to return, if he read the letter correctly. She’d written in detail about his absence. Why hadn’t she sent the letter? When did she write it? If he would’ve received even one line of such expressions before, he would have come home much, much sooner.

But the last lines, those were what confused him, and gave him the most hope. For so long, I thought I was the strong one. I thought I knew what was best for my sons and for myself. But as I look back over my time as your wife, I have realized something. I have realized—

What had she realized?

Could she possibly feel for him as he did for her?

Lucas attempted to quell that thought. It wasn’t appropriate for him to even speculate on the matter before her mourning period was over. Until then, he must keep his hopes silent, his emotions in check, and his heart resolute. Virginia might already suspect something, after the rather difficult exchange between them at Heatherton Hall. But with a month between those events, maybe she had forgotten—or at least would pretend to forget.

The door opened and Lucas fixed a calm smile to his face before he turned. He moved to tuck the letter behind him. It might not be wise to ask her about it after all.

His breath caught.

Candles and the light from the fading sun bathed the room in a soft glow, and Virginia stood there, eyes luminous, vibrant, and joyful. Jewels were in her hair, making it look like a celestial crown of stars had nestled in the golden waves. Her cheeks were a dusky pink, her smile gentle. And she wasn’t wearing black, or gray, or lavender, or brown.

The gown was shades of blue and green, shining in the gentle light, encasing her form in silk swaths.

Virginia smiled and his heart nearly burst from his chest, so rapid was his pulse and strong his desire to step forward and take her in his arms.

“Good evening, Lucas,” she said, her voice wrapping him in its spell.

“Virginia,” he said her name with awe. Could this truly be her? Was he dreaming?

She came forward slowly, her skirts swishing and her eyes never leaving his. What could he say? What could she possibly mean for him to know? It took everything he had not to ask, not to reach for her.

She stopped when she was an arm’s length away from him. “I have something I must say.”

Lucas’s ability to speak had apparently completely left him. All he could do was nod.

“I have decided that following my heart takes precedence over the expectations of society. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but now that it has, I do not feel that Charles would see the matter with anything other than approval. He was a very good man and would want all of us to be happy. And he never cared for mourning customs very much anyway. He hated black.” She spoke clearly but quickly, her eyes searching his with each word, but he didn’t entirely understand.

“You don’t wish to wear black?” he asked, his brow drawing down, his hope fading.

“No. Yes.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “This was supposed to be easy.”

Lucas shook his head and reached out, to take her hands, but he stopped, remembering he held her letter still. “Does it have something to do with this?” He raised the paper for her to see.

The pink in her cheeks turned red. “I’d forgotten about that.”

“Oh.” They both stared at the paper, then Virginia did the unthinkable and stepped closer to him.

Her fingers went to his cheek. Lucas met her eyes.

“I loved Charles. I have no wish to forget that or to forget him. But I have every intention of living a life of happiness and filling it with love.”

Hope burst free of its chains and took flight in his chest. “You do?” he whispered. He dropped the letter and raised a hand to her cheek. “Virginia?”

“Yes,” she said, her eyes reflecting back at him the words he didn’t know if he dared speak. But Virginia saved him. “I love you,” she said, and then again when he froze. “I love you, Lucas. Please don’t ever leave me again.”

Lucas’s answer was to bring his lips to hers, brushing against them in a gentle, tentative kiss.

Is this real?

Virginia responded, her lips caressing his, her hands resting against his chest. Lucas slipped his hand from her cheek gently to her jaw, then to cradle the back of her head. Her kiss tasted like fireworks, and long summer days in the sunlight, and oranges, and every good thing he could remember. His free arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer, and she sighed as she deepened their kiss.