Page 75 of Engaging Sir Isaac

Millie leaned into him, keeping her gaze upon his. “I love you, too.” She drew in a shaky breath. “My parents will disown me, I am certain. Lady Olivia and Lord Carning will make our lives as miserable as they can. It is their nature to be vindictive. But if you can overlook those things, if you do not mind them, and if you still want me—”

He cut her words off with a kiss. A deeply felt, passionately given kiss. She returned his ardor as she had on both the previous occasions. Any doubt she had, he kissed it away.

When they finally parted, both breathing more heavily than normal, Isaac’s heart pounded against his chest. He spoke over the sound thrumming in his ears. “You do not need to worry about Lady Olivia. Perhaps not even Carning. I have spoken to the Marquess of Alderton about his daughter’s schemes. And her behavior.”

Millie jerked back from him, her mouth open wide. “No. And that worked?” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Lady Olivia will never let that stand. She is conniving, devious, unprincipled—”

He interrupted her with a laugh and a gentle squeeze of her hand. “All true. Her father’s displeasure will restrain her for a time. Well enough to keep Lady Olivia from daring to so much as whisper your name for the foreseeable future.” Isaac grimaced. “The man is a hypocrite. He would silence his daughter for acting as she has seen him act. But it is done. Carning will not say much, unless he wishes to hurt his own standing, because Lady Inglewood will sponsor your introduction to the Crown, as her sister.”

“Introduction?” Millie’s eyebrows drew down. “Isaac, I know you detest London. We need not ever return to that wretched place.”

He leaned back into the couch, retaining her hand in his. “Too late for that, love. I have come to a decision. It will be difficult. I cannot find the confidence—not yet—to move about as freely as I once did. But I cannot bury myself in my house like a hermit.”

Millie slowly leaned into him, keeping her gaze upon him. “What do you intend to do?”

“Make a difference,” he answered, lifting his left shoulder. “Speak to politicians as you suggested, like my brother-in-law, about the fate of men returning from war. Help them. Somehow. I cannot do much on my own. But with the help from the right people, and with you at my side for courage and care, perhaps I can improve things for men who live without the support I have had from my friends. And you.”

Her eyes glowed up at him, admiration clear and bright within them. “That is a beautiful idea, Isaac. I will support you however you wish, however I am able. I promise.”

“I promise the same for you, darling. I will protect you, I will defend you, and I will make you the queen of my life.” He watched her, noting everything from the light dusting of freckles across her cheeks to the way her eyes glowed amber in the light. “You said you will marry me?”

She blushed. “I am certain we both know that is what comes next.”

“Then I had better return you to your parents. With or without their blessing, we need to do the honorable thing.”

She pouted. “I would rather elope as Emmeline and Cadoc did.”

A woman who could only be Millie’s sister rounded the doorway, eyes narrowed, hands upon her hips. “Absolutely not. I eloped because I was betrothed to a snake with the power of a duke behind him. You, dear sister, have no such dangers to keep you from an honorable marriage in a church.”

Cadoc—the man who answered the door—put his head barely around the corner. “Do forgive us. We only started eavesdropping a moment ago.”

Millie blushed furiously, but Isaac only laughed. He had a feeling his friends at home would have done the same. What did it matter, who heard their confessions of love or their plans for the future?

Whatever anyone else thought, Millie and Isaac belonged together. Somehow, it would all turn out as it should. As it had. With the two of them in love.

Epilogue

Millie walked along Inglewood’s beach, her arm through her husband’s, her face lifted toward the breeze. “I will miss this.” She leaned her head against Isaac’s shoulder and released a sigh. “Must we really go to London this Season?”

Her husband did not laugh at her reluctance, but she could feel his amusement. “I remember a time when all you wanted was a long winter in Town.”

“Thought I wanted.” She snorted and pulled back, looking up at him with one eyebrow raised. She had studied Esther’s ability to appear imperious. “But it really is such a horrid heap of political maneuvering.”

She looked behind them to see Silas and Esther walking several feet back, each holding one of little Isaac’s hands. They counted to three and swung the small boy forward, and he shrieked in delight.

Isaac drew her back to their conversation. “You will get to spend time with your parents.”

“And Emmeline.” Millie’s heart lifted. When her parents had been confronted with the loss of a second daughter to a less-than-advantageous marriage, Millie had been certain they would cut her off as they had Emmeline. Instead, they had packed their London household up and went directly to Warwickshire, to meet their grandchildren.

Cadoc had welcomed them, Emmeline had forgiven them. Things were not easy, not all the time. Millie’s mother still made occasional comments meant to slight her sons-in-law, but the family did their best to ignore her when she behaved that way. And their father—he was happier than his daughters had ever seen him, declaring there was nothing so wonderful as having grandchildren.

What a change a year could bring.

“Very well,” Millie conceded at last. “But we will not stay for the whole of the Season. I should much rather be home in the spring. I think our first child ought to be born at Woodsbridge.”

Isaac stopped walking abruptly and turned to look down at her. “Our first—Lady Fox. What did you say?”

She grinned and stood on her toes to give him a kiss upon his jaw—the only thing she could reach unless he bent to give her greater access. “Our first child should be born at home. Surrounded by the people who love us most.”