Page 44 of An Enchantress for an Earl

“Concerned? Never – more say, delighted! I had hoped that one day I might meet a woman who had some native intelligence, and used it, but my experience amongst the ton had led me to conclude that I never would. Now you have proven me wrong, in the most wonderful way.”

“Wonderful…?”

She could hardly believe her ears.

“Yes, wonderful. I take it, from some of those volumes, that you have been studying matters of history and the differences in law and culture of various nations? Is that a common habit, or a temporary whim?”

Violet swallowed – here was the core of it.

“It is a compulsive habit. I am always studying something. The world is endlessly fascinating. I… that is why, when I first spoke with you this year, after you had been sent down, I was so very… shall we say, bordering on rude? I was mortally offended by the idea that a man, with the privilege of being able to study at Oxford, should have done anything which got him sent down. The concept that someone could throw away their chance to study….”

He laughed again, and reached for her hands, pulling her towards him. She went, unsure of why he laughed, or what he wanted, until the moment that his lips met hers. Shock coursed through her, and then she threw caution to the winds and sank into his kiss, despite knowing that Annie watched from the corner.

When they drew apart, she glanced that way for a second, to see Annie carefully looking through a book – an illustrated guide to the birds of Great Britain, Violet thought. She turned her eyes back to his, allowing herself to be drawn into their amber depths. He lifted a hand to trace her lips with his finger, sighing, then smiled again, as if coming to some decision.

“Lady Violet Gardenbrook, I know that it is traditional to spend some time courting a lady before doing what I am about to do – but I find that I cannot bring myself to wait. I already knew, after the moment that I saw you trapped by Villeham, that I love you – at that moment, nothing mattered more than saving you – but now, after this conversation – now I know that you are beyond perfect. Will you marry me, Lady Violet?”

Violet felt as if the world was spinning under her, whirling her about in a maelstrom of thoughts and feelings. She had hoped, had come more and more to want… but this… now…

“Yes. I… I love you too, and knew it in that horrible place as well, so clearly, when I saw that you had come for me. Can we… can we spend most of our time in libraries, studying together? Can we avoid the inanities of the ton? I cannot imagine anything better than you, and doing that – well, apart from some kisses too…”

He bent to kiss her again, as an affirmation of what she had said.

“Oh! So, I have another wedding to plan, do I?”

They pulled away from each other, and Violet turned to find her mother standing in the doorway. The Duchess looked amused, rather than annoyed, and Violet relaxed, even as Lord Merryfield twined his fingers with hers before addressing her mother.

“I believe so – Lady Violet has just done me the honour of accepting my rather precipitate proposal.”

“Then I’ll start doing so now – I’ll call upon your mother tomorrow, and we can plan together.” She paused, and regarded them fondly for a moment. “And you really should tell your father, Violet – although I suspect that by now he has given up all hope that any of you will do this in the traditionally expected manner.”

With that she swept from the room.

For a moment, there was silence, and then Violet burst into giggles.

“Oh dear…. Oh dear… she’s right – we have all done the unexpected and precipitate, as far as love, and I rather suspect that Iris and Thorne will be no different in that way – much though Thorne would deny any similarity to his sisters.”