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A tender smile touched Rem's lips, his expression one of weary amazement. "You're unbelievable." He wrapped a wave of sable hair around his hand. "Utterly, astonishingly unbelievable."
"We're
unbelievable," she corrected breathlessly, tracing his lips with her fingertip. "Utterly, astonishingly unbelievable." She brushed his mouth in a kiss of infinitely poignant beauty. "When will you marry me?"
"Rem . . ." Indecision warred on her face.
"Don't even think of saying no," he warned, ominous clouds erupting in his eyes, darkening them to near-black. "Not after what just happened in this carriage. Not with my body still buried in yours. Not when my child could be growing inside you. I mean it, Samantha. 'No' is not an option."
"Rem, I love you so much," she said in a broken whisper.
The darkness dissipated as quickly as it had come. "Marry me, then." He tugged her head back to his chest, his hand shaking as he stroked her hair. "Let me talk to your brother tomorrow ... please."
Sammy could feel Rem's anguish as tangibly as if it were her own. It was deep and devastating, involving far more than his plea for her to become his wife, far more than the unwilling love he had yet to admit. And she knew what her answer must be; the only one that would permit her to grapple with his pain and help him heal.
The only answer for either of them.
"Yes, Rem. I'll marry you."
17
"Do you want a big church wedding?" Rem murmured, working the tangles from Sammy's hair with his fingers.
The window curtains remained drawn, but Sammy's gown was rearranged, Rem's breeches refastened as the carriage made its seventh trip around Hyde Park.
"Would you mind terribly?" She twisted around to see his face, simultaneously scooping Aunt Gertrude's hat off the carriage floor.
A corner of Rem's mouth lifted. "You never did explain that unusual headpiece."
"It's Aunt Gertie's. She generously offered to lend it to me."
"I see. Did you select this particular one?" Eyes twinkling, Rem stroked one of the garish plumes.
"Not exactly. Actually, I didn't request any hat at all. I merely asked Aunt Gertie if she wished to chaperon us on our carriage ride through Hyde Park, given that today is Cynthia's day off. She misunderstood."
"I see." Rem lifted Sammy's disheveled tresses and pressed his lips to her nape. "In that case I'm terribly grateful. I would have found a chaperon very inconvenient on this particular ride."
Sammy shivered. "Rem, I don't think we can risk another seven trips around Hyde Park. Besides, we were discussing our wedding."
"So we were." Reluctantly, Rem resumed his task, threading sable strands free of each other. "I asked if you wanted a grand church ceremony."
"And I said yes, unless, of course, you object."
Rem chuckled. "Would it matter?"
"Of course! If it makes you unhappy, we won't do it."
"How very biddable you are, imp ... just like the night we attended the opera when you ignored my instructions to go home and instead hid in my phaeton and rode with me to Shadwell."
Sammy went white. "How did you find out?"
"A better question is, when were you going to tell me?"
"I wasn't. I would never lie to you, Rem," Sammy added hastily, seeing his jaw tighten. "I just didn't want to upset you."
"Why would I be upset? Just because those ruffians might have killed you?"
"You're angry."
