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‘Thank you.’ Gabe hauled in a breath and gestured to the snow globe that she still held clasped in her hands. ‘There’s a compartment at the bottom. Open it.’
Etta did so and her mouth formed an O of disbelief as she saw the contents—an exquisitely delicate, multi-faceted diamond solitaire ring shone up at her. Her whole body stilled...her heart skipped a beat, somersaulted, and then pounded her ribcage as she tried to think.
Gabe stepped forward and picked up the ring. ‘Etta. Will you marry me?’
‘I...I...’
Yes, her brain screamed, just say yes. But she couldn’t—not until she knew he was sure.
‘But...I’m not suitable duchess material. I have nothing to offer on that score. And I don’t want a marriage alliance based on what we bring to the table.’
Gabe visibly winced, then lifted one of her hands and held it against his chest. She felt the pounding of his heartbeat against her palm.
‘I love you, Etta. With all my heart. That’s what I am bringing to the table. All I have to offer is my love. All I want is the chance to try and win yours. I love everything about you. Your generosity, your loyalty and your beauty, your courage. I love it that you’re funny and that you love traditions and spout facts and embrace routine. And, most important, when you’re not with me I feel like there’s a piece of me missing.’
Etta’s head whirled at the sincerity on his face, at the genuine timbre of his deep voice, at the way his gaze held hers, blue-grey eyes alight with a flare she knew was the real McCoy.
‘I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. No one else. I know you need independence, but I can eat cereal in my PJs whenever you want. I also know that I need and I want to get to know Cathy better, and if you give me a smidgeon of hope I know I can make you love me.’
For heaven’s sake, say something, Etta.
But emotions tied her tongue—sheer happiness jostled with a need to reassure him, to... ‘Gabe, I love you more than I can possibly tell you.’
‘You do?’
‘I do.’ She stepped forward, straight into his arms, and the feeling was so right her heart ached with happiness. ‘I should have told you in Vienna but I panicked. I thought loving you would make me lose control and perspective, but it didn’t. You helped me...showed me things about myself I didn’t know. You made me believe in myself, trust in myself. You’ve shown me that love can be a wonderful thing, that we can be partners, make decisions together as a team. No one has to be in control.’
‘So you’ll marry me?’
‘Yes. With all my heart.’
As he pulled her into his arms her head whirled with sheer joy.
‘I love you, Etta, with my heart, body, mind, and soul.’
And as he slipped the ring onto her finger Etta knew that this was the best merger she could have ever made—an alliance based on love.
EPILOGUE
ETTA LOOKED AT her assortment of bridesmaids, all standing in the beautiful churchyard. The spring day was chilly but bright, and the sun glinted down from the cloudless sky.
‘You all look stunning.’
The words were the absolute truth. Steph, Kaitlin, Cora, Cathy, and Martha all wore simple floaty chiffon dresses, short at the front and long at the back. Their outfits were fun yet elegant. Each was in a different shade—Cora in bold red, Kaitlin in teal-green, whilst Steph had opted for navy blue, and Cathy and Martha had decided on burnt orange and lemony yellow.
‘Not as gorgeous as you, Mum,’ Cathy said. ‘But we do all look pretty fabulous. This wedding is going to rock.’
‘Yes, it is,’ Cora said. ‘And, truly, you look beyond beautiful.’
For an instant nerves ricocheted through Etta even as she reminded herself of her joy in her dress—traditional ivory tulle with crystallised lace and gorgeous satin buttons and a chapel-length train. In a moment she would step forward into the historic church, which was bedecked with gloriosa and hyacinths and filled to the brim with aristocracy, celebrities, and royalty. All there to watch Etta Mason get married.
The realisation chased away her nerves. Because the press coverage, the many people she didn’t know, the fact that she was on show, even the dress—none of it mattered. All that mattered was the fact that she would be walking down the aisle to Gabe, the man she loved with all her heart.
And there were some people who did matter in there. Such as her sister, Rosa, and her adoptive parents, to whom she had sent an invitation and who had agreed to attend. It was a first step, and Etta hoped it was a step towards reconciliation. Matteas Coleridge was also in attendance, in his new position as future heir. Because Gabe had decided not to step aside; he wanted to fulfil his role as Duke, not because of the kudos of dukedom but because he genuinely loved the manor and the Derwent lands.
Etta respected that, and she would stand by his side and support and help him as he would support and help her. As for children—that was something they would work out as they went along...the rights and wrongs of adoption...but Etta knew with bone-deep certainty that they would work it out together.
She took a deep breath and nodded at the women who surrounded her, and then she commenced her walk down the aisle. She had decided that she didn’t want anyone to give her away. She was giving herself to Gabe, with a heart full of love and happiness. As she walked towards him and saw his awe-filled smile, his blue-grey eyes full of love, she looked forward to their future with joyful anticipation.
