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Chapter 63
Silas had been waiting for Dinah to arrive home after her visit to Lucy. His pulse raced and he paced the parlour like a caged tiger, back and forth in front of the window overlooking the street.
Dinah had agreed to help him get Lucy to come over. She had been impressed by his plans to prove his love. She had taken pity on him, for Silas would never be able to convince Lucy to come over on his own.
It had been two long months of preparations. He had overseen all of the work, making sure that everything was perfect. He had written to Lucy, desperate to know her mind. It was difficult to tell from her letters. He had the feeling that she was holding back, politely responding to him yet not truly speaking her mind. He was desperate to know more. He missed her, achingly.
Dinah didn’t tell him much after her weekly visits to Harley Street. She had made it clear that she would not ruin her friendship for his sake. Silas had been impressed with how little she told him about Lucy, despite his constant questioning. He hadn’t gleaned a thing.
When he saw the carriage pull up outside, he raced downstairs in time for Mr Morton to open the door to allow Dinah inside.
“Well?” he asked, unable to bear the suspense any longer. “What did she say?”
His sister removed her bonnet and then her gloves, walking past him. “Mr Morton,” Dinah said, ignoring Silas for a moment, “please send some tea up to the parlour.”
“Yes, Miss Sweet.” The butler sketched a polite bow and disappeared down the hallway.
“Dinah?” Silas demanded impatiently as he followed her up the stairs. He couldn’t bear the suspense. If Lucy wasn’t able to come tomorrow, he didn’t know what he would do.
“She’s agreed to come,” Dinah replied over her shoulder as she walked up the staircase. “Though, she believes that you won’t be here. It was actually a condition of her coming here.”
He followed her up and into the parlour, where she sat down on the settee.
“Excellent,” he said, pacing back and forth. After all of his preparation and careful planning, it was finally ready: his proof that he loved Lucy. He knew that nothing could go wrong. Once she saw, then she would be sure of it.
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Dinah said, as she watched him pace back and forth. She fixed him with a withering stare. “If I lose my friend over this, I will never forgive you. I’m already upset that I’ve lied to her.”
“Don’t worry,” Silas assured her. “She’s coming here! Nothing can go wrong! The moment she sees it, she’ll know how much I love her.” He turned to leave, to go and check on it again. The more that he looked, the more that he saw ways to improve it, even though it was already perfect.
When he turned towards the doorway, Michael stood there. He was studying Silas, his head tilted to the side.
“Are you sure this is what you want to do?” he asked.
“Yes. Absolutely,” he replied, stepping up to his brother. He placed his hands on his brother’s shoulders. “I love her, Michael. I am going to marry her.”
Michael smiled. Though there were dark circles underneath his eyes, his smile was genuine.
Silas laughed, cupping his brother’s cheeks with his palms. “We’ll all be married off, soon enough, brother.”
“Of course,” Michael replied, a larger grin crossing his face. Ever since the party here at the townhouse, Michael and Lady Rosemary Dunne had been close. Michael had recently been granted the formal permission to court her. Michael had seemed more upbeat of late. Silas clapped him on the back.
Everyone was in love, and nothing could go wrong.
Silas ran upstairs. There was nothing more left to be done. His project was complete. He had paid the workers the day before. It had taken longer than he’d wanted, but it looked perfect, down to the very last detail.
There was no going around it or doing things by half. He had to do a grand gesture, one that would prove to Lucy that he meant it. He loved her. More than life itself. He knew that when she saw it she would know, without a doubt, how much he loved her.
