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“I want to be your husband, Clara. For you to be my wife. Will you—”
“I want that, too. I do! But I…need time. This must be done carefully.”
He stilled. “Carefully?”
“James, I’m so happy that we can be open with each other about our sentiments. I’m ready for the secrets to end—including from my brother. The guilt is eating at me. But it will take time to do this properly. So that he’ll accept it.”
“Acceptme, you mean? If that’s what you’re waiting for, we’ll be gray and bent, lass. He’s not going to change his mind.”
“Davidwill.Hehasto. He’s important to me, James. If we thrust this upon him without care, he’ll be angry. Suspicious of your motives. And ultimately, he’ll feel abandoned, I fear.”
He grunted. “Murderous, more like it.”
“You men. So busy posturing, you can miss what’s important. David islonely. Lonelier than I was. If I force a marriage with an adversary, it’s a betrayal of sorts. A loss.”
“Speaking of loss, marrying me will be your social ruin.”
“Yes. That’s true.”
This is the poorest contract negotiation strategy you could have possibly devised,he thought. He knew he was a fool, but he couldn’t risk misunderstanding between them.
He took her hand. “You stand to lose a great deal by marrying me. But everything I do have will be shared with you. My love. My home. My funds. My time. My body. Everything I am.”
“Oh, James. And are you certain you’re prepared to take on everythingIam? You know of the LLS. It’s important that I continue Violet House. Expand, even. I can’t give it up.”
“Of course you can’t. Won’t. If you’ll let me, I’ll help as much as you wish.”
She threw her arms around him, squeezing tight. “Thank you, James. Thank you,” she said tearfully.
He frowned, surprised by the immensity of her reaction. “Of course. I know the LLS is part of you, Clara.”
“And my brother? I know that he’s difficult, and you may never see him as I do. But I promise you—David is good, as you are. I hope that with time, you’ll come to value each other. Or at least accept each other.”
“What if your brother cannot accept this?” He forced out the words. “If you must choose between being with me, and your brother?”
Clara pulled back to examine his face. “You’re worried I’d leave you if my brother disapproves?”
“I know you love him. And he you.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I do. Losing him would pain me greatly. But James, until I met you, I lived in a gray place.”
He frowned. “A gray place? Is that what it felt like?”
“When I met you, I didn’t see it that way. I was content enough…or so I thought. But when we found each other, all the curtains and windows opened to reveal a sunny, warm day after years of dreary ones. I can’t relinquish you.”
“Even if…”
“Even if it means never receiving certain invitations. Even if my brother cannot accept this. For if David cannot accept this about me, he cannot acceptme.”
“God, Clara, that’s not what I want. I promise I’ll do anything I can. I know I haven’t helped matters. Och, the way I barged into his house!”
She smiled warmly. “But I’m glad you did. We wouldn’t be here right now if you were a different person. The kind not to rush in and interrupt a civilized picnic.”
He smiled, relieved she viewed that memory as dearly as he did now.
Her eyes widened suddenly. “James, I have an idea!”
“What?”
“Is Lord Denton still pestering you to invest his funds in your firm?”
He frowned. “Lord Trout Lips? Yes. Why?”
James knew he was in trouble when she answered his question with another.
“Do you have attire that’s suitable for a ball?”
