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“In fact,” Ben said, speaking up, “it was I who was the cause of Miss Jennings’s late appearance in Town and her injured foot. For it was I who startled her and caused the accident that broke her ankle.”
“You are doing eternal penance, then?” Lord Merton asked with a cheeky grin.
“Merton!” Lady Merton whispered, an aghast look on her face.
“I am not suggestingIam doing eternal penance, my dear,” Merton said soothingly to his wife. “I did not cause you bodily harm when I met you.”
“No, it was the birth of our three children afterward that accomplished that,” Lady Merton said.
“Not eternal penance at all, Lord Merton, I assure you,” Ben said, still laughing. “More like eternal blessings. They say that God works in mysterious ways, and I have found those words to be true, for I love the young lady you see before you, and I doubt I would have gotten to know her before she had been snatched up by some young buck in Town, had I not inadvertently caused her to remain at home.”
“May we raise our glasses lastly, then, to the betrothed couple, Lord Winton and the future Lady Winton!” Papa exclaimed.
“To Lord Winton and the future Lady Winton!” everyone said in unison as they raised their glasses.
* * *
For the next two weeks, Ben and Rebecca joined her family and friends in the general celebrations held for the abdication of Emperor Napoleon and the end of the war with France. Royalty, nobility, and dignitaries from the Continent, including Tsar Alexander of Russia and King Frederick William of Prussia, enjoyed parades held in their honor, as well as levees and courts and ceremonies. It was one of the things Rebecca had been looking forward to experiencing when she’d received the original offer from Aunt Margaret to come to London. Now it was happening.
She was dazzled by the parades—the bands, the military as they marched in precision, gilded coaches full of the elite from the Continent. And owing to their family connection to Aylesham, Rebecca and Ben received invitations to several exclusive levees and balls she suspected they otherwise would not have been able to attend. It was all magical and thrilling, and she was grateful she’d had the opportunity to experience firsthand such a grand, historical moment.
But her favorite activities were the times she spent with Ben and Rose. Ben had become committed to his role of papa, and Rose had grown to adore him, which had gladdened Rebecca’s heart, especially since Rebecca and Rose had been smitten with each other from their first meeting.
Rebecca decided it was time to ask Ben for his opinion on a matter she’d been pondering the past few days.
He had invited her and Susan and Mama and Aunt Margaret to tea; he had said in his invitation that perhaps it was not quite the normal run of things for an unmarried gentleman to have so many ladies for tea at his home but that it was actually Lady Rose Fortescue who was the hostess for the tea and he was acting on her behalf.
They had been thrilled at the invitation.
This afternoon, they had enjoyed tea and freshly made scones. Rose had joined them, seeming to enjoy her milk and oatcakes as much as the rest of them had enjoyed their particular treats.
“Ben,” Rebecca said at last as he sat cross-legged on the lawn, trying to teach Rose to play pat-a-cake while Mama and Susan chatted with Aunt Margaret on the veranda.
Rose clapped her hands. “Ma. Da.”
Rebecca leaned down and patted her head. “Ma, Da, and Rose,” she said.
Ben looked up at her and smiled, shielding his eyes from the sun. “Yes?” he asked. “What is it, my love?”
“There is something I wish to discuss with you.”
“Let’s walk a bit, then,” Ben said. “My legs could use a stretch. And Rose is getting sleepy.” He stood and motioned to Rose’s nurse, who was seated on a stone bench under a shade tree not far away. She hurried over and lifted Rose into her arms.
“Time for your nap, my little Rose,” Ben said, pressing his hand softly to the baby’s cheek. “Sleep well. Come, my love,” he said to Rebecca, offering her his arm. “I wonder what could cause you to ask to speak to me in such a formal way. You are, after all, the young lady who galloped astride to my home with a broken ankle simply to make yourself understood. It must be something dreadful.”
“Ha,” Rebecca said, relaxing just a bit. His teasing was something she’d needed to set her mind at rest. “Not something dreadful. But I fear you will laugh at me and wonder what sort of fickle woman you have betrothed yourself to.”
“Now I amintrigued,” he said with a grin.
Rebecca took a deep breath. “After all these years of dreaming and waiting . . .” She paused. Itdidsound fickle. And if it sounded fickle to her, what would Ben think? Oh bother. She simply needed to say the words. “After all these years of dreaming and waiting,” she repeated, “I think I’ve had my fill of London and the Season. It has been thrilling, and I’ve met wonderful people, and being present for a truly great moment in history has been incredible and something I never expected to experience. And while it has been everything I could have hoped it would be, I have realized that it is not where I wish to be married. I miss home and my brothers and sisters and my nieces and nephews. I miss the quiet way of life and all the neighbors, who may be simple folk but are fine folk. I even miss Isaac’s sermons.”
“You wish to return to Lincolnshire to marry?” he asked.
“I do. I will enjoy visiting London in the future and the diversions it has to offer, but I do believe I’m ready to return home now. Isn’t it odd? After wishing for this Season for so long, I find I am content and need no more.”
He turned her to face him and gently placed his hands on her shoulders. “After wreaking so much havoc with your original plans, I vowed I wouldn’t take your lifelong dream from you and was determined to stay in London at your side for as long as you wished to be here. If you are ready to return to Lincolnshire, then so am I.”
Rebecca threw her arms around his neck, a move that required her to stand on her tiptoes. It was a rather impulsive and not entirely proper move, even though they were betrothed. “Really?” she exclaimed. “Oh, how glad that makes me!”
