AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We don’t have time for your idleness. Do you not care for Noel?” Dracott growled.
“Very much,” Gregory whispered so softly only Noel heard him. “With all my heart.”
Noel’s breath hitched at Gregory’s declaration. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him, but her sister barreled into the bedroom behind Dracott.
“What is taking so long?” Maggie saw Ravencroft in bed, naked from the waist up. “Oh. I see.” She quickly turned, looking at the floor. Anywhere but at the bed. However, she noticed her sister’s dress lying amongst Ravencroft’s clothes.
“Dammit. Ravencroft, get your arse out of bed now,” Dracott thundered. He was on the verge of losing all hope for his brother. Did Ravencroft not care about Noel? Either way, he owed the Worthington family his cooperation in bringing her home safely again. When his wife stepped closer to the bed, trying to peek around Ravencroft, he barked, “For God’s sake, Maggie, stand back.”
Maggie laughed. “Reese is not too far behind us.” She waited until she heard her sister groan. “And Mama is with him.” She turned around and tugged Dracott from the bedchamber. “Welcome to the family, Ravencroft. I believe I might like you after all. No one else can make Noel throw all caution to the wind.”
Maggie closed the door behind them, and they listened to her laughter echoing along the hallway.
“Your sister is a menace. Remind me to buy locks for our bedchamber doors,” Ravencroft muttered.
Noel giggled. “Yes. Maggie has an awful habit of walking in where she isn’t invited. I suppose we’d better dress and join them below.”
Noel slipped out from underneath Gregory and dressed. But he remained in bed with his arms folded behind his head. His intense stare made Noel nervous. She sat on the bed, pulled up her stockings, and tried to smooth out the wrinkles on her dress. But they refused to budge, and the fabric remained crinkled.
Noel cleared her throat. “Umm. Are you . . . That is . . .” She took a deep breath. It was one thing to act wantonly when they were alone. However, it was scandalous to remain alone with him while her family waited for them. And with Ravencroft naked, too. “Should you get dressed?”
Gregory pulled Noel back into his arms, nuzzling her neck. “In time.”
“Ahh.” Noel sighed, her family already forgotten.
He tipped her chin up, gazing into her eyes. “I love you, Noel Worthington. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Before you answer, you must understand how I wish for you to help me rebuild our estate and for us to fill it with our children. To show them all about love and trust. And I refuse to return to the manner of engagement we held before. I want this one filled with passion, love, trust, honor, and most of all, forgiveness.”
Tears leaked from Noel’s eyes. They were not tears of sorrow, but tears filled with joy. She had waited with patience for him to speak of his love because she understood the heartache he had endured from his own parents.
“Yes. Yes! Yes!” Each of her answers grew louder. She wrapped her hands around his cheeks, staring into his eyes. “I love you, Gregory Ravencroft, and I cannot wait to fill our home with our children. To spend every day showing you how much I love you. And believe me, this engagement will hold all you desire.” She winked at him. “And then some.”
Before Gregory laughed with his happiness, Noel devoured his lips. And it wasn’t long after that he drew her underneath him and showed her exactly how passionately he wished their engagement to be.
Her family be damned.
Chapter Twenty-One
