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She would be lying to herself if she did not admit her heart had given a jolt when Alaric talked of “calling upon you with the intention of the two of us might eventually marry,” but only seconds later, she had realized there had been a distinct lack of any feelings for her, even liking, in that statement.
Leading her to believe that Alaric was making the offer because he felt bound by honor and duty to do so.
For all that he possessed that innate arrogance, Alaric remained very much a gentleman, and his behavior toward her at his estate had been far from gentlemanly.
Grace still blushed every time she thought of it. She also, to her shame, became deeply aroused.
That arousal had not been a problem when she was trapped inside a public coach with several other people, her heart broken. But since arriving back at the vicarage, within the privacy of own bedroom, Grace had been unable to deny that merely thinking of Alaric and the intimacies they had shared—and she thought of him and those intimacies constantly—was enough to bring about a return of that heat and sensitivity of arousal, most especially between her thighs.
“There has been no wrongdoing,” she now assured her father and brother, not quite truthfully, but perhaps truth was not required in this instance? “His Grace has merely been…less than polite on occasion.”
“Toward you?” George narrowed his gaze on the other man.
“I sincerely hope that is not the case.” Her father gave Alaric a disapproving frown. “I could not possibly give my approval to Grace marrying a man who treats her as anything less than the warm and beautiful young lady that she is.”
Alaric scowled at the criticism. “I assure you, sir, Redding,” he nodded to George, “that I could never— Would never— Granted the opportunity to do so, I would worship at Grace’s delicately lovely feet for the rest of my life,” he concluded, obviously flustered by the other men’s continued objections.
Another totally uncharacteristic trait for him, Grace recognized. Although she quite liked the thought of having him worship at her “delicately lovely feet.”
“Papa, George, could you please allow His Grace and I to converse alone for a few minutes?” She smiled slightly as she noted Alaric’s slightly relieved expression at the suggestion. “I feel we might achieve more, and settle this matter more speedily, by talking privately together. I know the two of you will not be far away,” she added with a challenging glance in Alaric’s direction.
Alaric was too enamored with seeing that mischievous light had returned to Grace’s beautiful eyes to be at all alarmed by what she was saying. Or by the looks of warning he had received from both her father and her brother, prior to the two men leaving the room and closing the door behind them.
“So.” Grace was the first to speak into the expectant silence which seemed to have fallen over the room now that they were alone. “I meant what I said, Alaric.” Her voice had softened despite the assertion. “Just because I am now to be recognized as Lady Grace Harper, it’s no reason for you to feel you must make me an offer of marriage.”
“There is one very good reason,” he insisted.
She sighed. “I am as guilty as you are of enjoying our intimacies together. Maybe more so.” Her gaze no longer met his as she made the admission. “Yes, we were perhaps more intimate than was wise or prudent, but we still did nothing that demands you make me an offer of marriage. Nor were they intimate enough to prevent me from accepting an offer of marriage from another gentleman in the future.”
“They had damn well better,” Alaric bit out forcefully as he crossed the room to once again take her hands in his and stare down at her intently. “I intend to ensure thatIam the only gentleman whose offer of marriage you will accept, now or in the future.”
Grace’s frown became pained. “It really is very chivalrous of you—”
“For God’s sake, my feelings on this matter have nothing to do with chivalry or that I give a damn you are now to be Lady Grace Harper!” Alaric’s fingers tightened about hers. “Grace, I’ve been able to see, hear, feel,tastenothing but you since the moment I first set eyes upon you and then made love to you,” he told her fervently. “You have been my first thought when I wake in the mornings, my every thought during the day, and my last before I go to sleep at night.”
She stilled, her gaze searching. “That sounds very much as if…as if…”
“I love you beyond all and everything else? Beyond reason? Beyondsanity?”
Grace moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. “Yes.”
Alaric nodded. “Possibly because that is exactly how much I do and will continue to love you,” he acknowledged self-derisively. “Grace, please know that I spoke to my friends about you and your situation only because they could all see that I was struggling with this overwhelming love I feel for you. Even more so since we parted so badly,” he recalled heavily. “The conversation regarding your baptism came about because my friends wished to help me secure your happiness. Even if that happiness is not with me,” he assured, inwardly praying that he would be able to let Grace go if that was the choice she made.
But he knew that he would never be able to walk away from her. Not completely. Not emotionally. Because he loved her so very much and wanted her in his life forever.
Her eyes filled with tears. “That is so very kind of them.”
“It’s bordering on disloyalty is what it is,” Alaric bit out in disgust. “I am their friend; therefore, their concern should be formyhappiness.”
“But surely you want your closest friends to like, perhaps eventually love, your future wife?” she teased.
“I do not— What?” Alaric tensed. “Grace…?” His gaze was desperate as he looked at her searchingly.
“I love you too, you silly man,” she told him warmly as she stepped close enough that he could release her hands and draw her into his arms.
Alaric wasn’t sure he liked being referred to as a silly man, but he sincerely hoped Grace meant the rest of her statement. “You love me?”
She rested her cheek against his chest. “I do.”
