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“I was only seeking a bride to pacify my mother, as I told you,” he said. “But I want you to know that all the reasons I gave you at first for asking you to marry me were all true. At least, they were then.”
Rowena looked at him, once more looking confused and cautious.
“Were?” she asked.
Andrew squeezed her hand and nodded.
“Though I did not tell you about my father, or about never wanting children, I told you the complete truth about why I originally chose you as my bride,” he said. “However, now, I have much more to say.”
Rowena looked tired and strained, but she nodded.
“Very well,” she said.
Andrew took a deep breath.
“One thing has changed since I first asked you to marry me,” he said. “And that is that I have fallen in love with you. You have broken through the walls I built around my heart. You have changed the way I see life, marriage, and love. You have showed me that I can live a life completely unlike my father’s, and that I want that life more than anything in the world. And most of all, you have taught me that I don’t want that life with anyone but you.”
Rowena pulled her hand away from Andrew’s and covered her mouth with her hands. From the corner of his eye, he saw the maid’s mouth fall wide open. He stared intently at Rowena awaiting her response.
The silence seemed to last forever, and Andrew’s heart pounded violently in his chest. He was acutely aware that he ran every risk of Rowena rejecting him. He could hardly blame her, as his behavior since their engagement had been strange at the best of times and aloof at the worst. And now, his mother had come into it, trying to convince her to end their betrothal.
Andrew bit his lip, fighting the urge to grab Rowena’s hands and plead with her to accept his love.
“Andrew,” Rowena said, sniffling. “I never thought to hear you say those words to me. After what Lady Elsbrook said, I was sure that any chance at happiness was gone.” She sniffed, wiping at her face, and smiling. “But now I know how you feel, I can finally tell you that I am in love with you, too. That is why I was so devastated when your mother told me to break off our engagement.”
Andrew’s chest filled with so much joy, he was sure it would burst.
“Does that mean you have changed your mind?” he asked hopefully.
Rowena laughed, instantly soothing Andrew’s soul in the way her sobs had wounded it.
“It certainly does,” she said. “I would not deny us such love for anything in the world.”
Andrew laughed then, putting his arm around his fiancée and drawing her closer.
“I love you, Rowena,” he said, giving her a sweet kiss.
The world fell away, and Andrew let himself fall into the love and happiness contained in that kiss. Andrew wished the moment would never end. Until that was, their wedding day arrived.
Sally pointedly clearing her throat brought the kiss to an end. Rowena giggled and covered the side of her face with her hand. She and Andrew both looked up sheepishly at the maid. Instead of scowling, however, she was now crying as well.
“Come, miss,” she said, taking Rowena’s arm and pulling her off the sofa. “Nothing at all just happened here. But we must get you back to the party.”
Andrew also rose, giving Rowena another handkerchief, shivering as their hands touched once more.
“I agree, darling,” he said, blowing her a kiss. “I shall go on ahead. You take your time and freshen up as much as you need. I shall be anxiously awaiting your return.”
Rowena nodded eagerly.
“I love you,” she said, grinning as she spoke.
Andrew winked at her, hurrying to the door, and preparing to slip out of the room.
“I love you, too,” he whispered.
Chapter Thirty
For the second time in a month, Rowena felt the giddy, tickling sensation of butterflies flitting in her stomach. In less than one hour, she would be marrying the man she loved. Even two weeks after their engagement ball, she could hardly believe that she and Andrew would be marrying for love, after all.
