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“We were not speaking of church, my Lord,” she quipped in irritation.
“Not yet,” he countered. He took a step closer to her. “I thought that you would wish to know that your father returned Queen Charlotte’s necklace to me two days prior. I presented it to Prince George today.”
Despite knowing that she should not ask, for, most assuredly, Lord Harlow meant to tempt her, Colleen inquired, “Why did you not present the necklace to the Prince when my father first returned it to you?”
“Surely you must realise, my dear,” he said as he propped a leg over the corner of her desk to sit before catching her hand to tug her into the centre of his embrace, “I thought it best for our future if I did not send your father back to a penal colony; therefore, I permitted him forty-eight hours to leave England before reporting to His Highness.”
“You set yourself against our government for my family?” she said in disbelief.
Lord Harlow used his finger to smooth her brow.
“Your happiness means more to me than a sultan’s treasure or the recognition of my future King.”
“My happiness?” she questioned on a breathy exhale.
“Our happiness, really,” he corrected. “I do not imagine that I can be happy without you in my life, Colleen. Do you suppose to be happy without me?”
“It cannot be,” she shook her head in denial of his words. “You and I cannot be. Such is impossible. Society will turn against you. I could not bear it if I brought shame to your title. To your person. I shall not have you regret an alliance with me. I would rather remain apart if such were true.”
“Then you will doom us both to a life of solitude,” he said as he gently cupped her chin, forcing her to look at him.
“The world stands between us, my Lord,” she murmured through trembling lips as tears flooded her eyes. “I can bring nothing but scandal to your door.”
“Do you not believe, my love, that I am strong enough to withstand a few wagging tongues?”
“You may be, but I am not,” she admitted.
“This comes from the woman who walks bravely through the Red Hawk without an escort and who regularly consults with the muslin brigade. How can such a woman fear a few old birds chirping away about nothing of importance? Even if there is a stir regarding our joining, another so-called ‘scandal’ will come along to replace news of our marriage. When the world observes how dearly I love you, any objections will be shushed.” He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “Tell me you do not love me, Colleen, and I will leave you alone forever. You may choose your present state as your future, or you may choose to walk through life, hand-and-hand with me.”
“Yes, but—”
“No ‘buts’,” he warned. “You have the tendency to offer me too many ‘buts’ for us to know true harmony. I encourage you only to think upon what happiness we can know together. Say you will share your life with me. Be my wife. The mother of my children.”
Colleen dropped her eyes again. The devotion she viewed in his gaze was everything she had ever wanted.
“If only,” she murmured.
“Forget your responsibilities to anyone beyond yourself, my love. Claim your chance. You have waited all your life for this moment, and so have I.”
“Dare I?” she looked upon his steady gaze, as tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I wish you would,” he said as he gathered her closer.
Her fingers, as if of their own volition, reached up to caress his cheek.
“Grandison.”
Such was evidently enough encouragement for his Lordship. He swooped in to claim her lips. Meanwhile, Colleen swallowed the sigh filling her throat. To be thusly for an eternity would be exquisite.
At length, Lord Harlow released her lips, but not his hold on her.
“May I take your willingness to remain in my arms as a ‘yes’ to my proposal? Do you have the courage to follow your heart, Colleen?”
“Only if you lead, my Lord.”
He kissed her tenderly then.
“I will not lead, but I promise to walk beside you, holding your hand, if that will suit you.”
