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“Verity, I fear waiting…for I cannot stay away from you, and should we be caught, that shall be worse.”
He was right, but my brother would not be agreeable no matter how he went about it. “If you wish to do this, maybe it is best I tell him—”
“Absolutely not,” he replied as he sat up. “He will not accept me without persuasion.”
“Exactly, which is why I will—”
“Verity.” He took my hand again and held it to his chest. “I must be the one to fight for you. Your brother will be angry and confused as to how this has happened. That fury will only grow should I leave you to be the one to explain. It would be best, more respectable, if I speak to him. Man to man.”
“Theodore, my brother has a deep bias against—”
“Bastards? Yes, I am aware.”
“Then you should know that he will not be able to reason well. My brother is not a violent man but, on this issue, I fear…I fear—he could very well break his hand beating you!”
“I shall duck.” He grinned, and it made me do the same even though this was grave.
“You are ridiculous.”
“I am in love with you.” He cupped my face. “Allow me to tell the world.”
“Fine, but it cannot be now. Maybe…maybe during the ball Aphrodite has planned at Everely. Evander will at least contain his anger before guests.”
“Fine.” He nodded and we rose to our feet. “Then can I beg the pleasure of having your first dance?”
“You may.” I beamed and then frowned. “How have you convinced me so quickly? I thought to be cross with you for at least a few more days.”
He chuckled. “Is it not because you care for me as well and never wished to part to begin with?”
I wanted to glare at him, but he kissed the side of my face.
“I ought to go. We have put ourselves at enough risk. Write to me at the inn, for I fear I no longer have any excuse to come here for now.”
“I will not.”
“You will.” He smiled as he took a step back. “And I shall eagerly look forward to it.”
As he moved to his horse once more, I called after him. “Wait! Oh, how is your father? Did you see him? Or was that just an excuse?”
“No, I truly did go, thinking he was ill, but he was not. Lady Whitmear merely wished me to visit him.” He chuckled as he dusted off his shoulder.
“What? All of London thinks you are at his bedside. What shall they think when they hear he is well?”
“Henry has already thought of it.”
“Henry? He went with you as well?”
“He followed to condemn me for my actions in leaving you. I am grateful, for it was how I learned you were no longer in London. He said he would return alone and tell all of the ton how I miraculously saved my father from death.”
I smiled. “I am envious of your friendship.”
“Even I do not know how I earned it. Then again, here you are as well, so maybe I am simply blessed.”
“Pray you have not used all of that when facing my brother.”
“I shall,” he said. “Good day, Lady Verity.”
“And you, Dr. Darrington.”
I waited for him to ride off before I collapsed back into the field of flowers. Once again the world had spun so quickly.
One moment I was weeping over him, the next he was before me daring all the world for my hand.
How strange this life was.
I stayed upon the flowers until I could no longer contain my excitement or worry and began to make my way back to the house, my journal and the necklace inside tucked close to my heart. I truly wished for Theodore to ask my brother to allow us to be married but I knew with all certainty how he would react.
“My lady?” I glanced toward the voice of…Aphrodite’s maid as I entered the house from the back. “Have you been outside? Alone all this time?”
“Yes.” I laughed. “I was merely walking the grounds. Why are you so shocked?”
“Forgive me, my lady, I thought you were in your rooms still,” she said and then offered me a smile. “Should you wish to walk again please notify me and I shall have one of your maids accompany you.”
Oh no. “That’s quite all right, thank you,” I said to her, quickly going up the stairs. That was the last thing I wanted.
There was a never-ending flow of servants entering the drawing room at the same time as me to find Aphrodite as she looked over the final orders for this ball she had decided to throw out of nowhere. She looked the very picture of a perfect lady, no hair out of place. No wonder Hathor found it unbearable. I chuckled. I actually wished to hear what Hathor would say…I had been a bit unfair to her in the days before my departure.
