Chapter Nineteen
“Good evening, Lady Verina,” Matthew said, drinking her in. “It has been far too long since we saw one another.”
“Good evening, Your Grace,” she said, giving him a smile which melted his heart.
He would wed her for that smile alone.
She looked to his side where his mother stood. “Good evening, Your Grace. I am sorry I did not see you.”
Mama smiled. “I believe you only have eyes for my son this evening, Lady Verina. Just as he does for you.”
He watched her blush and wished he could advance the calendar to the end of the Season. That this evening was their wedding night, and he could couple with her.
“Let me introduce you to my family, Your Graces,” Lady Verina said. “Oh, dear. Even more of us have shown up. This is going to take a bit of time.”
Quickly, she took them through the large circle of cousins, along with their spouses, as well as two aunts.
Matthew had met some of them, but he was pleased to be introduced to the others.
Mama knew the Dower Duchess of Millbrooke, as well as the Dowager Countess of Marley.
The three of them, along with Lady Verina’s mother, Lady Traywick, moved away from the group.
He noticed the others returning to their conversations, giving him a few precious moments alone with Verina.
“The first thing I should do is ask for a dance from you,” he declared. “I hope I am not too late and that your programme has an opening still left.”
“There are several, Your Grace. I would suggest the supper dance,” she boldly said.
He accepted the card from her and scrawled his name next to it. “I am surprised you had that left, my lady.”
“I was saving it. For you.” She paused. “I was not certain if you had changed your mind. My time at Merrifield was four months ago. Many things might have occurred which would change—”
“My feelings remain unchanged for you, Verina,” he said softly.
“I told you I would be your most fervent suitor, and so I shall be. I have never sent a bouquet to a young lady the day after a ball. Never called upon one. You are the exception. Traywick will grow tired of seeing my face at his door.” He hesitated.
“I only hope that you do not grow weary of my presence.”
Her eyes sparkling, she said, “I can never see that happening, Your Grace.”
“Good. Then expect me tomorrow afternoon in your brother’s drawing room. Save a dance for me at the next ball. I plan to be your shadow, my lady. Sitting next to you at musicales. Partnering with you at card parties. Strolling with you, arm in arm, at garden parties.”
Her brows knit together. “Are you truly certain you wish to see that much of me? I look about and see the number of stunning women in this ballroom, both those making their come-outs and others who have already done so. Even as we are speaking, I feel the eyes of a good many upon us.”
“That is because people seem to be inordinately interested in dukes.” He smiled. “Especially ones who are still bachelors.”
She nodded in understanding. “I see. As a duke who has yet to wed, many are interested in you, both young ladies and their mamas, hoping to see an attachment form between you and their daughters.”
He shrugged. “It is the story of my life—or it has been—ever since I became the Duke of Reddington. Boys who would not have included me suddenly gave me their full attention, fawning over me. It is why I became somewhat of a loner during my school days, not knowing whom I could trust.”
“That changed at university.”
“Yes. I met Anthony, and we got on straight away. Then Hugo turned up, and we became as Robin Hood and his merry men.”
Grinning, she asked, “And were you the famous, heroic outlaw? If not, you have still become a Robin Hood of sorts. Instead of stealing from the rich to give to the poor, you steal away women who have been unjustly imprisoned and help them to start a new life.”
“Ah, that reminds me. Lady Adams asked me to give you her best.”
“She came to town with you?”
“Speaking of thieves, Mama and Lady Adams have grown as thick as thieves themselves. They are good for one another, though. I have not seen Mama this happy in years. It will do her good to have Lady Adams as her companion, especially after I wed.” He paused.
“Because I will be devoting all my time to my duchess.”
Another blush stained her cheeks. Before she could reply, Lady Martindale, one of her cousins, said, “Come here, Verina. I wish you to meet one of Perry’s friends.”
“I will see you at the supper dance,” Matthew promised, leaving her in the hands of her family.
He casually strolled about the ballroom, speaking to a few others here and there, but he had no intention of dancing with anyone else, despite Lady Morris’ suggestion that he do so. No, he only had eyes for Verina, and he had made certain she understood that.
Matthew did retreat to the card room for a while, emerging to go and stand with some of Verina’s relatives. Fortunately, he had met some through Hugo at White’s, as well as getting to know her brother when he had visited Merrifield.
“Millbrooke and Aldridge tell me that you have intentions toward my sister,” Lord Traywick said, seeming surprised. “Is that the case?”
“I fully intend to make Lady Verina my wife,” he told the earl.
“My, that is rather bold,” Viscount Cressley said. “Then again, Lia told me you were smitten with Verina. My wife is never wrong about things such as that.”
Lord Marley said, “As the newest married man in the family, I thought I recognized that look in your eye, Your Grace.”
“And what look might that be?” he asked.
“A mixture of love, devotion, and possessiveness,” Lord Marley replied. “Does my cousin know of your intention?”
“She knows,” he told the group of gentlemen gathered about him. “And I suppose now that all of you do, your wives will, as well.”
“When do you plan to offer for her?” Lord Traywick asked. “If you are so certain, I am surprised you did not do so when we were at Merrifield together at Christmastime.”
“Under any other circumstances, I would have done so. But Verina has wanted a come-out Season. I would not rob her of the opportunity to enjoy it. She needs to wear all her pretty new gowns and make friends with other young ladies.”
“That is decent of you,” Lord Huntsberry said. “Of course, I would give Lucy the world on a silver platter if she so desired.” The marquess paused. “Do you feel that strongly about Verina?”
“I do,” he said as solemnly as he would when the day came and they spoke their vows to one another. “I have yet to tell her that I love her—and should not admit it to this circle now—but I do.”
Lord Aldridge clapped Matthew on the back. “You are a good man, Your Grace. You will fit well into the family. But I would not wait too long making that declaration of love.”
He thought of how all these men loved their wives and would not keep a secret from them. They would go home and tell their spouses, and one of Verina’s cousins was bound to tell her.
He needed to be the one she heard those words from.
“I will do so tonight, my lords.”
The time for the supper dance arrived, and Matthew excused himself, heading toward Verina and the gentleman that led her from the ballroom floor.
“I believe this is our dance, my lady,” he said, allowing the other man to hand her over. Matthew tucked her hand into the crook of his arm.
“It will not start for a few minutes, Your Grace,” she protested.
“Then we will stand here and enjoy being together.”
She looked at him, and he met her eyes. “You really do care for me, don’t you?”
“Now is absolutely the wrong time for me to say this. I wanted us to be alone, not surrounded by a ballroom full of guests. Perhaps sitting on a bench in a garden, the sweet scent of flowers swirling about us.”
He paused. “But my heart will no longer allow me to remain silent. I love you, Verina Fulton, and I wish to wed you.” He paused.
“I hope you will understand we will not have a traditional ton marriage. I want to be more than your husband. I wish to be your closest confidant. Your lover. Your friend. And I hope that you can enter into a marriage with me, knowing that I must continue to do the work I do. It will mean absences from home at times, but I—”
“Yes, you silly goose,” she said, laughing.
“I love you, too. With all my heart. I know you must have been reluctant in the past to consider marriage because of what you, your mother, and Mr. Larkin do, but I completely understand.” She paused.
“More so now that I have seen the inside of one of those places.”
Beaming at him, she said, “I accept your offer of marriage, Your Grace.”
He lightly took her chin in hand. “I wish I could kiss you, here and now. As it is, we will already have drawn the attention of others, and the gossip will be flying, seeing as how I touch you more intimately than I should in public.”
“Do you think I care about a bit of gossip? No, Reddington. I am going to be a duchess—and I will be helping my husband in his very important work.”
Others started moving toward the dance floor, and Matthew’s hand fell from her chin as he escorted her to the center of the room.
“It means a great deal to me that you wish to help me. I was not expecting you to offer to do so.”
She gazed at him, sincerity in her clear, blue eyes. “I want to spend as much time as I can with you. I want to be a part of everything you do, Your Grace.”
“Matthew. Call me Matthew,” he urged. With a smile, he added, “After all, we are betrothed.”
That dance would be forever embedded in his memory, the one where he moved about the floor, twirling his betrothed. Everything faded away but the woman in his arms, the most wonderful, compassionate, giving person he had ever met.
When the dance ended, Verina said, “Would you mind joining some of my family for supper? And Lord and Lady Hampton had asked to join us, as well.”
“I am happy to be swallowed up by your cousins and their spouses.”
As they moved toward the supper room, she said, “Could we wait and tell them of our betrothal tomorrow? They will make such a fuss, and I would like to keep it to ourselves and savor it a bit before it becomes public knowledge.”
“Whenever you wish to reveal our engagement, I am ready.”
They entered the supper room, and Rowena spotted them, waving them over. They joined her and Con, Ariadne and Julian, and Lia and Rupert.
“We saved a place for you,” Ariadne said. “And one for your friend and her husband.”
Matthew saw Lord and Lady Hampton sitting there and greeted them.
“It is a pleasure to see you this evening,” he told the couple as he seated Verina. “I hope you are settling into your marriage.”
“Everything has been going well,” Lord Hampton said. He looked at his wife. “Shall we?”
Lady Hampton nodded. “We are to be parents,” she shared with those at the table. “The babe should be here sometime in mid-November.”
“Congratulations,” he told the couple.
“All thanks to you, Your Grace,” Lady Hampton said quietly.
He left to go to the buffet and brought back a plate with things for Verina.
It had been a long while since Matthew had been truly happy, but tonight he most certainly was.
He was in the midst of a closeknit group, a family he would soon become a part of.
He looked forward to spending the rest of his life with Verina and hoped they would be blessed with children by this time next year.
“I believe I need to go to the retiring room,” Verina told him.
“I will go with you,” Lady Hampton said.
The pair left, and he talked with Lord Hampton and Lord and Lady Aldridge. Lady Aldridge rose and came to take Verina’s seat.
“My cousin is glowing this evening, Your Grace. I hear that you plan to offer for her. I think you will make for a splendid couple.”
“Thank you, my lady.” He glanced about. “She should have returned by now. I believe I will go and see what is keeping her and Lady Hampton.”
Lady Aldridge chuckled. “I will see you later, Your Grace.”
Matthew left the supper room, asking for directions to the ladies’ retiring room. When he turned a corner, he saw why Verina had been delayed.
A man had cornered her and Lady Hampton, a threatening scowl upon his face. Immediately, Matthew rushed to her side.
“You will regret this,” the man said, wheeling and hurrying down the corridor.
“Who was that?” he asked, clasping Verina’s hands, feeling the tremors running through her.
“That was Viscount Ayles. Lady Hampton’s father,” Verina explained.