Chapter Thirty-One #2
“You are wrong, Simon,” Wylder said from the doors to the ballroom, his voice startling both Emily and Simon. He was dressed in black evening attire, his features drawn and tired but his jaw was set with grim resolve.
Emily choked back a little cry of joy at seeing him. She wanted to run to his arms and press kisses to every inch of his face, but struck by uncertainty, she did not dare move. Must she still keep their relationship a secret? Or would he finally claim her publicly?
“She’s bewitched me. Entranced me. Captivated me.
” Stalking toward the pair, Wylder’s gaze held Emily’s as he spoke softly but with steel-tempered conviction.
His sudden appearance and the determined glint in his eyes made her realize secrecy was no longer necessary.
The Earl of Wyldewood had come to claim her.
“She is my heart and soul. Without her, I am doomed to a life of misery.” Going straight to Emily, Wylder reached out a hand and cupped her jaw.
A faint smile lifted the corners of his mouth when she let out a breathy sigh of adoration.
His words remained directed to Simon, although he continued staring down into Emily’s eyes.
“I have assured you that I love her, but what I feel truly goes beyond that. I will worship her for the rest of my days.”
Emily’s knees wobbled at Wylder’s declaration.
Hearing him state such lovely things out loud was doing strange things to her insides.
When Wylder finally spared Simon a glance, it was blatantly sympathetic.
Emily peeked at her brother to gauge his reaction and saw his jaw clench.
A flicker of uncertainty crossed his features but his hands balled into tight fists, as though he wanted nothing more than to punch Wylder.
“Betrayal does not sit well with me, Wylder,” Simon said bitterly.
“You were my friend before you became her suitor. You kept this courtship hidden from me, knowing I have never approved of your infatuation with her. And must I remind you of the vow we made to resist the plans of our fathers and the shackles of marriage?”
Wylder’s head cocked. “If you must despise me, then so be it. But I will not allow you to punish Emily for my weakness.”
“You will be the one answering for your actions. Not Emily,” Simon shot back. “Will you keep the appointment we previously made so that satisfaction may be gained?”
Wylder straightened at once, his hand moving down to grip Emily’s. He meshed their fingers together, reassuringly squeezing hers. He stared back at Simon as if daring the man to sever the grip he had.
“Simon… this is madness…” Emily said, her voice thick with frightened horror as she abruptly understood what the two men were speaking of. “I cannot stand here and watch as the two men I adore to destroy one another for the sake of pride. Please do not do this.”
Simon’s gaze flickered to meet Emily’s, his fury barely leashed as he said between clenched teeth, “If he loves you as he claims, then he will fight for you.”
Wylder calmly regarded Simon, his lips pressed into a thin, grim line. “Demand that my blood be spilled for the sake of her honor, and I will not refuse you. But I will not raise a pistol against you, Simon. And if I fall, I fall loving Emily. Nothing you do will ever change that for me.”
“I will not live without Wylder,” Emily said quietly.
“Simon, do you understand what I am saying to you? If you succeed with your intentions, you will also destroy me. Put aside your objections and open your eyes to this truth. I love Wylder. He loves me. We intend to spend the rest of our lives together and you may be part of that as either beloved family or bitter enemy. But you will not come between myself and this man. I won’t allow it. ”
Silence stretched between the three of them, broken only by the soft strains of music drifting through the open doors, interspersed with the chatter and laughter of guests.
Simon’s chest rose and fell, his fists still clenched, but there was a spark of something else in his eyes.
A sliver of pain and comprehension that was slowly eating away at his rage.
At last, he let out a sharp exhale, dragging a hand across his face.
“Damn you both,” he muttered. “You’ve left me little choice.
I cannot condone your actions, nor will I give my blessing.
But neither will I spill your blood for it when it would obviously destroy my sister.
She loves you… even if it is foolish of her.
” He fixed Wylder with a dark, unwavering stare.
“I expect you to take care of her. But I still think you are unworthy of her.”
Relief washed through Emily in dizzying waves so overwhelming that it nearly buckled her knees. She clung to Wylder, unable to utter a word as her prayers were answered.
“You are right, Simon,” Wylder agreed with a solemn nod.
“I am unworthy. I shall never be deserving of her or her love. But I will spend the rest of my days worshipping her. I swear this to you, not only as your closest friend, but also as the man your sister has chosen to spend her life with. It’s an honor that I do not take lightly.
And perhaps one day, you will see that I never betrayed you.
My crime is that I love her more than anything else in this world. ”
Simon gave Wylder a tight nod. “Lucien will be pleased by this outcome. He’s tried his damnedest all afternoon to dissuade me from killing you.”
“I shall thank him later if it was his counsel that changed your mind just now,” Wylder drawled. Emily could see he still regarded Simon as though he were a stick of dynamite ready to blow up at any moment.
Simon’s mouth curved with a sad smile, his gaze meeting Emily’s. “It was the reality of my sister’s unhappiness more than anything else.”
“Now that we have reached an unsteady truce and will not be pointing pistols at one another, I must insist that you excuse us, Simon. I’ve ridden to London and back, and now there is a matter of the greatest urgency that I must attend to.” Wylder murmured, sliding an arm around Emily’s waist.
Simon bowed at the waist, and his gaze narrowed on Wylder. “If you ever harm her in any way, or break her heart, I will finish you, you know.”
A sharp laugh escaped Wylder. “I would expect no less. If it ever came to pass, I would deserve the most painful and horrific of deaths at your hands.” Sliding his arm around Emily’s waist, he bowed to Simon. “Now, I must dance with my soon-to-be wife.”
“Dance?” Emily squeaked in alarm. “But, Wylder… we cannot.”
Wylder smiled at her hesitancy. His expression was so tenderly fierce that Emily nearly melted in his arms when he declared, “We most certainly can. And we will. This very moment, actually. Everyone has joined in Lucien and Charlotte’s waltz, and so shall we.
” Then he kissed her forehead, murmuring, “I will not hide my love for you any longer. I want everyone to know that you are mine as surely as I am yours.”
Emily nearly burst into tears while behind them Simon snorted out an exasperated groan. “Dear God, save me from ever sounding like a lovesick swain.” Throwing his hands up in the air, he whirled away from Emily and Wylder and stalked back toward the ballroom without a backward glance.
“Don’t worry about your brother.” Wylder grinned at Emily, drawing her attention back to him.
“I am convinced Simon will be the worst of us when he finally falls in love. And he will fight it until he is bloody and screaming, but he will succumb.” Pulling Emily closer, his breath hitched as if he were overwhelmed by the feel of her in his arms. “Will you dance with me, Emily? Will you allow me to publicly claim you as mine?”
A thread of disbelief and shy acceptance wrapped around Emily’s heart. Was this truly happening? It was like a dream, and she finally nodded in speechless agreement. The next instant, Wylder was sweeping her into the ballroom, whirling her into a kaleidoscope of color and beauty.
The shock of their sudden appearance caused more than a few couples to falter in their steps.
In the swirling motions of the dance, Emily caught sight of Charlotte as Lucien twirled her close by.
Her new friend beamed at her, a twinkle of triumph in her eyes, while Lucien gave them both a wink.
On the edges of the ballroom, Emily’s parents stood arm in arm as they watched.
Their faces were aglow with smiles of approval even as Lady Blackthorne dabbed the corners of her eyes with a silk handkerchief that her father handed to her.
A roar of whispers and conversations swirled around the room as the waltz continued, and soon, Emily realized every pair of eyes in the ballroom was now trained on herself and Wylder.
Even Lucien and Charlotte graciously retreated until finally, it was simply Emily and Wylder dancing alone, the sole couple waltzing around the glittering ballroom to the lilting music.
When the song finally faded, Wylder surprised Emily by bending low at the waist, gallantly bowing to her as she dipped into a deep curtsey.
While a thunderous applause rang out, Wylder swiftly pulled Emily back into his arms. Raising her hand, he pressed an ardent kiss to her gloved fingers, and for a moment, the world blurred until there was nothing other than Wylder and his love for her.
“Come with me now, Emily,” he whispered, his silver-gray eyes holding her gaze until she could see no one else other than him.
“I will go anywhere with you, Wylder,” she breathed.
“For the moment, just to the gardens,” Wylder murmured in quiet amusement. “I must speak with you privately now that we’ve given the ton something to chew on.”
They quickly made their way toward the terrace, ignoring the chatter of excited guests and the many hands attempting to halt their progress.
The ballroom was alive with curious eyes and quick tongues, a hum escalating like bees escaping a hive.
Emily had never felt so exposed to the gossip of society but Wylder was determined.
His stride was purposeful, and in a few moments, they were descending a set of stone steps that led into the south rose garden.
“Where are we going, Wylder?” Emily asked breathlessly, trotting to keep up with his longer strides.
All of her questions now rushed to the surface, and she was thirsty for answers to so many things.
“How is it that you returned from London so quickly? Were you able to obtain the license? Perhaps we should go back to the ballroom?”
Wylder paused, stopping to tweak Emily’s nose with an indulgent smile.
“So many questions, minx. I can see that you shall be a very inquisitive little wife. Sure to get into mischief on a regular basis.” Moonlight illuminated the way as he directed her to sit on a marble bench beneath a bower of white and pink roses.
Their fragrance, soft and sweet, surrounded them as the breeze gently ruffled the branches.
Wylder sat beside her and gently lifted her injured hand. “Does it hurt?”
She barely even felt the inconvenient ache in her wrist when Wylder smiled at her. “No, my lord.”
Wylder’s eyes darkened. “Good. I want no distraction when I kiss you. It feels as though I’ve been away from you for an eternity.”
Emily tenderly brushed a lock of thick, dark hair back from his brow and out of his eyes.
Everything inside her body tightened with anticipation, her heart still racing from the waltz.
Her blood pounded through her veins like a runaway river as the yearning crashed through her.
“I feel the same.” Curling a hand around Wylder’s neck, she arched toward him until their lips nearly touched.
“And I’m waiting with desperate longing for you to kiss me, my lord. ”
A groan rumbled from deep within Wylder’s chest as he gently set her back away from him.
“I shall kiss you until you cannot breathe, minx. God above, I’ve thought of nothing else since I left you this morning, all sleepy and warm in your bed.
But first, my darling love, I must ask you a crucial question. ”