Chapter 10
Josephine stopped a servant for a glass of wine after Philip escorted her from the dance floor.
She had already danced with him twice and regretted that she had to decline for him to place his signature in another place on her dance card.
A third time would be pushing the boundaries of propriety, and she didn’t wish to have any further gossip circulating around her that the Danvers sisters hadn’t already started.
They were here again. In fact, Josephine couldn’t seem to get rid of the pair.
They turned up everywhere she went. It was like they were conspiring against her, waiting to pounce at the exact moment when even a momentary lapse in judgement might be a costly mistake she couldn’t recover from.
She thought of the incident with Philip in front of his parent’s house and other stolen moments that never came to fruition while they had been at the Somervilles’.
Anytime she thought Philip was going to kiss her was interrupted by some untimely person breaking them apart.
She took another drink of her wine, as her gaze landed on Milton watching her from across the room.
Her heart leapt into her throat just knowing he was observing her.
Why couldn’t Philip make her feel this lightheaded?
No matter how much she had tried in the past several weeks to have some deeper connection to the viscount, there just wasn’t anything there that would give her a good enough reason they should marry.
He might be a polite enough gentleman, but he didn’t make her feel the way Milton did every time he was near.
She hated that he was right, and her stubborn pride would no doubt take a blow when she finally admitted it to the man.
She couldn’t marry Philip, no matter how much she thought she could learn to love him.
Milton had already stolen her heart years ago.
It had always belonged to him and always would.
She would have to swallow her pride and let both men know her decision.
She hated to disappoint Philip, but she had no choice.
She was in love with Milton Sutton, and nothing could change that.
“Are you finally going to tell Milton you love him, putting the poor man out of his misery? Or will you make him grovel at your feet to make amends and prolong his agony?” George inquired, coming to stand next to her.
“Milton doesn’t need to grovel or beg for my affection,” she murmured softly.
“He’ll be glad to hear it, but maybe he should, at least a little, or you’ll have a devil of a time living with him, thinking he won you so easily,” George said with a chuckle.
She barely glanced up at him. “You’re very annoying sometimes. You know that, right?” she said with a raised brow.
“Yes, but you love me like another brother, so you forgive me for speaking my mind,” he said. “Come… let’s take a turn about the dance floor, and I can show you what an accomplished dancer I am.”
“And conceited,” she said, laughing, but taking his arm as the musicians began a lively tune.
“Just think how dazzling you’ll look on my arm as I twirl you about the floor,” he teased.
“Then lead on, my lord, so we might make the other guests jealous,” she said with another laugh.
If there was anything to be said about George, it was that he was true to his word.
He cut a nice figure in his well-fitted clothes, and his dancing was impeccable.
He was a delight as long as you didn’t take him too seriously, and was a good friend, not only to herself but to her brother.
One day a woman would come along and steal this man’s heart, and she looked forward to the day when George finally met his match.
The dance ended, and instead of taking her back to where she had been standing, she shouldn’t have been surprised that George took her to Milton’s side. He bowed, and she curtsied before George quickly disappeared into the crowded ballroom.
“You look beautiful this evening, my lady, but then you are always lovely, in my opinion,” Milton said, while his blue eyes glanced over her.
“You are too kind, my lord. You look quite dashing as well.”
One corner of his lip lifted up at her compliment. “Your gown complements the green color hidden in your hazel eyes. You should don the shade more often.”
“I’ll mention it to my seamstress that you approve of her choice in color,” she said as she took his arm. His surprise flashed across his features, and she was happy for the first time in a long while that she was on his arm.
He began to walk her through the ballroom until they went out onto a balcony. “Josephine, I―”
She reached up and placed her gloved fingertips on his mouth before she remembered herself. “Wait… let me have my say first,” she said softly.
“Normally, I would allow you such a concession but on this I must stand firm. I have already waited too long to confess my motives for leaving you behind,” he said with a worried frown.
She considered his words for only a moment before she nodded for him to continue. “Then you have my undivided attention, Milton,” she answered, as she waited patiently for him to have his say.
He gave a heavy sigh, as though the weight of the world rested on his broad shoulders.
Taking her hands, he pulled her forward and then bent down to rest his forehead upon her own.
“I should have confessed the real reason why I had to leave so suddenly, but I was embarrassed that my family’s situation was so dire. ”
She squeezed his hands. “A lot of families find themselves in financial trouble from time to time, Milton. I would have stood by you no matter what.”
“But mine was on the verge of complete bankruptcy. My pride wouldn’t allow me to put you through the strain of a year living on the edge of uncertainty. I honestly didn’t know if I could feed myself, let alone a wife.”
“Oh, Milton,” she whispered, caressing his cheek.
His confession now made so much sense. He hadn’t left her because he didn’t love her and had a few investments fail.
He left her because he loved her that much that he would let her go rather than have her suffer even one day if he couldn’t make ends meet.
He lifted his head to stare into her eyes.
His were brimming with tears, and she never thought she’d see the day when the man she adored was so consumed with grief from what he had put her through.
He got down on one knee and looked up at her.
“Please forgive me, my dearest Josephine. I always wanted you for my wife.”
“Is that a proposal, my lord?” she asked, in an attempt to lighten the mood.
“Not until you say you forgive me,” he murmured softly, before hanging his head as if in shame.
She leaned down and pulled on his arm until he once again stood before her.
“I forgave you a long time ago, my love.” As he smiled at her, he took her arm and gently pulled her away from the light coming from inside and into the shadows of the night.
And then she could barely think when Milton took her into his arms.
“I’ve been a fool,” she murmured, resting her hands upon his chest.
“As have I.”
“Yes, but I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you when you returned from abroad. I was just so angry that you had left me for over a year,” she began, as another range of emotions rushed across his face.
“None of that matters now, my love, as long as you forgive my own foolishness. I should have never let my pride get in the way of being truthful with you. If I had only told you how bad the situation was, perhaps I could have then asked you to wait for me,” he said with a worried frown.
“And perhaps I could have been more understanding on your return,” she confessed honestly.
“The thought of losing you to another during my absence has tormented me for so long, and I have no idea how I can make it up to you other than to say how sorry I am.”
He hung his head again, and Josephine reached out to cup his cheek. He raised his tormented eyes to hers, and a part of her heart cracked wide open with love for this man. “We’re together now, Milton, and that’s all that matters,” she replied, giving him a smile.
“I never stopped loving you, Josie. I hope you realize that now,” Milton murmured in a husky baritone that was again her undoing as her heart flipped end over end.
“I love you, too, Milton,” she said in a breathy whisper.
“At last… you’ve given me hope.”
He lowered his head, and his lips ran across the seam of her mouth.
All further thoughts left her when Milton claimed her in a kiss.
Gentle at first and then more persuasive, her arms went around his neck, and he pulled her completely into his body.
Finally, she was where she always belonged, and she never wanted to leave his side again.
Unfortunately, giggling coming closer on the balcony gave them only the slightest warning that they were not alone. Of course, it would be the Danvers sisters politely muttering a muffled excuse us before disappearing into the house.
Josephine covered her face in her hands in embarrassment that they had been discovered. “We’ll be the latest news now in the next edition of the Teatime Tattler,” she said with worried eyes.
He kissed her cheek. “We’ll be old news, especially when everyone is aware that we’ll be married,” he said, bringing her close again. “You will marry me, won’t you, my dearest love?”
“I thought you would never ask,” she whispered, rising on the tips of her toes to seal her answer with another kiss. She was lost again, until she realized that there was another waiting in the ballroom for her. “I’ll need to break the news to Philip.”
“Then let’s be about it now, because I doubt I’ll let you out of my sight,” Milton confessed.
“I never want to be parted from you again,” she said softly before he raised her hand to his lips.
Josephine was never happier than to have finally listened to what her heart had been telling her all along. Milton was the other half of herself that made her whole. Life without him would be unbearable, and she could now be happy that she had a lifetime with the man she truly loved at her side.