Chapter 29 #2
The other voice was quieter, enough that Emmeline couldn’t make it out, other than it being male.
She approached the staircase opening into the foyer.
Anxiety swirled in her stomach, but released the moment she caught sight of the visitor, standing next to Rafferty, trying to argue his case in the most diplomatic way possible.
“Theo?”
He looked up, his expression changing into admiration, mouth dropping in awe. “Emmeline.”
She clutched the balustrade, her feet itching to run down. “What’s going on?”
“As I’ve told you, Miss is not yet ready for visitors.” Rafferty spared a moment to scowl at Emmeline’s state of undress.
“It’s all right.” She looked back at Theo. “I’ll take him.”
The butler continued to mutter something about “being too old for this,” but Emmeline was held within Theo’s gaze, and everything else faded into the background.
Without taking her eyes off him, she descended the stairs, the carpet feeling like clouds beneath her feet, her stomach fluttering in expectation. Theo met her at the bottom.
“I heard about the engagement,” she said.
“It’s true. I broke it off.”
“But—how—why?”
“Because this—my life, me, myself—is all I have.” He closed the distance between them, brushing the lace frills of her dressing gown. “And if you want me, I’ll be yours.”
Her knees buckled, and she grabbed the staircase’s newel to steady herself.
“Marry me, Emmeline.”
She couldn’t even produce a whole squeal. It was more of a peep that left her mouth, and then she was hugging him, and he let out a happy—or relieved—sigh and sunk his fingers into her hair.
She wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that; in her periphery, Rafferty quietly slipped away, and it was only them, forever, in eternity, his warmth seeping into her body, his clean, musky smell leading her into another dream.
He shifted enough to reach into his pocket and press his mother’s silver locket into her hand. “I’m not Wescott’s heir anymore. I won’t have much to give you, but I’ll try my best.”
She wrapped her fingers around the locket and held it to her chest. “I don’t care. I’ll take you, not what he wanted you to be.”
He rested his forehead on hers. “I’ll have the banns posted tomorrow morning.”
“What about Wescott? He must be furious.”
“It’s been taken care of. Cass helped, but her part isn’t my story to tell.”
She cupped his face. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He rubbed her nose with his, his breath teasing the corner of her mouth.
A loud cough came from her right. “Not to be all guardian-like,” Sebastian said, leaning on the doorway to the parlor, “but I believe if I don’t order you to go get dressed, my butler will fire me.”
Emmeline jumped away from Theo, heat rushing to her cheeks as she wrapped the dressing gown tighter around her. “I’m sorry.”
Sebastian smiled. “I suppose it’s my honor to be the first one to congratulate you?”
“Lord Haverston.” Theo issued a nod. “I should’ve asked you before—”
“It’s all right. As long as the lady agrees.” Sebastian winked at Emmeline. “I’d hate having to issue a challenge to you. Wouldn’t particularly care to become Louisa’s new favorite duel.”
Theo raised a confused eyebrow at Emmeline, who dismissively waved her hand.
“If you two would like, we can have a small dinner tomorrow night. A simple affair, just some friends you wish to invite,” Sebastian said. “To celebrate the engagement.”
“I’d love that,” Emmeline said.
“Thank you.” Theo turned back to Emmeline. “I should go. So much business to take care of. Tomorrow?”
She nodded, smiling as he took her hand and kissed it.
As soon as Theo left, a screech sounded from upstairs, and Louisa came crashing into Emmeline, squeezing her into a hug. “You’re engaged!” The rest of her words were unintelligible from squeals.
Past Louisa’s shoulder, Emmeline met Sebastian’s eyes.
“Well, Cousin, I have to congratulate you,” he said.
“You already did.”
“Oh, not just for the engagement. For this whole season.” His eyes glinted. “You certainly know how to make it less boring.”
Emmeline fixed the vase of flowers on the dining table for the umpteenth time—half an inch to the right—and ran her hands down her dress, even though she knew nothing was amiss.
For the engagement dinner, she’d picked a high-waisted gown with puffy sleeves, slashed to show billowing ivory silk underneath, and decorated with rows of pleats along the skirt’s hem.
The satin gown was a very pale purple, but the many candles set along the table brought a warmer, cream undertone out of it.
“You look stunning.” Louisa took her hands and twirled her around so she could see the dress. “I bet Theo won’t be able to take his eyes off you. I’ll test it. Perhaps I’ll switch his drink, see if he notices.”
Emmeline laughed.
“I’m so happy for you.”
“Even if we won’t be able to despair over our singleness together anymore?”
“Well …” Louisa glanced at the door, where Sebastian was greeting the first pair of guests. “Sebastian may have spoken with Papa regarding a potential probability that he would …” Louisa weighed her head. “Court me.”
So it was true!
Louisa curled her mouth in a barely contained smile. “So, we might become sisters, after all. Well, some sort of—I’m not sure what we would be, cousins-in-law? I’ve never heard the phrase used, but—”
Emmeline smothered her in a hug.
“I suppose it’ll do,” Louisa squeezed out. “Talking about the phrase, of course, not Sebastian. He’ll more than do.”
Emmeline giggled.
“And what are you two conspiring about?” Sebastian said, approaching them.
“Nothing.” Emmeline clasped her hands behind her back. “Are you sure you don’t want to make it a double announcement dinner?”
Sebastian sent a mischievous side glance to Louisa, then looked back at Emmeline. “I wouldn’t wish to take the attention from you, Cousin.”
A few more guests arrived—a couple of Sebastian’s friends, and a few ladies she and Louisa had gotten to know—but the group was small enough to make the event intimate and cozy.
Emmeline had been chatting with the ladies in the parlor, accepting congratulations, when Sebastian nudged her. “Your fiancé is here.”
Her fiancé. She’d never get tired of hearing those words.
Well, in three weeks, it would be husband, but she’d never get tired of that, either. She leaned past the group, and her breath caught, straining her dress.
Theo looked like he came straight out of a fairytale—or her best fantasy. He wore a midnight blue cutaway coat and perfectly fitting, cream-colored pantaloons to contrast, disappearing into a pair of polished black boots decorated with a silver tassel.
She glided to him, and he greeted her with a kiss on her inner wrist. “You’re beautiful.”
She smiled. “Look at you! You’re going to make all the ladies jealous of me.”
“Let them be.” His scorching gaze made her feel like the rest of the world didn’t exist. Oh, if only they were alone.
“Theo.” Sebastian came by and clapped his shoulder. “I assume we’re all ready for dinner?” He looked from one to the other. “One minute. I’ll lead the guests in.” He gave Emmeline a conspiratorial wink and walked away, calling the guests to attention.
Theo gestured for Emmeline to get closer and drew a silver chain out of his pocket, revealing the tear-shaped pendant of the Starry Night.
“Cass helped me get it back from Wescott. Even if the duke let me take it, it’s the right thing to return it back to him.
I knew Lady Louisa was going to be here tonight … ”
“We could give it to her. She’ll understand. After dinner?”
He nodded and hid the pendant back.
She gave him a quick kiss and laid a hand on his offered arm. “I hope you’re hungry. Cook has prepared a six-course meal.”
“Six? I thought it was a humble affair.”
“Humble in the number of guests, not courses.”
Laughing, they walked after the others, about to cross the threshold of the dining room, when a cold burst of air hit Emmeline from behind. Rafferty opened the front door. Had they forgotten a guest?
The butler uttered half a word to argue but jumped aside as three men barged into the foyer, wearing all black save for their identical, bright red waistcoats. They looked unusually tall and threatening in their top hats. Theo turned as well, as did the guests, hearing the commotion.
The leader of the three men—to which Emmeline ascribed the position purely because he stood a step ahead of the other two—scanned the foyer, his eyes stopping on Theo.
“Mr. Leon Royer, I presume?”
“Yes,” Theo replied carefully.
Emmeline grabbed his sleeve, unsure why her heart had suddenly sunk to her stomach.
“You’re coming with us,” the man said. “You’re under arrest.”