Chapter 17 #3
Grandmama considered him for a moment longer and then chuckled. “You’ll do. Now then, if I were you, I’d arrange a wedding quick smart, before your father gets it into his head to find you a husband too.”
“But how?” Hetty asked, suddenly deflating as she recognised the problems ahead of her. “If we get a special license, Papa is bound to hear of it and put a stop to proceedings.”
Grandmama tsked impatiently. “Use your head, girl!”
Hetty blinked at her, turning in desperation to Cilly, who appeared to be considering the problem.
Her sister smiled suddenly. “Mr Bramwell has been resident in Little Valentine for months now. He could ask for a common licence, and you could be married at once.”
Hetty gasped, turning to her grandmother, who was nodding approvingly.
“Clever girl, Cilly. Your sister is right, my dear. So, you must discover who the surrogate is and apply to him,” Grandmama advised them.
“Surrogate?” Hetty looked between them in confusion.
“The bishop’s local deputy. He’ll have the power to issue a common licence.
Mr Bramwell would need to swear on his oath that he is resident in the town, but as everyone knows he is, I see no impediment.
That Honeywell fellow struck me as being very well connected,” she added thoughtfully.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the surrogate for the area. ”
“Honeywell,” Gideon said, a slow grin curving over his mouth. He looked at Hetty, eyes sparkling. “You’d best make plans, love. I reckon we can be married at the end of the week, if you—”
“If you’d like to ask me, I might,” Hetty replied, quirking an eyebrow at him.
To her amusement, Gideon flushed.
“Cilly, my dear. I believe I would enjoy a turn about the garden,” Grandmama said diplomatically.
“Yes, dear. I’ll come too,” Cilly said, smothering a laugh as she got to her feet and escorted their grandmother from the room.
“You have ten minutes, Mr Bramwell,” Grandmama called over her shoulder as the door closed behind them.
The moment they were alone, Hetty got to her feet, ran to Gideon and threw herself into his lap with a squeal of delight.
“Hold up, didn’t you want a marriage proposal?” he asked as his arms went around her.
“Yes, but I want you to kiss me too and we only have ten minutes,” she said frankly.
“Wicked girl,” he murmured, but did not keep her waiting a moment longer.
Hetty wrapped her arms about his neck, revelling in the taste of him, in the strength of him as he held her and kissed her deeply, tenderly.
Each languid glide of his tongue against hers swept away the tension that had thrummed through her all morning.
He kissed her with such tender carnality, his desire for her implicit in every press of his lips, that she knew her wedding night would be joyful and spectacular.
He pulled away with a tortured groan. “Enough, or else we’ll get ourselves into trouble and the dowager duchess will throw me out on my arse.”
Hetty sighed with regret but allowed him to set her aside.
He sat back, staring at her, as if he was seeing her for the first time.
She understood then, as she gazed back at him.
This was really happening. They had a future together.
Hetty watched, her already racing heart thumping harder as he slid to one knee before her.
“I’m sorry I did not think to do this properly before now, but you deserve the best of everything, Hetty, so I shall make amends.”
He was so solemn, his gaze upon her so sincere, that Hetty felt tears prickle behind her eyes as he took her hand in his.
“My darling girl. Everyone with a mite of sense knows you are too good for me, way above my touch, in fact, but for reasons I cannot quite fathom, you seem to like me a fair bit.”
“A fair bit,” she agreed unsteadily.
He grinned at her. “Well, as it happens, I like you a fair bit too.”
“Oh,” Hetty said, covering her heart with her free hand, for it seemed to be attempting to escape the confines of her ribcage.
His expression grew tender at her soft exclamation, and he squeezed her fingers. “Just in case you hadn’t realised it, I love you, Hetty, with all my heart, and if you would do me the honour of becoming my wife, that heart is yours to keep, now and forever.”
Hetty swallowed, somehow forcing the only word she needed past the lump in her throat. “Yes!”
Hetty gazed at him, hardly daring to believe this was happening as Gideon stared back, looking happy and a little stunned, even though he must have known what her answer would be.
She slid to the floor and reached for him, sliding her hands into his hair and kissing him, kissing him as he returned her kisses tenfold until they were heated and desperate and — “Ahem.”
They flew apart with a startled exclamation, only to turn and find Cilly in the doorway.
She was pink-cheeked and smiling with bashful amusement. “I’m so sorry, but Grandmama insisted,” she said apologetically.
“That’s all right,” Hetty said, getting to her feet and running to her sister, shrieking as she went, “We’re getting married!”
Cilly laughed and embraced her fondly. “Yes, love, I rather think you are.”