“Miss Sarah!” she said in a half-shriek, half breathless gasp.
Felix drew back quickly. Sarah sat up straight, pulling her hair back tightly with her ribbon, rearranging herself to look proper. The two could have saved their efforts, for the damage was done.
“This is highly improper, Miss,” Rebecca said, wavering at the door. “I only came to check on you and offer you some tea, and here you are, alone, with a gentleman!” she seemed unable to say anything more, to go further into what she had witnessed. “What will your mother say?”
Felix stood. “No need for concern,” he assured her, looking quickly at Sarah, who seemed speechless. “I have true feelings for Miss Marlow, and I believe she shares the same.” He looked to Sarah.
With her heart in her eyes, Sarah nodded yes and Felix’s chest swelled with joy.
“I will speak with her brother first thing tomorrow morning to ask for her hand in marriage,” he finished.
It was an impulse, a sudden, thoughtless urge to make things right, to do the proper thing, to protect a lady’s honor. But it was also so much more than that. Saying the words out loud, he knew that this was what he wanted.
So I have no money, so I face financial ruin. I will bring it all back. I will do it all for her. Being tied to Sarah will inspire me, push me to succeed. There will be no option to fail with her by my side.
He took a deep breath and said it once more, now taking Sarah’s hand in his and directing his words to her. “I shall ask your brother for your hand in marriage, and we shall spend all the days of the rest of our lives together.”
Sarah stared up into Felix’s warm gray eyes and wondered if she could be dreaming.
Everything I have ever wanted, all of it. Could this truly be happening?
Her lips still felt warm from his, and all she could feel there now was a fluttering, swooping feeling of desire and joy.
At her silence, an anxious look crossed his face. “If you are certain you will have me?” he added, and she felt her heart soften at his hesitation, his lack of arrogance.
“Of course,” she said, feeling happy tears fill her eyes. “Nothing would make me happier.”
With their hands clasped, he pulled her from the bed and swept her into a tight embrace. Behind his broad shoulders, she could feel the sharp, critical eye of Rebecca and knew she was behaving inappropriately, but gave herself up to the happiness of this moment with Felix.
We will be betrothed by tomorrow, and it won’t matter a whit.
He spun her once, her feet skimming the floor and startling a laugh from her, his own exuberance burying propriety. At the end of the turn, coming face-to-face with Rebecca, he lowered Sarah gingerly to the ground, wary of her ankle, and did not remove his hand from hers.
He cleared his throat. “Let us return to the party then,” he said.
Rebecca nodded, unsmiling, and waited for the two of them to exit the bedroom first. Once they were out in the hallway, she closed the door pointedly and waited for them to proceed her towards the gardens.
“Can you walk all right? Does it hurt?” Felix asked quietly.
“Recent events have made me forget I ever fell at all,” she said.
Sarah looked up at Felix, the two exchanging a grin, unbothered by Rebecca’s sharpness, or the threat of dealing with the Marlow family. They exited to the gardens, where the party was in full swing now. Guests had been brightened by the excellent champagne being passed around.
Sarah was surrounded at once by concerned members of the party.
“What a spill!”
“Are you well? You look a bit flushed.”
“The Marchioness said…”
Sarah assured them all she was fine, and her lack of obvious injury paired with her bright smiles had everyone at ease quickly. When they were standing alone once more, Felix snagged two glasses of champagne from a passing tray, handing one to Sarah.
“To my betrothed,” he said, his voice low to avoid anyone from thetonoverhearing, lifting his glass to her.
She felt her heart speed up.
My betrothed!
