Page 42 of The Dangerous Love of a Rogue
She lifted her chin. Defiant. ‘I would not have done what we did if I did not.’
His gaze bored into hers, looking for something as his fingers tenderly brushed a lock of hair from her brow. ‘Let us be in love then. Let this be a love match.’ His voice sounded as if it rolled through gravel it was so deep and filled with raw emotions. He held her hand and pressed a hard brief kiss on her lips. ‘You know we must elope; your family will never agree to our marriage.’
She nodded. ‘I know.’ The weight of her decision settled heavily on her shoulders. This would be hard, she would break their hearts. But they would come to see the good in Drew.
‘I’ll make arrangements. Send the stable boy to me in three days and I’ll write to you.’
She nodded, the muscles inside her aching from his intimate touch.
His lips brushed hers, another brief touch, then he breathed across her mouth. ‘Sweetheart, I cannot believe you said yes.’
‘You must go. My parents will be home soon. I will walk you to the gate.’
‘Very well.’ He picked up his hat and gloves.
She led him by the hand, the leather of his glove now a barrier between them, walking with him under the cover of the trees and through the avenue of arches where the sweet-scented wisteria flowers hung down.
She did not stop until they reached the gate which opened on to the alley leading to the mews.
His gaze held hers. ‘I will write. I shall tell you when and where.’
She nodded.
‘We will be together soon.’ He smiled and his gloved fingers brushed her cheek then he bestowed a brief kiss on her lips.
He turned and slid the bolt loose.
She caught her lower lip between her teeth.
He opened the gate, threw a roguish smile across his shoulder, then left.
‘Mary!’
Every muscle jumped as she hurriedly slid the bolt back into place.
‘Mary! Mary!’ Several voices shouted. Her brothers and sisters. Her parents were home.
Her siblings would have tales to tell, about everything she’d missed.
She longed to tell her own news.I am engaged.A smile parted her lips.I am going to marry him.
Her siblings found her in the wisteria walk. They charged towards her, the younger ones shouting.
* * *
As Drew jogged up the steps of White’s, he grinned from ear to ear. When he walked into the room where his friends were ensconced a few moments later his grin had dropped to a smile but joy was lodged somewhere deep in his chest.Hehad said the wordsI love you. Only God knew if they were true; he did not. No one had taught him what love was. But his feelings for Mary were so much more than lust.
She had been without guile or artifice. Beautiful. Honest. Her soul naked. She had given him her complete trust… Then love…
The wordlovehad come to his lips, the word he never thought he would say… Even if it were not true, it did not matter, he cared a great deal for her. He knew that much.
Strange new feelings whizzed through his nerves like fireworks. Pride. Happiness. Excitement. His life had become something to look forward to.
‘Success.’ He stated the single word as he joined his friends and dropped into the one free leather armchair about a low table. ‘You may congratulate me, gentlemen, I am engaged to the fair Miss Marlow.’
‘No!’
‘You dark dog!’
