Page 39 of A Wish Upon an Earl
“I have another story for you,” he said, looking at her but speaking loudly enough for the entire crowd to hear.“It begins at a masquerade five years ago,”
She felt the color drain from her face.“Jack.”
“I rejected a young girl’s declaration of love, a decision I have come to regret deeply.”
Murmurs started within the crowd.“Oh, this is delightful,” one woman gushed.
“Just wonderful.”Another snapped open her fan.
Sarah felt as though she might be sick.
Jack’s smile grew.“And so I knew the only way to win back her affection was a grand gesture of storybook romance.Something every girl might dream of…a knight in armor.”
More murmurs, echoing louder about the room, but it also made them less distinguishable.Or perhaps that was the blood rushing in Sarah’s ears.Her heart threatened to pound out of her chest.
“Except we all know what happened then.I bumbled the attempt rather badly.”
The room quieted again.
“And so, if you’ll permit me, I’d like to try again.”Cheers rose up from the crowd as Jack dropped to one knee.
Her racing heart came to a sudden and abrupt halt.
“Lady Sarah,” he said, the crowd falling deadly silent.“Seeing you again, I’ve realized that I am in love with you.I don’t know when it happened, but I can say that I never want to live without the light you fill my life with.”
She swallowed down a lump that had risen in her throat.She loved him too.Always had.“Jack,” she managed to push out between quivering lips.
“I know you figured all this out far sooner than I did; you’ve always been a great deal smarter than me.”
A laugh rose up from the room.
“But I’m here now, asking for a chance to be part of your life again.”
“You…you already asked me that,” she said, beginning to tremble.“To be friends again.”
“I don’t want to be your friend.”He shook his head.“I want to be your husband.”
But she didn’t have the chance to answer, or perhaps her response was drowned out by the wild cheer that rose up from the crowd.
He was still down on one knee, his hands holding hers.
“What are you doing?”she asked, no one besides him hearing her thanks to all the noise.
“This is my grand gesture.My way of making your wish come true.”
“Why?”she asked, even as tears misted her eyes.
“Because I love you,” he answered.“I never want anyone else but you.”
Her heart began to race again.Because she loved him too and because, as she looked around, she realized it had been an amazing grand gesture that honored both their past and her personality.More than she’d ever dared dream.“I love you too.”
“You do?”He grinned then.“Does that mean you’ll say yes?”
She nodded.“It does.Though I wish you hadn’t done this in front of everyone.I’m going to be planning events from now until we’re fifty to undo all the social damage you’ve just done.”
He chuckled as he stood.“On that account, I’m not so sure.Look at this crowd.”
She tore her gaze from his and again looked out over the group of onlookers.
