Page 104 of The Pleasures of Passion
“You offered to go to prison for me, Papa,” she said softly. “I’d be an ungrateful daughter indeed to stay angry with you after that. So, yes, I forgive you.”
“Well,” he said in a relieved voice, “it was the least I could do, considering that you married Reynold Trevor to keepmeout of prison.” He cast her a rheumy smile. “So, does that mean you’ll let me see my grandson at last?”
“It does.” She cast Niall a teasing glance. “But it may have to wait until after the wedding, since I believe that will be occurring soon.”
“Quitesoon, if I have my way, sweeting,” Niall said.
“I beg your pardon?” Aunt Agatha exclaimed. “After everything I have put up with from you two, I believe I’ve earned the right to see my niece wed in a grand ceremony befitting a future countess. She deserves it, and I can afford to pay for it. Sothatis what we’ll do.”
Brilliana appealed to her fiancé. “Niall, do tell her—”
“Who am I to gainsay your aunt? If she wants a grand ceremony, she can have one.” He took her hands in his. “As long as I’m the groom, I don’t care when or how we marry, my love.”
She stared into his eyes, her heart so full she could hardly bear it.
Aunt Agatha cleared her throat. “Come, Sir Oswald.” She took Papa by the arm. “Let’s go see if we can find some tea in this place. I am positivelyparched.”
As they walked out, Papa muttered, “So am I, but it ain’t for tea.”
“Come to think of it,” her aunt said, “a bit of brandy in the tea wouldn’t be amiss.”
She closed the door, and Brilliana and Niall burst into laughter.
Then it dawned on both of them that at last they were alone . . . or as alone as they could be with men tramping about the house. And suddenly she didn’t know quite what to say to him.
She remembered only too well how they’d left things last night, and all she seemed able to do was stare down at her hands as she gathered her thoughts.
“Please tell me you’re not planning to jilt me again,” he drawled. “I can only endure one jilting per day.”
“Niall, don’t tease. I have something very serious to say to you.”
With a squeeze of his hands, she met his gaze. Her heart broke to see the uncertainty in the beautiful hazel eyes she loved so well. She had put that uncertainty there with her fears.
And now she would banish it for good. “Last night, you were right when you said I was afraid to trust my heart. But in my defense, once a body’s heart is broken, even after it mends you feel as if it’s too fragile ever to be taxed again. So you coddle it and keep it wrapped up in wool, so it won’t get scarred or torn or even scratched.”
Tears welled in her eyes that she swallowed ruthlessly. “But this morning, when I sat there listening to Uncle Toby’s idiocy about jilting you, I realized that my heart is stronger than I thought. It believed in you when I couldn’t, it waited for you when I couldn’t. And it loved you even when I couldn’t.”
She smiled tremulously. “As it turns out, it didn’t need protecting after all. It just needed me to take it out of the wool and let it breathe. And now it’s doing precisely what it always wanted: loving you. Freely. As apparently I always have.”
A smile broke over his face more beautiful than any sunrise, and he bent to touch his forehead to hers. “That’s the nice thing about hearts. They’re stubborn as the very devil. Since mine has been longing for you all these years, too, what do you say we give them what they want?”
She nodded, so full of happiness and joy that she could hardly speak.
Niall kissed her with the sweet, deep love of a man who knew her, body and soul, and then he kissed her again for good measure.
When finally he drew back, he wore that rakish smile she adored. “So, no more jiltings?”
“Never again, my love. You’re stuck with me now.”
With a chuckle, he took her arm in his and led her toward the door. “It’s about damned time.”
Epilogue
Margrave Manor
Twelfth Night, 1831
When they cut the cake, Niall got the piece containing the bean, which meant he was king for Twelfth Night. Brilliana couldn’t help but laugh. The last thing her husband needed was a crown to make him more self-assured.
