Page 24 of The Risk of Rogues
Still, it didn’t negate her other, more pressing fear. “Tell me truthfully. Do you think I’m too odd to be the wife of a man with his prospects?”
He raised an eyebrow. “So you’ve decided I’m not taking advantage of Hart after all, have you?” he drawled.
She winced. “I suppose I shouldn’t have said that, but—”
“You didn’t know the circumstances. It’s fine.” He flashed her a rueful smile. “And you made a good point. Ihavebeen taking him a bit for granted. Ever since my appointment as foreign secretary, I’ve put off giving him a permanent post because I knew it would create a fuss among other, more seasoned fellows.” He dragged in a heavy breath. “But it’s time I give him his due. Especially if he plans to marry.”
She dearly hoped he still did. “You haven’t answered my question.”
“About what? Ah, whether you’re too odd to be his wife.” He cocked his head. “I rather think you need to askhimthat question.”
She sighed. “I will as soon as he returns.”
“But I believe I know what his answer will be. And I believe you do, too, if you just search your heart.”
With a smile, Lord Fulkham left.
Though Anne knew she should return to the ballroom, she just stood there. Lord Fulkham was right. She did know what Hart’s answer would be: that he loved her forherself.That he didn’t find her odd at all, and that it was only her own fears and insecurities that made her think otherwise.
Perhaps hehadn’ttried hard enough in their youth to keep them together, but then, neither had she. She could have left a letter behind for him with a trusted friend in Stilford. Why hadn’t she? Because of pride. She could have told Delia that she knew her brother-in-law, so Delia could arrange for them to meet again, and she hadn’t... because of pride.
They’d both made mistakes. But somehow they’d found their way back to each other, and she would be a fool indeed to let her fears stand in the way of her being with the man she loved.
That didn’t mean, however, that she should let her oddness stand in the way of his advancement. As Lord Fulkham said, Hart needed her full support. He could love her oddness all he liked in private, but if she were to be a politician’s wife, she must learn to be more circumspect in public.
So when he returned—oh, please, Lord, let him return—she would show him that she could be fully supportive of whatever Lord Fulkham had planned for him. Then perhaps they could finally put the past to rest and begin their new life together.
Hart barely made it back to Hatton Hall and into the ballroom that evening in time to hear the big announcement, delivered with great aplomb by Clarissa.
“Thanks to the wonderful people of Shrewsbury—and to the Ladies of St. George’s Club, of course—I’m pleased to announce that we’ve raised 5,246 pounds for the Burke Orphanage!”
Thunderous applause ensued as the head of the orphanage came to the stage, clearly dumbstruck by the amount as Clarissa handed him a large cheque. While the man launched into a long, droning speech, Hart searched the crowd for Anne, but he didn’t see her anywhere.
He was just starting to panic when Delia appeared beside him. “Where on earth haveyoubeen?” she demanded. “You were supposed to help me with the sale, and then you just disappeared into thin air—”
“Where’s Anne?”
“And now you waltz in here—once again not atallappropriately dressed for a ball—and—”
“Where the bloody hell is Anne?”
She blinked.Finally, he had her attention.
The fellow giving his speech was done now, so the crowd was mingling. Delia scanned the room. “There. Right there.”
The woman she’d indicated, who had her back to him, couldn’t possibly be Anne. She was the right shape and height, but she wore the tiniest of turbans, only large enough to cover all her hair from the back. But shewastalking to Fulkham, and now she turned just a fraction so that he caught a flash of brilliant red curls. It had to be her.
With his heart pounding in his ears, he strode toward her. Had Anne abandoned her flamboyant hats because she’d already given up on him and was seeking another husband? What the devil was going on?
“Lady Anne!” he called out when it looked as if she might walk off.
She turned, and the rush of relief on her face reassured him. “Hart! Oh, thank heaven! I was so worried. I thought something might have happened to you. Where have you been? His lordship and I have been frantic!”
Fulkham raised an eyebrow. “Ihave not been frantic, but I did wonder.”
“I’ll tell you where I’ve been,” Hart said tersely, noticing the crowd of his friends and relations forming around them, “but privately.”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” his brother said as Delia went to his side. “If this is what I suspect it is, then you are definitely doing this publicly. After all the ribbing you’ve given the rest of us, it’s our turn to watch.”
