Page 44 of His Wicked Embrace
“You cannot convince someone of something if they already know it to be true.” A coy look came over Zehra’s face. “But perhaps I shallpretendI need to be seduced. I would like to experience your idea of convincingme.”
“I will be sure to do that, once I’m able to get you alone.” He pressed his lips to hers in a slow, sweet kiss, relishing the feel of her in his arms. But he had to let her go, at least for now. Not long, yet too long, all at the sametime.
“Dream of me?” he asked her, flashing a grin. He tried to look confident, but deep inside he still feared her slipping away from him. It left him with a bittersweet ache deep in hischest.
“I’ll always dream of you, my wicked rogue.” She kissed him once more before she left him standing alone in the corridor. She joined her grandfather outside, taking his heart withher.
Epilogue
Lawrence stood at the back of the crowded assembly room, watching the most beautiful woman in the world descend the steps to the main dance floor. There was no sorrow in her eyes, no hint of the pain she’d endured. The man who had hunted her in London, Al-Zahrani, was at the bottom of the ocean after a sea battle with Ashton Lennox’s merchant fleet. Zehra was safe. Now andforever.
“Miss Darzi!” Her name was announced by the master of ceremonies, and the crowd erupted inapplause.
“Can you believe it? Denbruck’s granddaughter?” a lady in front of him murmured to a friend. “She’s a princess, youknow.”
“Indeed. Persian royalty, they say,” her companion replied. “True exotic beauty. No debutante this season will stand a chance against her. Thanks heavens my daughter is alreadymarried.”
“I heard she was sold into slavery but was rescued by a gentleman here in England!” the first woman whispered scandalously. Lawrence tensed, expecting to hear them condemnher.
Her friend shuddered. “Oh, Helen, you read far too many of those dreadful novels, Ifear.”
Another companion chimed in. “Indeed. If it were true, I have no doubt Lady Society would have said something in theQuizzing GlassGazette.”
“But wouldn’t it be exciting if it were true?” Helenasked.
“Oh, I suppose there’s a certain rough romance to the idea, but we shouldn’t give credence to such stories. It does her no favors, I can tell you. I heard the king himself met with her over tea yesterday and was utterly captivated. Every bachelor in England will be vying her forhand.”
Helen grinned behind her fan. “They will be wasting their time. I know a woman who was on Bond Street yesterday, and she saw Miss Darzi buying the most beautiful weddinggown.”
“What?” the others saidtogether.
“Someone’s already asked her, I’m sure of it. I wonder who the lucky fellowis.”
“Hmph, more flights of fancy, I’m sure. I swear, Helen, those novels will be the end ofyou.”
Lawrence smiled to himself. He walked along the back of the room, drawing closer to Zehra, watching as all the men competed for her attention. She stood there as regal as any queen and offered them sweet, polite smiles. But when he came to stand in front of her and offered her a courtly bow, her face flushed and the crowd rippled withwhispers.
“The first dance is mine, is it not?” He nodded at her card, where his name had been written daysago.
“I believe you tried to make themallyours.” She walked right up to him, her eyes only on him, just as his eyes were only forher.
“Of course. It is the only way to keep you from learning how disappointing a dancer I trulyam.”
She laughed. “Nonsense.”
“You really will marry me?” Lawrence asked as they prepared todance.
Her blue eyes were filled with sweet fire. “You think Iwon’t?”
“You could have your pick of any man in London now. Men with money, with titles. Men far better than me.” He curled a hand around her waist, his heart racing. She was without a doubt the most desired woman in London. Even the damned king had been taken with her. He had to know that she truly wanted him and didn’t simply feel indebted. “So, I must know. Whyme?”
“Because from the first moment I met you, you savedme.”
His heart sank. It was as he had feared. “You owe me nothing, Zehra, you know that. I’ve told you a dozen times that I wanted nothing in return. I was doing myduty.”
She looked as though she was tempted to laugh. They began to spin in slow circles around the hall, the eyes of most of thetonon them, but none were close enough to hear. “Lawrence, you silly, wonderful man. I don’t mean that you saved me from those othermen.”
“Then what did youmean?”
