Page 61 of Lady Willa's Divinely Wicked Vicar
“I’ve chased you all over the southeast! You did a da— dreadfully good job of hiding!”
She bit her lip, which was wise, because if she smiled, he was going to yell louder.
“The owner of the Horse and Dog was a Hellhound to get information from.”
She nodded. “Fitting that he is!”
He winced. “What?”
“Hound. Horse and Dog. You see…”
He rolled his eyes and stepped closer to her. This time, she did not retreat. “You paid him well.”
“I did. Two pounds.”
“I paid him four.”
She grinned. “Good for you! But of course, I’m here. Now. Returned. So you didn’t have to waste your money.”
“Lord Courtland’s.”
“Ah. Kind of him. I will apologize for the trouble.”
“Today?”
“As soon as you and I are…” She lifted her shoulders. “Reconciled.”
He eyed her, suspicious. “To what?”
“First, I must apologize to you.”
He crossed his arms. “Appropriate.”
She got this flirtatious glint in her eyes. Made her look years younger. Joyful. “I have been very wrong about so many things.”
Well, finally, some sense. “Go on.”
“I sought to control my life by retreating. Claiming a curse.”
He nodded. “Any idea why?”
“Indeed, I do have one. I was afraid to live fully. Having caredfor Williams and Dennybrook, when they died, I did grieve for each of them. I could not believe how men so young, so healthy, vital, could die. I’ve never been to a battlefield, of course. And so, I have no comprehension of the terrors of combat. I’ve also been healthy most of my life. And so to die of a chest congestion seemed…odd, out of my realm of understanding. So I thought the explanations of their deaths must be some element I could have controlled, should have anticipated. All the while what I wished to do was find an explanation for me to never have to grieve again. That, of course, is ridiculous. Because life and death are the realm of human existence. And I was foolish to think them controllable. By me.”
Thank goodness she could understand that.
“And so having fled, and fled unknowingly to a situation that showed me what indeed I wanted for myself and could have, if I had the courage, I left it.”
“Your friend, Vicomtesse Grizard, explained to me what happened.”
“I hope she does not think me a ninny. But she was helpful to me and I am grateful. Even loaned me the use of her traveling coach to return here.”
He inhaled. Now they were to the point. “And why did you come here, Willa?”
She smarted at the use of her formal name, but checked his gaze and marched onward. “I came to ask your pardon for being so short-sighted. To hope you will forgive me. And then to do as you once made me promise to do. To ask you to marry me.”
* * *
He stared at her as if…as if he’d not heard her or worse, he did not believe her.
