Page 120 of The Rake's Daughter
“You won’t be—you could never be any kind of millstone. You will be my friend and my lover and my wife—and, if we’re blessed, the mother of my children.”
Izzy’s eyes filled with tears. “Are you sure, Leo?”
“Sure of what? That I love you? Absolutely positive. That I want to marry you? One hundred percent certain.” He took both her hands in his. “So, what do you say? Do you think you could take me on? As a husband I mean.”
“Oh, Leo,” she said mistily and threw herself into his arms. “Oh, Leo.” She planted kisses over his face, working her way to his mouth.
“Does that mean what I think it means?” he said after a while. He was now seated on the sofa with Izzy on his lap.
“That I love you? Of course I do. I have for the longest time.”
“You have? I thought you generally wanted to throttle me.”
She smiled mischievously. “Oh, I did, often. But even though there were times I was furious with you, I still couldn’t help but love you.”
“Well, that’s all right, then.” He kissed her again, long and lavishly, then pulled back with a sigh. “I would giveanything to take you to bed here and now, but I know I must resist.”
She gave him a sultry smile. “Must we?”
“Minx.” He kissed her again and stood up, adjusting his breeches with a grimace. “Shall we get married soon?”
She nodded. “As soon as you like.”
Chapter Seventeen
The following morning Leo woke to a gray, relentless drizzle. He lay in bed, listening to the rain pattering against the window panes, trying to rid himself of a small niggle. Part of him wanted to smile and rejoice in the fact that Isobel—Belle—had agreed to marry him. But...
She’d been utterly exhausted last night. Was it fair of him to have asked her after the day she’d already been through? Had he pushed her into agreeing to wed him when she was in such a state? What if she’d changed her mind?
No use lying in bed wondering. Seize the moment. And think positive. He rose, bathed, shaved and dressed, and while he did, he outlined a possible plan with Matteo.
“It might not even happen, and if it does, you will have much to do and not much time to do it in. Do you think you can handle it, or shall I hire someone?”
“Hire someone? Hire some stranger?” Matteo drew himself up in indignation. “Never think of such a thing, milor’. Of course I can arrange everything. Is easy. Like this.” He snapped his fingers.
“Well, if you’re sure.”
“Milor’, is great honor you make me, and I will not let you down.” Matteo laid his hand over his heart. “On my honor.”
Leo was touched. “Matteo, you haveneverlet me down.”
Matteo flushed. “And I ’ope I never will, milor’.”
Leo then sent a note over to his aunt’s house, asking Isobel to meet him in the summerhouse at her earliest convenience. How long would it take her to dress and prepare herself? An hour? Assuming she wasn’t sleeping late, which she probably was.
He couldn’t wait that long, not with the uncertainty eating at him. He went straight to the summerhouse, where he paced anxiously, going over the events of last night, trying to decide whether he’d pushed her—he had—and how far.
Might she have changed her mind?
Did she truly mean it when she said she loved him? Or had she seen marriage to him as the only possible alternative after Pomphret had exposed her like that?
Of course, if she’d accepted him for protection, he would try to be content with that—he’d give his life to protect her. But he desperately hoped she really had meant it when she’d saidI love you.
Isobel didn’t keep him waiting long. She burst through the door and came to an abrupt halt. Her complexion glowed like damp silk from the cool air and the rain. Raindrops glittered in her hair like diamonds. She normally wore it tied back in a bun: this morning it spilled in a glorious ebony mass over her shoulders. Leo was enchanted.
As she looked at him, her smile faded. She stood motionless, suddenly pale, clutching the handle of the open door. “What is it?”
Rain spattered against the windows. Leo cleared his throat. Best to get it out in the open now, have no misunderstandings. “Last night I pushed you into giving me ananswer, but I should never have asked it of you, not when you were exhausted.”
