Page 95 of Shining Knight
“Not on my account, I hope. I would find great amusement in watching you climb a tree in your skirts.”
She punched him on the arm. “Once a rogue, always a rogue!”
“As long as I am yours and yours alone.”
“Do you mean that?” She turned her large eyes to inspect his face.
“Of course, I mean it. How could you think I would want anyone else besides you? Simply because ours was not a traditional courtship, does not make it any less meaningful to me.” He could see her visibly relax. “Is this what has been bothering you so?”
“It is part of it,” she admitted.
He took her hand and led her away from the others. They appeared to be gathering enough mistletoe for all of Devonshire without their help. “What else is there? You have never been afraid to ask me anything before.”
“But now what I wish to comprehend is about you and me,” she said, waving her hand back and forth between them.
“Ah.”
“I asked Granny to explain things to me, and she told me to go out to the pastures and watch.”
Graham threw his head back and laughed.
“This is not funny!” Although she objected with some vehemence, she was fighting a grin.
“Oh, but it is. Your grandmother is beyond measure. What else did she say?”
“That I should ask you.”
“Do not worry, pet. I will show you everything when the time comes. I beg of you not to ask me yet because we still have nearly a fortnight to wait.”
She sighed with exasperation. “I hate being the only one ignorant on things that matter.”
“Trust me, you will understand shortly.” He tweaked her nose as she scowled at him. “Shall we re-join the others? I understand they are besotted, but eventually they will notice we are missing. Besides, I want a large piece of mistletoe with lots of berries on it.”
She hit him in the arm. “As if you require mistletoe for kissing.”
“I suppose I don’t,” he said, leaning down to take her lips. “Thank you for the reminder.”
Shoving him away and tossing a pert look over her shoulder, she headed back to where the brothers were tossing down balls of mistletoe. She at once went over to speak with Felix’s new wife, a Spanish beauty. In his considered opinion, though, Eugenia rivaled her in every way, except perhaps with the knowledge of her own attractiveness. It was hard to remind himself he had almost missed seeing her loveliness with eyes other than those of a friend.
He stood by the stand of trees, catching mistletoe as it fell, but he could not help but overhear Eugenia speaking to the Lady Catalina.
“I see you have also made a match,” Lady Catalina said in a knowing voice.
“How did you know?” Eugenia asked.
“Perhaps because I am new and I see everyone with fresh eyes.”
“I was waiting for the right time to tell Felix. He arrived unexpectedly, with you, and then I did not wish to take away from your celebration,” Eugenia explained.
Lady Catalina waved her hand dramatically. “It is I who should be apologizing to you. My husband should not have surprised his family so.”
“Nonsense! It is a wonderful surprise. We thought Felix would never marry.”
“I hope you may love your Mr. Tinsley as much as I love your brother. I had never expected my marriage to be one of affection. Have you told him how you feel about him?”
Graham could not help but spy on the two ladies. Eugenia looked taken aback.
“It is written all over your face—on both of your faces, actually. I see how you look at each other.”
