Page 45 of One Night to Remember
Chapter 10
The Everett ball was the biggest crush of the season, but Felicity’s mind was a mile away. Specifically, the beautiful little clearing Giles had taken her to have their first waltz. It was hard to concentrate on chandeliers and orchestras when all she could think about was dancing in the grass with no music but their own and the scent of flowers in the air.
Her pulse fluttered. That day in the park had been perfect. Dappled sun, light breeze, Giles’s delectable kisses that made her tingle all the way to her toes. Every kiss, every caress, made her wish the moment could last forever. As though his arms were where she had been born to stay.
But it wasn’t just his romantic inclination to waltz anywhere they happened to be. She could show up at Giles’s smithy as who she was, dressed how she pleased, and he would just smile that seductive smile and hand her a lathe. Or perhaps a lemon tart and a fresh cup of tea.
And racing! Handling the curricle with him at her side instead of sneaking out for lonesome midnight rides had been the most free, joyful, exhilarating moments of her life. They had felt like a team. Like they belonged together.
Of course his parents were perfect. She’d assumed as much after getting to know Giles, but they’d confirmed her suspicions in the best way possible.
The idea of never seeing them again, of never finding out exactly how bawdy the ditty was that Mrs. Langford sang to the rector after too much sherry, was almost more than Felicity could bear.
She wouldmissthem. And she already missed Giles. Tomorrow morning was the big curricle race. There was no time to see him before, no chance of running into him after…
Unless…
What if there was some way she could keep him? Not as a carriage consultant or secret friend, but as something more? Her heart thumped. What was she saying? Marriage? Giles hadn’t asked, likely because they both knew Cole would never approve a match between his sister and a coach smith.
Nor would running off to Gretna Green solve all their problems. Marrying Giles would sacrifice more than her relationship with her brother. It would limit future charitable works. Although she wouldn’t be rescinding her vow altogether, a non-peer marriage would compromise how much she was able to achieve.
She could still help children at the smithy, but without the backing of a well-funded charitable foundation, she wouldn’t be able to save as many.
Would doing her best be enough?
“Here he comes,” Cole murmured.
For a dizzy, unreal moment, Felicity half-expected to see Giles emerge from the Everett’s crowded dance floor.
Instead, her eyes met across the room with Lord Raymore, who smiled just before being waylaid by some friends.
A reprieve. Felicity’s shoulders relaxed. Perhaps he hadn’t been heading this way after all.
But wasn’t that what she wanted? Wasn’t he the answer to a lifelong prayer?
“He’s a good man,” Cole said gruffly.
She nodded. “I know.”
He ticked all the boxes on both their lists. Wealthy and titled enough for Cole to believe he was making the best possible match for his sister. Kindhearted and socially empathetic enough for Felicity to be know he’d make a wonderful ally in her plans to divert the ton’s resources toward the people who needed it most.
A dream come true. She swallowed hard.
“We’re on the child labor reform committee together,” Cole continued.
Felicity nodded again. She didn’t trust herself to speak.
“When I saw him yesterday at the Wicked Duke, I thought he wanted to talk about the new initiatives he’d proposed in the House of Lords.” Cole gave Felicity a conspiratorial wink. “He wanted me to know he held you in the highest regard and wanted my blessing to find out if you felt the same.”
Her heart stopped.
“You did it,” Cole whispered. “I could not be prouder of you. He’s a lowly marquess, rather than a duke—"
Felicity smiled weakly.
“—but I can sleep happy knowing you’ve made an incredible match with a husband who will treat you like a lady and give you every advantage High Society has to offer.” Cole’s eyes shone with brotherly love. “Raymore will have no problem signing a betrothal contract with a charitable works clause. He’d probably insist upon it. Just imagine what the two of you can do!”
Shewasimagining. She’d been imagining this very thing since she and her brother were two urchins covered in dirt and axle grease. The dream ofsomedayhad kept them alive.
