by Abby Ayles
“Because, when I know the truth, I say only what I mean,” he said. “And because I have loved you since we shared that kiss. You know that much to be true because I told you so before this terrible mistake.”
Emma put a hand to her chest with a gasp, and Francis thanked the heavens for finding the right words. He held his breath, completely uncertain of what she might say, or whether she might run from him one last time, never to be seen again.
Instead, however, she took a small step toward him, clasping her hands at her waist.
“But, why?” she asked softly.
Once more, Francis did not hesitate.
“Emma, light and life re-entered my life when you did,” he said. “I spent so long hiding within my own darkness, but you helped guide me out of it. And, better still, you brought happiness back to my children, when I was failing them by not doing so.”
Emma gave a warm but slightly sad smile. Francis did not need to see inside her mind to know that she was thinking of her time with the children.
“The children miss you, as well,” Francis said. “As do I.”
Emma looked at him, surprised, apparently wondering if Francis had read her thoughts for a moment.
“But do you not see a poor, simple governess when you look at me?” she asked.
“No,” Francis said. He held Emma’s gaze firmly, to ensure that he left little room for her to doubt his sincerity.
“I see a woman who is smart, very lovely, and confident, in a way that most women of your station are not. I see a woman who can challenge me in the best of ways and make me a better man.
“Most of all, I see a woman who has always been kind and compassionate and understanding, even when I was so beastly that I did not give you the same in return.”
Emma stared at him for several long moments. Francis could see that she was struggling to keep herself from crying, and he had to resist the urge to wrap his arms around her.
He tried to read her eyes, but he could see the tears filling them. Once more, he held his breath, and he prayed that she could believe and forgive him.
“And what do you see now?” she asked at last.
“I see the woman I have fallen in love with, and cannot live the rest of my life without,” Francis said, with no hesitation.
Emma furiously blinked away her tears. Then, she studied him for several more moments. Francis felt that those moments were the longest of his life. He had no idea what she might say next, but he could stand the silence no longer.
“Emma, please, marry me,” he said, reaching for her hand.
Emma stared at his outstretched hand with great consideration. Francis was so fixated on her face that he almost did not feel her place her hand in his.
“Francis,” she said. “I will marry you.”
For a moment, Francis was unsure whether he had heard her correctly. Then, she smiled and squeezed his hand, and everything dawned on him at once.
She had used his given name, and she was holding his hand. And, she had said yes.
Francis leaped to his feet, not attempting to fight his renewed desire to touch her. He closed the distance between them and brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. She blushed brightly, but her smile widened.
“On one condition,” she continued.
“I will do anything, Emma,” he said. “All you need to do is ask.”
“You must speak with Marcus first,” Emma said firmly. “You must make an offer for my hand to him properly. Then, I will marry you.”
Francis nodded, although he suspected that would be a task much more easily stated than completed.
If there was one thing of which he was certain, it was that Marcus must surely hate Francis, after the way he had treated Emma. Getting his blessing would prove to be even more difficult than earning Emma’s forgiveness.
However, he had told Emma he would do anything, and so he would.
“It will be so, Emma,” Francis said, despite his doubts.
“Thank you, Francis,” she said, blushing once more. Francis marveled at her beauty for a moment before he spoke again.
“There is one thing I really wish to know,” he said. “If you would be inclined to indulge me.”
Emma looked at him warily, but she did not let go of his hand.
“Alright,” she said cautiously.
“Why would you not explain whatever is going on with Marcus?” he asked. “I would have believed that you put the stars in the sky if you told me you had, if only you had told me what you were hiding about him.”
Francis winced, certain that he had made yet another unforgivable mistake. However, instead of fussing at him or storming away angrily, Emma took a deep breath and took his other hand in her free one.
“I wanted to,” she said, her face earnest. “You cannot know how much I wanted to.”
“Then why did you not?” Francis repeated. “Why do you still not?”
Emma shook her head but still did not become angry.
“Because it is not my story to tell,” Emma said. “Please, Francis. Will you trust me enough to simply leave it at that for now?”
“Of course, I will trust you,” Francis said, releasing one of her hands and caressing her cheek. “I promise that I will leave it be.”
Emma smiled again, and Francis could see her love for him shining brightly in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she said, putting her freed hand over his as it rested on her cheek.
“No. Thank you,” Francis murmured, kissing her hand once more. Thank you so much, he added silently, sending up a quick prayer of heartfelt gratitude to the heavens. “Now, when can we go speak to Marcus?”
Emma looked at Francis with both surprise and bemusement.
“He is at home now,” she said, thinking carefully. “I suppose we can go ask him to speak with us right now if you like.”
“I would love to,” Francis said. The sooner he could get Marcus’s blessing, the sooner he could at last make Emma his wife.
He just hoped that Marcus was more willing to give his blessing than he was ready to argue with Francis.
Chapter 35
Emma looked at Francis, surprised.
She had not expected Francis to so readily agree to speak with Marcus about marrying her, and certainly not so soon. However, she was pleased that he had.
It was the final piece of proof she needed that Francis did love her and that he truly was sorry for the ugliness that had transpired over the theft.
They agreed that Francis would follow her to her house in his carriage, and they departed at once. Before boarding his carriage, however, Francis stopped and gave Emma a kiss on her forehead.
“I love you,” he whispered.
She blushed and nodded, then got into her own carriage.
The short trip back to her house felt like a dream. She had known what Francis had intended to say from what he had written in his letters but hearing him say each of the words aloud had melted any resolve she had had to try to stay angry with him.
Hearing him proclaim his feelings so boldly for her had rendered her unable to continue denying her own for him. And she found that she was glad.
She only hoped that Marcus would trust her judgment about Francis, and not allow his grudge against him to cloud his mind when Francis asked for her hand in marriage.
Emma was not surprised to see Marcus waiting at the door for her when they arrived. She took a deep breath, knowing that Marcus would likely take some convincing just to allow Francis to so much as enter the house.
With relief, she saw that Francis’s carriage had fallen a little behind and had not yet reached the path leading up to her home.
“Are you alright?” Marcus asked, rushing to her side.
“I am much more than alright,” Emma said, unable to hide her joyful blush.
Marcus looked at her warily.
“Do not tell me that you allowed that man to woo you with meaningless sweet words and empty apologies,” Marcus said, his face growing
fierce.
“Marcus, please,” Emma said, taking her brother’s hand. “For the first time, maybe ever, I am happy. Will you not trust in that, and give him a chance to speak to you?”
Marcus’s eyes widened.
“Speak to me?” Marcus asked. “About what?”
“He will be here shortly,” Emma said.
Before she could say more, Francis’s carriage at last made it up the path to the house. Marcus shot Emma a furious glance.
“If you think that I will have any civil conversation with that man, you are sadly mistaken, little sister,” he growled.
“If you love your little sister, that is exactly what you will do,” she said defiantly.
Marcus glared at her, but he argued no further.
“I will await you and his royal highness in the drawing room,” Marcus said, turning to walk inside the house.
“Thank you,” Emma said sweetly, choosing to ignore her brother’s rude sarcasm.
Francis practically leaped from the carriage before it had even come to a complete stop. Emma hid a small giggle behind her hand.
“Marcus is waiting for us in the drawing room,” she said.
“Then let us away to my beheading,” Francis said, his eyes twinkling with humor.
Emma giggled again and led him inside. Despite Marcus’s sour mood, she could not remember when she had been happier.
Lydia was just arriving with a tray of delicious looking cakes and fresh tea. Emma looked at Marcus questioningly.
“I gave Lydia some extra money and sent her to do some shopping this morning,” Marcus said, blatantly ignoring Francis. Emma suppressed the urge to roll her eyes.
“Thank you, Marcus,” Emma said.
Marcus nodded and gestured for her to sit, still not meeting Francis’s gaze.
Emma took a seat and gestured for Francis to do the same, to which he quickly complied.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Baker,” Francis said politely.
Marcus at last looked at Francis and nodded curtly.
“Good afternoon,” he said, his voice cool and brusque.
Emma took a deep breath. She did not expect Marcus to like Francis, but she hoped that he would be willing to hear what Francis had to say.
“I understand that there might be a solution to my situation,” Francis said.
Marcus scoffed.
“Is that why you are here?” he asked, scowling at Francis.
Francis glanced at Emma and cleared his throat.
“It is part of the reason,” Francis admitted. “Emma told me that there might be something that could be done.”
“Since when have you been given permission to use my sister’s given name?” Marcus growled.
“Since she agreed to be my wife earlier today,” Francis retorted.
Emma looked at him sharply, but she felt herself blush and she lowered her head to hide a smile.
From the corner of her eye, Emma saw Marcus turn his head toward her quickly. That was not how she had planned for Marcus to find out, but she knew that Marcus would have difficulty hearing the news in any way.
“Is this true, Emma?” Marcus asked, his voice rising.
“It is,” she said calmly. “And I would like for you to hear what Francis has to say.”
Marcus scoffed again.
“And what is it that you have to say, Lord Ashfield?” Marcus asked.
Emma bit her lip. She loved both of the men in her life, but she could not help but feel a bit of amusement at the tense interaction between them.
“I came to ask you properly for Emma’s hand,” Francis said.
“And what is it that you can offer her?” Marcus growled.
“I am an earl,” Francis said. “She would have a title, wealth, and a man who loved her unconditionally.”
At this, Marcus laughed heartily.
“Yes, we have all seen just how much you love her,” he hissed. “Every man who has ever loved a woman has falsely accused her of theft and banished her from his home.”
Emma held her breath. However, instead of becoming angry and defending himself, Francis lowered his head and sighed. It took him a moment to speak, and Emma saw him wipe a tear from his eye.
She could not be sure, but she thought that Marcus saw it too, because his face softened marginally.
“I was a terrible fool, Marcus,” Francis said, lifting his gaze to meet her brother’s firmly. “There is no way that I could ever take back what I have done.
“But I do wish to make it up to Emma by giving her all the love in my heart, all the love that she deserves, and by being a man on whom she can lean and depend for the rest of her days.”
Marcus looked at Francis in silence for several long moments. Emma briefly feared that Marcus would send Francis away and refuse to ever let the two of them marry.
At last, Marcus spoke.
“Let it be known that I do not trust anything you say or do,” Marcus said. “But it is clear to me that my sister does, and I wish only for her happiness.”
Emma’s hopes rose, and she smiled brightly at her brother.
“However,” Marcus continued. “I will not give you my answer until our business venture is concluded.”
Francis looked at Marcus, both perplexed and frightened.
“And what venture might that be?” he asked.
Marcus looked at Emma, clearly wishing that she would change her mind and send him away. Instead, though, she looked at her brother with silent earnest and gave him a sweet smile.
Marcus sighed and shifted in his seat.
“Our father had a small fleet of ships before he died,” he said. “And, provided certain arrangements were made and agreements could be reached, I would be willing to grant you access to those ships so that you could continue your business dealings.”
Emma smiled proudly at her brother. Marcus glanced at her and blushed a little but turned his gaze back to Francis.
“Of course, there would be a brief trial period, to ensure that all goes smoothly and that you fulfill your end of the bargain,” he said. “But provided that all goes well, we could discuss plans to continue doing business together in the future.”
“Those terms are agreeable,” Francis said. “But why should Emma have to wait to marry me?”
“Because that is not all that must be done,” Marcus said sharply.
“Should it not be up to Emma to decide when she marries?” Francis asked, his own voice sharp and angry.
“If you wish to ever have my blessing, then you will do as I suggest,” Marcus hissed.
Francis opened his mouth, but Emma looked at him, pleading. He closed it, albeit reluctantly.
“There is also the matter of Lucius Rowley,” Marcus added.
“Rowley,” Francis mused. “Is he not the man who—”
“Who double-crossed us all?” Marcus finished for him. “Yes.”
Emma felt her face flush as she thought of everything that Lucius had done to her and her family. She also felt shame at having been so blinded to his wrongdoings. She wanted to see him pay for what he had done.
“What is it that you plan to do to deal with him?” Francis asked.
“Not just me, or us,” Marcus said. “You, as well.”
Francis blinked, confused.
“Me?” he asked. “What is it that I can do?”
“You will help us round up and question everyone who has ever stolen things for him,” Marcus said. “You will assist us in taking back every item that has been stolen. Then, we will take the proper steps from there.”
Francis considered Marcus’s words for several moments. Emma sat in silence, knowing that Francis would do anything to expose the truth behind Lucius’s evil plots, but unsure whether he would agree to wait to marry her as Marcus had requested.
She knew her brother well, and she knew that he would not be moved once he had made a decision.
“Very well,” Francis said at last, a bit begrudgingly. “If you feel that it is be
st, I will wait to marry Emma.”
Marcus looked at Francis, obviously surprised.
“Then it is settled,” he said, his earlier anger and displeasure quickly dissolving.
Emma felt both relieved and a little dismayed. She knew that Marcus was right, and she was glad that Marcus seemed willing to give his blessing, but she could not wait to marry Francis.
