‘But of course, her plan could never have worked,’ said Joshua. ‘In fact, I don’t believe she’d have even attempted it if she’d realized I was in love with you.’
‘When did you know?’ Rebecca asked.
‘That I loved you?’
She nodded.
He pulled her onto the sofa beside him, and wrapped his arm lovingly around her waist.
‘It’s difficult to say for sure.’
‘When Mr Willingham attacked you?’
‘No. Long before that. I think I must have loved you when I asked you to marry me the first time, back in London, when we were at the Frost Fair.’
She turned to look at him in surprise. ‘But I thought you were offering me your hand because you had compromised me.’
‘So did I. But I think I must have already been half in love with you, even though I didn’t know it. I don’t believe I would have offered you my hand otherwise.’
‘Not even to save my reputation?’
‘Once it was in jeopardy, yes - I was very attached to Jebadiah, and I wouldn’t have wanted to bring disgrace down on his granddaughter’s head - but not before. Lacy might have seen us together at The Queen’s Head but I knew he was a coward, and that he wouldn’t talk. And as to the idea of someone else seeing us together, that was pure speculation. If someone had seen us together, and had been about to noise it abroad, then yes, I would have offered you my hand, but not until then. Not unless I’d known somewhere deep inside me that I wanted to make you my wife.’
Rebecca sighed. ‘I was very tempted to accept —’
‘You were?’ It was his turn to be surprised.
She nodded. ‘Yes. I couldn’t think why. But now I know. It was because, underneath, I was already falling in love with you.’
‘And yet I’m glad you didn’t accept my hand then. I hadn’t come to see you as my equal, I must admit, I did not want you to involve yourself in the mill. It was only later, when we worked together, that I came to do so. The way you stood up to me left me in no doubt that you were a force to be reckoned with and, more than that, I was forced to acknowledge that your ideas made sense. Even so, I resisted seeing you as an equal. But once you’d rescued me from the fire I could deny it no longer, because without your help I would have died.’
It was a sobering thought.
‘Mr Willingham has been taken into custody?’ asked Rebecca. She was curious, now that things had been resolved so happily between them, to know Mr Willingham’s fate.
‘Yes. He will be charged with his crimes, and Cyril Dunn will testify against him. Mr Willingham will not be troubling us again.’
Rebecca gave a shiver. ‘He came so close to killing you.’
Joshua held her tight. ‘But he didn’t. It’s over now, and the future is before us. And talking of the future,’ he said, turning towards her, ‘I think we should be planning our wedding. When shall it be?’
‘In the summer, I think,’ said Rebecca.
The clock chimed the hour.
‘Goodness. I had no idea how late it was. I had forgotten all about Louisa!’ exclaimed Rebecca. She stood up. ‘She will be wondering where I am.’
Joshua stood up, too. ‘She has most probably guessed.’
‘You’re right. But we must go and find her anyway. I want to tell her the news.’
‘She’ll be delighted,’ said Joshua. Adding, ‘And so will Mrs Camberwell.’
Rebecca looked at him in surprise.
‘She has spent the last few weeks telling me what a wonderful wife you will make,’ he laughed.
Rebecca smiled, then gave a contented sigh. ‘It’s lovely to know that our betrothal will bring so much pleasure to so many people.’
‘Not least to ourselves.’ He took her into his arms and kissed her.
‘If you don’t stop kissing me like that, I will not be able to wait for a summer wedding,’ she teased him as she at last emerged.
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. ‘A good thing too. Hang the gossips. If they want to remark on the speed of our wedding then let them - I have always thought spring weddings were the best.’
‘Perhaps they are at that!’
Then arm in arm they went to find Louisa and tell her the happy news.
Author’s Note
Readers might like to know that the Frost Fair mentioned in this book actually took place in 1814. The climate then was colder than it is now and the river flowed more slowly for a variety of reasons, including the fact that the old London Bridge had narrow arches which impeded the flow of water. The amusements Rebecca and Joshua engaged in were enjoyed by revellers at the time. It was, however, the last Frost Fair.
For more Kindle books by Amanda Grange please
visit her Kindle page on Amazon UK
Amazon US
Amazon DE
Amazon FR
Amazon IT
Or click the links to individual titles below
(Links to Amazon US on following page)
Jane Austen retellings (also available in hardback and paperback)
Darcy’s Diary
(Pride and Prejudice)
Mr Knightley’s Diary
(Emma)
Captain Wentworth’s Diary
(Persuasion)
Edmund Bertram’s Diary
(Mansfield Park)
Colonel Brandon’s Diary
(Sense and Sensibility)
Henry Tilney’s Diary (ebook forthcoming)
(Northanger Abbey)
Regency romances
A Most Unusual Governess
The Earl Next Door
The Six Month Marriage
One Snowy Night
The Silverton Scandal
One Night At The Abbey
Castle of Secrets
Edwardian romances
That Would Be A Fairy Tale
Titanic Affair
(Set on board the ill-fated liner, Titanic)
All books originally published in hardback by Robert Hale Ltd
Except Titanic Affair, originally published in hardback by Severn House
Please visit Amanda Grange’s website at http://www.amandagrange.com
for more information
For more Kindle books by Amanda Grange in the US,
Please visit her Kindle page on Amazon US
Or click the links to individual titles below
Jane Austen retellings (also available in hardback and paperback)
Mr Darcy’s Diary
(Pride and Prejudice)
Mr Knightley’s Diary
(Emma)
Edmund Bertram’s Diary
(Mansfield Park)
Colonel Brandon’s Diary
(Sense and Sensibility)
Captain Wentworth’s Diary
(Persuasion)
Henry Tilney’s Diary (forthcoming)
(Northanger Abbey)
Regency Romances
A Most Unusual Governess
The Earl Next Door
The Six Month Marriage
One Snowy Night
The Silverton Scandal
One Night At The Abbey
Castle of Secrets
Edwardian Romances (Downton Abbey era)
That Would Be A Fairy Tale
Titanic Affair
(Set on board the ill-fated liner, Titanic)
Please visit Amanda Grange’s website at http://www.amandagrange.com
for more information
One Snowy Night Page 20
