Chapter Fourteen
Merrick stared at Lily in stunned silence.
Love.
The word echoed through him, making his head spin and his lungs hitch. For a moment he feared he’d heard her wrong. Perhaps she’d said I loathe you.
Somehow that seemed far more probable.
But, then again, less deserving of a grand declaration. So perhaps she’d declared her love after all?
“Y-you love me?” he managed, watching her face to see her reaction
It was the blush in her cheeks and the wariness in her eyes that finally got through to him and convinced him his hearing wasn’t faulty.
She gave a short nod. “I know you don’t feel the same. I know that you only asked me to marry you out of obligation, but I needed you to know the truth before I...before you...er, before we discuss marriage again.”
It came out of her on one long breath of air and when she drew in an inhale, he couldn’t stop himself. He pulled her to him and crushed her in his arms as his lips claimed hers in a kiss that was quick but thorough.
When he lifted his head he saw her blinking up at him dazedly. “But we’re in public.”
He pulled back just enough that they would not scandalize any partygoers who might have taken notice, although they were still half hidden next to this fern. “That is how much I love you, Lily. I don’t care who sees, and I want everyone to know.”
Her eyes widened. “Really? I mean...you are not just saying that because—”
“I would never tell you that I love you unless I meant it.”
“Yes, but perhaps you meant that you love me like a sister or a friend or—”
“Lily, what on earth would have given you the impression that I see you as a friend, let alone a sister?” He clasped her hands in his and held them tight. “I love you, Miss Laura Upton. Sometimes I think perhaps I’ve always loved you. But here at this house party, it became impossibly clear that I cannot live without you. That I do not wish to live without you.”
Her eyes were wide and dazed, her lips parting with surprise. “Oh.”
“Indeed.” He grinned down at her stunned expression, too overcome with happiness to contain himself. All he wanted to do was drag her out of this ballroom and take her somewhere quiet where he could kiss her to his heart’s content.
He reached out to touch her cheek, stroking it gently before dropping his hand with an impatient glare toward the rest of the partygoers with their prying eyes and whispering lips. There was so much he wished to say and he thoroughly resented the fact that the rest of this house party was here to ruin the moment.
But then again, the presence of all these other guests was crucial to the second half of his plan.
He looked down with a grin at the ridiculous, awful bit of crochet she’d done. It was ugly and mangled and...he would treasure it for the rest of his life.
“I cannot believe that you fell in love with me.” He held up the square. “And that you love me enough to do this.”
Her lips quirked up in a smirk. “Yes, well. I hope you treasure it always because that is the beginning and end of my crocheting for you.” Her eyes danced with laughter. “Though if we were to have a child, perhaps I could be convinced to try again.”
He grinned down at her as his mind’s eye filled with images of Lily expecting, of Lily holding a babe in her arms, of Lily teaching her daughters to ride wild and free just like she had always done.
He reached out to her and tugged her closer, heedless of the people who passed by. “You do know that I don’t wish for you to change who you are, don’t you? I was frustrated, but—”
She held up a finger to cut him off. “I know. I know you see who I really am and you respect me for it. You let me be myself and—”
“And I love you for it,” he finished for her.
Her cheeks pinkened as she smiled. “I understand all that. But I also know that for both our sakes I need to learn to temper my anger and not allow pride to rule my life.” She placed a hand on his chest, over his heart. “I have no doubt that I can be true to myself while also acting with more maturity and thoughtfulness.”
Her words stole his breath and filled his chest with an aching pride. He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers briefly. “Good, because I love your fierce independence, and your strength. In fact, I am counting on the fact that our daughter will inherit both.”
She let out a shocked laugh. “Oh, it’s to be a daughter then, is it? We haven’t even married yet.”
He shrugged. “A daughter. A son. Either or both. I don’t care so long as we grow this family together.”
She nodded quickly, her smile so wide it made her eyes crinkle up at the corners and her eyes were filled with warmth and affection.”Together,” she agreed.
That word said right there by that overgrown fern felt like all the vows he’d ever need.
But society required more...and so did their families.
On cue, the sound of a glass dinging on the far side of the room got the attention of the room at large.
Lily glanced questioningly over toward the hostess who was standing near the musicians on a step so she could be seen. “If I might have your attention,” she called out.
The crowd hushed and Lily turned back to Merrick. “I suppose she’ll be announcing her son’s arrival. Have you heard that he’ll be joining us?”
His smile faded to a smirk. “I had heard that rumor, but I happen to know for a fact that isn’t what she is set to announce.”
Lily blinked. “Then what is she going to announce?”
“Me.” One corner of his mouth hitched up in the sort of wicked smile he hadn’t worn in ages. Not since Lily had left his life and he’d lost his accomplice.
He gave her a wink as he went to move toward their hostess, but Lily grasped his hand. “What do you think you are doing?”
He turned to face her. “I was planning on making a scene, if you must know.”
Her brows drew together in an adorable little frown of confusion. “But you don’t make scenes any more.”
He leaned in closer so he could talk directly into her ear. “You are not the only one capable of grand gestures, you know.”
She pulled back with a little gasp. “You mean, you planned to—”
“Cause a scandal? Yes.” He knew his grin was triumphant, and he did not care. He’d never in his life felt more certain of himself, of his future, of his heart.
Her grip on his hand tightened and her eyes lit with alarm. “Merrick, you do not have to do this.”
“Perhaps not,” he said with a little shrug. “But I want to.” He moved in closer as the people around them began to stop talking and stare at them. He had a suspicion the hostess was staring at him, too, waiting for him to take over as he’d requested.
“You see, my darling Lily…” He tugged her close, far closer than what was proper. “You are not the only one who has learned a thing or two about compromise this week.” His smile grew at her look of confusion. “You were right about me. I changed too much. I was trying so hard to become the kind of person my family wanted me to be, I lost sight of who I am. Who I want to be.” He leaned down closer. “But being with you, I am reminded. I feel like myself with you. I want to be as brave and fearless as I once was. There is a time for propriety and decorum, but there is also a place for independence and strength. There’s a time to conform to society and then…” He glanced toward the ballroom with a grin. “There’s a time to give them the shock of their lives.”
Lily opened her mouth to respond but her mother’s voice beat her to it. “What on earth is going on over here?”
Her voice was hushed but her glare was fierce as she took in how close they were standing and the way he was holding her daughter’s hands.
“Good evening, Mrs. Upton,” he said mildly.
He watched Lily’s lips clamp together to stifle a laugh.
“You and my daughter are causing a scene.”
&
nbsp; “We are not,” he said mildly.
“I beg your pardon—”
“Not yet, at least,” he continued.
Mrs. Upton’s brows arched. “What does that mean?”
He glazed at Lily who looked like she might burst out in inappropriately loud laughter at any moment. “It means that I fully intend to stand before you, Lily, God, and this entire room full of party guests and declare my love for your daughter.”
Mrs. Upton’s mouth opened but no sound came out.
“I, of course, will ask her to marry me…” He cast Lily a sidelong glance. “Again. And this time I suspect I will receive a more satisfying answer.”
Lily nodded quickly. “Yes. Oh yes.”
He laughed. “I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I have not asked you yet.” He tipped his head toward the space in the center of the dance floor that was clearing for him and his announcement. “When I do, it will be in front of everyone, and every last person here will know that the reason I am proposing to Miss Laura Upton is because she stole my heart.”
Lily’s eyes welled with tears and her smile grew wobbly.
He glanced back at a still-shocked Mrs. Upton. “That is, if I still have the approval of Lily’s mother and father.”
Mrs. Upton blinked and then cleared her throat. “Yes. Yes, of course.” She waved a hand toward the dance floor with impatience. “Carry on.”
He winked at Lily and went to leave.
Lily grasped his arm one last time. “You don’t have to do this, not for me. I know the kind of man you are and you are perfect just as you are. You do not have to prove anything.”
“I appreciate you saying that Lily, but this…” He gestured toward the crowd that had turned to watch them. “This is happening.”
He strode toward the center of the room, but not before hearing Lily’s parting shot. “And he calls me stubborn.”
He laughed. Perhaps they were both stubborn. Yet they were both also learning how to compromise. How to meet one another halfway.
But for now, for this one night...he could not wait to cause a stir. Thoughts of his family and their wishes barely entered his consciousness. He would do right by his family to the extent that was possible, but his first concern was for the woman he loved. He wanted nothing more than to keep her happy and safe and make sure she knew how loved she was every second of every day.
His second concern was to find happiness of his own. And having Lily in his life was that happiness.
For the first time in a long time, his priorities were straight….and it was all thanks to one woman.
“Ladies and gentleman, thank you for giving me your time and attention.”
His grin never faltered in the face of the stares and the whispers.
“You may be aware of some rumors that have been swirling about Miss Upton and myself.” He met Lily’s gaze and winked. “They are true. Each and every one of them. I’m sure you heard how she caught my fancy years ago and how I fell out of her good graces. I know my friends have noticed that from the moment I arrived at this party, I could not take my eyes off the bewitchingly lovely young lady with the heart of gold and temper as fiery as her hair.”
Some giggles and chuckles filtered through the crowd as couples exchanged glances and friends whispered in one another’s ears.
“What you may not know is that I asked her to marry me once and she declined.” He took a deep breath and saw Lily bite her lip, her cheeks a pretty pink as every eye in this room flickered between him and her. “She declined because she was not certain my feelings were true, but I am here to tell her...and to tell all of you...just how certain I am that Miss Laura Upton is the woman who ought to be at my side. Always.”
He caught sight of Abigail scowling, of Griff and Daisy watching with hopeful smiles, of her friend Marigold peeking out from behind a fern of her own with a wistful smile.
“There is no one who knows me as well as she, no one who challenges me, or makes me laugh as much as she. There is no one who ever has or ever will rule my heart like she does.”
Gasps rippled through the crowd and more than one young lady sighed.
“So I ask you all to say a prayer for me as I lay my future in her hands once more.” He dropped down to one knee. “Miss Laura Upton—Lily—Will you marry me?”
The short silence that followed was heavy with tension before Lily burst into a run to cross to him.
He rose just in time to catch her up into his arms.
“Yes,” she said through her tears. “Yes, yes, of course, yes.”
The crowd cheered as he kissed her, swinging her up into his arms where she belonged.
“I cannot believe you did that,” she whispered when she pulled back for air.
“Believe it,” he said with a laugh. “I will make a fool of myself a million times over if it means making you smile.”
“There’s no need for that.” She laughed softly. “You make me happy just by being you.”
His arms wrapped around her tighter. “So it is official then,” he marveled. “You will be my wife. We will be a family.”
She grinned up at him, a familiar glint of mischief in her eyes. “Let’s do this.”
Epilogue
Three months’ later...
Lily stood next to the carriage, the closed doors of the church making her shift impatiently. What was taking so long?
A veil covered her face and she clutched a bouquet of flowers in her hand.
Marigold softly covered her hand with her own. “You’ve thumped the peonies against your thigh twice. They’ll be mangled before the ceremony if you don’t stop.”
She huffed a small breath, still staring at the doors but she did relax her grip on the poor blooms. “They’ve been in there for hours.”
“Three minutes,” Marigold laughed, rubbing Lily’s arm. “Try to relax.”
“I don’t do that very well,” Lily muttered under her breath.
Daisy laughed from her other side. “Really? I had no idea.”
Lily’s gaze cut to her friend. “Tell me about married life. It will distract me.”
She watched Daisy’s face as her friend’s expression grew dreamy. “It’s wonderful.”
“That is lovely. But I am trying to distract myself so I am going to need you to be more specific.” Her mother and father had disappeared into the church to speak with the man she was about to marry. As if Lily wasn’t impatient enough to be wed, the delay was positively ruining her.
Well, kissing Merrick at that house party had nearly ruined her. She supposed waiting out here was only killing her flowers.
Daisy laughed. “Well. We talk for hours and we walk in the garden and…” Aa blush stained her friend’s cheeks., “Aand we spend the evenings reading by the fire.”
Lily frowned. That all sounded wonderful but she imagined that sheher and Merrick would have a great deal more wild rides on the back of his stallion and less demure walks in the garden.
But she was spared answering when her father finally opened the door and peeked his head through the crack in the door. “We’re nearly ready.”
Lily lifted her skirts, starting up the stairs. “Thank goodness. What took so long?”
Her father gave her a stern glance as he opened the door wider. “It’s not every day that a man decides to wed a woman of your...spirit.” Hhe cleared his throat. “I simply gave him a bit of advice.”
“Papa,” she stopped on the steps, staring up at her father. “What did you say?” She couldn’t quite keep the disapproval from her words.
Her father scowled back. “You take after your mother, you know. So trust me when I say, I know a thing or two on the subject.”
Well. Lily had to agree with him there. She thought back to Merrick’s words about having a daughter exactly like Lily. A small smile touched her lips. Did he know what he actually requested?
He did. No one kneow her better than the man she was about to marry. “I’m sure you do, Papa. I am just anxious t
o become Merrick’s wife. The wait has been…” Sshe searched for the correct word.
“Interminable,” her father finished. “Trust me, we are all aware of your feelings on the matter.”
Daisy and Marigold laughed behind her.
A blush climbed into her cheeks. It was a good thing that Merrick loved her as she was. Though she was working on her temper, she sometimes forgot that fact. “I haven’t been that bad.”
Her father shook his head. “No, my sweet. You haven’t. And now the wait is over. Come.”
Reaching out his hand, her father opened the door wider, and pulled her to the top of the steps.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust but when they did, she took a took a quick sweeping gaze of the chapel.
Merrick’s family was there, their gazes tight with disapproval but they’d attended. That’s what mattered.
And her brother had returned home too.
She smiled as their gazes met.
A throat cleared at the front of the church and glancing ahead, she met Merrick’s eyes and everyone else melted away.
Tall, broad, and handsome as ever, he stole her breath. The wait had been worth it.
She practically floated down the aisle and when her father placed her hand in Merrick’s, a sigh, she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding in, escaped from her lips.
The words of the vicar flowed over her as they each repeated their vows, his deep baritone settling down deep in her soul.
During his proposal, he’d claimed that he might have always loved her.
She understood.
She’d always loved him too. There would never be another for her in the entirety of the world.
When his lips claimed hers, sealing their bond, tshe words that she’d been longing to say, burst from mer mouth. “I love you, Merrick Hampton.”
He grinned down at her, his eyes sparkling in the candlelight. “And I love you, Lily Upton Hampton.”
A Wallflower's Wish Boxed Set: Three Regency Romances Page 23
