by Lucy Adams
“I thank you,” Lady Madeline murmured, glancing at Sebastian. “And thank you for everything that I have been shown this evening. I am grateful for what you have done.” She turned to Lady Callander. “And to you also.”
Lady Callander gestured for Lady Madeline to step out of the carriage, her eyes filled with sympathy. “You have been through a great ordeal, this evening, Lady Madeline,” she said, quietly. “Especially with seeing Lord Cambleton….” She trailed off and Lady Madeline drew in a shaky breath,
“Indeed,” was all she said, before she stepped out of the carriage, leaning heavily on the arm of the waiting footman.
“I will not be long,” Lady Callander murmured, leaving Sebastian to sit alone in the carriage, his mind filled with all that had occurred.
Everything that had clouded around them, everything that had filled him with confusion, sorrow and frustration now seemed to have disappeared entirely. There was nothing left but himself and Lady Callander, and that sent such a flurry of joy and hope and happiness into his heart that Sebastian knew that there was only one thing he now wanted to do.
He wanted to not only court Lady Callander, but to give her his whole heart, his whole self, his whole life. The thought of being apart from her, of returning to his estate alone, seemed so terrible that the pain slammed hard into him.
Lord Chesterfield and Madame Bereford would face the consequences of what they had done. Lord Cambleton already had paid the ultimate price, it seemed, and now he need not think of it any longer. Yes, the League would have a good deal more to achieve, if they were to rid England of all the spies that Madame Bereford had brought in through Lord Chesterfield’s ships, but that was a job for everyone in the League, not just for himself. There were other things he could consider now, a future that included Lady Callander.
The urge to speak to her, to tell her the truth of his heart, of what he wanted for them both, of what he dreamed and hoped for, began to grow deep within him. It was not a slow increase but rather a flood that seemed to fill him from the bottom to the very top of his head. His heart began to thump furiously as the door opened and Lady Callander climbed back inside, sitting back down with a heavy yet relieved sigh.
“Lady Madeline appears to be a little more recovered, now that she is back at home,” she said, giving him a small smile. “Her father was waiting for her, and his presence seemed to encourage her somewhat, although I will admit that he was a little surprised when she asked for a glass of port before she retired!”
He laughed, the sound making her laugh in return, which seemed to chase away some of the lingering darkness of what had occurred that evening. Reaching up, he rapped on the roof and the carriage began to roll away, leaving him and Lady Callander sitting in silence aside from the sound of the carriage wheels on the road. Suddenly the importance of what he wanted to say seemed to overwhelm him, his stomach twisting back and forth, his palms sweaty as he looked into Lady Callander’s beautiful face.
“Lady Callander, there is something that I want to express to you,” he began, realizing that he was tripping over his words already. “I — I find that my heart is overwhelmed with delight for you. No, more than that… much more than that.” He rubbed his forehead with his knuckles, feeling all the more foolish as he tried to explain what he meant. “I am more than relieved that this evening has brought most everything to an end, albeit with a rather daunting prospect of having to chase Madame Bereford’s spies from our shores,” he continued, trying to find ways to convey what he wanted without being overly poetic. “It has left me thinking about what I want next.”
Lady Callander’s eyes were glowing as she leaned forward, the dim light of the carriage lanterns illuminating her features with a gentle radiance. “And what is it that you want, Millerton?” she asked, softly.
“You.”
The word was out of his mouth before he could think of what else to say, or how eloquently he ought to express it. He could say nothing more but simply continued looking into Lady Callander’s eyes, waiting for her response.
A smile slowly began to spread across Lady Callander’s face, brighter and more glorious than ever he had seen before.
“I — I want to marry you,” he found himself saying, the truths of his heart being revealed to her one after the other. “I have found myself filled with affection and regard and admiration for you, Lady Callander — Bridgette — I have found… that I love you.”
Lady Callander’s swift intake of breath, the wonder in her eyes and the faint color to her cheeks told Sebastian that all he had said had found its way directly into Lady Callander’s heart. There was nothing more he could say, waiting now for her response, for her reply to his words of love.
“We have long been acquainted, Millerton, and I have found my affection for you growing,” she said, softly. “Your heart echoes the same strains of love as my own.”
He caught his breath, his hands reaching for hers as the carriage continued to wind its way through the London streets.
“I love you,” she said, simply, “and I can assure you that if you asked for my hand in marriage, I would accept you without question.”
“Then will you marry me?”
She laughed at the urgency and the eagerness that came from him but Sebastian could not wait another moment before he asked her. Their fingers intertwined as he held his breath, seeing her smile tenderly up at him.
“Of course, I shall marry you,” she said, with such a joy to her voice that Sebastian felt himself practically burst with happiness. “Just as soon as we can set the date.”
Even though the carriage was a little unsteady, Sebastian leaned forward, his hands on Lady Callander’s waist and his knees practically on the floor of the carriage as he tried to kiss her. She laughed at the awkwardness of it but slid her arms about his neck as he lowered his head, their lips finally meeting.
It was as though the stars had fallen from the sky and had landed all around them, as if the fragrance of the roses in Hyde Park had come to fill the carriage. Sebastian felt his heart overflow, his delight and joy solely in knowing that Lady Callander loved him as he loved her. They had endured a very difficult circumstance, had found the truth of it and now all that was left was to cling to each other and to the hopeful promise that was now to be theirs.
“I will love you with all that I have and all that I am, for the rest of my days,” he told her, as she brushed one hand down the side of his face. “I give you my pledge from this day on.”
“As I will love you,” she told him, the promise in her eyes flooding him with a fresh wave of love that Sebastian knew would never leave him, holding him fast until the end of his days.
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