The Vexatious Widow (Regency House Party: Havencrest Book 2)
Page 9
Joanna had listened to this long speech in amazement. There were so many points at wished she wanted to stop and argue with him, but somehow the thought of having children—with him—swept all logic from her mind. “Our children?” Gracious, since when did her voice sound so breathy.
“Naturally. There shall likely be many of them. I intend to shower you with the best that life has to offer. And I don’t mean jewels or gowns or mansions by the sea. I mean with people who love you—with daily, hourly, reminders that you are beloved and valued. You have not had much happiness in this life, but I intend to give you the family and home you deserve, Joanna. And I will hope that it will be enough to persuade you to marry me, for I very much fear that I shall wither into a miserable old crosspatch unless you agree to join your life with mine.”
Her heart surely could not feel any more emotion than now swelled within it. It felt twice as large as before and straining to hold all the hope and bliss that now filled her, despite her hesitation to give into it. Surely this was too good to be true.
“But why me?”
“And why not you? Tell me that. Why would such a kind, spirited, intelligent woman with beautiful green eyes that reflect her wit and humor and passion not inspire the best and most lasting kind of love? Joanna, it has been such a short time since I have known you, but already it feels as if the rest of my life were empty—as the rest of it shall be if you are not in it. You refine too much upon what fools call beauty and thrash yourself over not fitting their ideal. Please believe me when I say that the best beauty is the kind that makes a face ever more dear with each passing moment—the kind that makes your features the ones I most desire to see out of any in the world because they are yours. Perhaps you cannot believe me when I say that I want nothing more than to spend my life looking at you, but please give me the opportunity to show you that it is true.”
It wasn’t his words that convinced her of his sincerity. It was the dry, forceful tone in which they were said and the steadiness of his eyes as he said them. All at once, she believed what she had thought impossible. He wanted her for herself and nothing more, but at the same time, he truly saw more in her than she saw in herself. So because she wanted so desperately to have him, to allow herself to give in to the enormous rush of love she felt for him, she melted into his waiting arms.
“Then, yes, Tyndale. Yes. Please marry me and give me your love. And I will try so very hard to be worthy of it.”
“My name is Martin, my darling girl, and you quite mistake the matter. It is I who will need to be worthy of you.”
“I disagree,” she said, glaring up at him.
He laughed. “Of course you do. And I should be vastly disappointed if you did not find something else to argue about. But forgive me, you will have to do so later. Right now, I intend to put your mouth to better use.”
He kissed her then, and this time, he was in no hurry about doing so.
As convincing as his words had been, the way he pulled her tightly against him—as if he could not bring her close enough—and lavished kisses upon her mouth as if he could not get enough of her, she, at last, drifted into a dizzy state of bliss knowing that love did exist and that she had somehow, despite the complete impossibility of it, she had found it for herself.
But then another realization struck her and she pulled back. “But Martin—”
“What?” he asked, his voice surly from the interruption.
“I have not yet told you I love you too,” she said faintly as he shifted to kissing her neck in a delightful way.
He chuckled against her skin. “Trust me, you have been showing me quite well. And I beg you to get back to it before that dragon of yours decides that we are taking to long and returns to chase me away.”
Joanna laughed and kissed him again, pleased that if she did so, it would not be for long. The rest of their lives belonged to each other.
Be sure to read the next book in the Regency House Party: Havencrest Series
Charmed By His Lordship
By Jen Johnson
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank my family, as always, for their love and support.
Thanks to my critique partners and fellow RHP authors: Mindy Strunk, Jen Johnson, Heidi Kimball and Sara Cardon.
Special thanks to my editors Cara Seger, Arielle Bailey, and Tabitha Kocsis
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