“Do you…do you have trysts like these often?” a mortified flush ran along her entire body, but she would not take back her question.
His arms slowed, and the boat bobbed atop the waters of the lake. “We did not have a tryst,” he replied slowly, his gaze scanning every nuance of her face.
“Then what did we have?” she asked her voice a broken whisper, gripping her fingers together. Callie couldn’t understand what it was she needed from him, but her stomach knotted with dread. Everything inside of her ached.
“I do not know, but I have never had a lover where my entire body and heart was attuned to her,” he husked. “I fear it might ruin me for all others.”
“I shall celebrate it,” she replied, meeting his intense regard.
Their stares held as he reached the dock, and in silence, he angled the craft in before hopping out to anchor it with the rope. Then he held his hand out. Callie grasped his arm and allowed him to assist her from the boat.
They had agreed earlier to enter through the kitchens and make use of the servants’ stairwell. Callie entered first, and was clucked over by the cook, but made her way to her room encountering none of the houseguests, a thing she was most profoundly thankful for. Letty was sitting by the dressing table, the maid assigned to them styling her hair. Her sister’s gaze searched her face, and whatever she saw prompted her to dismiss the maid.
“You were gone with the viscount for hours!”
“Oh, Letty! The rain kept us—”
“I gathered what we wanted happening to Mama occurred with you. Was he furious?”
“No,” she said, her throat going tight. Callie normally shared everything with her sister, but this was too raw and private.
Letty stared at her. “I lied to Mama when she questioned your whereabouts about an hour ago. I told her I saw you in the private parlor reading. She seemed satisfied with that.”
“Thank you, I daresay she would not care for us being forced to take shelter together.”
“Are you well, Callie? You seem out of sorts,” said Letty, with a quizzical look at her sister.
“Yes, most certainly!” She hurried over to the screen and started to remove her clothing.
Letty came over and took Callie’s hands between hers. “Your lips are swollen, and I can tell they have been kissed thoroughly.”
Heat flushed Callie’s neck and face. “Oh!”
Her sister grinned. “Is he an excellent kisser?”
“The most wonderful, oh Letty, everything was so divine!” Then she shocked herself by sobbing. “My blasted nerves are overset when they should not be!”
“You do not have to tell me now,” Letty said with a warm smile, “because dinner will be announced soon. I’ll ring for a bath
and select a dress for you!”
Grateful to her sister, she nodded, and proceeded to undress, not understanding the bewildering mix of hope and anxiety in her heart.
Dinner had been a sumptuous feast of roasted duck with cranberry sauce, standing ribs of beef with Yorkshire pudding, golden stuffed turkey, lamb served with an onion sauce. She had tried her best not to stare at Graham throughout the meal, and the few times she had done so had been to find the man staring at her. He had mastered himself and behaved gentlemanly for the rest of the evening, only engaging her in polite dinner conversation. But he had given other ladies equal attention.
Almost three hours later, the earl had gathered his guests in the drawing-room. An enormous spruce tree had been cut and placed in the corner near the windows overlooking the lawns. They had decorated the tree with enormous bows of bright scarlet ribbon, precious glass baubles, and silver candle holders with white candles.
The earl cleared his throat, and the young lady who had been playing a lively piece on the pianoforte stopped. The drawing-room door opened, and she glanced over her shoulder to see that Graham had entered drinking a glass of amber liquid. She stared at him for longer than what was polite, and when he noted her regard, he winked. Swallowing her gasp of pleasure, she turned back to the earl who seemed as if he was fit to burst at the seams.
Callie’s heart jolted when he held out his hand, and her mother walked forward with a bright, gleeful smile on her face to place her hand within his. Letty sent her a side-eye glance.
“It is with pleasure I announce to you all that Lady Danby has consented to be my wife, and we are to wed tomorrow in the chapel.”
There was a stunned silence before everyone burst into applause. Congratulations went around, and the earl shepherded Callie, Letty, Graham, and his daughter to the smaller private parlor. As they entered, Callie spun to face them. “The wedding is tomorrow?”
“Yes,” her mother said, smiling. How happy she looked.
“So soon mamma?” Callie asked, stunned at this development.