“I love you, I love you,” she chanted to his every thrust. “Come home and marry me. Don’t make me wait forever.”
He groaned and spilled his seed inside her body. His arms tightened like a vise around her body as he held nothing back. “I will. I will be back. Never ever doubt it. You have my word. I will marry you and give you everything you could ever want.”
All she needed though was his arms about her and his love.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Sally braced herself and then swept into her grandfather’s study. As usual, he was seated behind his large desk, but for a change he was gazing pensively out the window at the Newberry Park gardens. He seemed to be brooding, and that was not likely to make her request any easier to confess.
“Good afternoon, my dear,” he murmured after casting a quick glance in her direction. “I thought today of all days you would be too busy for me.”
“I would never be too busy for you. I was up early and made my rounds as usual.”
“That seems to be going around lately. Even young Felix could not suppress his habit and rose early, called for his carriage, and left after a few pretty words and a promise to visit again.” He heaved a sigh. “I like him. I will miss his presence at breakfast.”
Sally fought to hide her smile. Without even trying to, Felix had won her rather particular grandfather over completely. That boded well for what she wanted to do and the reasons for her decision. “Grandfather, I need your help.”
His eyes lit up with kindness. “In what, child? Another stitch on your wedding gown?”
“No.” She clenched her fingers together tightly at her waist. “I would like to not marry Lord Ellicott next week. ”
His gaze narrowed. “Or on any other day, I suspect?”
Sally bowed her head, then quickly nodded. She had known as soon as she had woken this morning that marrying Ellicott was a decision she would regret her entire life. Marriage was forever. Love was forever too. And she alre
ady loved Felix so much that the idea of never being with him again was breaking her heart. Marrying Ellicott would have declared that love meant nothing to her, when in truth it was everything that mattered. “I know this must be a shock to you.”
“A broken engagement at this late a date will cause Ellicott, and the family, a great deal of embarrassment. We were lucky last time that the arrangement with the captain was a private affair and easily hushed up.” His gaze pierced hers. “Give me a good reason.”
“Well.” She squirmed. “When it comes right down to it, I just do not like him enough to spend the rest of my life with him.”
“You do not like him enough?” The duke stood with a groan. “My dear child, you were the one who accepted Ellicott’s proposal. No one forced you to the match. You stood before your father and mother in this very room and assured them he was truly what you wanted.”
“I know. I did feel I could marry him at the time. After all, not all marriages start with love,” she protested.
Her grandfather ambled around his great desk, supported by his two canes. “Your mother will likely have palpitations at the scandal a broken engagement will cause. There will be no end of wailing on her part.”
“Mama is always emotional, but I believe she will understand my reasons for changing my mind.”
Her grandfather stopped at her side. “She will be pleased you are not going away, and frankly ’twill be a relief to all of us not to be robbed of your company.”
“I will marry one day, Grandfather.”
“Oh, so there is to be a gentleman in your future?” He clucked his tongue. “Another relief. You are much too spirited in nature to be a spinster all your life. He did not deserve you.”
She darted a glance at her grandfather, rather shocked by his confession. “I beg your pardon.”
“Ellicott is a splendid fellow on the surface—witty, powerful, an excellent horseman on the hunt. But…”
He left the rest unsaid for so long that she had to ask. “But?”
“He has not the faintest sense of family, of commitment. I have come to feel he will only make you miserable too.” The duke gathered his canes in one hand and with the other reached out to cup her cheek. “He does not understand you at all.”
“I am sorry I cannot love him.” She bowed her head, unable to hold his gaze. “I have tried, but I do not feel enough for him.”
The duke patted her cheek softly. “I loved your grandmother, and it took me a dozen years to win her hand. We were enemies as children, you know. I pulled her braid and she threw lemons at my head. I hope you will not have to wait that long to enjoy a rousing good fight with the one you love.”
“You were both so happy. I remember how your faces lit up on first seeing each other whenever you were apart. I cannot believe you had any reason to argue. There was always a glimmer in your eyes when you were near each other.”