“But I won’t force you. I was wrong to try. If you don’t think you can be happy as my wife, I will let you go.”
Lily brought his hand to her lips and gently kissed it. Her head hurt and her mind was still hazy, but she needed to be honest. “I don’t want to go.”
Daniel’s handsome face lit up like a candelabra. “Then you’ll stay with me and be my wife?”
Lily longed to reach for him, to tangle her fingers in his silky hair. “Do you remember when I said I only needed two things from you?”
“Yes, but you never told me what they were.”
She sighed. “You’ve given me one. Your love.”
“You’ll have that until the end of time. What is the other? If it’s within my power to grant, I will do it.”
“First, I know I’m impulsive, but I…I never would have gone to bed with anyone but you. I need you to know that. If it had been anyone else I wouldn’t have.”
He brushed a dewy lock of hair from her brow. “I’m glad.”
“I’m not sure what it was about you that called to me that first time. I was frightened beyond measure, and I had no desire to bed any man, or so I thought. Perhaps it was the fact that you had a Vermeer, and enough appreciation for it to keep it in your bedchamber. Or that you kept kissing me that first night, even after you saw who I was. Or m
aybe it was because you remembered me and my painting from all those years ago. Whatever it was, I couldn’t stop myself from wanting you, so I told myself that sleeping with you would be a good experience. I never planned to marry, so I didn’t care about my virtue. But all the time we were together, I couldn’t imagine leaving you at the end of two weeks. I vowed to be careful, not to lose my heart. Every time I went to you, I told myself it was the last time, that the longer I let it go on the harder it would be to leave. But I couldn’t stop myself from going back for more, even though Amelia told me she was going to bed my brother if I pursued you.”
“Amelia told you what?”
“That’s another story, but yes, Amelia and I have had words. It doesn’t matter. Well, in a way it does. I knew your reputation, Daniel. Everything you said to me—I wanted desperately to believe it all, but knowing what I did of your past… Well, frankly, I figured you were just really good with lines.”
“I meant everything I said to you.”
“I know, and I’m sorry I reacted so harshly to the idea of marrying you and having your child. I was angry that you hadn’t come to me first, and I was angry at myself for finding out I wasn’t who I always thought I was, if that makes any sense. I feared I was to be one of many, and that you wanted me only for my bloodline and the heir I might be carrying.”
“I’m so sorry I made you feel that way. I love you so much. I can’t imagine life without you.”
“I… I love you too, Daniel.” How wonderful to finally say the words! “Somehow I think I always have.”
Daniel sighed and looked straight into her eyes. “I never felt worthy of your love.”
“That’s not for you to say, is it?” she said with a half smile. “My love is mine alone to give, and I choose to give it to you. I think you’re very worthy.”
He brushed his lips over her hair. “You have my love, Lily. Now what is the other thing you want?”
Her heart lurched. Would he be able to give it to her? “I want your fidelity, Daniel. I want to be your only woman.”
He laughed softly. “You are. Do you really think I could ever go to another woman after what we’ve shared?”
His laughter irritated her. “There’s nothing funny about it. Given your past, I wasn’t sure.”
His lips brushed her temple, her brow, her nose. “I promise you. I’ll never touch another woman. I’ll never even want to.”
A tear fell from the corner of her eye. “Oh, Daniel, I never dared to hope.”
“It’s an easy wish for me to grant, Lily.”
“I knew Amelia was lying, the little tramp. She told me you had been in bed with her, and that you were going to ship me off to Scotland once you got me pregnant. Then she took my ring, said you told her she could have it…and then, she pushed me.” Lily wept quietly.
Daniel embraced her, wiping away her tears with his fingers. “Don’t cry. Amelia’s in custody now, and she will never harm you again, I promise. I never made love to her, and I never said any of those horrible things. Please tell me you believe me.”
Lily sniffed. “I believe you. I just wish she hadn’t taken my beautiful ring. I loved it.”
Daniel smiled into her eyes as he knelt down on the floor beside her. He took Lily’s left hand in his, drew a ring out of his pocket, and placed it on her fourth finger. “Lily Jameson, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”