Chapter Seven
Sophia stared at Oliver as she took the offered roses. In some breathlessness, she waited for him to speak again, for she hardly dared to hope she knew the direction of his thoughts. He had the air of a man on the verge of a life-changing question.
“I’ve thought long and hard about this decision since the moment I met you.” Genuine honesty reflected in his eyes behind his spectacle lenses. “Lavender roses are used to tell someone that you are enchanted by them, but they also represent desire and love at first sight.” When he grinned, the brush of multitudes of butterfly wings tickled her belly. “That is what is happening to me right now. I’m enchanted by you, have fallen in love with you, have become beguiled by your strength and bravery in the face of uncertainty and sadness. There is no explanation for it.” He shrugged. “It just… is.”
What exactly was he trying to say? And why was there such warmth raging in her cheeks? Surely, she was past the age of that sort of reaction. “Oh, Oliver, I’m not sure—”
“Please, allow me the freedom to say what is on my heart, else I’ll lose my courage.”
“All right.” She brought the roses to her nose and inhaled their unique fragrance.
“In addition, the warmth of the yellow rose symbolizes friendship, joy, and gladness. They are also used as a sign of remembrance or affection.” The ambassador sank to one knee in front of her and took her free hand in his. Was there ever a more attractive sight than a man on his knee on the threshold of asking such an important question? It had thrilled her twice before, and it was no less evident now. “While I hope that our tentative friendship will bring you all of this, I vow to always remember you by having yellow roses in the house. So that Hannah will have the joy of remembering as well.”
Merciful heavens! He is serious. “Perhaps you should arrive at your point, Oliver.” Her hand trembled in his. “I’d rather not have to puzzle out your intent, even if I have an inkling.”
“I apologize. It’s not every day a man does this sort of thing.” His grin sent heat spiraling down her spine. “Marry me.”
As much as she adored a proposal, this one had the power to both shock and flatter her. To say nothing of the hope it brought with it. “I beg your pardon?” The scent of roses became heavy and cloying to her nose, so she set the blooms he’d picked aside on the bench, but she didn’t break eye contact with him.
“Please, marry me.” He tightened his hold on her hand. “Spend your last days as my wife. We shall pass the time in companionship, happiness, and joy, and perhaps you will find beauty again in the world before you leave this one for the next.”
“But…” For a few seconds, Sophia was speechless. “We don’t know each other well.” Not that she cared. The mystery made everything that much better.
He winked. “If I may be so bold, neither did you and your last husband, and that worked out wonderfully well.”
Well, drat.Of course, he was right. She tried again to dissuade him. “It’s quite flattering of you to ask me something as life changing as that, but I am older than you, and if you should wish for children…” Her words trailed off, for once more, the reality of her situation came slamming back into her chest. “I cannot give them to you.” It was a maddening problem, but he deserved to make a decision knowing that. Some men wanted to further their line above everything else.
Oh, God.Her heart pounded. Would the stress of this conversation usher in her demise?
“Perhaps we should take one step at a time.” Immediately, Oliver sobered. He scrambled to his feet and then when she scooted to the edge of the bench, sat next to her. “Right now, in this moment, I am only asking you to marry me. A marriage of convenience if you wish, but it will take the pressure off your shoulders of what will happen to Hannah.”
“I don’t know…” They had met less than a week prior. Men were quite successful at hiding their true natures, and what if he had nefarious designs on her daughter? “This decision cannot be made quickly.”
“Sophia, look at me.” Once more, he took possession of her hand and peered into her eyes when she met his gaze. “I will be nothing but solicitous and protective of Hannah. In fact, shortly before I came into the maze, she indicated she would like it if you and I wed so I could become her father.”
“What?” A feeling of lightheadedness came over her, and her dratted heart pounded all the harder. She pressed her free hand to her chest. “Hannah is trying to force your hand as well as mine?” It was difficult to breathe, and she took tiny, gasping gulps. “You’ve asked me to marry you because of that?”
“No.” Slowly, he shook his head. “Jumping to the worst possible scenarios won’t help. Perhaps your circumstances have made you fearful, and now you’re hiding behind that as protection of sorts.” Concern shadowed his eyes. “I had two thoughts in asking you such a question. One was to make certain Hannah was taken care of. That seems to be your overriding concern each time that I talk to you.”
“It truly is,” she managed to whisper.
“And the second was to help you live out the remainder of your life with nothing but happiness, joy, and perhaps some much needed companionship so you won’t feel alone during the dark of the nights. Let me be there to tell you stories and ease your mind so that you might sleep without the nightmares.”
A flutter moved through her heart that had nothing to do with her ailment. “You remembered.” She could hardly force the words from her tight throat.
“Of course. It’s important to you so therefore, it’s important to me. I told you that you’ve stolen my heart from the first moment.” When he grinned, tingles shuddered down her spine. “Regarding your worry about children, please don’t. I am well past the age where such things matter. If I am the last of my line, that is how it will be, but if you marry me, Hannah will be my daughter, so I won’t have failed completely.”
“But an heir…”
“Is not needed. There are other, more important endeavors a man can embark upon. My legacy in my work is one of them.”
Tears prickled the backs of her eyelids. This man would upend his life merely to make hers less frightening and dim. “Somehow, I can picture the two of you together, and that makes me both happy and sad because, eventually, I won’t be there with you.”
“Yet you will if you answer my question in the way I hope. You will have all of those good times for as long as we can keep you in peace and comfort. I shall talk to you in the night and soothe your fears, and in the daylight, I will make you laugh, try to fill your days with experiences so that you won’t have cause to fret about what’s coming next.” He threaded their fingers together, and she liked the feel of his skin on hers, for he hadn’t worn gloves. “In the event you’re wondering, I don’t care either that you are older than I. What are a few years—”
“—several years,” she interrupted with a tiny, tearful laugh.
“Piffle.” He waved his free hand. “—several years compared to how you make me feel? I rather doubt there is an age limit on romance, and if there is, well, the people who think that can… What’s the English expression?” He briefly frowned then his expression cleared. “Oh, yes. Then the people who think that can go hang.”