“I had a lot of time to think last night while I was holding you.” He caressed her cheek. “We don’t need to speak of the past again if you don’t want to, but if you ever do want to, I’ll listen. I’m here…and here to stay forever.”
“Thank you.” She believed he meant it, too. “You’re so very good to me.”
“And you to me. Oh, and Bloom should return shortly with your possessions from the hotel you were staying at.”
“You didn’t have to trouble yourself,” she told him. “I would have gone back and…”
He put his fingertip softly over her lips. “It will always be my pleasure to look after you, Aurora.” He gave her a hard kiss, then went off to chase a rabbit headed for a gap under the gate.
She laughed as he captured it and bundled it into a cage with some others. Watched him arranging and checking their animals had feed and water, heart warmed by his gentleness toward all creatures—including Aurora herself.
With a start, she understood Drew truly meant everything he’d ever said to her.
This was just the beginning of their life together, and soon he’d buy her a farm because he thought she needed one. He’d promised to take care of her, that he was hers, and hadn’t he proven his commitment at every turn? He’d turned his back on anyone who didn’t approve of their affair. That must have been difficult, especially when Northport had so much power.
She’d never known anyone as committed to her as Drew proved to be. It made her ashamed that she’d not made the same commitment to him.
He’d wanted forever with her.
A marriage, companionship, and a family.
A full life, filled with love and tenderness.
Everything she’d believed could be too easily taken away if she dared expect those very same things. But there was nothing left in her past that might drive him away. She’d told him the worst, and he was still hers.
She wanted to be his in the same way.
“Aurora?” Drew called.
She threw him a smile, coming to a sudden decision she’d never imagined wanting to make. She did love Drew. She wanted only to be in his arms now. Forever.
They could be together, but only in marriage would he have what he really deserved. To be respected again, admired. To become a duke one day.
Surely, she could bear to become a duchess one day, too? But only for him. She’d never wanted to marry for a title, but she could wed the man.
Unfortunately, Drew had promised never to ask her to marry him again.
She winced inwardly. That meant that she’d have to make the proposal herself if she ever hoped her wish for his life to come true. She’d have to ask him to ask her somehow. She’d been so set against marriage for so long, believing she was unworthy of his love because of her past. But something had to be done to restore Drew’s place in society. She’d never expected any harm to come to him because of her lack of faith in love.
Aurora hurried to help Drew put the chicken in a cage, and when it was secured to Drew’s satisfaction and he stood back, she hooked her arm through his immediately. She wasn’t quite sure how to start this conversation, but she had to trust she would find enough of the right words for him to understand she’d had a complete change of heart about love.
“I’d like to travel before we decide where to settle. What do you say to a trip to the north first?”
“I would always want your opinion on any property I considered buying for us. It will be your home. But it’s quite a good idea to go north when the warmer summer months are ahead. Where would you like to visit first?”
“It’s just over the Scottish border, I think.”
He nodded. “Could you be more specific? There’s a lot of farmland to the north of us.”
“Let’s start with Gretna Green.”
Drew stiffened at her side. “That’s a town. Why would we go there first?”
She gulped. “I’m quite fascinated by how anvil marriages are conducted.”
“That’s unexpected,” he murmured—before spinning around to face her.
She could see the puzzlement in his eyes, and the hope he couldn’t quite suppress. Aurora was unused to feeling nervous around him, and quickly slid into his arms and held him tight as she spoke, “Would it be so dreadful? I know you mentioned St. George’s with all your family and friends present. But I’ve always expected the roof to cave in on me should I ever step onto hallowed ground, and your father doesn’t like me.”
“I’d protect you from him. I’ll be right by your side the whole time,” Drew promised as his arms tightened bit by bit around her, holding her fast against him. “Marriage is forever, you know.”
“So are you and me,” she promised, smiling up at him. She rubbed her palms over his chest possessively, fingers spread as she caressed him. “This is forever. Us.” She drew back a little more to look up into his dear face, and said the words that had terrified her for so long. Words she’d denied him so many times before. “I’d be honored to be your wife, my lord.”
Drew’s whoop of joy brought an immediate smile to her lips, but a scream burst from her throat the next moment as he tossed her up into the air without warning and held her high above him. But she knew he would never let her fall.
When he brought her down, he spun them around and around in the courtyard, laughing and clutching at her. His face wreathed in smiles so wide, she thought she might cry again. But this time it would be for joy, because they were in love.
She hugged him tight, secure in the knowledge that at last she’d found herself a man she could count on to hold her heart. She knew his promises wouldn’t be broken. He would never take his love away.
Drew required a marriage to ever be content. There was no greater gift she could give him than surrendering her heart and soul to his boundless love.