Selina stood to one side as Annabelle chatted with their departing friends. The sun shone brightly down on the cold October day and the wind lifted groups of leaves, making them dance along the paths.
Today she planned to meet Edmund here, in Hyde Park. In the weeks since their courtship began, they walked the footpaths of the park several times. Now, at the height of promenade, the disapproving looks she thought she’d receive were no more. Several women cast her admiring looks — no doubt because she walked on Edmund’s arm most days. Quite a few young women had watched her with jealousy.
Selina brushed them all aside. She was happy. Happy with Edmund, happy walking in the park and spending time with him. Even as she waited for him now, her stomach flipped with anticipation and giddy laughter bubbled in her throat.
Breathing deeply of the outdoors, she closed her eyes and tilted her face to the sun. She enjoyed being outside, even with winter rapidly approaching. More, she enjoyed Edmund’s company as they walked the park or the grounds at Kew Gardens; anyplace, really, so long as they explored together.
When Selina spent time with Edmund, she tried to forget about their stations, the class lines separating them. Or that should separate them. She tried to forget she was wholly unworthy of being courted by an earl. All she knew was the two of them in their own world.
Edmund didn’t seem to mind the differences in their social standing. He dismissed them outright, waving them off as insignificant, and continued to single-mindedly pursued her.
That sort of devotion changed her own view of the world. And when he looked at her with that heated gaze, with the intensity of a man who wanted her and only her, Selina forgot all about how the rest of society saw them.
All she knew was the two of them.
Selina paced a little on the path, eyes sharp for Edmund. The butterflies continued their flight, but now mixed with rocks. With dread. Lady Octavia was a truly lovely woman, but would she honestly accept Selina into Edmund’s life? Into their world?
Would any of Edmund’s friends?
They’d courted for six weeks — six wonderful weeks of balls and picnics and walks through the park. Of laughter and stolen kisses and her yearning for more. She’d met Mr. Hamilton on several occasions and heard all about the Duke and Duchess of Strathmore.
How much of their acceptance was real and true? And if this courtship stayed its course, as she dearly hoped it would, would their opinion of her change? Worse, would Edmund’s opinion of her change? Or was this a mere dalliance? A way to pass the time in London before the season truly began?
Her stomach swooped unpleasantly at the thought, and her fingers tightened in her skirts. Earls never truly married daughters of merchants. Did they?
She breathed deeply of the crisp air and looked for Edmund. She was early, very early, for their appointment, but Selina hadn’t been able to stay indoors. At least, that was what she told Annabelle, that she’d rather walk the park than spend one of the last beautiful autumn days inside.
Annabelle hadn’t been fooled.
Not that Selina had tried to mask her anticipation. She wanted to see Edmund. Regardless of her own thoughts and worries, she very much wanted to see him again. Wanted to walk with him as they talked about everything from balls and soirées to the latest news from France or the farmers’ unrest.
Barely a day went by when they didn’t see each other. A surprise luncheon turned into a regular affair. An early breakfast with her father normally left only her and Edmund together when her father excused himself to attend to business.
And it seemed, even the women interested in a potential match with the Earl of Granville stopped their snide remarks when weeks passed and Edmund showed no sign of tiring of her company.
No signs of tiring and every sign of making a proposal. However, she wasn’t as sure as others that a proposal was eminent. The part of her that brushed away her more realistic thoughts, the part that hoped and wanted and ignored the rocks in her stomach, wished for one.
Selina swallowed, her gloved fingers automatically finding the skirts of her gown and running down the heavy silk. Her lined spencer jacket kept the wind from becoming uncomfortable, though she longed for the warmer summer months.
Six weeks, she thought again. Six weeks of laughing and talking and… she shied away from the thought. Six weeks was enough time to still be unbearably pleased to see Edmund, but surely not enough time to fall in love.
Selina tried to reason with herself, but her heart refused to listen.
The only mar on their time together had been the death of Mr. Ashworth, her father’s business partner. He’d been found in their business offices in early evening, Tuesday last. His wife had sent round a servant to bring him home, when he’d failed to return for supper.
Selina liked Mr. Ashworth; he was a nice enough man and had been her father’s partner for several years. Unlike many men she met at the docks, Mr. Ashworth hadn’t minded when she’d gone round to the offices and added her ideas to further the business.
She feared the scandal of Ashworth’s murder would taint Edmund. In fact, she pulled back from their time together, unwilling to do anything to damage his reputation. However, he assured her that, though unfortunate, it had been a random occurrence.
Yesterday Edmund left to Basildon, Essex, for business, and she hadn’t seen him. Selina tried not to mope, honestly. It was unbecoming, to say the least. And embarrassing when Annabelle, calmly and pointedly, told her to stop pining.
Now, as Selina wandered along the path and Annabelle called good-bye to their friends, she tried to tamp down on her happiness.
“Poor Mrs. Ashworth,” Annabelle said with a short shake of her head. “In a day or two, we’ll need to stop round and bring a basket, offer our condolences.”
Blinking at her friend’s astute observation, and wondering if Annabelle possessed mystical mind reading powers, Selina nodded.
“Yes.” She cleared her throat. “Yes we shall. I can’t imagine losing the man you love in so horrible a manner.”
“No,” Annabelle said with a slight twist of her lips and a teasing lilt. “You cannot imagine being apart for more than a day.”
“Annabelle,” she scolded.
Selina looked around, making sure no one overheard Annabelle’s words, teasing or not. She did not believe so, but gossips tended to have excellent hearing.
“You must stop with such jests,” she insisted. “We might be overheard!”
Annabelle merely pursed her lips and nodded.
Selina looked over her friend’s shoulder and saw immediately Edmund. He did not say a word nor call out to her as far as she could tell. Yet Selina knew the moment he stepped into the park.
She took a step in his direction and smiled. His answering grin, wide and happy, melted through her.
Mayhap Annabelle was right. Mayhap the affection between them was more than obvious. Selina couldn’t bring herself to care.
Her feet wanted to run toward Edmund. Selina took half a step when she realized how unseemly that would be, and forcibly halted her movement. There was enough talk about them; she did not need to add to it.
Instead she remained still and watched his quick strides as he headed directly for her. Edmund stopped only a few feet away and offered a deep bow. “Miss Barton, Miss Lyndell,” he said formally.
His tone was unable to hide the sheer pleasure that radiated from him.
“Lord Granville,” she returned with a curtsey.
It was always an effort to remember to call him by his title when they were in public. Since the first, he’d been Edmund and now that her heart was involved, that was never going to change. But they were in Hyde Park, and the ton had surprisingly sharp hearing.
“Lord Granville,” Annabelle offered. Her voice rang with amusement. “Selina, I forgot I need to discuss one more item with Miss Langston.”
Selina nodded to her friend and de facto chaperone, and watched her catch up with one of their friends. She turned back to Edmund who offered his arm. Selina immediately took it and they turned for the path. The breeze was behind them now and made her green skirts billow before her.
Selina barely noticed and moved just that little bit closer to Edmund.
“I thought I was to be the early one, here already to greet you,” he said as they strolled along the dirt path.
“Annabelle and I met friends here, first,” she said, unable to stop her smile.
“Are they here?” He looked down at her. “I’m not inclined to share you.”
“Fear not, my lord, for they are otherwise occupied.”
“Good.” He nodded. “Else I’d have had to abscond with you.”
She felt his gaze on her and looked up at him. When in public, she tried not to stare, truly, but usually forgot her vow the moment they met.
“It’s been too long since I’ve seen you,” he confessed.
Did her smile look as wide and foolish as it felt? No doubt. Selina tried to school her features, but once again it was no use. It had been only one day, and she’d missed him.
“I would argue that it has been but a single day,” she said, trying to regain the propriety they strived for. “However,” she added, all thoughts of propriety gone, “I share your sentiment.”
Edmund, already too close to be considered proper, leaned closer. Selina licked her lips and tilted her head up to meet his. Before his lips touched hers, a gentleman walked past them and coughed.
Selina jerked back, her cheeks hot with embarrassment.
They’d kissed before, of course, in the previous six weeks. But they’d been so careful not to give into temptation where others might spy them. Selina didn’t know who that gentleman was, and was far too embarrassed to turn around, but he’d done them a favor in stopping them.
She looked up at Edmund, who did not seem the least embarrassed. No, he looked… hungry.
A sharp pang of wanting shot through her, and Selina gasped. His look burned through her, heated her blood, and made her skin ache to feel his touch. But then he blinked and pulled back, his mask once more in place as the decorous Earl of Granville.
“I shall see you this evening for supper,” he said as they resumed their walk. “Your father invited me tonight.”
“He has?” Selina asked, surprised but not at all displeased. Then she grinned. “I must speak with him about inviting strange earls to the house for supper.”
“And,” he said and leaned closer, “as you know, they come no stranger than me.”
She laughed, that unbound joy threatening to burst from her. How did anyone contain such happiness? Why would anyone wish to?
“Edmund,” she whispered, unable to look away.
His eyes darkened, and that hungry look flashed over his face. He loved it when she used his name, and she strived to as often as possible.
“Did you stop at your country house this visit?” Selina asked, partly to steer the conversation onto safe topics, partly because she was interested.
“No, I didn’t have the time,” he said. “Hamilton and I went to Whitestone Hall for business then returned to London straight away.”
The footpath turned, and now the wind came at her from her left. A particularly strong gust pushed her closer to Edmund, and though Selina did, eventually, replace the required distance between them, she also enjoyed the feel of his body against hers.
And looked forward to feeling all his body against hers. Soon.
“Why do you ask?” Edmund inquired.
His free hand brushed her arm, the touch there and gone in a moment. But her heart beat harder, and Selina forced herself to remember her question.
“I simply wondered,” Selina said very pointedly, “if you happened to visit Miss Norwood.”
The name left a slightly sour taste in her mouth, but she supposed she couldn’t blame the other woman. And, too, Selina had no wish to make enemies of Edmund’s family, no matter how distantly related.
“And how did you learn of Miss Norwood?” Edmund wondered, a distinct curious note in his voice.
“I went to the milliners with your sister and she introduced me to Miss Anderson.” Selina waited, but Edmund showed no recognition. Taking a deep breath of the crisp autumn air, she continued. “Miss Anderson inquired as to your understanding with Miss Norwood.”
Edmund frowned and glared ahead. “I certainly hope Octavia set you straight,” he began and looked back to her, his dark eyes unreadable. “There is no understanding between Miss Norwood and myself. Nor has there ever been.”
“Are you certain there shouldn’t be?” The words hurt to speak, but they slipped past her defenses before she thought better of them.
Selina needed to know, not that she necessarily wanted to, but a deep part of her had to offer him this chance. The selfish part of her didn’t want to ask, didn’t want to remind him of the vast differences between their stations. But that vastness loomed like a chasm between them, and she refused to drag Edmund across simply because they shared an adventure almost two months ago.
When she looked back up at him, Edmund’s gaze was angry — stormy and certain, still with that hungry look, but buried now. “Why do you ask such a thing?” he demanded.
“Because I’ve heard her story,” Selina started. She raised her chin and added stronger, “I know she has no surviving brothers; once her father passes, she’ll be all but out on the street.”
“Selina.” When he said her name, it sounded more of a caress than a simple word. He stopped and turned to face her, utterly serious and solemn.
“I have been asked to look after her; I’ve even been asked to marry her, which I will not do. If I must, I’ll see she has a home and is comfortable, as she’s a distant cousin.”
He took her shoulders for only a brief moment before dropping his hands. He never looked away, didn’t seem to care they were in the middle of the park on a sunny beautiful day, with dozens of others walking by them.
“But I will not marry out of obligation.”
“Oftentimes there are obligations we cannot avoid,” she said softly.
Edmund smiled, that wide, happy grin he always greeted her with. His gloved fingers caressed her cheek, only briefly. “Miss Norwood is not now, nor ever will be, my obligation.”
Selina tried to smile in return, but doubts rolled through her, churning in her stomach. She said naught and simply nodded, turning back to the path and their walk.
Edmund stopped her, his hand gentle on her arm. He waited as she turned and looked at him, uncertain as to what to expect. But the look on his face was open, the hunger hooded, yes, but the affection he felt for her shone so clearly through his brown eyes that it took her breath away.
“You surprise me at every turn,” he said, once more standing appropriately away from her. “I’ve fallen in love with everything about you.”
She forgot how to breathe. It was the first time either had mentioned love, and the word buzzed in her ears. No, not buzzed — it swam through her veins and made her heart feel entirely too big for her chest.
“Everything,” Edmund continued, “from your practicality to your kindness, with the fire I see in your eyes.”
“Edmund,” she warned in a strangled whisper. “You cannot say such things where others might hear.”
Oh, she wanted to hear him speak of love again — wanted to hear it over and over again. But not here in the park. She wanted the words, the emotion behind them, to be hers and hers alone. Not even shared with the birds.
“Let the world hear,” he told her, his voice unmoderated.
Selina shook her head and turned back to the path. “Let’s walk,” she tried.
“No.” He stilled her again. “I want you to know now.”
Curious, she turned back to him. Know? She suspected he loved her; she knew she loved him with everything in her. What else could he wish her to know? “What?”
“Marry me.”
Selina forgot how to breathe. Her chest burned and her heart raced; her eyes stung, and she hastily blinked.
“It could not come as such a shock,” he said, amused now. The deep honesty in his words remained unabated.
She shook her head but smiled. “When you hear it,” she whispered, “it is a shock.” Then she nodded, too overcome with pleasure to care where they were. “Yes! I will marry you.”