Page 94 of Aurelia

I very much wanted to speak to you today so I could reassure you after last night. Oh, my sweet darling—how much I have to say to you. Please do not do anything rash or impulsive. I have so much I want to say to you.

But a letter is not the place for the thoughts I wish to share.

I am going to ask you to be patient for just a little longer. Wait for me, sweetheart, and know that I am counting the hours until I can see your face again.

Yours,

Roland

She re-read the brief message four times, puzzling repeatedly over the rash or impulsive part of it. What in the world did he mean? She never behaved impulsively—well, except with Lord Crewe. With Roland.

Aurelia smiled at the name, which she had been so careful to only speak inside her mind until last night.

Her gaze rested on the words sweetheart and darling and yours. Was he really hers?

Don’t be a fool. That is only a figure of speech.

For once, Aurelia refused to allow the chiding voice to gain a foothold in her thoughts.

Aurelia was still smiling like a fool ten minutes later when Beekman entered the breakfast room. “Sir Gideon is here, Miss Burton. I have put him in the drawing room.”

“I’m afraid his lordship is gone and Mr. Montgomery does not feel well.”

“He is here to see you, Miss Burton.”

“Me?” she repeated stupidly.

Beekman gave her a patient look and nodded.

“Thank you, Beekman. Tell him I’ll be down in a quarter of an hour.”

“Very good, miss.”

Aurelia quickly took her letter up to her room. Recalling how much Celsa enjoyed snooping, she tucked the precious missive into the toe of her riding boot.

After briefly checking her appearance in the mirror she made her way to the drawing room.

Sir Gideon was studying one of the paintings when she entered.

He immediately strode toward her, smiling. “Ah, Miss Burton. Thank you so much for seeing me on such short notice.” He took her hand and bowed low over it.

“Of course. What can I do for you?” Aurelia asked after she had taken a seat on one of the settees in the room, more than a little surprised when Sir Gideon sat down beside her.

“I know it is a barbaric time of the day to call on you, but I worried the weather would worsen later and prevent me from coming to the island today.”

Aurelia nodded uncertainly. “I am delighted you called.

“I am sure you can guess why I am here.”

“I am sorry, but I’m afraid that I cannot.”

His cheeks flushed slightly. “I have come to ask you to do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

Aurelia’s mouth fell open.

He laughed. “You were not jesting when you said you did not know why I’d come.”

“No, I wasn’t.”