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“Of course, he is going to propose!” Aunt Agnes waved a dismissive hand. “Look at your daughter. You are the only one underestimating her beauty and wit.”

“Aunt Agnes!” Beatrice cried.

“I am not underestimating her.” Her father leaned toward her. “Is this true? Will this gentleman offer for you without a dowry?”

Beatrice let her defenses drop. “I hope so.”

He scratched his jaw, his demeanor thoughtful. “But I signed a contract with Lansdowne. There will be consequences,” he said as he took off his spectacles and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Beatrice had not even thought about that for a moment. Would Adam buy out the contract? Was that even possible? After all, he had proposed to her, had he not? Surely, he knew exactly how to free her from Lansdowne. And Beatrice would help him however she could.

“Pfft!” Aunt Agnes waved a careless hand. “That man is richer than Lansdowne. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Oh, my darling!” Beatrice’s father replaced the spectacles and looked at her with eyes filled with tears. Then he got up from the chair and enveloped her in a hug. “I am so happy for you. So happy,” he kept repeating in between the words of prayer.

“I am happy, too.” And Beatrice really was.

“Well, what is he waiting for?” Her father pulled away, keeping her at arm’s length, his brows furrowed. “I rather hope he is in a hurry to get here right now!”

* * *

Adam had not felt this relaxed and content in a long time. Perhaps ever.

He had always been fidgety and nervous, his brain working on one problem or another, trying to figure out his next steps.

He had always attributed it to his lack of purpose in life. However, he had never imagined that letting go of this alleged purpose, saying no to the opportunity of a lifetime, would make him feel like this.

For the first time in a long time, he knew that he was doing the right thing.

He left his carriage on the side of the road a few houses away from Beatrice’s and made his way to the servants’ stairs for what he hoped would be the last time.

No more clandestine meetings. No more lists. No more secrets.

He climbed the familiar staircase, turned the familiar corridor, and stood at the door he’d been to a few times in the last month.

He knocked on the door and immediately entered the room as was his habit. He didn’t want to be caught outside her door in the middle of the night. Especially not now that her entire family was in residence.

He walked farther into the room, but Beatrice wasn’t there. He went to check if she was in the dressing room, but she wasn’t there either. Perhaps she was spending her time with her sisters, which he could absolutely understand. He would wait for her here.

A single candle burned on the side table, and a few embers glowed in the hearth, but aside from that the room was dark. He plopped onto the bed and lay there staring at the ceiling, thinking of all the things he wanted to say to her. But he was getting tired and he didn’t want to fall asleep on her bed. If the candle died before she came back, she wouldn’t see him and would probably wake the entire house screaming if she stumbled into him in the dark.

The thought of that happening amused him. He imagined trying to explain to her family that he wasn’t a burglar. Or perhaps climbing out the window, trying to escape notice.

Adam collected the candle from the side table and started walking around the room, studying everything just so he wouldn’t fall asleep.

He reached over to her writing table and noticed her journal open to the page with her list. Adam lit a couple more candles situated on the writing table and leaned over the journal. He smiled as he gazed at the scratched-out items on the list, reminiscing about every little moment that led to crossing off those particular items. And then something else caught his eye.

The list didn’t end with the ripped piece of paper.

Adam remembered her tearing the paper out from the journal in the dark carriage. He remembered thinking it odd that she didn’t give him the entire page and now he knew why.

On the remaining piece of paper, there were two more items. Both of which were uncrossed.

To fall in love and To trick Adam into marriage.

“Adam?” Beatrice called from the doorstep, and Adam whirled around on her.

Emotions were bubbling inside him, and he didn’t know what he felt at that moment as he saw her.