“Desperately so,” he assured her. “So much so that I can’t sleep properly, nothing seems right any more, and I am completely unable to find any interest in anything except for you. You seem to be my favourite pass-time because I spend most of my waking hours wondering where you are and what you are doing.”
“So why have your parents told everyone that you are getting married if you aren’t? It will cause a terrible scandal when word gets about that it has all been a lie. What about poor Penelope?”
“My mother hasn’t told anybody other your mother. I understand that your mother, in spite of being told not to, has discretely told a few of her acquaintances who don’t move amongst the ton,” Will replied. “My mother has admitted to telling a few of her friends that I am getting married but hasn’t mentioned any names.”
“Why?” she asked huskily.
“Because I am getting married, just not to Penelope Smedgrove,” Will said bluntly.
Georgiana saw the possession in his eyes and struggled to contain the wild leap of her heart. There was something inside her that still refused to accept this wasn’t all a dream, an
d that she wouldn’t wake up in a minute with tears on her pillow and an ache in her heart again like she had every day since she had learned he was to marry.
“Oh?” she asked, trying to keep her face bland.
She watched in astonishment as he knelt before her and held both of his hands in his. Her fingers were stone cold in contrast to his warmth, but she revelled in the comfort they gave her, especially when her world was spinning on its axis.
“Marry me?” He pleaded softly. “I love you completely, truly, honestly, openly, with everything I have. It appears that I always have. It has taken your abandoning me in Cranbury for me to realise it. While I must admit that I have been a buffoon to try to get you to stop experiencing your adventures, it is purely because I have been terrified at the prospect of losing you.”
“I still want to try some of them,” she whispered.
Will nodded. “I want you to try everything on your list, except for curricle racing. That is far too dangerous, and not worth risking your life for. You can drive my curricle any time you want to though.”
While he was talking, Georgiana had been leaning toward him, drawn to the moist temptation of his lips. When she heard what he said she leaned back and lifted her brows at him.
“You would do that? You would let me drive your curricle?” she whispered, her smile widening with his.
“You can even borrow my clothes if you like, although only in the house.”
Georgiana began to laugh and saw nothing but pure honesty staring back at her.
“You mean it, don’t you? You really would allow me to wear your clothing?”
“Of course. As man and wife we will share everything. I insist upon it,” he promised. “With you as my wife, I promise you that I will add a few new adventures to the list for us to experience together. I shall encourage you to complete everything you wish to do as long as you keep me by your side.”
“Will you?” he whispered when she merely stared at him in amazement. “Will you make me the happiest man alive and be my wife?”
“Yes,” she whispered joyously. “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. I love you, I always have. Since the moment I first set eyes on you at eight years old, you were my hero. You have been every day since.”
“Eight years old?” He leaned back to study her, his loving gaze full of wonderment. “I have to confess that when my parents told me they knew I loved you from an early age I had to question them, but the more I thought about it the more I realised they were right. I have always loved you too.”
“Your parents are sneaky,” she whispered. “I like them.”
“Well, that’s alright then because they love you.” At her astonished look, Will nodded. “In fact, my father informed me that if I didn’t stop wasting time and get up here to insist on your hand in marriage he would come and fetch you himself.”
Georgiana laughed. She had to confess that if Will’s father did that she would most probably go with him.
“I love you,” she whispered, tugging his head down for a very thorough kiss.
“I love you too.”
“Really?”
She studied him with a hint of wariness in her eye he didn’t like.
“Really,” he replied warily.
“Then you won’t mind me going skinny dipping again, or maybe sharing a glass of brandy with me in front of the fire occasionally?” she said hopefully.