Unrequited Love

Sian looked so miserable that Ryan fell to his knees before her and caught her chilled fingers with the warmth of his.

“If you had defiantly stayed you would, in a roundabout kind of way, have proven that you were staying just to make the most of living in a house you otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford to live in. You would essentially be taking advantage of my generosity and using my name and status to thwart your father’s matrimonial endeavours. However, you didn’t. You were hurt and hurriedly packed to try to do what was right for me. To protect my family name, I think you said. It proves that you were not doing anything other than what I said it was perfectly fine to do; stay until you recovered. I enjoy your company, Sian. I confess I did have an ulterior motive. I had hoped that spending some time at home with me would make you see me more of a man and less of a lord of the manor.”

“I have seen the man you have grown into take charge of situations with a calmness and authority that reassured everyone around you. You have been nothing but kind and generous and have not once ordered anybody around. Your staff adore you. Your friends adore you. My father deeply respects you.”

“What about you, Sian? How do you feel about

me?”

Sian blinked at him. Time froze. The world receded. There was just him and her, sitting alone in the church, holding hands; closing the distance between them; uniting against the world in a way that bound them together and made them stronger, and more able to face the world when it did intrude on this private moment.

“I-I-”

Ryan grinned. “You can say it, you know. Lightning won’t strike you. I won’t make any rude gestures. It won’t choke you.”

Sian studied him.

“Say it,” he breathed. “I love you.”

Sian fought a smile. “I love you, all right? There, I have said it. It is true. I have for a long time, if I am honest. It is part of the reason why I kissed you in my father’s office.”

“What is it?” he whispered when he sensed her reticence.

Sian sighed. “It doesn’t matter how much I love you. I don’t belong in your world. I have no idea what to do at any of your grand social occasions. I shouldn’t even know where to begin to host a lavish ball, or any of the other social functions you frequent.”

“I don’t go to many. I shirked them years ago when I became marriageable and started to feel hunted by every lascivious matchmaking mama who crossed my path,” Ryan admitted with a careless shrug. “I was already in love. With you. I always have loved you. I do love you. I always will love you. It is that simple. We must stay together, Sian. Please don’t go to your aunt’s. You and your family are more than welcome to stay at the house with me. I don’t mind at all. Norman can rest assured that you are not taking advantage and that you do return my affections. We need to spend some time together, don’t you think?”

Sian nodded jerkily but struggled to focus on him because of the tears that pooled in her eyes.

“I love you, Sian,” Ryan whispered.

“I love you too,” she replied shakily.

“Stay.”

“I should love to,” she laughed.

When Ryan stood up, he hauled her into his arms. With a laugh of pure delight, Sian clung to him when he lifted her off her feet and twirled her around in a circle.

“I love you,” she repeated, pouring every ounce of the pure adoration she felt into that heartfelt sentiment.

“Finally. I thought I was going to have to do something rash to shake it out of you,” Ryan chided ruefully.

“Well, you weren’t all that forthcoming yourself,” she retorted with a rueful grin.

“Now that we have confessed our true feelings, what are we going to do about the wolves baying at the door?”

They turned to watch the huge iron loop twist as the latch was lifted. Thankfully, the locks prevented the new arrivals from gaining access but that didn’t stop them trying.

“I think you should know that Cedrick and Wilhelmina face arrest. Not just for abducting you but for running up bills and leaving establishments without paying. The magistrate has most probably arrested them by now, but he will want to talk to you about what happened in town.”

Sian swiftly told him.

“Well, they won’t ever be in a position to do anything like it again,” Ryan assured her. He eyed the aisle behind them. “Of course, there is a way of making sure that nobody ever comes between us now that we have finally found each other.”

Sian turned to look at the altar, which sat in regal splendour at the end of the long aisle.

They looked at each other.