‘I love you,’ he murmured tenderly.
‘I love you too,’ she replied.
‘Marry me,’ he whispered, his eyes pleading with her to say ‘yes’.
Sissy’s smile widened. ‘I can think of nothing I would like more,’ she confessed.
Morgan rested his forehead against hers for a moment before he reached out for the ring he had fetched from his room earlier. ‘This belonged to my great grandmother. If you don’t like it, we can buy another one but it is an heirloom and has significant importance in our family.’
Sissy eyed the stunning ring Morgan held out to her. It was a small oval of diamonds in the centre of which was a large ruby. The claws holding the stones in place were twisted, like vines of a tree. The band itself was also twisted but only on the outside. Inside, was a small inscription which was barely visible.
‘S.F. x M.R.’
Sissy gasped.
‘Like I said, this belonged to my great grandmother. My great grandfather gave it to her when he proposed to her.’
‘The first Earl of Campton,’ she murmured, a little stunned.
‘Yes, but I think you should know why this ring has importance in my family. You see, my great grandfather married a maid, a stunning young woman he fell in love with when he was recovering from a horse-riding accident. Family folklore has it that he turned into a bit of a recluse after the accident. Whatever happened, he fell in love with her and married her just as soon as he had recovered. Theirs was a happy marriage which lasted for nigh on sixty years, until they both died from old age within two weeks of each other. So, you see, it is something of a family trait that the males of the family marry whom they wish to marry out of love. Not out of duty, or honourable intentions, or social responsibility, but because of love, pure love.’
‘I never knew,’ Sissy whispered, a little stunned.
‘Well, you do now. I am sure mother will be able to regale you with tales from their marriage, of which there are many. But that will have to happen another day. Right now, we have a wedding to plan because, unless you have any objection, I don’t see why there should be any delay.’ Morgan smiled wolfishly at her again but was prevented from saying anything else by a commotion outside the bed chamber door.
‘Boris, will you get out of my way!’ his mother growled, shoving the protesting butler to one side.
Boris sighed heavily because he wasn’t fast enough to prevent Alicia from charging into the room with Mariette hot on her heels. Alicia slammed to a stop when she saw Morgan leaning intently over Sissy, whose wide eyes and rosy colour assured her that she wasn’t in any distress.
‘Well, well, well, while the cat is away,’ Mariette teased, creeping into the room behind her mother.
Morgan closed his eyes and swore. ‘Just what in the Hell are you two doing back?’
Sissy, her face florid, did her best to pretend she wasn’t there. The ring Morgan had just slid onto her finger felt heavy and out of place but she daren’t even look at it. In fact, she couldn’t lift her gaze any higher than Morgan’s bare chest, which was inches from her nose.
‘Morgan Rothersham, just what in the Hell have you done?’ Alicia cried.
‘Well, I think that is obvious, don’t you?’ Mariette huffed around a barely smothered laugh. ‘He has ruined Sissy.’
Morgan rolled his eyes but didn’t deny it. ‘Before either of you get too anxious about it, we are getting married. I have asked her. She loves me.’ He grinned delightedly.
Sissy did her best to glare at him but it was hard given that she was lying in bed, splendidly naked with him.
‘You are engaged?’ Alicia cried in delight.
Morgan waved a hand toward the door. ‘Can we get up now, please?’
‘Yes, I think you had better. Should we call the vicar now, or do you want to wait a day or two?’ Mariette laughed.
‘Oh, shut up,’ Alicia snapped.
‘No. No. You may as well send for the vicar. I can see no reason why we should not get married today,’ Morgan mused.
‘Today?’ Sissy gasped, staring at him with wide eyes.
‘Today,’ he repeated with a firm nod. His mother was temporarily forgotten when he looked at her with nothing short of adoration on his face. ‘I see no reason to delay it, do you?’
‘But, don’t you want the announcement made in The Times?’ Alicia asked hesitantly, squinting suspiciously at him.