The Courtship Caper (Scandalous Miss Brightwells 6)

“Lord, I never got them! You wrote? Why—”

She shook her head. “I wrote many times. I just never sent them.”

“But why? The day after Dorothea’s funeral, I began looking for you. First in England, then farther afield. And now I have found you and…I’m the happiest man alive.” He swallowed, his ears attuned to the distant sound of footsteps. “And the most confused for while my feelings have not changed, it would appear yours have. Please, Venetia, give me some hope.”

She regarded him steadily. “Only if you can prove beyond a doubt that no one else has taken my place here.” She touched his heart.

“I swear to you that you are the only woman I want to be with. The only woman I’ve ever wanted to be with.” He gripped her hands again and gave them a gentle shake. “Surely you believe me?”

“Words aren’t enough, Sebastian.” She looked away. “I’ve heard too much. Lady Banks—”

“Her husband’s accusations were entirely unfounded. The duel…” He shook his head. “I’ll explain it all…”

The footsteps, though halting and slow, were growing louder.

“And Mrs Compton?”

He stilled. In good conscience, he could not satisfy her with the quick defense that had come to him with regard to Lady Banks.

“Venetia? Is that you?”

He cupped her face again. “Promise you’ll be here in the morning,” he implored. “We have so much to discuss.”

“Such as?”

“Our future together.”

“Much has changed since I last saw you, Sebastian.”

“But not the way I feel about you.” He touched his heart. “Not my love for you, I promise.”

“Venetia!”

Lady Indigo’s strident voice echoed through the chamber. “Where the devil are you for I can hear you clearly. I thought you’d come and fetch me to bed.”

Sebastian drew Venetia quickly within the window embrasure and kissed her again. “I’ll find you in the morning, my darling, and then I shall make it my mission to dispel every doubt and objection you may have over my feelings and conduct and whatever else might stand in the way of a resounding but simple yes to my proposal.”

Her eyes widened, and she gave a short laugh. “You always did think life was simple, Sebastian.” Her lips quirked. “It’s one of the reasons I loved you.”

“And still do, I hope,” he said, smiling, kissing her on the top of the head, reluctant to release her into the path of the advancing old lady whom he made sure did not observe him as he calculated how long it would take to disappear behind a nearby screen. “Where can I see you tomorrow? Please, Venetia, there’s not much time,” he added, suddenly afraid she’d make some excuse that precluded them being together.

For there was a disquieting shadow to Venetia’s smile that tempered the joy and astonishment he’d felt at discovering her at last.

For a terrible moment he thought he’d not receive an answer. Then she said in a rush, as she gathered up her hair and bundled it into a hasty, serviceable knot before pushing it beneath her unflattering cap, “Lady Indigo likes to take a perambulation each morning at eight. I could meet you by the lake.”

Chapter 4

“You’re dawdling, girl. I like a brisk walk, don’t you know!”

Venetia breathed in and increased her pace, pushing the Bath chair in front of her while the old lady steered them along the path by the lake. The air was cold and crisp though; so far, December had been reasonably mild.

“Are there some strange creatures hiding in the woodlands?”

Venetia made a face at this next round of carping but stayed silent.

“If not, I can’t imagine why else you’d keep glancing into the trees. Who are you expecting to see?”

For an old woman who was half deaf and blind, Lady Indigo was remarkably percipient.