Historical Trio 2012-01 (61 page)

‘I have attempted to explain to you—to prove to you—that I am not making this offer under duress, but because it is what I most dearly wish to do.’

Elizabeth looked utterly confused. ‘I do not understand.’

Nathaniel looked up at her earnestly. ‘I love you, Elizabeth. I have loved you from the first, I believe. Certainly I could not stand to have Tennant anywhere near you. And even Viscount Rutledge was in danger of incurring my wrath with his attentiveness to you at my aunt’s dinner party,’ he acknowledged bitterly. ‘I love you deeply, Elizabeth. With every part of me.’ His hands tightened about hers. ‘And if I have to fight one of my closest friends in a duel in order to prove that to you, then that is what I shall do.’

The only part of this muddled explanation that mattered to her was that he claimed to love her! ‘You are truly in love with me?’

‘So much so that these past three days of having you avoid me have been a tortuous hell for me,’ he groaned, his face pale, his eyes glittering darkly in the firelight. ‘Darling Elizabeth, can you not see I am attempting—clumsily, I admit it—to woo you?’

‘That is why you brought me flowers?’

He scowled. ‘Tennant’s behaviour ruled out red roses, but—will you not please give me a second chance? At least the opportunity to show you how much I love and adore you? The chance to persuade you into learning to love me in return? I will do anything, be anything, if you will only allow me to do that, my dearest Elizabeth!’

That sudden chill inside her melted with the suddenness of a tidal wave as her own love for him threatened to overwhelm her. She looked down at the emotion shining in the clear depths of his eyes and knew it to be love for her. Nathaniel loved her. Loved her so much he was willing to fight a duel with one of his best friends in order to prove it to her.

She moistened dry lips. ‘And if I refuse your offer?’

He flinched. ‘Then I am afraid you will give me no choice but to follow you about as slavishly as Hector. To become such a nuisance you might eventually take pity upon me and throw me some scraps of your affection.’

Elizabeth gave a choked laugh at the very thought of this arrogantly assured man ever behaving in such a manner. ‘After you have fought a duel with my guardian over my honour, of course!’

Nathaniel eyed her warily. ‘Are you laughing at me?’

‘Never that.’ She shook her head as she dropped down onto her knees in front of him before releasing her hands to cradle each side of his dearly beloved face. ‘Nathaniel, the offer I am refusing is the one of you persuading me into loving you. I already love you,’ she told him huskily. ‘I love you so much that—’ she gave an emotional laugh ‘—even to have seen you this past three days would have been an agony of emotions for me! To have looked upon you and known that you now saw me only as the daughter of Harriet Copeland, a woman who—’

‘Whose only sin was to love more deeply than was perhaps wise,’ Nathaniel finished firmly. ‘I am not proud of this admission, Elizabeth, but if by some mischance you had been married to another when we met, then I am afraid I would have behaved no differently than Giles Tennant did ten years ago and attempted to beguile you from your husband and family.’

Elizabeth gazed at him wonderingly. ‘You would?’

‘I would have had no choice,’ he said honestly. ‘You really love me?’ he added incredulously.

‘Really. Truly. Eternally,’ she confirmed huskily, that love shining in the deep blue of her eyes as she looked up at him adoringly, no longer having any need to hide it from him or anyone else. ‘Do you suppose—is it possible that the two of us might be married at the same time as my sisters?’

Nathaniel took her into the warmth of his arms. ‘I will make it so,’ he vowed fiercely. ‘Now, for heaven’s sake, kiss me, Elizabeth!’

Something which she was only too happy, indeed eager, to do.

And so it was that five days later the Ladies Elizabeth, Caroline and Diana Copeland were joined in marriage to the Earls of Osbourne, Blackstone and Westbourne respectively.

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