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“Living well is the best revenge, do ye no’ think?”

“I do,” she whispered.

She was the one to tip her head and capture his lips.

And this kiss…

This kiss was everything.

All the longing, all the frustration, all the anger…but also, all the hope, all the passion, all the promises of a future together. Everything. Wrapped up in one joining of lips, one touching of tongues, one deep moan of yearning.

They were both breathing heavily when they broke apart. He stared into her eyes, brown in this light, hazy with passion.

“Calamitous fart-nozzles, Georgia, but I love ye.”

“That…” Her lips twitched. “That was beautiful. I look forward to telling our children how you proposed marriage. Calamitous fart-nozzles, I love you, too.”

The sound of such effluence on her lips should’ve disgusted him, but his brain had stopped working after the word “children.” He’d never considered them, never bothered listening to his mother’s harping about continuing the line.

But the thought of Georgia’s body swelling with his son or daughter…

Unbidden, his gaze dropped to her stomach. Even now, she could be carrying his heir. Shitenuggets, why hadn’t he considered that? After all they’d shared this last weeks? He’d been careful at first, but after that night in the library, he’d spent in her time and again.

There was no way he could regret that.

An heir. Not just to Endymion, but…

Almost in a daze, Demon whispered, “I’m a duke now.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” she replied teasingly, her finger on his jaw pushing his gaze back up to hers. “But I would have married you when you were a mere baron.”

“Mere?” His lips twitched.

“I have fallen in love with Endymion, Demon. I love the land, I love the home, I love the conservatory, and I love the gardens. I would be most content to spend the rest of my life hiding there in the country with you.”

“Really? Ye wouldnae demand we spend half the year in London?”

She hesitated. “I have a few friends I would miss—like Felicity, whom we abandoned back there. But with Rourke and Sophia close by, I do not think I would be lonely.”

“And me.” His hold on her tightened, and he managed to bring her even closer. “Ye’d have me.”

“And Mrs. Kettel.” She hummed. “And Angus. And hopefully you will allow me to hire more servants?”

“Aye, fine, but me, Georgia. Ye’ll have me. Remember me?”

She burst into laughter. “Yes, you vain man, I will have you.” She brushed a kiss across his lips. “And you will have me.”

“So ye’ll marry me?”

“Please understand that I am saying yes, not just because my knees are aching and I would like to get up off this carpet, but because I do love you, Demon.”

He was laughing as he helped her to her feet.

After that, it was a simple matter of slipping from the library and finding his mother. Luckily, the dancing had evolved into something a little more normal—although he supposed he now owed Thorne a bottle of his best whisky for being willing to make a fool of himself as a distraction—and the ball was in full swing.

Mother beamed when he told her the news, although Georgia was understandably reserved. After all, the last time the two women had met, Mother had said some nasty things.

Apparently Georgia’s reputation was forgiven when grandbairns were on the line. Oh well, at least neither of them would have to live with Mother for any length of time…