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“Yes!” Her expression twisted. “He thinks I’m infatuated with you and that I will grow out of it! I am sure he means to separate us to make me forget you. But I won’t! I won’t let him ruin my life!”

Two large tears rolled down her cheeks and his heart contracted at the sight.

He had no doubt of his own feelings, but what if Eden was right?

She was so bloody young. How could she know her own heart as well he could know his?

Was it just a young woman’s infatuation for an older man?

After all, he was certain from her reactions that he had been the first to show her pleasure.

It was easy to mistake desire for stronger emotions.

His love for Elena had had its roots in desire.

He had come to care for her later, but in the beginning, it was all physical.

And the way he had felt about Elena barely held a candle to how he felt about Fenella.

He’d die for her if it would make her happy.

“Oh, Fen,” he murmured and found his arms full of sobbing young woman. Flopping back on the pillows with her on his chest, he stroked her back and kissed her hair.

Her sobs abated and she snuggled into him.

He found her mouth and kissed her because he could no more resist her than he could stop breathing.

He lost himself in the delight of her mouth and barely registered the noises from below stairs until his bedroom door was flung open and Viscount Eden stood there with a lamp in one hand, a pistol in the other, and an outraged expression on his face.

“I warned you, Falkland! Unhand my daughter at once!”

“Papa!” shrieked Fenella, sitting up.

“Fenella, get off that bed now!”

“No!” Fenella flung herself across Beroald’s body shielding him from her father’s pistol. “You’ll have to shoot me first!”

Beroald sat up abruptly, horrified, and shoved Fenella away, his only instinct to shield her from danger.

“Fen, stay out of the way!” His voice took on the tone he’d used aboard ship.

And he was pleased to see she obeyed, scrambling off the bed and retreating toward the window.

He reached for his robe, pulled it on and got out of bed, tying it at his waist.

“Eden, I realize how this looks, but—”

“Is this how you seek to force my hand?” asked Eden, his voice shaking with anger.

“No—” said Beroald.

“Yes!” said Fenella.

Beroald turned to her and said, gently but firmly. “Fenella, let me handle this, please.”

She was trembling visibly and his heart wrenched, but he kept his eyes steadily fixed on her, and she swallowed and nodded.

“I thought you were a gentleman, Falkland!” Eden said, his tone low with contempt.

Beroald stiffened. “I am. Fen broke into my room. I was about to send her home when you came in.”

“It didn’t look like it. How long has she been here?”

“A few minutes only.”

Eden’s shoulders slumped slightly and the hand holding the pistol wavered. He grimaced. “It’s irrelevant anyway. The servants will know she was here. She’s ruined; you’ll have to marry her now.”

Beroald closed his eyes a moment. “This is not what I wanted my lord, but rest assured I will marry her, with or without your consent.”

“Bear,” whispered Fenella.

“I love her with all my heart and soul. I promise you I will defend, protect, and love her till my dying breath.” His voice shook with intensity, his heart in every word.

“Oh, Bear!” Fenella rushed to his side and flung her arms round him. He put an arm round her, but kept his eyes on Eden.

Eden lowered the pistol and sighed.

“Papa, I truly do love him.” Fenella let go of Beroald and stepped toward her father. “It’s not an infatuation. You’ll see. We belong together. I knew almost as soon as I laid eyes on him. He’s my twin soul, my other half.”

Beroald swallowed the lump in his throat and stepped forward. “She’s right, sir, it’s true, I knew it, too, in a matter of less than an hour. She’s the woman I’ve waited all my life for.”

Eden nodded. “Very well. Fen, you can kiss him good night, then you’re coming home with me.

I’ll speak to your mother about organizing the wedding.

I’m sure Troubridge will let you use his chapel for the ceremony.

I daresay we can rustle up a license from the Bishop in Leicester.

Five minutes, no more—or I’ll drag you out! ”

“Thank you, Papa!” she said with a big smile and kiss to his cheek. His face twisted, and he gave her a one-armed hug, then stepped out of the room.

Fenella turned to Beroald and melted into his arms. He enveloped her in a tight hug, his heart full up. His precious, madcap woman. A kiss or six later, and she tore herself from his arms.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said, husky voiced, stroking her damask cheek. He was the most fortunate man in the world.

She nodded and slipped from the room to join her father, and Captain Falkland sank down on the bed because his legs had gone suddenly shaky.

“Oh, Fenella, my love!” he said softly with a shining smile.