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He had to tell her how much he loved her, and as God was his witness, he wasn't going to leave this room until she told him the very same thing.
"Henry." He turned around. She was sitting up very straight in her chair. He cleared his throat and said again, "Henry."
"Yes?"
"I probably should not have come tonight."
"No," she said, not sounding as if she meant it.
"But I needed to see you alone, and tomorrow seemed an eternity away."
Her eyes widened. It was not like Dunford to speak in such dramatic terms. He looked quite agitated, almost nervous, and it definitely was not like him to be nervous about anything. Abruptly he closed the distance between them, then knelt on the floor at her feet.
"Dunford," she said in a strangled voice, not at all sure what she was meant to do.
"Shhh, my love," he said. And then he realized that was it exactly. She was his love.
"I love you, Henry," he said, his voice like rough velvet. "I love you like I never dreamed I could love a woman. I love you like everything in this world that is beautiful and good. Like the stars in the sky, and like each and every blade of grass at Stannage Park. I love you like the facets of a diamond, and Rufus's pointy ears, and—"
"Oh, Dunford," she burst out, "I love you too. I do. So much." She slid to the floor next to him and grasped his hands with hers. She kissed each one, then both together. "I love you so much," she murmured again. "So very much, and for so very long."
"I've been an idiot," he said. "I should have realized what a treasure you are the moment I saw you. I've wasted so much time."
"Only a month," she said tremulously.
"It seems like forever."
She moved to sit down on the carpet, pulling him down with her. "It has been the most precious month of my life."
"I hope to make the rest of your life just as precious, my love." He reached into his pocket and pulled something out. "Will you marry me?"
Henry had known he would propose, had expected it on that trip to the country even, but still she was overcome. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she could only nod, having apparently lost the power of speech.
Dunford uncurled the fingers of his fist to reveal a stunning diamond ring, an oval-cut stone set very simply in a plain gold band. "I couldn't find anything to rival the sparkle in your eyes," he said softly. "This was the best I could do."
"It's beautiful," she breathed. "I have never owned anything like this before." She looked up anxiously. "Are you certain we can afford it?"
Dunford let out a short burst of laughter, amused by her concern for their finances; obviously she didn't realize that, although previously untitled, his was one of the wealthiest families in England. He was also absurdly pleased with the way she had said, "Are you certain we can afford it?" He lifted her hand to his lips, gallantly kissed it, and then said, "I assure you, minx, we still have enough left over to buy an entire new flock of sheep for Stannage Park."
"But several of the wells need fixing, and—"
"Shush." He pinched her lips shut. "You don't have to worry about money anymore."
"I neber exacdly worried aboud id," she tried to say while he was still holding her mouth closed. He sighed and let go, and she continued, "I'm just thrifty, that's all."
"That's fine." He tilted her chin up with his index finger and placed a sweet kiss on her lips. "But if I want to be a little extravagant once in a while and buy my wife a present, I expect no complaints from you about it."
Henry admired the ring he'd slipped on her finger, a shiver of excitement rushing through her at his use of the word "wife." "None," she murmured, feeling quite frivolous and utterly feminine. After regarding the ring from the left, the right, and two inches away from the flickering candle, she looked back up and asked plainly, "When can we be married?"
He took her face in his hands and kissed her again. "I think this is what I love best about you."
"What?" she asked, not caring in the least that she was fishing for compliments.
"You are utterly frank, disarmingly forthright, and refreshingly direct."
"All good qualities, I hope?"
"But of course, minx, although I suppose you could have been slightly more forthright with me when I first arrived at Stannage Park. We might have been able to clear up that whole mess without venturing into the pigpen."
Henry smiled. "But when can we be married?"
"In two months time, I think," he said, the words sending an agonizing wave of frustration through his body.
"Two months?"
"I'm afraid so, my love."
"Are you insane?"
"Apparently, for I will most probably perish for wanting you during that time."
"Then why don't you simply get a special license and be done with it next week? It cannot be that difficult to obtain one. Emma said she and Alex were married by special license." She paused and frowned. "Now that I think of it, I think Belle and John were, too."
"I don't want you hurt by any gossip regarding a hasty marriage," he said gently.
"I'll be more hurt if I can't have you!" she said, not gently at all.
Another wave of desire pulsed through his body. He didn't think she'd meant the word "have" in the carnal sense, but it inflamed him nonetheless. Forcing his voice into even tones, he said, "There will be talk because I am your guardian. I don't want to make it any worse, especially since it would not be very difficult for anyone to discover that we were alone for more than a week in Cornwall."