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Drew had been waiting alone in Pembroke’s opulent library for ten excruciating minutes. He wiped his damp palms on the front of his waistcoat. He held his hands together behind his back and stared up at a portrait of John’s Duchess, her hair was half up and half down, and her shoulder turned to the room, showing a perspective that made her look like any other woman.

The door handle turned. Drew’s heart pounded.

‘Mary said you asked to speak with me, Framlington?’ Marlow did not look pleased about it. ‘You do realise you are keeping us all away from the dinner table.’

Drew sucked in a deep breath. Humble pie had a bitter taste. ‘Lord Marlow, may I ask you for Mary’s hand in marriage.’

The man looked at him askance. ‘It is a little late, don’t you think?’

Drew sighed. ‘Yes, sir, I know, but I did not ask, and now I wish to rectify the matter.’

Marlow’s arms folded over his chest. ‘What folly, what game is this, Framlington?’

‘No folly, no game, sir. I loved your daughter from the commencement of my courtship. I know my only means comes from Mary, but I will look after her, love her and cherish her. I understand why you do not approve of me, but I promise she will be happy.’

‘You made my daughter miserable in London.’ Marlow’s cold, assessing gaze bore into Drew.

Drew swallowed back his shame. ‘I felt humiliated before her, by my family. I did not think she would want a man like me.’

‘But she does, it would seem.’

‘Yes, sir, Mary does want me, and I thank God for it.’

Marlow’s arms unfolded. ‘I have always judged people by their actions. Actions speak far louder than words. Your actions towards your sister speak of what is underneath your anger…’

‘Sir?’

‘You have not treated my daughter well to date. But Mary told me you have sworn to hold your temper and stop these antagonistic outbursts. This conversation implies you mean that. I hope to see the actions that prove it in the future too.’

‘You must understand my family’s circumstances?—’

‘I know it. Mary has told me everything.’

Drew fell silent. Unsure what to say.

‘The slate is wiped clean. You have my consent. Or rather, you have my endorsement,’ he said. Drew swallowed as Marlow walked towards him. He gripped Drew’s shoulder, as a father might. ‘Do not let me down, son. Now may we go to dinner? I am hungry.’

Son? Emotion wrenched in Drew’s chest, an odd pain.

He shook his head. ‘Lord Marlow?—’

‘Edward, at least, or Father if you wish, as you have none of your own.’

‘Thank you.’

Marlow smiled slightly. ‘You are welcome. Now do you see how things could have been, if you had done them right?’

Drew took a breath; he was on unsteady ground. ‘I am sorry I did not.’

Marlow’s smile twisted, wryly. ‘Well, Mary has forgiven you. So, I forgive you. I am man enough for that. But remember, it is on a provision, no more foolishness.’

When they left the room, Drew discovered Mary waiting in the hall.

One hand wrapped around Drew’s upper arm, and the other hand pressed there too as they walked towards the formal drawing room. He remembered her doing the same when they ran away. Cupid’s arrow struck him firmly through the heart, the shaft quivering.

Mary talked to her father as they entered the room.

Bless her . She understood his confusion and was giving him time to adjust. She always understood . The conversation in the drawing room fell silent. Mary’s hand released Drew’s arm.

He could not move, his body became so tense.

She held his hand instead.

Drew saw Richard. Her uncle lifted his hands and clapped, the motion and the sound spread about the people in the room, until everyone was applauding.

When the applause ceased, Andrew tensed even more as her uncles and some older cousins approached him.

‘I admire your courage.’

‘Good work.’

‘Congratulations.’

Mary released his hand, because they all wanted to shake it.

‘I am proud to know you.’

‘Well done.’

Andrew accepted their comments with nods and brief nervous smiles as he was told not to bother with titles and pomp.

His hand searched for Mary’s.

She took it.

His fingers closed about hers and clung on.

Andrew’s heartbeat pulsed in the hand that held hers, the pace quicker than it had been when they stood on the stairs. He was fighting the bewilderment he felt among her family.

Her brother Robbie was the next to approach. She had longed to introduce them.

‘Lord Framlington, I am pleased to meet you. I should imagine life was pretty grim in that prison cell?’ he said, with the eagerness of an adolescent.

‘Robbie,’ Mary chided. ‘I have not even introduced you. Andrew, this is the eldest of my younger brothers, Robbie.’

‘You did not say I am your favourite brother, as she is my favourite sister.’ Robbie grinned broadly as he held out a hand to shake Andrew’s.

Andrew released her hand and accepted his. ‘Hello, favourite brother. It was extremely miserable in prison, it is not a place I would recommend.’

She knew from the glint in Andrew’s eyes that he liked Robbie instantly, but Robbie was such an easy-going, happy person, no one could feel uncomfortable around him.

‘My brother, Harry, and me, are notorious at college now, thanks to you. Everyone wishes to know us because our sister ran away with a scoundrel.’

‘Robbie!’

‘The lad is not offending me, Mary.’ Andrew smiled. ‘I am glad I brought you notoriety. Where is your brother?’

‘With the children.’ Robbie glanced at Mary. ‘He got into trouble at college for a prank so Papa would not let him come down.’

Mary rolled her eyes. ‘Typical Harry.’

Andrew’s fingers touched her arm. ‘Where is Caro?’

‘Seated in the corner by the window. You may quiz Andrew later, Robbie.’

Robbie grinned. ‘Indeed.’ He turned away, understanding the dismissal.

Mary saw that Caroline was watching them. She had not been left alone, Mary’s mother sat beside her, because, like Andrew, Caroline struggled to cope with this crowd of people. Everyone had tried to include her, but she did not want to be included, she preferred to be left alone.

As Andrew crossed the room, his hand holding hers again, members of her family continually delayed them, stopping Andrew to welcome and congratulate him. His hold on her hand became tenser. It was becoming too much.

When they reached Caroline, she smiled at him and Andrew let go of Mary and sank down on his haunches. ‘How are you?’

Tears trailed down Caroline’s cheeks as she leaned forward and enveloped him in her arms. They progressed the conversation in whispers spoken to each other’s ears.

Mary had always been close to Robbie, but she could see the closeness between Andrew and Caroline ran deeper; it was born of mutual suffering, not just a blood connection.

Something touched Mary’s arm. She glanced back. Her father held out his handkerchief.

She took it. Then touched Caroline’s shoulder and offered the handkerchief to her.

‘Thank you.’ Caroline sniffed back tears as she accepted it, glancing at Mary’s father for only an instant.

‘All will be well, now,’ Andrew said to Caroline then stood and looked at her father. ‘I thought you were hungry, are we not going to eat?’

Her father chuckled, and raised a hand, which clearly told someone in the room they were ready as a moment later the dinner gong rang.

Andrew smiled apologetically at Mary, as he offered his arm to Caroline. But it had to be so.

Mary’s father offered his arm to Mary. They let Andrew lead Caroline into the dining room ahead of them. ‘I like him, now,’ her father said quietly. ‘But he is still on trial. Had he said he loved you in the beginning, instead of walking away with that cheque less than an hour after you were wed, with a cocky grin on his face, I might already trust him completely. But I have rarely wished to kill a man as much as that.’

‘He will not let me down, Papa. I know he won’t.’

Her father withdrew a chair for her to sit, rather than leaving the task to a footman. Then walked further along the table to sit beside her mother.

As Mary ate, raucous conversation, laughter and deeper discussions passed across the table, while Andrew and Caroline spoke exclusively to each other in low tones.