One of his dark brows arched upward. "I had no idea, my dear, that you were such a snob."
She flushed. "I am not a snob, I am a realist, and I know all about such things."
"Do you?" he challenged softly. "And where did you learn such lessons? At school, with mean-spirited girls who thought themselves better than you simply by virtue of their birth?"
She swallowed, memories of those years rising in her head. "Yes. And the teachers and parents as well. I may have been sent to a ladies academy, but I was reminded each day that I was nothing of the sort."
"Then they were fools, the lot of them. I assure you, in all the ways that count, you are every inch a lady. In intellect and speech, manner and style, there is no one superior to you."
"Jack-"
"And for the record, my family will adore you. Despite Ned being a proper toff, we Byrons aren't snobs."
"Ned?" she ventured.
"My brother Edward, the duke. He'll love you too as his newest sister."
She studied him, unable to believe he was saying all these things. Doing his utmost to convince her to be his bride.
///
"So?" he asked. "Any other objections?"
Other objections? No. But she did have one last question.
"Why?" she murmured, asking the most pressing question on her mind. "Why me?"
His expression turned serious, an enigmatic glint that she couldn't entirely read forming in his deep blue eyes. Reaching out, he cupped her cheek inside his palm and met her gaze.
"Because I've come to realize over these past few weeks that I can't do without you." He stroked a thumb over her lower lip in a way that made her quiver. "I want you too much, need you too desperately, not to have you for my own. Say yes, sweetheart. Say yes and tell me you will be my wife."
Leaning forward, he dusted a kiss over her lips, his touch light and sensuous. Her eyes closed, wonder and delight shimmering through her like faerie dust-dreams wrapping her in their silken hold.
"You love me, Grace." His mouth brushed against hers. "That's what you said last night. You meant it, did you not?"
Her eyes opened, locking on his. "Yes, I meant it," she said in a hushed tone. "Of course, I love you."
"Then don't let any of these so-called problems stand in our way. They're insignificant distractions and of no consequence at all. Say yes and let me make you happy. Be my bride and we can spend our lives together for now and always."
Grace trembled, knowing she'd never wanted anything so much in her life. A single word and Jack Byron could be hers. He would be her husband-hers to have and to hold for the rest of their days.
So why was she hesitating? Why was she questioning his sincerity when everything she desired most was right there within her grasp? All she had to do was reach out and take it.
So do it! Take it! whispered a little voice in her head. Stop thinking so much and for once just let your heart rule your head!
"Yes!" she exclaimed, a joyous smile breaking over her face. "Yes, I will marry you."
Flinging her arms around his shoulders, she kissed him, laughing against his lips as happiness welled up inside her like an overflowing dam. Laughing too, he kissed her harder, plundering her mouth with an intensity that soon made her forget everything but him.
The clocks in the house struck noon by the time they remembered breakfast. Too happy to mind cold eggs and toast, they feasted in bed, then once again on each other.
Chapter 12
"You have made me the happiest woman in England!" Aunt Jane declared the following morning, as she sat with Grace and Jack in the drawing room of her Bath town house. "It is just as I knew it would be. As soon as I laid eyes on our dear Lord Jack, I knew he was the one for you, Grace." She clasped her hands and beamed, her gaze going from one to the other and back again.
Grace smiled in return, wishing a bit ruefully that she might have been equally as certain about the outcome of Jack's courtship as her aunt. Only think of all the anxiety I could have spared myself these past few weeks, she mused. But as the great Bard so aptly said, "All's well that ends well." So any travail she may have suffered was well worth the temporary distress.
As for Aunt Jane's assertion that she was the happiest woman in England, Grace knew her aunt was mistaken. No one could possibly be happier than I am, she thought, having spent every minute since Jack's proposal yesterday feeling as though she were floating at least a foot off the ground.
When she'd awakened in her own bed this morning, she'd wondered for a few long moments if she'd imagined the whole thing.
Was it only a dream?
Then she'd caught sight of the sparkling square-cut diamond ring on the third finger of her left hand and knew the engagement was as real as the exquisite gemstone itself.
Catching sight of the ring now, her lips curved into a secret little smile. Apparently not secret enough, though, Jack angling his head to meet her gaze with a knowing look of his own.
"The instant I read Lord Jack's note telling me he planned to ask for your hand in marriage, I couldn't stay put a moment longer. I had to come home as quickly as may be to share in your good news," her aunt continued. "Edna is ecstatic and waved me on my way, despite my having to cut short our visit. She says she cannot wait to hear all the exciting details, and mayhap have the opportunity to make Lord Jack's acquaintance one of these times."
"I shall look forward to the occasion," he said. "But please, Mrs. Grant, you must call me Jack now that we are to be relations."
Her smile grew even wider, if that were possible. "Oh, you are such a dear-is he not a dear, Grace?"
///
Grace met his gaze again. "Indeed he is."
"Jack it is, then, if you insist," the older woman giggled. "And you are not to stand on ceremony a moment longer; you must call me Aunt Jane. Or simply Jane, if you prefer. I will accept nothing less."
Jack smiled. "As you wish, Aunt Jane."
She let out a merry laugh and drank a sip of tea.
"Now, about wedding preparations," Aunt Jane went on. "We must consider your trousseau."
Grace paused, realizing she hadn't even thought of such a thing, having been far too wrapped up in Jack and the newness of their intimate relationship to consider practicalities. There was another far more pressing matter awaiting her as well-the necessity of informing her father that she was to be wed.
"Yes," Grace agreed. "But first Jack and I must go to London and see Papa, and meet Jack's family as well. We have decided it would be best to ask both their blessings in person rather than attempting to share the news by letter. Seeing that time is of the essence, we thought it wise to depart in the morning."
Her aunt nodded. "Well, of course, you are right. Certainly you must go without delay. I would accompany you, but as much as I love your father, you know how he and I get when we're living in the same house-worse than a pair of wet cats in a bag. And I positively refuse to stay in a hotel. Pray send my love to him and write as often as you are able."
Grace rose and gave her aunt an exuberant hug, knowing she would miss the older woman. "On that you may rest assured, dearest Aunt Jane. I shall write every day and leave nothing untold."
The journey to London took less than a day, the two of them departing early the next morning as planned. Seated beside Jack in his coach, Grace looked happy, pretty and increasingly nervous the closer they got to the city. She chattered on about a variety of topics for the first forty miles, then fell nearly silent for the rest.
Although he managed to conceal his own reaction with a veneer of relaxed anticipation, Jack couldn't help but experience a measure of anxiety over his upcoming "introduction" to Ezra Danvers. Each time he thought about what was to come, his stomach muscles drew tight. Oh, he was sure he could pull off the required act and play the part of prospective bridegroom meeting his father-in-law for the first time, but he felt every inch the fraud.
Damnation, I am such a bounder, he thought.
The slip knot in his gut turned greasy with guilt. To assuage the feeling, he sent Grace a warm smile, then reached out to tuck a stray wisp of her hair back in place. "Have I told you how lovely you look today?"
Her eyes shone a deep blue. "You have, but you may tell me again. Although I can't say I agree, not with the new pair of freckles I discovered on my nose this morning. But you have told me I am not allowed to argue with you on the subject of my appearance, so I shall not."