Two tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks. “I cannot forgive myself for what I have done to you,” she said.
“Can’t you?” he said. “For bringing sunshine into my life and a little craziness and a whole world of love? I do love you, you know.”
She sobbed quite indelicately and lifted a hand to her mouth. “You can’t,” she said, lowering her hand. “Miles, you can’t. I am a bas—”
He kissed her hard.
“I meant it,” he said, “about the drastic measures. If you think I did not, test me. I would hate to have to prove it to you, you know.”
“If you were to beat me, I would hit you right back,” she said, and this time her sob got all mixed up with a laugh and a hiccup.
“I am sure you would,” he said. “Abby, if you can get over this dreadful guilt of yours and this terrible feeling of inadequacy, do you think you can love me, even just a little bit? Enough to build on in the future, maybe?”
“I fell in love with you as soon as I saw your eyes,” she said. “What woman could help doing so?”
“Who indeed?” he said. “So you love my eyes. That is a start, at least. Is there a chance that the feeling may spread to other parts of me?”
“Oh, yes,” she said. “Long ago. But, Miles, this is just foolish talk. There is still Rachel and the ruin she can bring on you through me. You must take her the money. Will you? Today, before she becomes impatient? There will be unbearable scandal for you if she tells anyone else what she knows.”
“For me?” he said. “Shall I tell you how much it would worry me, Abby? That much.” He snapped two fingers next to her ear. “How about you? Would it upset you?”
“Yes,” she said. “Because I would have dragged you into it.”
“Leaving me aside for the moment,” he said, “would you be upset?”
She thought for a moment. “No,” she said. “Because I realize that despite everything, if my mother and father—my real father—had not been indiscreet, I would not be here at all, would I? And I think I would hate that.”
“Would you?” he said, smiling. “And in what corner of the universe would you be sitting at this moment, Abby, hating the fact that you had never been born?”
She smiled slowly at him, and he touched his forehead to hers.
“Does it really and truly make no difference to you?”she asked wistfully.
“It really and truly does not,” he said. “And more important than anything else, I shall be able to save myself two thousand pounds and have the pleasure of telling Mrs. Rachel Harper to go hang into the bargain. This is a wonderful day for me, Abby.”
“The money is the most important thing to you?”she asked, looking at him a little uncertainly.
He circled her waist with his hands and smiled down at her. “I refuse to answer such a nonsensical question,” he said. “Abby, tell me something.”
She looked inquiringly up at him.
“Is everything out now?” he asked. “All the murky secrets of your past?”
She thought carefully. “Yes,” she said.
“Good,” he said. “In a moment I am going to undress you and make love to you—as soon as you have told me if you would prefer to have it done in your bed or mine. And after it is over, I am going to tell you the same thing I have told you for the last two nights. I shall await your response. Will there be one today?”
Her face was flaming when she looked up at him. “Yes,” she said. “In your bed, if you please, Miles.”
He laced his fingers with hers and led her through the two adjoining dressing rooms to their bedchamber. And he took her by the shoulders to turn her so that he could tackle the long row of buttons at the back of her dress. He bent his head to kiss the back of her neck as his hands worked.
And he lifted her to the bed at last, unclothed himself while their eyes roamed over each other, lay down beside her on the bed, and proceeded to make long and slow and finally frenzied love to her.
When he came to himself, he moved to her side and settled her head on his shoulder and drew the blankets up about them.
“Mm,” he said, rubbing his cheek over her curls. “Some things definitely improve with practice, don’t they? Can you imagine what it might be like for us in ten years’ time? The stars may be exploding around us.” He bent his head to kiss her lingeringly on the mouth. “I love you, Abby.”
She burrowed her head farther into the warmth of his neck. “I love you too,” she said. “Every inch of you and everything that you are.” She sighed with contentment.