The Regimental Heroes Anthology(3)

“Why have you never married? You are society’s catch, yet I never see you with a woman.”

“I love another.”

Confusion and rejection hit her like ice water. “Then I have done nothing but made things worse with my insane request.” Amelia was mortified. “What a mess I have made of everything. I have not only lost my mind, I’ve probably lost my best friend along with it.” She didn’t want to ask, but had to. “Who is she?”

 He dropped to his knees on the floor and pinned her between his arms. “You, my dear Amelia,” Spencer said barely above a whisper. “It has always been you. But, you have never thought of me as anything but a casual friend.”

The heat of his body made it difficult to speak. “That is not true.”

“It is no one’s fault but my own; I should have come to you before I left for the war. When I finally returned, I heard Brenton announce he would ask for your hand. I knew I had waited too long, and now, I cannot sleep, I can barely eat. I’m the one who has lost his mind.” He closed his eyes. She had never seen him in such a state.

“But yet you said nothing? Why did you not come to me these past weeks?”

“How could I? What could I have said? I have done nothing to show you how I felt. I have had years to tell you my feelings. When I returned, I knew that you were promised to another and lost to me. I can stare down the length of an enemy’s saber… but the thought of losing you, I can hardly face.” Spencer took her face in his hands. “I have asked myself this question a thousand times; could Brenton make you feel like this?” He pulled her to him and claimed her mouth. There was nothing hesitant or slow, it was as if he needed to drink from the air she was breathing.

As she reeled with the sensation of actually being kissed by Spencer, he deepened it. Amelia’s lips parted. He tasted sweet like brandy. His tongue teased hers, inviting her to explore more. She accepted.

The kiss went on for eternity. She marveled how amazing it felt. Brenton kissed her once in the garden. Spencer was right. It felt nothing like this.

He trailed a line of kisses across her cheek, and down her neck, and then back up to her ear. “No man could ever want you like I do at this moment.” His stark confession inflamed her.

She moaned as he moved down her jaw. His breath felt hot against her breasts as he dropped gentle kisses on the swell. Her body ached. “Please, Spencer,” she begged. “Make love to me.”

He shook his head, and her heart stopped. Slowly he rose to his feet.

Was he leaving? What had she said?

He walked to the other side of the room and tipped open a heavy wood desk. He came back, and dropped back to his knees. “I am many things, but I am a gentleman first.” He flipped open the box in his hand. “This ring belonged to my mother. I wanted everyday to come to you and tell you how I felt, but then I was ordered abroad. I feared I would not return alive, so asking for your hand then was pointless, and you would be left a widow. But now, I will not waste another second. You can’t marry, that… what was your word, cad, Brenton. He does not love you.” The smile she’d grown to love for so many years spread over his face. “On the other hand, I do.”

“I… uh.” Amelia knew her mouth hung open in a very un-ladylike manner. “This is very unexpected.”



“I have every intention of ruining you, but I will only do it if you first agree to be my wife.”

Amelia’s face flushed. “You do not need to do this. I will try to get my father to decline Brenton’s proposal, but you do not need to propose marriage.”

“You do not want to marry me?” he asked with a devilish twinkle in his eyes.

“I did not say that! I just do not want you to regret your actions by rushing into something you have not thought thoroughly through.”



              “Marrying you is the only thing I’ve thought through. What I regret is that I did not have the nerve to ask this sooner. Then, I feared I waited too long and you were lost to me. When I saw you at my door tonight, I knew fate had given me another chance. I love you, Amelia.” He looked down at his clothes. “You deserve better than this. Look at me.” He shook his head. “I want to do this as a proper proposal. I never seem to do anything right,” he grumbled. “I was planning on coming to your house tomorrow and, do something…probably beg you to marry me and not Brenton.”

“You were?” She giggled at his undoing. “In your undergarments?”

He stopped and smiled. “No, dear lady, not in my undergarments.”