A Perfect Hero (28 page)

Together they stood, a circle of three. A circle unbroken...a circle of love.

It was Justin who gave a low chuckle. “And now, I fear I must be off. I suddenly find I have a most urgent need to go home and hold my wife and daughter.”

“I was thinking the very same,” Sebastian murmured.

At the door, Justin cocked a brow. “Supper to
morrow?” he asked. “Sevenish?”

Sebastian inclined his head. “Wonderful idea.”

Justin glanced over at Dane, who had bolted toward the sitting room at the sound of Julianna’s sobs. Having ascertained the crux of the situa
tion and the fact that he was not needed, he’d started back into the morning room. Hearing the trio exit the sitting room, he’d stopped.

Julianna had already crossed the floor and slipped an arm through his.

Justin addressed Dane. “You’ll come, too, won’t you? It’s time you met the rest of the family.”

“But be warned,” Sebastian put in, “with three little ones, it will be exceedingly noisy.”

Dane had settled his fingers over Julianna’s. Now he glanced down at her in silent inquiry.

Justin and Sebastian looked at each other, smothering a laugh. Both were aware of the trace of the other’s thoughts—he was acting like a hus
band already!

Julianna gave a tiny nod.

“Then I shall look forward to it.” Dane ac
cepted graciously.

The instant they were alone, Dane tugged her around to face him. His hand stole upward. With his thumb, he blotted the dampness from the curve of one cheek.

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

His eyes probed deep. “Are you sure?”

“I have never been more certain of anything in my life,” she whispered. “Dane...what you did for my mother...I do not know how to thank you—”

His fingers on her lips stilled the flow of words. He shook his head. “I had to, kitten. I had to. I do not know if she is guilty. It’s not my place to judge her. But without knowing for certain if she would have come to trial ...I couldn’t allow it to go that far. I could not allow the mother of the woman I love to go to prison. It wouldn’t have been right. One chance was all I had, kitten. It was all
she
had.”

Her heart thumped. There. He’d said it again.

He loved her.

“I only wish you’d had the chance to say good
bye, the three of you.”

“Oh, but we did, Dane! We did say a kind of farewell. We are at peace now. All of us, and— and there is no sadness!” She laid a hand on his chest. “But what about you? Won’t Barnaby be angry that you let her escape? Will it jeopardize your position at the Home Office?”

A smile rimmed his lips. “No.”

Julianna was puzzled. “Why not?”

“Kitten,” he said very gently, “the Magpie has made his last ride. As for the Home Office . . . Well, that is a part of my life that is behind me, as of today.”

She was stunned. “Dane,” she said, with a shake of her head, “you did not have to—”

“Yes, I did. I
do
. Julianna, I had already made up my mind. I intend to devote myself to my wife and our children.”

“Ah,” she said lightly, “but you do not yet have a wife. Or children.”

“Not yet,” he said with a boyish grin. “But as soon as I
have
a wife, I predict the children will quickly follow. I will certainly make every effort to see that they do.”

Her eyes flew wide. “Oh!” she cried. “But you sound very certain of yourself.”

“And you have yet to give me an answer.”

“You mean an answer you like,” she said playfully.

“True. But I will accept only one answer.”

“And what might that answer be?”

He was eyeing her in that way that made her feel hot and giddy inside. His arms tightened, lift
ing her clear from the floor. His mouth hovered just above hers.

He countered with a question of his own. His gaze was suddenly dark and intense. “Do you love me, kitten?”

Her heart never faltered. “I do,” she whis
pered. “I love you quite madly!”

“Then say yes, love. Say you’ll marry me.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “Oh, yes, I’ll marry you...”

He kissed her then, sweetly, fiercely, with all the love held deep in his heart. Julianna wound her arms around his neck and clung.

But all at once he drew back with a laugh.

Julianna was not pleased. “What?” she grum
bled. “What is it?”

“I nearly forgot. I have something to show you.”

To her surprise, he led her outside and around the corner. Julianna looked up at the sprawling brick house with graceful Grecian columns. This was
his
house, the one she’d always ad
mired from afar. And now she was finally going to see it for herself. Not that she really cared right now, she thought with a laugh. All she wanted was for him to carry her up the stairs, to feel the hard weight of his body as he made love to her...

But he did not lead her to the door. He did not lead her up the stairs to his room.

Instead, he led her around the side of the house, through a lovely garden, to the stable in the rear. Stepping into a stall, he tugged her forward.

She blinked. “Dane! What—”

He pointed to the corner. Julianna stared in as
tonishment. There, on a blanket spread against the wall, lay a green-eyed, yellow-haired cat. Nestled against her belly were three tiny, pure black balls of fur.

Something rubbed against her ankles. Julianna looked down.

Understanding dawned. “Maximilian! You de
vil!” With a laugh she glanced between Maximil
ian and the yellow cat.

“Apparently Maximilian had been prowling around for some time when I wasn’t aware of it,” Dane said dryly.

“I’ve never seen anything so adorable,” she ex
claimed. “Do you know if they’re—”

“Two boys and a girl,” he supplied. His mouth curved. “And I had a thought.”

“What?” Julianna stretched out a hand toward the kittens and their mother.

“Perhaps they’d like it in Somerset. In the country, I think, somewhere they can romp and play. And perhaps we could name them—”

Her heart tripped. Oh, Lord, surely he didn’t remember...

“Alfred, Rebecca, and Irwin,” he said softly.

Moved beyond words, beyond measure, Ju
lianna walked straight into his arms.

His fingers tangled in warm, honey-colored hair. He tilted her head back so he could see her. “What do you think?” he whispered.

Blinking back tears—oh, but they were such happy tears indeed!—she smiled. “I think,” she whispered, “that I will love you forever!”

***

It was much later that night when Dane heard the echo of hoofbeats on the street below. Rising, he pulled on a dressing gown, pressed a kiss on his future bride’s lips—and went outside to meet Phillip.

“All is well?”

“It is,” Phillip confirmed. “Daphne Sterling— or Madame Lemieux—is on the ship and bound for France once more. And I must say, spiriting her away was damned exciting!”

“So it’s excitement you crave, eh?”

Phillip laughed gustily. “Don’t we all?”

“Do you remember how you once said you wished that you could take my place?”

“I do.”

“Well,” Dane said mildly, “I do hope you meant it.” He slipped his hands into the pockets of his dressing gown and smiled at Phillip’s be
mused expression. “Because I suggested it to Barnaby when I gave him my resignation. He in
tends to speak to you about it tomorrow—rather, today.”

Phillip was incredulous. “You’re serious!”

“I am.”

Phillip was practically crowing. “I am a spy. I am
truly
a spy!”

Dane threw back his head and chuckled. “My word, do I dare think of it?” he teased. “Will the shores of England ever be safe again?”

“Ha! Safer than ever,” Phillip retorted brashly.

“So you’re pleased?”

“Need you ask? But what about you, Dane? Are you quite sure this is what you want? No more midnight escapades. No more secret rendezvous.”

“No more danger.”

“But . . . what the devil will you do? How on earth will you fill your days and nights?”

Dane chuckled. “Oh, but I shall be doing something much more exciting.”

“And what is that?”

He smiled. “Making little Granvilles.”

heir wedding took place one month later in St. George’s in Hanover Square, a far differ
ent occasion than Julianna’s last appearance there. Yet there were no memories of the past, for her heart was too full of the future.

She stepped into the vestibule on Sebastian’s arm, clutching a bouquet of lilies and roses in one hand. Little by little, the guests’ whispers fell to a hush when the music began. And when it was time for Julianna to glide down the aisle, every eye in the church was upon her...and hers was on her husband-to-be, waiting at the altar.

The hold of his gaze was tender and wholly captivating. She had thought there might be tears, for in
deed there was a monstrous lump in her throat.

His eyes were so tender her heart surely melted. But as her fingers weaved through his, they heard the Dowager Duchess of Carrington behind them, whispering loudly how
she
had brought this pair together.

There was surely not a soul in the church who did not hear.

Julianna bit back a laugh. Her gaze slid to Dane, who was struggling very hard not to smile. It was a moment so wondrously precious she knew she would remember it forever.

And there was more.

Her niece Sophie, who—at the tender age of two—must be forgiven for neglecting to strew the flower petals before the bride, suddenly re
membered her basket in the middle of the cere
mony. She dumped the petals at her feet—then sat down to play with them.

Her brother Geoffrey joined her.

Their father sighed. He gave a little cough and beckoned with a fingertip when the pair glanced up. Geoffrey, his eyes agleam, stood upright, dusted his hands of rose petals—then darted be
tween Julianna and Dane when Sebastian crooked his finger once more. Sophie shrieked and dashed after him.

It was utterly chaotic. Utterly unforget
table... And utterly perfect. ***

It was nearly one year later when Dane heard the cries of their son in the nursery adjoining their room. His wife stirred and turned to her side. Pressing a kiss on her mouth, he rose from the bed and walked into the nursery.

The fretting infant quieted the instant he felt his father’s hands lifting him from his cradle. Lighting a candle, Dane kissed the babe’s dark scalp, then settled Christian Elliot Granville— fondly called Kit by his parents—into the crook of his elbow and settled himself into the chair nearby.

The babe’s fingers curled strongly around his father’s thumb and held fast. His features tender, Dane captured a plump fist and carried it to his mouth, brushing his lips over dimpled knuckles.

“So, my little lad, you think there are better things to do in the midnight hour than sleep, eh?”

The babe made that sweet little sound that so enraptured his mother—and made his father’s heart swell with pride. And then he crinkled up his brows and gave a tiny little grin.

Dane laughed softly. “What, you ask? Ah, but let me tell you a tale, my boy. There once was a highwayman who rode through the night alone and fearless. The Magpie, he was called. Oh, and a most bold, dashing fellow was the Magpie, my boy. But all was not as it appeared, you see. For the Magpie was not such a terrible fellow, as the world was convinced.”

His son regarded him raptly.

“One night, the Magpie rescued a lady. Oh, but she was a beauty, with chestnut hair and eyes that glowed like sapphires, why, just like yours, my boy! The highwayman spirited the lady away to a cottage not far from here. He waited and waited and waited for the lady to wake. And when she did, he beheld the woman of his dreams, his one, true love! As for the lovely lady, well, do you know what she saw?”

So engrossed were father and son in each other that the rustle at the door had gone unnoticed.

“She saw her husband...her hero.”

And from the doorway, Julianna smiled.

She had indeed.