Lady Sabrina’s Secret (19 page)

She turned away, ‘What did they say?' she asked, endeavoring to make her voice sound light.

‘I think you already know the answer to that. Deborah, I did not spend that night with Kate, because I went to see her only in order to end my liaison with her.'

She turned quickly. ‘To end it?'

He nodded. ‘You surely do not imagine that I behaved as I did toward you out of idle caprice?' She lowered her eyes a little guiltily.

‘Deborah, I knew my affair with Kate had to be ended, and what is more she knew it too, because when I'd seen her earlier in the day I'd tried to bring it all to a close then, but it had proved inordinately difficult because I was so anxious not to hurt her.'

‘So that was why she visited me,' Deborah murmured, trying to sound calm when all the time her pulse was racing unbearably.

‘I wanted to speak privately with you before Uppingham came, because I wanted to tell you then what was in my mind, but as you know there was no time, and so I decided to wait until the drive to Beechen Cliff instead. When Uppingham had been disposed of and I had seen you home, I went to see Kate again, but I was very late indeed because I spent so long talking with Sabrina before she retired. It was because I was late that out of pique, Kate chose to call upon you. When I called and she finally
realized
 
that I meant to end our liaison, she told me what she'd said so spitefully to you, and that made me sufficiently angry to close matters once and for all. Our parting wasn't amicable, for I was outraged that she could have said such things to you.' He came a little closer. ‘Deborah, I know from Sabrina and Richard that you love me, and by now you must surely know that that love is more than returned.'

She stared at him, a wild elation beginning to sing through her veins.

‘Come to me, Deborah,' he said softly, holding out his hand.

She took a hesitant step forward, and then suddenly his fingers closed over hers. An electrifying force seemed to fly through her, as if she had been slumbering but had been awakened.

His thumb caressed her palm. ‘Sabrina is soon to become Lady Sabrina Wexford, much to the shocked amazement of Bath's stricter tabbies, and so I think it only fair that said tabbies should be positively thunderstruck by the further astonishing development that due to Richard Wexford's captivating sister, the Duke of Gretton has ceased to be one of England's most eligible noblemen. I want you to be my wife, Deborah Marchant.'

She gazed at him through a blur of unshed tears, and her body yielded against his as he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

‘Will you do me the inestimable honor of becoming my bride, Deborah?' he asked softly. ‘No other woman will do to be my duchess.'

‘I can't believe you really want me, Rowan,' she
whispered
.

‘I want you very much, Mrs Marchant, almost too much
for me to remember that I am a gentleman. But when you become mine, it must be properly, and when I seal our love, it must be in a marriage bed. So what is your answer? Will you marry me?'

‘More than willingly,' she breathed, closing her eyes as he kissed her. Her lips parted beneath his, and she savored the sheer ecstasy of being in his arms. He was safe and well, and, unbelievably, he belonged to her.

How far away now that dreadful day when she had received Richard's letter and had first learned of Sabrina's secret love? And how even further away the long days of loneliness after losing Jonathan? Everything was different now, and a new life stretched before her – a life of
happiness
as the Duchess of Gretton.

A Christmas Courtship