Disrobed and Dishonored by Louise Allen Page A

asked if he might speak with you in my sitting room at your convenience.’
    Sarah stared. Her chaperone sat bolt upright, looking for all the world like a pointer that has sighted game. ‘Sarah, dear! We must—’
    ‘Do not disturb yourself, ma’am. I will escort Sarah.’ Bel had her out of the room before Mrs. Catchpole could react. ‘You look very well, my dear. There is no need to go and primp. Here we are.’ Bel opened the door, gave her a little push and closed it, leaving her alone with the Earl of Redcliffe.
    ‘Oh.’ It was not the most intelligent thing she could have found to say. Sarah bit her lip and regarded his unsmiling face.
    ‘Sarah. I have, this morning, written to your father. I thought I should show it to you before I send it.’ He held out a sheet of paper.
    ‘Written?’ She took it. The words were out of focus.
    ‘Yes. I realize that to call would be more conventional. It was my intention to return to Saint’s Ford Manor and do the thing in style, but now…Sarah, there is no way I can wait.’
    ‘You intended to come back to me?’ She stared at the firm black letters, willing them to make sense.
    ‘Of course. I had to lose the highwayman, speak to my bankers about the settlement, have a haircut—all the things a hopeful suitor needs to do.’
    ‘Suitor? Why?’ She thrust the letter back at him. ‘I cannot seem to focus.’
    ‘Sit down then, and I will read to you.’ He guided her to the sofa, then stood before the hearth and cleared his throat.
    ‘“Sir Hugh, I write to inform you of my intention to pay my addresses to your daughter, Miss Sarah Tatton. I cannot pretend that my attachment to her was not sudden. In fact I believe it was, if not love at first sight, then most certainly love from the first moment she allowed me to press a respectful salutation upon her lips.”
    ‘You spoke?’
    Sarah shook her head, dumb with delight. Respectful salutation? That must be the first kiss that he took when they met. He was making it sound as if he had met her for the first time here, when in fact…
    ‘“My standing and circumstances you may ascertain from an inspection of the Peerage. In regard to my intentions as to settlements, I trust the enclosed papers from my lawyer will prove satisfactory…”’ etc., etc.’ Jonathan folded the paper.
    ‘Well, Miss Tatton? You are, I believe, of age, which means that I need not await a response from your father but may do this now.’ He went down on one knee beside her. ‘Sarah.’ His voice was husky and she found she could not breathe, just stare into his eyes, trapped by the intensity in them. ‘I love you. I think I loved you from that first kiss. I knew I loved you when I felt the pain of thinking you had offered me payment for lying with you. My fault, I confess, was to go and leave you without explanation, but I did it intending to return as an entirely respectable suitor. Like an idiot I wanted to surprise you, to have everything in place, perfect. Do you forgive me?’
    ‘Oh yes. I love you, too, you see. I don’t need everything to be perfect, I just need you.’ She had found her tongue, and her eyes focused clearly on his face and she reached out and cupped his cheek with a hand that was steady.
    ‘And you will marry me?’
    And instead of answering, she simply leaned forward and kissed him and never noticed until afterward that her cheeks were wet.
     
    ‘Lady Redcliffe, you are blushing.’ Her new husband set Sarah on her feet beside the wide bed and bent to kiss her. ‘Now what, after all the things we have enjoyed together, can be making you shy now?’
    ‘This is different,’ she confessed, reaching up to undo his neckcloth.
    ‘Yes,’ Jonathan agreed, leaving her fully clothed while she undressed him and then slowly, gently, unveiling her body until they stood facing each other in the twilit room, naked. ‘I love you and now you are mine.’
    ‘I know. And you are my husband and we no longer have to be