She didn’t hear her mother approach.
“Michelle?” her mother asked. “What happened?”
“Simply the most wonderful thing, Mother.” She fairly floated up the stairs. “Simply wonderful…”
“What happened, Michelle?” she asked again. “Michelle!”
Michelle made no answer.
“Humph,” her mother murmured. “It must indeed be wonderful to render you speechless.”
Chapter 6
Michelle sat at her vanity the next morning, studying her reflection. Paul asked her to marry him! He was so handsome, so charming. That last was a surprise, since before their ride in the park he’d been nothing but cold. She couldn’t have imagined the heat that hid beneath his beautiful blue eyes.
He was passionate, too. His kisses inflamed her like no other’s. Of course, she’d never truly been kissed by any other gentleman. Even so, she doubted another man’s kisses could ever set her heart racing the way Paul’s did. She was so lucky he was hers.
She’d chosen a dress of bronze silk today. She wore her hair in a simple style, most of the curls left loose, as she preferred when at home. Michelle went downstairs to the breakfast room where she found a very anxious Lady Helen.
“There you are, Michelle!” her mother said. “I’ve been waiting and waiting.”
“Good morning, Mother. How are you this fine morning?”
Lady Helen waved her hand in the air. “Never mind that. Tell me what happened last night.”
Michelle brought her plate to the sideboard and served herself breakfast. She sat across from her mother and took her time pouring a cup of tea. She lifted the cup to her lips and sipped delicately.
“Michelle!”
She’d tortured her mother long enough.
Michelle set her cup aside. “Lord Leed is coming here this afternoon to ask you for my hand in marriage.”
Lady Helen drew in a breath, her hand coming to rest over her heart. “Oh, my dear! This is wonderful news!”
Michelle nodded her agreement. “Isn’t he the most gallant, most handsome man, Mother?”
“Certainly, dear,” the older woman nodded. “And apparently you’ve learned to keep your opinions to yourself in his company. Well done, child.”
Michelle laughed at that. “Quite the contrary, Mother,” she said. “I’ve done no such thing.”
“But, if Lord Leed—”
“Paul isn’t put off in the least by my having opinions. And voicing them.”
“Truly?” Lady Helen blinked in astonishment. “Then he is most gallant. I daresay the man must be quite taken with you.”
“And I with him, Mother.” Michelle grinned as she recalled their heat in his carriage last night. “And I with him.”
* * * *
Paul awoke with a strong sense of determination. He would get to the bottom of his father’s financial problems today. While he was able to support himself, he wasn’t certain he could support Michelle in the manner to which she had become accustomed. His home, while comfortable, wasn’t as large as the one Michelle shared with her mother. His was equipped with a parlor, a study, a breakfast room and a dining room, as well as rooms abovestairs, but he had no salon or drawing room for entertaining. It was well-suited to a man living alone, and there was no way at present for him to purchase or lease a larger one. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and rose.
He saw to his morning toilette and dressed with care. He tied his cravat and shrugged into his dark blue jacket. God, he’d almost lost Michelle with his foolish pride. Much to his delight, Michelle had a forgiving nature despite her fiery temper. She was passionate in everything. He was a bloody lucky man.
He hoped Chester was right, that she wasn’t as concerned with money as most women of her station. Praying his father would set his financial fears to rest, Paul went down to breakfast. He didn’t dare face this problem on an empty stomach.
He arrived at his father’s townhouse at ten o’clock. The home was large, nearly as large as Lord
“Michelle?” her mother asked. “What happened?”
“Simply the most wonderful thing, Mother.” She fairly floated up the stairs. “Simply wonderful…”
“What happened, Michelle?” she asked again. “Michelle!”
Michelle made no answer.
“Humph,” her mother murmured. “It must indeed be wonderful to render you speechless.”
Chapter 6
Michelle sat at her vanity the next morning, studying her reflection. Paul asked her to marry him! He was so handsome, so charming. That last was a surprise, since before their ride in the park he’d been nothing but cold. She couldn’t have imagined the heat that hid beneath his beautiful blue eyes.
He was passionate, too. His kisses inflamed her like no other’s. Of course, she’d never truly been kissed by any other gentleman. Even so, she doubted another man’s kisses could ever set her heart racing the way Paul’s did. She was so lucky he was hers.
She’d chosen a dress of bronze silk today. She wore her hair in a simple style, most of the curls left loose, as she preferred when at home. Michelle went downstairs to the breakfast room where she found a very anxious Lady Helen.
“There you are, Michelle!” her mother said. “I’ve been waiting and waiting.”
“Good morning, Mother. How are you this fine morning?”
Lady Helen waved her hand in the air. “Never mind that. Tell me what happened last night.”
Michelle brought her plate to the sideboard and served herself breakfast. She sat across from her mother and took her time pouring a cup of tea. She lifted the cup to her lips and sipped delicately.
“Michelle!”
She’d tortured her mother long enough.
Michelle set her cup aside. “Lord Leed is coming here this afternoon to ask you for my hand in marriage.”
Lady Helen drew in a breath, her hand coming to rest over her heart. “Oh, my dear! This is wonderful news!”
Michelle nodded her agreement. “Isn’t he the most gallant, most handsome man, Mother?”
“Certainly, dear,” the older woman nodded. “And apparently you’ve learned to keep your opinions to yourself in his company. Well done, child.”
Michelle laughed at that. “Quite the contrary, Mother,” she said. “I’ve done no such thing.”
“But, if Lord Leed—”
“Paul isn’t put off in the least by my having opinions. And voicing them.”
“Truly?” Lady Helen blinked in astonishment. “Then he is most gallant. I daresay the man must be quite taken with you.”
“And I with him, Mother.” Michelle grinned as she recalled their heat in his carriage last night. “And I with him.”
* * * *
Paul awoke with a strong sense of determination. He would get to the bottom of his father’s financial problems today. While he was able to support himself, he wasn’t certain he could support Michelle in the manner to which she had become accustomed. His home, while comfortable, wasn’t as large as the one Michelle shared with her mother. His was equipped with a parlor, a study, a breakfast room and a dining room, as well as rooms abovestairs, but he had no salon or drawing room for entertaining. It was well-suited to a man living alone, and there was no way at present for him to purchase or lease a larger one. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and rose.
He saw to his morning toilette and dressed with care. He tied his cravat and shrugged into his dark blue jacket. God, he’d almost lost Michelle with his foolish pride. Much to his delight, Michelle had a forgiving nature despite her fiery temper. She was passionate in everything. He was a bloody lucky man.
He hoped Chester was right, that she wasn’t as concerned with money as most women of her station. Praying his father would set his financial fears to rest, Paul went down to breakfast. He didn’t dare face this problem on an empty stomach.
He arrived at his father’s townhouse at ten o’clock. The home was large, nearly as large as Lord
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