Page 151 of Ten Lords for the Holidays

It was quite perplexing.

And deuced uncomfortable when she was scowling at him like he was her biggest disappointment.

He should tell her to mind her own business, of course. But he felt compelled to explain himself as though he were a child being scolded by his mama.

“No,” he answered stiffly. “Not yet.”

She glowered at him, her eyes spitting green fire.

“And what are you waiting for?” she demanded. “It is Twelfth Night, is it not? You leave tomorrow.”

Evan was well aware that he was leaving tomorrow. He didn’t need to be lectured on the fact.

His heart twisted painfully at the thought of being away from Holly.

Though if this evening went well, he hoped he wouldn’t have to be.

All week he’d been waiting for the perfect opportunity to ask her to be his wife.

This time, he knew he was asking someone that he quite simply couldn’t live without.

But knowing that just made him all the more nervous for her answer.

He couldn’t live without her. He knew that now with a certainty so intense that sometimes it took his breath away.

As he’d watched her on Boxing Day hosting the servants and local tenants and their families, handing out boxes of food and clothing, welcoming everyone, peer and peasant alike, and treating them all with equal courtesy and respect, his love had only grown.

And spending this time with her, stealing her away at every opportunity when her home had been emptied of guests excepting him and Angela, getting to know everything about her, her wishes and her fears, her good tempers and her bad ones, had confirmed it. She was his true love. The other half of him.

The last two weeks had truly been the best of Evan’s life. With the house emptied of all guests but him, he’d taken full advantage and had Holly accompany him on rides and walks at every opportunity.

And he’d enjoyed his time with Lord Northwood, too. Though he hadn’t yet asked Holly to marry him, he had sought her father’s approval of the idea. He respected Northwood and found himself thinking quite happily of joining their families.

To his delight and relief, Northwood had been more than amenable to the idea and had made it very clear that he would feel honoured to have Evan as his son-in-law.

Holly’s grandmother had been as enthusiastic as her son about a potential match.

During every meal, she extolled Holly’s virtues. Her granddaughter’s beauty, her charitable work, her extensive reading, and her ability with thepianoforte.

These conversations always left Holly blushing furiously, and Evan grinning like a simpleton.

But the old lady said nothing that he didn’t agree with.

In this short time, Holly had become the other half of his soul.

And Angela, interfering as she might be, was right. It was time. He’d waited long enough.

“Go on then,” she barked at him, as though she could read his thoughts. “Get on with it. Some of us aren’t getting any younger.”

He could have argued. In actual fact, he turned his head to do just that.

But then, Holly looked across the room, straight into his eyes, and smiled.

And just like the first night after his arrival, he was drawn to her. A moth to a flame.

He started to move across the room, unheeding of greetings or attempts at conversation.

But something stopped him, and he turned on his heel to face Lady Angela.

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