Page 55 of The Moonstone Marquess
He leaned forward and took her hand. “This is what you are to me, Phoebe.”
“Don’t say such a beautiful thing to me or I will cry. Worse, I will fall desperately in love with you and then be shattered when you decide I am not right for you after all.”
He bent closer and kissed her softly on the lips. “A light of heaven does not fade. This is what you are and shall always be.”
And then it hit him, the realization falling atop him like a roof collapsing on his head. What he had just said was true.
He would never tire of Phoebe.
Nor could he imagine seeking fulfillment elsewhere when she was all he would ever want or need.
Was this not what she worried about most, that he would be unfaithful and crush her heart?
He was about to assure her it would not happen, pledge to her that he would not stray, when there came a sudden pounding on the door.
Phoebe jumped out of her seat, but he held her back. “Let me see who it is.” He cast her a warning look to stay put and strode out of the parlor to open the door.
His butler stood before him, his face ashen. “Melrose? What the devil?”
“Countess Rothmere’s husband is here, and he is livid. He has threatened to shoot Lord Harding and the Earl of Crawford.”
Cormac uttered a curse in open disgust. “The fool waits till now to take offense at his wife’s conduct? I would think he is about five years too late for that.”
“Please hurry, my lord. I hope we are not too late now.”
Cormac was about to call out to Phoebe to let her know he was leaving, but he almost knocked her over when he turned, for she was standing immediately behind him, a rifle in her hand. “I thought I told you to wait in the parlor.”
“I did wait, then I heard Melrose and knew it was safe to come out.” She peeked around him. “Good evening, Melrose. I am so sorry for the havoc these guests have wreaked on your orderly household.”
“Certainly not your fault, Lady Phoebe.”
Cormac ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “I have to go. I’ll see you and my nieces tomorrow.” Although he was not certain what his encounter with Lord Rothmere would lead to, especially if the man was enraged and took a shot at him.
He strode out of the house, thinking Phoebe was out of earshot. “Melrose, has he been disarmed?”
But the blasted girl had followed him out and was still behind him. She gasped. “Is he waving a pistol?”
His butler nodded.
“Oh dear. Give me a moment, and I will go with—”
“So help me, Phoebe—you take one step out of Moonstone Cottage and I will haul you over my knee and spank you until your backside is raw.” Well, some women enjoyed that sort of thing. He had never struck a woman in his life, whether in anger or in sexual play. It wasn’t something he could ever bring himself to do.
Phoebe clearly had no idea about such things.
Her expression was fierce. “He would not dare harm you if I was standing beside you.”
“That is wrong on every count. A man enraged is not thinking straight. He is blind to his actions and does not see who is standing in front of him.” Mr. Hawke had now brought Hadrian out of the stable. “Come on, Melrose. We had better hurry back before he shoots the entire worthless lot of them.” He cast Phoebe a final warning glance.
She scowled back at him. “But I can handle this weapon.”
“Have you ever killed a man? Because if you walk in pointing that thing at him, he is going to take it rather personally and try to shoot you first.” Gad, she was going to be a handful when he married her.
And hewasgoing to marry her.
He had never felt anything more fiercely or surely than he did now.
“But what if you walk in unarmed and he takes aim at you?”
