Page 80 of Starlight and the Duke
“Nonsense. You are all welcome at Shoreham Manor, as I hope Durham and I shall be welcome at Milbury Hill.”
“Most assuredly,” he said with much surprise. “Both of you have an open invitation. I cannot begin to thank you for all you have done for my family.”
“But you will understand if your sister shall never be permitted to set foot on my property,” Fiona added.
Milbury let out a breath. “Nor will I allow her anywhere near mine again. First thing in the morning, I shall be making arrangements to place her in a sanitarium, where she may live out the rest of her days in comfort but under watchful care. In the meantime, I shall have to figure out how to be enough of a father to those lads to make up for the loss of their mother.”
“You’ll do fine, Milbury,” Fiona said. “But call upon Durham and myself if ever you are in need of assistance.”
Milbury rose and bowed over her hand. “I will try my best not to abuse your kindness, Lady Shoreham. Nor will I allow my boys to trouble you very much. It may not be easy, for they regard you as their fairy princess.”
Rob smiled at Fiona when she glanced at him. Yes, she washisfairy princess. Soon, his wife. He could not fault Milbury’s sons for having good taste.
Bromleigh spoke up once Milbury left. “Fiona, are you all right?” It was just the three of them now.
“Yes, perfectly fine thanks to your wife and Margaret.”
He released a deflated breath. “I’m so sorry your joyful moment was ruined. Shall we try another toast to celebrate your betrothal?”
She nodded. “Yes, have your footmen pour everyone another glass of champagne. But give me a moment alone with Rob. There is something I need to say to him.”
Rob’s heart hitched. Was she backing out?
No, she would not have agreed to another toast.
Bromleigh left them in his study and shut the door behind him to allow them privacy.
“What is it, love?” Rob asked when she stood before him and simply stared at him.
“I was so afraid.”
He took her into his arms. “When? Out there on the terrace when Anne and Cordelia—”
“No, not that. Even if they had managed to push me over, I would have ignored any bruises or broken bones and gotten up out of spite to unleash my fury on them. You know I am no meek flower.”
He smiled, for she could indeed be fierce when she wanted to be. “You would have had them cowering.”
But she could also be soft and vulnerable, as she often was with him. And now, for her to admit she was afraid meant something serious.
“What scared you, Fiona?”
“These past few years,” she said, still looking up at him, “as my love for you changed from abiding friendship into something more… I did not think it possible for you to love me as much as I loved you. I did not realize love could bury itself so deeply into one’s soul or devour one’s heart so completely.”
He cast her a wry smile. “It was always this way for me and my feelings for you, holding you in innocent love when we were children, and then it blossomed into something more.”
“I felt the same,” she said. “It has taken me until now to accept this is real and trust in our feelings.”
He shook his head. “What you mean is that you did not trust mine.”
“Only because I dared not believe you could feel this way about me, too.”
He frowned. “Was it not obvious? Have I not made an idiot of myself over you?”
She smiled. “I couldn’t see it because the depth of my love for you frightened me so much that it blinded me in many ways. Imade up all these excuses about why I should not marry you. I was too old. I could not give you children. I could never—”
“We don’t know that children are out of the question.”
“Oh, Rob,” she said, her smile fading. “Do not get your hopes up for something that will never happen.”
