Page 62 of The Scoundrel and the Lady

“Will you marry me?”

“Yes!” She tossed her arms around his neck and clung to him, not caring about the people surrounding them. They were all friends and family. Certainly they knew why they were here.

“Are you going to require I ask you that on a regular basis?”

“Your proposals get better and better, so I just might.”

“I love you, Iris.”

Epilogue

Six months later

“Good morning, wife,” Merritt said as he came up behind Iris and wrapped his arms around her. “Are you finished packing?”

She leaned into him and smiled. “No, and I never will be if you keep interrupting me.” Her heart swelled. Oh, how she loved this man. They’d been married for nearly three months, and still the sight of him stole her breath. And it still frightened her, too, loving him so deeply and knowing that if she ever lost him, the pain would be unbearable. Still, loving him and being loved by him was worth the risk.

He nibbled at her neck, and she swatted him away. “Merritt, I’m quite serious. I cannot pack with you distracting me. And you know how important this trip is. I’ll be doing research for my book.”

“That is not all you’ll be doing.” He chuckled and turned her to face him. “I am ready to begin our honeymoon.” He pulled her to him in a passionate kiss.

She pushed gently at his chest.

“You are not supposed to be packing yourself. Where is your maid?”

“I sent her to gather some books.”

He shook his head.

“I’ll allow her to fold everything, but I wanted to select the items myself.”

“Of course, you did.”

She ignored his comment. “I nearly forgot to tell you. Last night Lucy told me a secret.”

His eyes glimmered. “Are you going to make me seduce it out of you?”

“You are the worst sort of cad, husband of mine.”

“Indeed. But only because my wife has turned me into a randy schoolboy.”

She smiled. “Lucy has agreed to let Rand start courting her.”

Merritt’s eyes narrowed. “She told you that?”

“She did.”

“I thought she was entertaining the attentions of Lord Brookfield,” Merritt said.

“Evidently, she found him tiresome.” Iris kissed him gently then moved away from him to continue packing. “I think she’s finally recognized that Rand is a man. You know, a man who could be a potential suitor.”

He reclined across their bed and watched her move from the armoire to the trunk. “Just in time for me to leave him in charge of the paper while we’re gone for a month.” Then he sat up abruptly. “If he defiles her, I’ll kill him.”

“He’s you’re dearest friend.”

“And she is my sister.”

“You’ve wanted them together. You admitted that much to me.” She closed the trunk and moved to gather the personal items she kept on her dressing table. “They might fall in love, just as we have. Don’t you want that for her?”

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