Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94964 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
* * *
It was a rope anchoring him safely to the ground as he took this leap into the unknown.
* * *
His throat was choked with tears and he turned away so as not to embarrass Janice’s father with them. The lord clapped him once more on the shoulder and then went back to his plants. Arthur walked out of the greenhouse, deciding to take a walk to get himself in hand. He allowed the tears to fall as he headed towards a copse of trees where some cows were grazing peacefully.
* * *
He walked aimlessly, letting the wind blow away his tears, lost in the emotion of everything that had happened to him. He had been on a ship when he got the news of his father’s death, delivered to him by a messenger when they stopped in Marseille for supplies. He’d resigned his commission and hurried back home because he had to see for himself that it was true. He’d arrived just in time to watch his father being lowered to the ground.
* * *
After that, things had stopped making sense for a while. He’d lost himself in drink and debauchery; he wasn’t sure if he was grieving or celebrating but a knot that had held his chest tight and closed for so many years had finally loosened.
* * *
He floated from day to day until his father’s steward tracked him down to tell him that he was required to meet with solicitors as soon as could be arranged.
* * *
Arthur didn’t want to meet with solicitors. He wanted another drink and so he had one. In the end, the solicitors had tracked him down to his rooms in London and sat him down to inform him that his father had left everything he owned to him – on condition he marry by his thirtieth birthday.
* * *
Arthur had resolved to do just the opposite of that. But before that date, he decided to squander as much of his father’s property as possible.
* * *
And I was doing quite well at that…so well I almost got the woman I love killed.
* * *
He touched his nose, huffing in amusement.
* * *
Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face.
* * *
He shook his head, turning around to head back to the house. He felt lighter, as if he’d left the burden of his legacy in the copse of trees. He was not marrying to fulfill his father’s wishes. He wasn’t doing it for any reason other than he wanted to. He hastened his footsteps, wanting to get to Janice as fast as he could.
Janice spent the time waiting for Arthur pacing the room. She could not sit still or distract herself with books or playing the piano. She was too wound up. She knew her father would not refuse them – why would he after all? But she was still nervous. Luckily, no one else sought her out because she would have been too distracted to pay attention to them.
* * *
The door burst open and she turned, holding her breath expectantly. Arthur stared at her from the doorway, his face flushed, eyes bright and red as though he’d been crying. Her own eyes widened and her heart began to race.
* * *
What if her father had said no?
* * *
She held out her hands and he came to her, clasping them tightly in his as he looked into her eyes. “Lady Janice Raven, would you do me the honor of agreeing to be my wife?”
* * *
Her shoulders dropped in relief. “Yes!” she expelled an explosive breath. “You scared me for a moment. I thought perhaps…” she shook her head dismissively. “Never mind.”
* * *
He smiled. “I wish us to make an announcement tonight. Is that too soon do you think? I want to invite you all to dine with me.”
* * *
Janice nodded slowly. “I think that’s perfect and not at all too soon.”
* * *
“But first…” he hesitated, looking into her eyes.
* * *
“What?”
* * *
“Will you come with me and meet my mother?”
* * *
She smiled wide. “Of course. Let me get my coat and we can go.”
* * *
He nodded. “I’ll wait here.”
* * *
She looked at him intently and then leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. She made to pull back but he pulled her back to him, running his tongue along her lips until she let him in and then kissing her so passionately that she was dizzy by the time he let her go. She swayed a bit, dazed, and he had to catch hold of her.
* * *
He grinned, though his face was also very flushed. “Are you alright?”
* * *
She nodded slowly. “I’m fine. E-excuse me.”
* * *
She staggered to the door, still feeling a bit weak about the knees, her lips tingling. She wanted to reach up and touch them but refrained. Quickly she hurried up to her room to retrieve her coat. She hoped to run into one of her sisters so that she could break the news but the corridors were empty of people. It was the middle of the morning and she knew everyone had their things that they liked to do before converging in the drawing room or the music room to embroider, play music or read.