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33
Tricia said nothing for what seemed like the longest time.
Was she thinking of denying him?
Had he been right in the first place? That her feelings for him were simply a childhood fantasy?
“Sweetheart?”
She smiled, and it was the sweetest, most dazzling smile he’d ever seen. “Thomas, do you mean it?”
“My lovely, I never say anything I don’t mean. I love you, Tricia. I want to marry you. I want you to be my countess.”
“Oh, my darling Thomas, I’ve loved you for so long. But my depth of love has increased a hundredfold since we’ve been here at this party. Just being with you. Getting to know you better. And then… You rescued me… I’d have died last night, Thomas, if?—”
He held up a hand to stop her from speaking. “Let’s not talk of that, sweetheart. I can’t bear the thought of it. But Tricia, my angel…”
“Yes, my darling?”
“You haven’t answered my question. Will you marry me, Tricia?”
She clutched at her chest. “Of course I will, Thomas. I shall marry you. I shall marry you today if you’d like.”
He smiled at her. She was so beautiful, so full of life. And oh, how he loved her.
In his right hand, which had somehow been spared from the fire, he held his mother’s betrothal ring. The seven-carat diamond had been in the Ashford family for several centuries and had been worn by every Countess of Ashford since then.
He held it out to her. “Then wear this ring, Tricia. The ring that was worn by my mother before you, and by my grandmother before her. And you shall be the mother of the next earl.”
Tricia held out her left hand, shaking as Thomas placed the ring on her finger. It was slightly loose.
“It’s a good thing my sister and brother-in-law brought Mr. Lawson with them,” Thomas said. “He will be able to fit the ring, and then I don’t ever want you to take it off.”
Tricia clamped the ring between her middle and small fingers, admiring the sparkling diamond. “I shall never take it off, Thomas. That I can promise you.” Tricia leaned down and then brushed her lips softly over his.
Even in his current state, his cock grew hard. If her mother weren’t right outside the door, he’d?—
Well, no chance for that. Probably not until their wedding night.
But he could wait.
Tricia was fine, and he was fine, and they had all the time in the world.
Lady Clementine peeked through the door. “Tricia, I’m sure the earl needs his rest now.”
Tricia jumped off the bed, showing her mother her left hand. “Look, Mummy. Thomas and I are going to be married! I have my heart’s desire.”
Lady Clementine smiled. “Congratulations to both of you. I hope you’re as happy as Colton and I were.”
“We shall be, Mummy. I just know it. Did you know about this?”
She nodded. “Thomas spoke to Cam earlier this morning.”
Tricia turned back to Thomas. “You said you needed to see me before you saw anyone else.”
“A little white lie, my love.” He winked at her. “I needed your brother’s blessing. But you were the one I wanted most in the world to see.”
“We should take our leave now,” Lady Clementine said again. “The earl really must rest.”
