Page 81 of The Mistletoe Dare

He set her carefully down on the settee and pointed a finger at her. “Don’t move,” he ordered, before hurrying out of the room.

Georgie fidgeted, impatient now, but he returned a moment later, holding a small wicker basket with flaps to cover it, like a picnic basket. He sat down beside her and placed the basket in her lap. It meowed.

“Well, you’d best open it,” he said, watching her with anticipation.

Georgie lifted the flap and a pure white kitten with a blue bow around its neck poked its head out. It gave a pitiful mewl and climbed out into her lap.

“Oh!” she said, enchanted. “Oh, Rochford.”

“I didn’t really mean to make a hat lining out of them. And,” he added reluctantly, “they were adorable.”

Georgie stroked the kitten’s soft head and sniffed.

“Oh, you’re not going to cry again, are you?”

She nodded as the kitten crawled out of her lap and made a beeline for Rochford. It climbed up his coat, mewling at him.

“No, you daft creature. You’re for her. She’s the one who’ll love you.”

“So are you, you big fraud,” Georgie said softly.

Rochford waved this away and unhooked the kitten from his coat, turning it to face her. “You’ve not petted it enough,” he complained. “You were supposed to find the key.”

“What… Oh.” Georgie noticed that a little key dangled from the ribbon about the kitten’s neck. Grinning at Rochford, she undid the ribbon and retrieved the key, staring at him expectantly.

“In the basket,” he said, sighing as the kitten settled itself in his lap, purring loud enough to wake the dead.

Georgie rummaged beneath the blanket lining the basket and found a small box with a tiny brass lock. With an exclamation of excitement, she undid the lock and opened the box, and gasped.

“Oh, Alden,” she said. “Oh, now I really am going to turn into a watering pot.”

“Do you like it?”

“I love it,” she whispered, taking out the delicate brooch. It was a sprig of mistletoe, the leaves studded with diamonds, with three perfect little pearls in place of the berries.

“I’ll always have three more kisses, so long as you have that,” he said.

Georgie turned to look at him. “You can have all my kisses.”

His breath caught, and he smiled at her. “I passed, then.”

She nodded, her heart skipping as he took her hand in his. His thumb stroked nervously back and forth over her skin, and he swallowed hard. When he spoke, his voice was a little unsteady.

“Georgie, you’ll going to have to teach me a great deal, but I’m ready to learn. I’ll do my best for you, love. I’ll be the best husband I can be, and I’ll keep you safe. I’ll honour you, and do everything I can to make you happy, if you would do me the great honour of becoming my wife.”

Georgie tried to speak, but no words would come out, so she simply nodded.

“Yes?” he said breathlessly.

She nodded again, and then, just in case he was still uncertain. She kissed him.

Chapter 21

Ladies,

I hope you are all prepared for my elevation to such giddy heights. I will, of course, expect you to genuflect at every opportunity, now I am no longer counted among the lesser mortals.

Oh, good heavens! It’s utterly ridiculous, I know, but today I shall become a duchess. I’m terrified. Sick with nerves, and so very happy I could burst.