Page 31 of The Lady Loves A Scandal

Her brother scrutinized Gideon from head to toe before returning his gaze to her. “Love—his or yours—is not what is in dispute here.”

“Then, what?” Sybil’s heart splintered at the thought of being separated from Gideon once more.

“It was I who had to comfort you when Lord Galway cried off and disappeared—“

“He did not cry off,” Charles scoffed.

Silas turned his narrowed stare to Charles, his severe look quieting the man. “It was Mallory, my wife, who stood outside Sybil’s door every night and listened to her cry herself to sleep.” He turned to Sybil. “As your brother, your protector, I never want another to harm you. I will not stand silently aside again and allow any man—or woman—to speak ill of you, to fail you, to…abandon you!

“I am your brother, damn it. It is my duty to protect you from injury.”

Sybil’s hopes crashed as Gideon stepped from her side. Was he accepting defeat? Was he resigned to allow Silas to dictate their future? No matter how misguided his intentions were…

“Silas, please…”

“Let him speak,” Gideon whispered close to her ear.

Gideon hadn’t abandoned her, only moved to stand behind her as his hands now rested on her shoulders.

She didn’t want to listen to Silas list all the reasons Sybil shouldn’t love and wed Gideon. Her brother’s reasoning mattered not a whit to Sybil. She knew her heart. She had witnessed Gideon’s pure love.

And that was enough for her.

“Before tonight, I was against you wedding Lord Galway. Not because I feared the sincerity of his love, but because I could not trust him to be there when you needed him most,” Silas sighed. “I will not always be close at hand to make certain you are well, that your children are cared for by a loving father. And that, rightfully, concerned me. As your brother and guardian, it is my responsibility to make certain you are wedded to a fine man, an honorable male, someone who will put you first forevermore.”

“I am past the age of needing—“

Silas held up his hand to halt her words. “Until this night, only a short time ago, I truly believed that man was not Lord Galway; however, after witnessing the lengths the viscount was willing to go to in order to protect a friend, I believe he would do the same for you—perhaps better than I.”

Sybil’s shoulders trembled, her hands rising to rest on Gideon’s at her shoulders. “Are you saying…?”

“He has agreed to our marriage, Sybil,” Gideon murmured in her ear.

She turned to face Gideon, her hands landing on her hips as she stared up at him. “How long have you known?”

“We discussed it outside as we made certain the men departed.” Gideon smiled, and her irritation fled as warmth filled her. “The contracts will be drawn up in the morning, and we are to sign them by midday.”

Sybil could barely believe what she was hearing. She and Gideon were to wed—with her brother’s blessing.

“Good thing you’ve seen reason, Lichfield,” Charles grumbled. “If I know anything about Gideon, it is that he will go to the ends of the Earth for those he loves.”

“And I do love you, Sybil.” Gideon’s stare held hers, and he leaned down, placing a chaste kiss to her lips. “I am, here and now, making it my life’s mission to prove to you, each and every day, that I love you.”

“I never doubted your love,” she confessed.

Sybil could not look away from Gideon. Every secret, every concern, every doubt had been exposed. There was nothing and no one who could stand in the way of their happiness.

“I think it best we depart,” Charles’ voice sank through Sybil’s supremely happy musings.

“Not quite yet,” Silas answered. “Galway, I trust I can expect you to arrive at the appointed time tomorrow?”

“Nothing will keep me from finishing what I started,” Gideon said, his stare never leaving hers. “Above my honor and my duty, it is my heart that is forever pledged to you, Lady Sybil.”

“I love you, Gideon.”

Sybil vaguely heard a door closing behind them as her brother and Charles left; however, when Gideon’s lips pressed to hers once more, she was helpless to think of anything but the man she loved.

Sybil could admit that she loved a scandal, and no scandal would capture society’s attention more than the betrothal of Lady Sybil Anson to Viscount Galway.