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Her magnificent eyes shone with love, and Caspian silently thanked God for their destinies crossing. Sterling and Brockman, too for insisting he attend this house party.
Caspian braced himself for Brockman’s disapproval or anger.
Instead, his friend slapped him on the shoulder and, grinning like an inebriated buffoon, exclaimed, “Splendid. Just splendid. I suspected the two of you would get on famously.”
“Don’t think to take credit for my matchmaking, Brockman.” Lady Osborne turned a gimlet eye upon him before presenting her cousin with a victorious smile.
Lady Sewell’s expression screwed tighter than a goose’s hind end.
She was not pleased.
Too bloody bad.
“I would never presume to do any such thing, my lady.” Brockman shifted his attention to his wife. “My wife might deserve part of the credit, however.”
Mercy Brockman laughed.
Caspian took Corinna’s elbow, meaning to find an isolated corner of the mansion. “I haven’t actually proposed yet.”
Something he wanted to promptly remedy.
“What are you waiting for, Strathmore?” Lady Osborne didn’t bellow—heaven forbid she even raise her voice—but her words trumpeted around the drawing room nonetheless.
“Indeed,” chirped Garland Claiborne. “Propose, Lord Strathmore.”
“Here, here,” Sterling called, jollity in his tenor and amused gaze.
Caspian would deal with his smug friend later.
Rather than become annoyed or embarrassed, Corinna beamed. Her gaze never strayed from his, despite the curious onlookers.
“Did you have something you wished to ask me, Caspian?”
Caspian cupped her hands in his and drew her nearer.
“What do you think, Corinna? Would you consider taking this gruff social outcast who never thought to find love and make a future with him?”
In typical Corinna fashion, she cupped his cheek. “If you can take this wholly unsuitable hellion as your wife.”
“I can. Indeed, I can.” Caspian kissed her fingers, his heart running over with love, happiness, and gratitude.
She loved him. Him, the Blackhearted Baron.
Amid calls of felicitations, laughter, and gleeful clapping, Caspian kicked decorum to next January and kissed her. Really kissed her. The only lady to ever touch his heart.
