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“And is there anything else I can get you, Lord Frasemere?”

“Please, Mrs. Kinley, call me ‘Ernest,’” he said brightly as he helped himself to another slice of cake.

The housekeeper beamed. “I must say, I was a spot worried about you when you first arrived—”

Not the sort of thing one liked to hear.

“—but you’ve been ever so good with the family, you have,” continued Mrs. Kinley, carefully placing the sugar bowl beside the milk jug on the console table beside the sofa where Ernest sat. “And I hope you’ll be with us for a long time.”

She bustled out of the drawing room before Ernest could say anything, but a smile slid onto his face as he sat in the cozy silence.

A long time.

Well, he would be.

Oh, he and Gwen had not precisely discussed it. They had not had much time to discuss anything; getting his clothes back on hadn’t been too difficult, but he had greatly underestimated just how complicated it was to affix his lover back into her many layers. They had been left with two ribbons left over, which had been a mite disconcerting, but Gwen’s clothes had thankfully remained on as they’d returned to the ballroom, cheerfully telling the Dowager Viscount and Viscountess of Pernrith that they had been playing cards with friends in the side room.

It had been a lie, but Ernest had not been prepared to admit to the truth.

Precisely when they would tell Gwen’s family, Ernest did not know. He did know the four of them had gone out for a family walk in Hyde Park after luncheon, an invitation that had been extended to him, but he had declined.

He had seen something in Gwen’s face that suggested that she wished to have her family to herself, and Ernest presumed it would be during that walk when she would explain her engagement to the Marquess of Ravenshurst was over.

Over.

“I-I told him that I couldn’t marry him, that I was breaking the engagement and that I was sorry…”

Ernest smiled to himself as he sat happily on the sofa, a cup of tea cooling on the console table as he enthusiastically attacked the slice of cake that the Pernriths’ housekeeper had brought him.

Gwen was no longer engaged to the Marquess of Ravenshurst. She was engaged to him.

Oh, the words hadn’t actually been said. They didn’t need to be. Had they not been utterly clear with their commitment to each other?

“I have found the person I want to be with. For the rest of my life. Why wouldn’t I want to be with you right now?”

Ernest sighed happily as he munched the delicious chocolate cake. True, there would be challenges. A dowry half the size than he needed was going to make the restoration of the Frasemere estate more difficult, but then, they could start the most vital works and leave the rest to the next generation.

His gut jolted. To their next generation. To their children.

Happiness washed over Ernest as he took another large bite of the chocolate cake. Truly, there was nothing that could diminish his happiness. Absolutely nothing. Nothing at—

“I’m sorry, m’lord, but there’s a visitor for the family and I thought he should wait for them,” said Mrs. Kinley, careering into the drawing room with pursed lips. “You see, I think I’ve—”

“Oh, show him in, Mrs. Kinley, do,” Ernest said jovially to the housekeeper, waving his cake fork genially. “The more the merrier!”

“But—”

“Can’t have a guest of the Pernriths waiting,” he added. “Please, show him in.”

Ernest took another mouthful of cake. It might be pleasant to get to know more of the Pernrith Chances’ acquaintance. After all, he was about to become part of the family. It was a good idea for him to get to know—

The Marquess of Ravenshurst walked into the drawing rom.

Ernest choked on his chocolate cake.

“Oh, dear,” said Lord Ravenshurst politely. “Bitten off more than you can chew?”

Eyes watering and gut roiling, Ernest forced down the dessert and rose to his feet. “Y-You!”