“Why?”
A beat passed before he placed his forehead softly against hers, and another passed before he answered her. “I can’t lose you, Honoria.”
“I understand. That’s why I had to do something for Phoebe. I would also die if I lost a friend.”
“A friend? Is that what you think you are to me, Honoria?”
Her heart throbbed inside of her chest, expanding, wrestling itself, fighting the urge to bust out of its self-imposed cage of defeat.
“I don’t know, Dermont. We’ve always been friends.”
“So we have.” His eyes squeezed shut, while one hand cupped her jaw and the other dropped to her waist. “But we’re more than that now.” His exhale warmed her cheek. “I have never witnessed a greater act of love than what you did for my sister. You’ve opened my eyes, and I feel like I’m finally seeing the real you. All of you.” His hands ran up and down her ribs. “I thought you were a pushover, but you’re anything but. You’re fierce. And your love is fierce. I thought you didn’t take anything seriously. But now I realize that you just pick your moments—and by God, they are significant moments.”
Both the heat from his hands and the warmth of his words seeped into her soul, and she couldn’t prevent the soft sniffle.
“Don’t cry, Honoria.” He swept a finger across her cheek. “You have been a genuine friend, but now you’re so much more to me. I love you, Honoria.”
Wait. What did he just say? Her head, in a fog, couldn’t drive in a straight line from thought to reasoning.
“Did you hear what I said, love?”
“Uh. Huh.”
“Because you haven’t said anything. Not that I’m expecting—”
“I love you, too.”
Her heart thumped out an erratic beat.
“Are you sure—”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything. I just…couldn’t let myself hope.” Her head dropped for a moment, but staring at the ground for a moment let her regain her composure.
“Let yourself hope. Let yourself dream. Let yourself love, Honoria. I’ll be here for every moment of it.”
And with that, he kissed her. Her heart flooded with happiness. Happiness for herself. Not just for those around her. Not just for him. But for herself. To have found something truly for herself. It was almost too much to bear, but bear it she would.
And it wasn’t hard to do at all. It was actually quite freeing.
Epilogue
“Ooooh!” Several—seven to be exact—voices cooed just as Dermont lifted his petit four to Honoria’s lips. Not letting them, or Dermont’s scowl, deter her, she sealed her lips around his fingers and took the delicious treat in her mouth.
“We are so happy for you,” gushed Celeste. “Just look at you two.” She pointed back and forth between the two.
“And did you hear about the new addition to the family, Dermont?” Rosamund asked teasingly.
Honoria felt his gaze drop to her stomach and then fly back to her face. “Are you—”
“Oh no, not that,” she laughed nervously.
Rosamund explained with a smile tugging on her lips. “Phoebe is now the proud mother of two ferrets. She acquired Byron after they locked up Lord Tolfolk.”
“Good riddance,” Dermont muttered.
“Yes. And through it all you got yourself a duke, Honoria. It looks like our plan worked better than we thought,” Georgiana smirked.
“Plan?” Dermont eyed the sisters.