Swallowing back her tears, she turned to the musicians. At her cue, they struck three loud notes. The guests obediently quieted as Aaron took Clara’s hand and walked her out to the center of the ballroom. After the obligatory welcome speech, brother and sister would dance together for the opening number. Except as Aaron began to speak, Clara waved her hello, then drifted back into the crowd.
How odd.
It was hard for Lilah to hear from up here, though Aaron’s voice carried relatively well. He thanked everyone for coming, said something about the drink a guest was imbibing that made everyone laugh, and then he turned toward the upper gallery. Obviously, he meant to direct the musicians to begin, but instead of doing that, he called out very loudly.
“There is someone especially whom I wish to bring to your attention. She has been invaluable in assisting my sister in the preparations for today’s events, but more than that, she has been of special significance to me. Miss Rees, could you come down here please?”
What?What?
This was his night. He’d been fully settled with his title today and tonight was his celebration. Whyever would he want to taint that by publicly acknowledging her, a known bastard? But there was no help for it now. She had to come down from the upper deck. She had to maneuver her way through the entire crowd while he continued to speak.
“And while the lady comes down from her perch, I should like to enumerate some of the wonders I have learned of her. We first met when she became close friends with my sister Clara. In that time, I’ve noticed such wonderful things about her. Her beauty, of course, is clear to everyone. But she is also clever enough to match wits with me and my sister. No small feat when it comes to Clara.”
Chuckles sounded from all around at that. Clara said, “Exactly right.”
“Then I began to discover her many virtues.”
It was fortunate she was out of hearing for much of what he said because she could not be called “virtuous” in any traditional sense. But she heard enough. He called her industrious, kind, and chaste. That last had her blushing to a bright red.
By the time she made it to his side, he had set her up to sound like the Madonna herself, and Lilah’s face was burning with embarrassment. Such overwhelming admiration was unnecessary though she did appreciate his full-throated support of her character. That would help at the registry office and would certainly ease her family’s concern about her staying in Aaron’s household. But it was time for this speech to end. He was not at the House of Lords. She was not one of the veterans in need of government support. She was a woman who was unused to such focused attention. And so she said to him in an undertone.
“My lord, please stop. This is most unusual.”
“Yes, it is,” he said as he turned to look at her. “But I have not come to the most important part.” He gazed at her with a warmth that made her toes curl. “I meant to do this earlier, but then I realized that my first act as an earl should be to claim my countess.”
He sank down to one knee before her. She saw it happening, and her mind stuttered at the sight. He couldn’t possibly be proposing to her. In public! And yet as she gaped at him, he continued speaking.
“Lilah, I have lately been reminded that an earl should be an example of the best. I have failed in that. I didn’t see the good work you do at the registry office. I didn’t value your character as equal to my own when you are really so much better than I. And most of all, I didn’t understand that love means letting you choose your path in all things. Even after we’re married. But I vow to give you everything you want, my love, including my respect. If only you will make me the happiest man on earth. Say you will be my bride.”
This couldn’t be happening. On the day when she had finally accepted that she had a full life without her greatest dream, here was Aaron offering her everything. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t breathe. And yet her heart was bursting.
He loved and respected her! Finally, he had said it to her. And not just to her but to an entire ballroom of people of theton!
“Aaron,” she managed to whisper. He looked at her with love shining through his eyes, and she formed her answer, but she didn’t give it breath. She couldn’t. Not with a loud Scottish voice interrupting them.
“Wait! Wait! Miss Rees, you must hear me first.”
She looked up just as Clara cried out. “Liam! You’re back?”
“Loughton,” Aaron snapped. “What the devil are you doing?”
The crowd parted just enough for Lord Loughton to push through. He was waving a piece of paper in front of him. “My apologies. My lord. Miss Rees. I came as quickly as I could.”
“Can’t it wait?” asked Aaron. He was still down on one knee and looking like he wanted to punch the Scotsman.
“Not really. Well, it could, but…” He took a deep breath. “Miss Rees, you should know that you have a sizable inheritance. It was given specifically to your mother and then to any child of hers.”
“What?” she gasped.
He passed her the piece of paper. She glanced at it, but she could not understand one word of it. The words were clear enough, but her head was spinning. “Please explain,” she said.
“Lord Kittrel mentioned to me about the letters from Scotland that were sent to your mother. He asked me to investigate from the Scottish side, if I could.”
Aaron huffed out a breath. “But I didn’t ask you to give us the results now. In the middle of my proposal!”
“Er, no. Of course not. But if she found out afterwards, she’d never know if you proposed out of love or because of—”
“Her money,” finished Clara as she clapped her hands. “Of course. Very clever of you.”