Chapter Twenty-Five

"Temperance?"

Hearing Lord Calverton's voice, Temperance turned at once and then hurried across the room towards him, her paint smeared hands outstretched. "Lord Calverton. Is there any hope?" She took in his expression, seeing the smudges of tiredness around his eyes, the seriousness etched into his face though, once his hands were holding hers tightly, and he smiled.

Instantly, relief flooded through Temperance as she took in his expression. "There is hope?"

"Yes, there is," he told her, quietly. "My dear Temperance, your father, Lord Thurston and I found ourselves in company with Lord Barlington last evening, though he was too much in his cups to recognise us. He said a great deal – words that I will not bring myself to repeat here – but it was enough. Your father understands everything now, as do Lord Thurston and myself." His fingers tightened on hers again. "Would you truly have given up your freedom – your life – for me?"

She nodded. "I could not have you injured," she answered, her voice a little hoarse. "I wanted to do nothing other than protect you. To protect all of you."

"But you would have lost so much," he said, looking straight down at her, his eyes searching hers. "You would have given up your whole life."

With a small, soft smile, Temperance pressed her fingers through his. "It would have been worth it to know that everyone I cared for, everyone I loved, was safe."

Lord Calverton's eyebrows lifted a little and Temperance's heart leapt, realizing what it was she had said. Did she love Lord Calverton? Yes, she cared for him and certainly, the affection within her heart had grown significantly these last few days… but did that mean she loved him?

"You do really care for me, do you not?" he asked, his voice filled with a tenderness which made her blush.

"Yes," she answered, not willing to hold the truth back from him. "Yes, I do. "

Lord Calverton let out a long, slow breath though he smiled at her thereafter, making her realize that he was very glad indeed to hear those words from her lips.

"You cannot know how glad I am to hear that," he murmured, quietly. "Lady Temperance, there is something that I must ask you. You see, once your father, Lord Thurston and I stood outside together, your father suggested that there was only one way to make certain that Lord Barlington could never force your hand in such a way again. It is a suggestion which may come as something of a surprise to you, but I can assure you that my own heart is more than contented with the idea."

A flickering frown went across Temperance's forehead. "What do you mean?"

Lord Calverton looked away, licking his lips. "Well," he began, slowly, turning his gaze back towards her, "if we were to… and that is not to say that I do not want to, for the truth is, I want this very much and I know that it is rather sudden but all the same, I – " He came to a sudden stop, his lips bunching as he gazed back at her. "Temperance," he said, his voice now steady. "I want to marry you."

It was as though all of the air from the room had been sucked out in one go, leaving her feeling a little light-headed and breathless. Her hands tightened on his, her eyes wide as shock lodged in her chest.

"I know that it is sudden, that it is a great shock," Lord Calverton continued, speaking a little more quickly now, "but it is a way to save you from all that Lord Barlington has threatened. But more than that, Temperance, it is because I want to do this that I bring the proposal to you. I truly do desire to have you as my wife. I think that you are the most beautiful, the most delightful, the most incredible young lady and to have been given the opportunity to meet you, to know you and to fall in love with you is a joy that I am truly grateful for." He took another step closer to her, so there was barely an inch between them. "Temperance, I want nothing more than to heal the pain that Lord Barlington has caused you. I want to be able to take all the darkness he has left you with and throw it aside, filling that space in your heart with light instead. I want to give you the life and the future that you deserve, to offer you companionship, love and happiness in a life shared together. I want to do all of this for you, Temperance, because I care for you. I am falling in love with you and to have you as my wife would be a blessing beyond measure."

Temperance let out a ragged gasp, only for Lord Calverton's eyes to flare, perhaps concerned that she was much too shocked, too overwhelmed to respond. He released her hands and made to take a step back, perhaps worried that she was going to refuse him, only for Temperance to throw her arms around his neck.

Her heart was screaming with joy, tears of happiness beginning to drip down her cheeks. She let out a half laugh, half sob as his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her close to him.

"You are not upset about my question, are you?" he murmured in her ear, sounding relieved. "I must hope that this means you are going to accept?"

"Of course I am going to accept!" She cried, unable to pull herself away from him for fear that her heart would completely and utterly explode should she look into his eyes. "I cannot quite believe that you have asked me to marry you! I did not think that I would ever be given such an opportunity again – and certainly not from someone who cares for me in the same way as I care for them!"

"And I thought you were more than contented as a spinster," he told her, making her laugh as she leaned back just a little, though she did not loosen her arms from around his neck. "I was afraid that you might reject me for your life here is just as you like it."

Temperance shook her head. "No, you misunderstood me when I spoke. It is not that I was contented as I was for I have been full of sadness and grief, though I have found a solace here which has been a great benefit to me. I spoke so because I did not believe for a single moment that a gentleman might ever look at me in such a way."

Lord Calverton tilted his head. "Because of your scar?"

She nodded. "Lord Barlington rejected me because of it. He told me, in no uncertain terms, that I was flawed, damaged and broken and he could never consider having such a young lady on his arm as his wife. Therefore, I believed that all gentlemen would feel the same way about someone who is not perfect, as they ought to be. "

With a gentle hand, Lord Calverton ran one finger lightly down her scar, his eyes going to it. Temperance did not feel a single iota of fear, did not pull her face away from him as he did so. Nor did she feel any shame as his eyes returned to hers. Lord Calverton knew everything about what had happened, he looked at her scar but he did not really see it, not in the way that Lord Barlington and even her own family did.

"I think that you are beautiful." His hand ran down to the curve of her throat, leaving sparks behind his fingers as he let his touch run down her shoulder and then all the way down her arm to capture her hand again. "Your eyes capture my very soul. Your lips beg for me to kiss them. The sweetness of your smile thrills me. The nearness of you sets my whole being aflame."

She trembled lightly at the fervency of his words.

"I want to marry you so that I can have the privilege of calling you my wife for the rest of my days," he finished, making her heart sing. "You will not have to give up your life and your future for the wickedness of one supposed gentleman. You will have happiness and love and joy, Temperance. I swear that to you."

"Then how could I do anything other than accept?" she whispered, her heart so full, she could barely contain the ecstasy which filled her. "Oh, Calverton, you have answered my wildest dreams – dreams I did not know I could even permit myself to have! Yes, I will marry you. I will marry you this day if you can manage it!"

He laughed and, catching her up in his arms again, kissed her gently. She responded at once, her arms tight around his neck, her fingers threading through his hair. It was a soft, sweet kiss but there were still traces of heat at the edges, sending a gentle trembling through her.

"I presume that my niece has agreed then?"

Temperance broke from Lord Calverton's kiss with a start, fire reaching up to burn in her cheeks as her aunt smiled at her from the doorway.

"Your father told me everything before he quit the house," she said, her eyes holding lingering tears. "I cannot believe that you would be so generous as to give yourself up to save everyone else – but then again, given that I know your sweet nature and gentle character, I should not be surprised." She came a little further into the room. "Your father has taken your mother with him to fetch a Special License. You will be able to marry within the week."

"He has gone to London?" Temperance blinked quickly. "But surely a Common License would have done just as well, though we might have had to wait a few days longer?"

Lord Calverton smiled. "Ah, but in going to London, your father is able to make a few particular remarks to a few particular people." His smile grew as Temperance gazed at him, not understanding. "Lord Barlington has hidden himself from London because he does not want anyone to know of his impoverished state. Your father, in making his way there, will have opportunity to tell everyone what he knows of Lord Barlington now, as well as give the ton the promise that his words can be verified by Lord Thurston, by another gentleman by the name of Sir Jeffries and by myself. So, when the time comes for Lord Barlington to understand that you and I are already wed and he cannot gain what he desires, he will, no doubt, state that he will carry out what he has already threatened."

"But by that time, the ton will already have heard everything that the Duke of Danfield has said and, no doubt, some creditors might appear also, confirming what has been said of Lord Barlington's impoverished state," her aunt finished. "He can do and say all that he wants, but the majority of the ton will not believe him."

Temperance let out a breath, warmth enveloping her. "And so we will be safe."

"Yes, my darling," Lord Calverton murmured, coming close to her again despite her aunt's presence. "We will be safe, forever."

She turned to him, her eyes alight with happiness, their fingers intertwining again. "Then all we have to do is wait."

"Yes, you do," her aunt stated, breaking Temperance's intimate moment with her betrothed apart. "But I am still here to be your chaperone, my dear!" She laughed as Temperance's expression grew a little frustrated. "Though I have some further news for you, which I think will lift your spirits even more."

"Oh?"

Lady Hartford smiled. "Your father took your mother with him, as I told you. However, he assured me that by the time they returned, your mother would understand completely all that has taken place and would be, as he insisted, more than glad at the marriage which is to take place." Her expression softened. "I do not think for a moment that your mother meant any ill in pushing you towards Lord Barlington, my dear. I think that she wanted her daughter to marry the very highest title that could be reached and she did not have any knowledge of Lord Barlington's true character."

Temperance nodded. "I understand that, Aunt, and I am glad to hear that my mother might return with a happier countenance." She recalled how she had been forced to stay in company with Lord Barlington, forced into the conversation where she had been threatened with such awful things if she did not do as was asked. She did not believe for a moment that her mother would ever have wanted that for her.

"What if Lord Barlington returns to the house?" Lord Calverton asked, looking to Lady Hartford. "We must wait until the Duke returns with the Special License which will be some days, but what shall we do if he comes to call, if he demands to see Temperance?"

Lady Hartford shrugged. "I will simply make the excuse that Temperance is unwell and cannot have company. Believe me, Lord Calverton, I can make certain that he does not set foot into this house!"

"Though that does mean that you will have to remain indoors until your father returns, Temperance," Lord Calverton said, looking back at her. "I know how much you love walking along the cliffs and the shoreline. Will you be able to refrain from such a thing?"

She laughed, an idea for a painting coming to her. She knew exactly what she could do during these few days. She adored painting the outside landscapes, she thought there was nothing better than standing out at the shoreline, sketching the ever changing waves and clouds but now, standing with Lord Calverton, Temperance finally saw something even more wonderful. She had once drawn him standing on the shore, albeit without realizing what she was doing, but now she had time, opportunity and inclination to draw him just as she was. These next few days, she would think only of him, would sketch only his profile, would paint only his features. It would be her wedding gift to him – and, mayhap, she might paint him one new painting every year. That would be her way of showing her affection for him, showing him how much he had come to mean to her. In an instant, the thought of being alone with only her paints seemed an excellent one. "Yes, I think I shall be able to endure it, Lord Calverton, especially in light of what is waiting for me in only a few days' time." Her hand squeezed his. "Though will you be able to make preparations for the wedding without me? If I am to be ill, then it is not as though I can go running about the house and the grounds for fear that Lord Barlington might spy me somehow. He can be very determined when he wants and his suspicions might very well grow despite Lady Hartford's insistence that I am too unwell to see him. He is well aware that I do not want to wed him and is more than likely to see that this is an excuse."

Lord Calverton nodded. "Of course, do not fear about such things. Your aunt and I can arrange everything, I am sure." He looked to Lady Hartford who smiled her agreement. "I can hardly wait for that day, Temperance."

Sighing gently, she leaned into him again, wishing that her aunt were not present. "Nor can I, Lord Calverton. I already know that it will be the happiest day of my life."