Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

S amuel yawned as the carriage rode through the cracks in the cobbled street leading up to Lord Worlington's home. He hadn't been able to get much sleep, and although he wished to, the last thing he wanted was for Nora to have any reason to believe that he would not be coming for her if he was delayed.

He would propose to her and make her his wife. He had thought about it all night. She made him happy, that much had been obvious from the very first night they spent together, when he had been so carried away that he barely noticed it had become day.

He loved her and would be happier to have her in his life than if she was married off to someone else.

The doors opened before he could knock as the butler stepped out. "Your Grace, His Lordship awaits you in his study."

Samuel followed after the butler to the study, where Timothy sat waiting for him, a large grin on his face.

"Your Grace," he said, walking towards him. "I'm glad you kept your word."

Samuel held back his glare as he looked around. "I want Lady Nora to be present for this."

Lord Worlington blustered. "I do not know why she has to be. It is not a woman's place to decide on these things. She merely had to accept your proposal, and I believe she accepted it when she was caught with you in such a compromising position."

Samuel grimaced as the man laughed disgustingly. He leveled him with a look that had his laughter turning into a cough.

"Of course, Your Grace, I'm sure she will be delighted to be present," the Viscount grumbled, reaching to ring for a maid.

"Yes, My Lord," the maid said in a subservient manner as she awaited his instruction.

"Fetch Nora," he said with a glower like a petulant child who was made to choose between his toys.

The maid returned with Nora before walking away. Samuel glanced at her, taking his time to make sure that there was not a single bruise on her. Satisfied, he nodded.

"Lady Nora, I am here to ask for your hand in marriage. Will you marry me?" he asked, ignoring Lord Worlington.

"Of course, she will. There is no other op?—"-"

"No, Your Grace. I do not wish to marry you," Nora said, cutting off the Viscount.

"What? What do you mean you do not wish to marry him? He has ruined your reputation, and it is only right that he takes responsibility for it," he shouted, pacing in front of her with a venomous look.

Samuel stared at her in shock. Much like the Viscount, he had expected her to say yes, especially after he had read her letter and knew that she loved him.

"Lady Nora, is there perhaps a reason why you do not wish to marry me?" he asked calmly.

Nora glared at the Viscount as he paced in front of her. She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had won. She would never let him win.

All night, she had been bothered by the fact that for the Viscount, this was only a business transaction, although she had not expected much from the man. However, knowing that Samuel wouldn't be happy if she were to agree to the marriage was another reason that stopped her from doing so.

No one would be happy other than Lord Worlington, and she refused to give him the pleasure, as she would never be happy knowing that she had trapped Samuel into a marriage he did not wish to be in.

"I know that you truly do not wish to be married, Your Grace, and I cannot be happy knowing that you are stuck in an unhappy marriage you do not wish to be in. How could anyone ever wish that on someone they claim to love?

I will not let you marry me because of a scandal, when I know that you do not love me," she finished.

"What are you on about, woman? What does it matter if he doesn't wish to be tied down? Shouldn't you have thought of that before you chose to meet in a secluded location and cause a scandal?" Timothy yelled, pointing a finger at her in anger.

"She accepts the proposal, Your Grace. She is merely in shock from all that happened last night," he said to Samuel, before turning to her, his face turning into that of the monster he truly was.

She took a step back as he advanced on her, his finger pointed at her. "You. Get out now."

Nora winced as she bellowed. She was used to the Viscount's rage, and yet something about the way he approached her seemed different, like a man who was near losing his marbles.

"If you would leave us, Lord Worlington. I should like to speak with the lady alone," Samuel said with barely restrained anger.

Nora watched the tick in his jaw as he glared at her stepfather. She waited for him to make his decision, her breath caught in her throat.

"This is not how things are meant to be done, Your Grace. This is a precarious situation, and I should be present for it," the Viscount blustered.

"And you will be when she has accepted my suit and is ready to proceed with the marriage. Not a moment longer," Samuel said, never budging on his decision.

He eyed the Viscount, who glared at both of them before walking out of the room.

Nora released the breath she did not realize she had been holding as the Viscount slammed the door shut behind him, mumbling as he went down the hallway. She waited until she could no longer hear him before turning to Samuel.

"I meant it when I said I have no intention of trapping you in a marriage you do not wish to be in. All Lord Worlington cares about is lining his pockets. However, that is of no importance to me. I will not jeopardize your happiness or freedom, even if it means I have a scandal attached to me."

"Nora," Samuel called, smiling at her, but she shook her head.

"No, Your Grace. I bid you to not be so familiar with me. You know that I love you. I cannot deny it, since you have read my confession. I cannot have you call me by my given name, not when I am about to lose you," she said, her voice shaking with the strength it took to not shed a tear.

"Nora," he called once more, his smile bigger.

"Why do you treat me this way?" she asked, a single tear rolling down her cheek.escaping from the dam she had built around her tears.

He reached for her, wiping it with his thumb. "You will not lose me, Nora. I am not here merely because I have ruined your reputation."

She gave a watery laugh. "I have already managed that on my own, Your Grace. You need not worry about it."

"I was up all night, thinking about this. About you and us. And I have come to only one conclusion. It is that I cannot do this without you. I love you, Nora. I cannot say for certain when I fell in love with you, but know that I speak truth when I say that I do."

He caressed her cheek, looking into her eyes. Nora gasped when she saw nothing but truth there.

"For the longest time, I was afraid that I would turn into a man like my father and hurt the people that I should love and protect." He laughed, moving away from her.

His face showed his pain as his mask crumbled. He was finally letting her see all of him. Not some part that he wished to show her before retreating into himself, but every single part of him. Her eyes filled once more with tears as he spoke.

"I still am afraid, and I do not know if there will ever come a time when I no longer fear turning into the man that he was, but with you by my side, I know that I can do anything and I can be anyone, even a man who is without fear."

He took her hands in his, caressing them softly as her breath caught in her throat. She had often tried to imagine how it would be when he told her he loved her and what it would feel like. However, she had not been able to imagine it.

She had never been able to convince herself that he would ever truly love her. Not now, and not ever. And yet here he was, choosing to face his fears and let go of the things that had kept him bound to the life that he had lived, just like she had let go of her hurts and fears to love him wholly and truly.

"I read all of the letter, not just the parts I looked at before we were caught," he said, making her laugh. "I read all of it, and I love you too. I love the color of your hair and the intensity in those beautiful green eyes. I love how fiercely loyal and protective you are towards those you love, and I love that you were willing to let me go if that was what it took to make me happy."

"

You are a better person than I am, Nora. I am selfish and flawed, and I cannot imagine life without you. So, although I should oblige you, I simply cannot, and I hope that you will come to love me for my flaws as well, as I will love you for yours. Although I cannot think of anything that is flawed about you."

Nora sobbed softly, going into his arms as he pulled her close. She had come to accept the fact that much like her mother, she was doomed to have a love that would go unrequited and would only lead to her ruin, but now it was clear that that was not to be.

He had said that he would defy his nature for her, and she was ready to do the very same for him, no matter how long it took her to unlearn and let go of the hurts.

"I have the letter here with me. I do believe it has become my favorite thing," he said, making her blush.

Nora hid her face in embarrassment as Samuel teased her, threatening to read the letter to her until she accepted his proposal.

He pulled away from her and smiled warmly. "Say you will marry me, Nora. There is no one else I want to be with. I cannot imagine my life without you in it, not after I've had a taste of what a good life we will have together."

Nora nodded. "I will marry you."

Samuel smiled, handing her a box. She opened it to find a beautiful emerald ring that matched the color of her eyes. She gasped as she looked up at him, tracing the beautifully cut stone.

"It has been in my family for so long, passed down from Duke to Duke when we meet the women we wish to marry. I cannot think of a more fitting person to wear this ring," he said.

Nora's eyes watered as she offered him her finger. He slid the ring on her. He kissed it on her finger, smiling at her.

He lifted her chin with a finger and then kissed it, smiling at her.

He tilted her chin up, lowering his lips to meet hers in a kiss that had her toes curling.

Nora parted her lips to welcome his as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He pecked her on the lips once more before pulling away, a smile on his face that matched the one on hers.