Chapter 21

Adam hadn't been happy about letting Maggie confront Ben first, but she had wanted to talk to him before they grabbed him. That was why nobody had jumped him when Ben entered the stables and went into Jasper's stall.

Now he was watching the pair arguing, their voices reaching him from where he was hiding. Adam wanted to go out there and confront Ben himself, especially when he heard that he was planning on burning the house down with everyone inside.

Ben was too far gone to be reasoned with. Adam could see that now. And from the change in Maggie's tone, she knew it as well.

Suddenly, just as Ben reached out to grab his sister, Maggie knocked the lantern aside and hurried to Jasper, tugging him back to the stables. Jasper wasn't happy, although he was mostly going along with what Maggie was doing. Then Ben got his balance back, the lantern dropped on the ground with the candle having gone out, and he launched himself at Maggie. As he grabbed her, Maggie screamed.

Adam couldn't wait any longer. He charged at Ben and tackled him to the ground. They landed in a heap, and Adam managed to pin him down. As Ben tried to get up, Adam took a swing at his face. His fist caught Ben in the mouth, and pain shot through Adam's hand.

But it had the desired effect, and Ben was knocked back onto the grass with a heavy thud. As he lay there in a daze, Maggie screamed again. Adam looked around to see Maggie still holding onto Jasper's reins, and Jasper was now beginning to rise onto his hind legs, almost lifting Maggie off her feet.

"Maggie!"

Adam scrambled up as Flynn appeared and caught Maggie around the waist just as her toes were coming off the ground. He untangled her hands from the reins and set her to one side.

"Step back, Miss Maggie. I've got this."

Stumbling, Maggie almost fell. Adam grabbed her and held her close, clutching her tightly as his heart raced. He knew how powerful Jasper was, which was why the grown stable hands were the only ones who could handle him. He could have thrown Maggie into the air, and she could have got badly hurt.

Maggie whimpered, clutching onto him as she shook. Adam didn't want to let her go, not with Jasper trying to yank Flynn around the courtyard. He pulled her towards the far wall, leaning against it as Flynn finally managed to calm Jasper down, whispering something as he patted the horse's neck.

Meanwhile, Morrison and one of the burlier footmen were hauling Ben to his feet, Ben moaning as he came back to his senses. Adam tucked Maggie's face against his chest.

"Take him away," he said sharply. "Get him to Lord Bailey immediately. I don't want him on the premises."

"Yes, Your Grace."

Ben growled and started trying to pull away, but Morrison and the footman were a lot bigger than him, and he wasn't going anywhere. He caught Adam's eye and scowled, his nose dripping blood.

"You're not going to get away with this, Banbury," he hissed. "I'll make sure Lord Bailey knows about you as well."

"Good luck with that," Adam muttered. He glared at Morrison. "Why aren't you moving?"

"We plan to, Your Grace. Come along, Mr Hay."

"Let me go! No!"

Ben was still fighting as he was dragged away. Adam had arranged for a horse and carriage to be ready out of sight for when they captured Ben so they could take him away as soon as possible. Once he was gone, they could breathe a little easier, especially with Morrison escorting him. Ben wasn't going to get away from him.

Maggie was still trembling, and Adam stroked her hair.

"It's alright, Maggie. You're safe now."

"I thought I was doing fine," Maggie said quietly. She looked up at him, her face pale in the dim lighting. "But then Jasper got spooked and started lifting me off the ground …"

"I know. I should have had someone closer to you when that happened." Adam kissed her forehead. "You're safe now. Ben's going to be dealt with, and I'll make sure that Lord Bailey doesn't go too harshly on him."

"But … he was going to burn your house down. With your family inside." Maggie's bottom lip quivered. "If he had done that, I …"

"He didn't get that far. We made sure of that." Adam kissed her head again, resting his forehead against hers. "You're safe, my family's safe … that's all that matters, Maggie."

They were in front of everyone in the stable yard, although nobody seemed to be paying them any attention. Even then, Adam didn't care. He just wanted to hold Maggie again, especially after seeing her go through something so dangerous. Ben could have hurt her, or Jasper could have knocked her down and trampled her. But she was fine, albeit a little shaken. That was all Adam could ask for.

He just wished they hadn't gone through all of this because of her brother.

"Adam …" Maggie pressed her hands against his chest. "We're out in the open. You shouldn't be holding me like this in front of everyone."

"I don't care."

"What?"

"I said I don't care." Adam tilted her head towards him. "I love you, Maggie, and I want them to know."

"Adam …"

He kissed her, and Maggie stiffened. But she soon sank into his embrace, and for a moment, Adam forgot about where they were. He held onto her, hoping she wouldn't suddenly run away from him. He was fed up with not being able to have what he wanted.

As far as Adam was concerned, Maggie was what he needed in his life. And he didn't care what people thought about it. He wanted her.

Both of them were breathless when Adam broke the kiss. Maggie stared at him with wide eyes.

"You … you're incorrigible," she panted.

"Given everything that's happened, I don't care if anyone sees us." Adam brushed her hair away from her face. "I've spent too much time worrying about what people will think about me being in love with someone, and I'm fed up with it. I no longer want to hide it, and this escapade has shown me that life is too short."

"What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is it doesn't matter where we are in the social pecking order, I want to be with Maggie Hay." Adam swallowed. "I love you, which is important to me."

Maggie's mouth dropped open. She looked stunned.

"You … you really mean that? But what about everyone else?"

"You let me worry about that. I have a few people who can help us with that." Adam cupped her cheek in his hand. "I think you know by now that I always get what I want eventually. You don't have to worry about anything."

"That's the thing. I'm always going to worry." Maggie bit her lip. "It doesn't matter if we love each other, people are going to judge us. I've not been on that side of the social ladder, so to speak. What if I mess things up?"

Adam laughed and kissed her.

"You could never mess anything up. You're just perfect the way you are, Maggie."

"Are you serious about that?"

"Of course. I wouldn't say it otherwise." Adam kissed her softly. "You're still trembling. Let's get you inside and get you warm. Mother will have heard the screams, and I'm sure she's worried about you."

Maggie nodded, blinking back tears. Adam rubbed a thumb under her eye.

"Are those tears for your brother?"

"A bit. And for this." Maggie managed a smile. "This is still feeling surreal."

"It won't be surreal. Not for much longer," Adam promised.

Because he was going to ensure that Maggie had everything she could possibly want.

#

One Month Later

Maggie could feel people's eyes on them as they walked through the park. Adam always assured her that things would be fine and nobody would ruin their moment, but she still struggled with being out in public with Adam in a non-servant capacity.

It was going to take a while to get used to this.

"Darling, your hand is gripping my arm a little too hard." Adam chuckled as he laid a hand over hers. "You are going to leave bruises."

"Oh, forgive me," Maggie mumbled. She kept her eyes forward and down as a group of people approached them. "It's still very new to me."

"You'll be absolutely fine." Adam kissed her head, ducking under her parasol before it poked him in the eye. "Just keep your head high. You're good at maintaining yourself when you need to."

Maggie gave him a rueful look, which just made Adam's eyes twinkle. He kissed her forehead before ducking his head back out from under the parasol. As the small group of young ladies went past, their maids in tow, Maggie noticed a couple of the young ladies raise an eyebrow at her and look her up and down.

She was wearing a fine muslin gown that Lady Banbury insisted she be fitted for, and she looked more like a lady than a maid now. One of the other ladies sniffed and looked away with a snooty expression, but the maids all gave her an approving nod. That actually made Maggie feel better and she leaned into Adam.

"Although I'm not sure if you're supposed to display affection in public, Adam," she said with a sly smile. "Your mother said that you have to restrain yourself."

"I'm in love. Can you blame me if I want to kiss the woman I love?"

"I'm sure someone's going to tell you off doing it so much."

"So what? It's not their business." Adam winked. "They're just jealous that they don't have someone who's willing to show their affection in front of everyone else."

Maggie couldn't argue with that. At least Adam wasn't restrained. Now they had put this out in the open and told their respective families that he was more relaxed in how he behaved around her.

He wasn't outrageous to the point their parents were shocked, but he was happy to hold her hand in mixed company, kissing her fingers or a hand across the back of the settee behind her, his hand occasionally touching her back in a comforting gesture. Maggie liked it. Somehow, she found it soothing.

Her parents had been more than a little shocked when Adam broke the news to them, but Maria was less surprised than her husband. It appeared that she had suspected something for a while, and while she wasn't impressed by the social gap, Maria had admitted that she wasn't about to stop her daughter if they were willing to work through it.

She had warned Adam not to hurt their daughter, and Adam had taken it to heart. Maggie could imagine how her mother could hurt Adam if he did something she considered bad.

That was needed for Maggie during this new time. The news that a duke was courting a maid and was being shameless about it was a huge shock that had caused a tidal wave of outrage throughout the ton.

Some people found it a surprise but accepted it and were supportive – much to Maggie's surprise – but an overwhelming number of ladies and gentlemen condemned Adam for what he was doing. Adam didn't seem to care, though, so Maggie did her best not to be bothered, either.

He was being sensitive to her feelings, though. It wasn't as if he had thrown her into it immediately. Little by little, they had taken little excursions off the estate together. Something small that would build up Maggie's confidence.

Lady Banbury often accompanied them, and she was staunchly on Maggie's side if someone chose to speak up about it. To Maggie's bewilderment, the dowager duchess was absolutely formidable when she wanted to be. She wouldn't have anyone say a bad word against her son's young lady.

Maggie couldn't think of anyone she would rather have at her side during this. Lady Banbury was an incredible woman.

"By the way, I meant to ask," Adam said as they turned down a quieter part of the path, "have you heard from your brother?"

"I have." Maggie sighed. "He sent me a letter within a few days of being put in jail. He said that he was surprised at how comfortable things were for him and felt he didn't deserve any of this after what happened. I'm guessing you had something to do with that."

Adam shrugged.

"He's your brother. I wanted to be sure that he was made as comfortable as possible."

"But he tried to ruin your family. He even talked about killing you in a fire …"

"And he's also your brother, which means he's going to end up being my family soon. Besides, what he did was because of me. He wouldn't have ended up this way if it wasn't for me. It's only fair that I make it comfortable for him while he serves his time."

Maggie frowned.

"I'm surprised that you are prepared to do that for him. He could have …"

"But he didn't. And I want to look out for you and your family, even if he is a … well, you know …"

"I do know, but I'm still confused."

"You don't need to be confused." Adam tilted the parasol to one side and kissed her, pulling back with a smile. "Just know that I'm going to look after you and your family, and that includes your brother. Even if he's not willing to take my help."

Maggie had suspected that Ben was more confused than upset, but he would be taking advantage of it. Being in jail was hard on everyone, and if he got the chance to make it less harsh on himself, he would take it. Maggie knew him too well.

"Let's sit down here for a moment," Adam went on, gesturing at a nearby bench. "It seems to be the perfect place for you to sit and rest for a moment."

"Me? What about you?"

Adam grinned.

"I'll be fine."

Then Maggie realized what bench they were right beside. She remembered the day when they had been out here with Lady Phoebe, and Maggie had managed to get her to sit in some mess a pigeon had left behind. She couldn't help giggling.

"You're not going to ruin my dress, are you?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Never mind." Maggie made sure the bench was clear before she sat down, smoothing her skirts around her as she lowered her parasol. Then she noticed that Adam was still standing. "Are you not going to sit with me?"

"In a moment." Adam crouched before her and got something out of his pocket. "I've got something to give you first."

"Really?"

Then Maggie realized what Adam was doing. He had shifted onto one knee simultaneously as he opened the small box in his hand. Before she comprehended what he was up to, her mouth fell open at the sight of the sparkling ring nestled inside the box. It was beautiful. Simple, but clearly expensive. Maggie had never had anything as expensive as this in her life.

And Adam was showing it to her …

"Adam, what are you doing?" Maggie looked around, but there was no one around. "Are you doing what I think you're doing?"

"I love you, Maggie, and I know we've got our obstacles to overcome, but I think we're doing a fine job of it. I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend the rest of my life with. Will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

For a moment, Maggie lost the ability to speak. He was actually asking her to marry him? She couldn't believe it. But here he was, kneeling before her, holding out a ring.

He had to be out of his mind. And Maggie couldn't think of anyone she would rather be with. She smiled and flung her arms around his neck, almost knocking Adam backwards.

"Careful!" He laughed, holding her as he regained his balance. "I'm taking it that's a yes?"

"It's a yes." Maggie beamed as she pulled back. "I'll marry you."

Adam heaved a sigh of relief.

"Thank God for that. I thought you were going to say no with that look on your face."

"You did catch me by surprise." Maggie kissed him, not caring if anyone could see them. "I love you."

"And I love you."

A sudden shriek made Maggie jump. It was familiar, something she hadn't heard in a long time. Looking around, her fears were confirmed when she saw Lady Phoebe Cavendish on the path, looking at them with utter outrage. Her mother was with her, watching the scene before them with a shocked expression.

For a moment, Maggie thought that they were reacting too dramatically – they had to have known that Adam was taking Maggie out, given that Adam had cut off contact with the Atterbury family – but then she remembered that this was Lady Phoebe. She always reacted too much.

"How dare she?" Lady Phoebe wailed. "How dare she take my duke? He's mine, Mama!"

"Darling, calm down," Baroness Atterbury whispered loudly, taking her daughter's arm. She looked embarrassed. "Don't cause a scene."

"Cause a scene? My former maid is kissing my duke in public? Do you think that's appropriate? He's mine!"

Adam winced, and Maggie almost burst out giggling. Then Baroness Atterbury was pulling her daughter away.

"Come along, darling. We'd better go. And I'll find you a much better duke who will treat you as you deserve." She shot Adam a glare. "Clearly, some people in this world are not worthy of a title."

She dragged her daughter off, Lady Phoebe still wailing. Maggie couldn't hold it back any longer and laughed, leaning on Adam's shoulder.

"What's so funny?"

"Find a much better duke? She's in for a rude awakening."

"I agree with that." Adam took the ring out of the box. "But this is about us, not them. And I intend to make the most of it."

Maggie couldn't agree more with that sentiment. She intended to make the most of it as well.