Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

M unro woke alone, his body pleasantly sore and muscles he'd forgotten he possessed aching with overuse.

He opened one eye and surveyed his chamber. A chair had been overturned, his clothes scattered about, the bedclothes on the rug near the fire. He lay naked in a pile of feathers from a pillow that had not been able to withstand what he and Beatrice had required of it.

Munro sat, confirming what he already knew: Beatrice was not here. At some point before dawn, she'd left him. Perhaps she hoped to avoid the notice of the charwoman who crept in while the house was still asleep to light the fire. What must that servant have thought of the state of the room?

Munro didn't care, but Beatrice probably didn't want to be caught in his bed and embroiled in rumors circulating below stairs.

Either that or she'd changed her mind.

Munro shook his head.

Ridiculous. She'd asked him to marry her. She'd told him she loved him. She wouldn't change her mind.

But if she still wanted him, why had she left without even a good-bye?

Bloody hell. He felt a pang of sympathy for all the women he had left sleeping and without a good-bye. What an arse he'd been. He'd do it all differently if he could, but he couldn't change the past. And he just hoped Beatrice would give him a chance to show her how happy he could make her today and always.

He crawled out of bed and rang for hot water. He wanted to face her cleanly shaven and well-dressed. A half an hour later, he made his way downstairs. The door to the dining room was ajar, and he could hear laughter mingled with the clink of cups on saucers. Judith's light voice floated up to him followed by Lydia's tinkle of a laugh and her older brothers' chortles. Then Arthur said something, and everyone laughed. A pang of longing cut through Munro's midsection, and he had to pause to catch his breath. Munro had never envied Arthur the title or the town house or any of the wealth he'd inherited. He'd never before envied Arthur anything, but now he coveted this family Arthur's union with Judith had produced.

Surely, everyone was feeling the absence of Lavinia this morning, but they had each other. Munro had been without family and relying on the companionship of acquaintances for years. It had been his own choosing, but he didn't choose that life any longer.

He took a breath, rushed down the stairs and into the dining room. As soon as he opened the door, everyone looked up from their plates.

"Munro," Arthur said, setting his fork down. "I thought you'd left."

"Change of plans," Munro said, searching for Beatrice. She stood at the sideboard, plate in hand, her eyes locked on him. As soon as their gazes met, her cheeks turned pink. She should have looked exhausted. They'd barely slept all night. But she looked beautiful with her hair in a simple tail down her back and wearing a plain cream muslin gown.

"You're certainly welcome to stay as long as you like," Arthur said.

"Yes, stay, Uncle Munro!" Lydia said. Aylmer and Guy echoed their sister's sentiment. Munro's gaze moved to Judith, who gave him a suspicious lift of one brow. No invitation would be forthcoming from that quarter. He turned his attention back to Beatrice, who had set her empty plate back on the sideboard.

"I do plan to stay," he told his nephews and niece. "On one condition."

"What's that?" Guy asked.

Munro crossed the room to stand before Beatrice. Reaching for her hand, he lowered to one knee.

"Munro, stand up," she said, glancing at the rest of the family. "There's no need for this."

"I want to do this right. You deserve it." He reached up and took her hand.

"What is happening right now?" Judith asked, her voice rising.

Munro ignored her. "Beatrice Haddington Barnet, I have been in love with you for years. I lost you once and I almost lost myself. Now that I've found you again, I've found the other half of myself."

Her mouth parted in surprise.

"I know I haven't been a perfect man, but you've made me want to be a better man. Because of you, I am a better man, and I will keep striving for perfection so I might be the best husband possible for you. Beatrice, will you do me the enormous honor of becoming my wife?"

She nodded her head as tears spilled from her eyes. "Yes, Munro. Yes."

He rose, picked her up, and spun her around. And then, although he knew it was inappropriate, he kissed her. He'd behave tomorrow.

The boys groaned and made retching sounds. Beatrice laughed, and Munro pulled her close. He whispered in her ear, "Just one thing left to do." Setting Beatrice down, Munro turned toward the table and approached Judith.

"Well, this is a revelation," Arthur was saying. "It looks as though we have another wedding to plan."

Judith's lips were pressed tight, and then her eyes widened as she realized Munro was coming toward her. She pushed back her chair, but Munro knelt before her before she could rise. "Lady Notley, you have every reason to doubt my character and to want to protect your sister. But I beg you not to doubt my love for her or my sincerity when I tell you that all I want is to be the model of the perfect husband." He glanced at his brother. "Much like your own."

Arthur made a sound of surprise. "Well, I don't know about that—"

"Your parents have passed away, and you've been like a mother to Beatrice," Munro continued. "It seems only fitting that I should ask for your blessing."

Judith's mouth opened and then closed again. Her gaze lifted and met her sister's. Behind him, Beatrice stepped forward and put a hand on Munro's shoulder.

Judith cleared her throat. "You don't need my blessing. You're both of age."

"But I want it," Munro said. "And Beatrice needs it." He didn't look away from Judith, and finally her gaze met his. Her eyes appeared more blue than the green of her sister's, and she could look steely at times. But now he saw her expression soften.

"You will be faithful to her?"

"In body and mind."

"You will honor her? Cherish her?"

"I will honor, cherish, and love her. I do love her, Judith. You know that I do."

"Is this what you want?" Judith looked at her sister.

"With all my heart."

His sister-in-law sighed. "Then you have my blessing."

Beatrice let out a cry of happiness, and Munro grabbed Judith in an embrace. She stiffened. "Let's not get carried away."

He released her and turned to Beatrice, who fell into his arms. He might have kissed her again, but Judith said, "No more of that in front of the children."

Munro lifted Beatrice's hand and kissed it instead, mouthing Later to her.

Arthur was on his feet, and he held out a hand to Munro. Munro released Beatrice, took his brother's hand and pulled him in for an embrace. "You'll be seeing a lot more of me, Arthur."

"I'm happy to hear it."

"So am I!" Lydia said, jumping up and down beside him. Munro lifted her and twirled her around then hugged Aylmer and Guy who had come to congratulate him.

"When is the wedding?" Lydia asked.

Munro looked at Beatrice. "You'll have to ask your aunt. I'd marry her today, but I imagine she'll want time to prepare."

"Oh, let's have a big wedding like Lavinia's!" Lydia cried.

"We'll save the next big wedding for you or your brothers," Beatrice said.

"Ew!" Aylmer said.

"A small ceremony suits us better, don't you agree?"

Munro nodded. He didn't care, as long as she was his wife at the end of it.

"Well, we'll still have to put an announcement in the papers," Judith said. "And call the banns. I suppose we should have the modiste start on a gown right away, nothing too extravagant, but something special."

"Now, you've done it," Arthur said.

And Munro was happy to agree that yes, now he had done it.

Two weeks later

Beatrice entered the dining room a good quarter hour after Munro. Even though they took care to go to bed at different times, return to their own chambers before dawn, and come down to breakfast separately, Beatrice doubted any of the adults in the house were under the illusion that she and Munro spent their nights apart. They would be married in a fortnight, and then they'd move into their own town house and wouldn't ever have to sneak around again.

Too bad, as she rather liked being naughty.

As soon as she stepped into the room, the conversation died. Munro and Arthur had leaned together, looking at the paper, but now Arthur set it down and put his elbow over it. Beatrice was immediately suspicious. "What's this? Something in the papers about us?"

"No," Munro said. "Nothing about either of us."

"Then why are you acting so strangely?" She glanced at Judith, who was reading a letter and sipping her tea. Judith set the letter down.

"The Brazen Belle has published another edition of The Rake Review ," Judith said. "They are trying to determine who the rake in question might be."

"Don't tell me the two of you believe that gossip. Much of what she wrote about you was incorrect," she told Munro.

"Which parts were correct?" Arthur asked. Munro shoved him.

"You're exactly right, sweetheart," Munro said. "We shouldn't be reading this gossip."

"Hand it over then." She held out a hand, and Judith took the paper. She glanced down at the column then leaned closer. "Judith, did you—"

"Yes. I already read it. It's about time she raked that man over the coals."

"Then you know who it is?" Munro asked.

Beatrice tossed the paper down. "Every woman in London knows who it is. But I can honestly say that the only rake I care about is right here." She reached out, and he took her hand and kissed it.

" Reformed rake, sweetheart."

Judith cleared her throat and lifted her letter again. Arthur reached for The Rake Review and perused the column again. Munro stood and pulled out a chair for Beatrice who took it. Before he sat beside her, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "When we marry, I propose we have breakfast in bed."

"That sounds messy," she whispered back.

He winked. "Exactly."

"What happened to being reformed?"

"That's only in public. In private, with you, I'm still Mr. Notorious."

"Will that make me Mrs. Notorious?'

He kissed her neck—scandalous man! "I love you, Mrs. Notorious."

And she loved him too, now and forever.

Keep reading for a special preview of Book Twelve in The Rake Review series, Tall, Dark and December by Tracy Sumner!

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