Chapter 42

Chapter Forty-Two

E mily could not look in a mirror, nor would she be able to look any servant in the eye. She could only imagine her appearance—hair tousled, body covered in love bites, and the entire bedroom askew. She never would have thought waking in such a scenario would ever be permissible, but she found she had little to complain for. The painful anticipation that had accompanied her for weeks was gone, and in its place, she woke in her husband's bed with him sleeping peacefully beside her. And she could not have been happier with the exchange.

She turned over to face the man beside her, her heart fluttering at the sight of him. She had never known such love that Alex showed her, and he promised she would have it for the rest of her life. She lamented all her bitterness at the start of her marriage now, because she didn't know then that the man who had accidentally kissed her on a balcony would someday become the everything she had ever wanted. He was a dream come true for her romantic childhood desires.

She reached out, gently brushing his locks of dark hair away from his face so she could continue admiring him, the way she knew he had done to her for many of their mornings leading up to that day.

"You can't keep pawing at me like that unless you're asking for more," he mumbled with closed eyes.

Emily laughed. "I require a hearty breakfast, sir. We'll need to see to that immediately."

His arm blindly snaked around her waist, pulling her flush against him. "And what shall we eat?" he growled with a grin.

"Contain yourself!" she said, softly swatting at his arm. "I must ring for the maid, so you must be somewhat decent."

He released her with a huff, and when he did not move from his spot, Emily continued pulling back the hair from his face.

"Are you certain everything will be all right?" she asked. "With your family? With mine?"

Alex opened his eyes, fully soft and affectionate. "What still worries you?"

"The truth of my origin is out now. There is no bringing it back, so the damage is done. Your family will suffer. You will suffer."

"Will you suffer?" he returned gently, brushing his knuckles against her cheek and making her shiver.

"I will bear it as I always have."

"Only now you will not do so alone. You have a husband who will protect you from those vipers, Mrs. Grisham and Lady Hartfield."

Emily's eyes went wide. "Oh no, what did you do?"

Alex shrugged. "I merely explained that the Lady Whetstone they subscribe to is misleading and without evidence to actual fact, and that they were fools to follow such nonsense."

"Alex, you didn't!" Emily gasped, her hands rushing to her mouth. "But what about your sister?"

"My family is no stranger to being on the opposite side of popularity, so this will be nothing new to them. But if the young Mr. Grisham is anything like his mother, then Edwina will be much better off with someone else. Her heart might be broken for a time, but he is not the only young man in all the kingdom. We will help find her a good match, and I think both you and I can tell her a little something about overcoming broken hearts."

Emily sighed, resting her head against her husband's bare arm. What a good man he was and with such clarity to help assuage her fears.

"As for you, Mrs. Westcott," he continued, his arm slipping underneath her to pull her close. "I married you in an attempt to save you from scandal, but it seems that scandal will find you no matter what we do. So it is my great privilege and responsibility to stand by your side regardless, and do whatever it takes to prove my loyalty to you."

Again her heart melted, and Emily couldn't help leaning forward to brush her nose against his. "You know, there is something more I was not able to say yesterday."

He lifted his chin. "What is it?"

"I wanted to apologize for all the terrible things I said to you when we were first married. You did not deserve it, for I didn't know then that you would end up being everything I could have ever wanted, the very love of my life."

His morning eyes turned fierce, his hand reaching up for hers by his face. "You love me?"

"Did I not say so before? I thought as much was obvious." She flushed, thinking back on everything that had been said and done the night before. Then she looked into his dark eyes and felt entirely safe to speak her mind. "I love you, Alex Westcott. With everything that I am. And I will endeavor to make you just as happy as you make me."

She had expected him to smile, to kiss her, or even say thank you, but instead he took her hand from his cheek, intertwined their fingers and rested it at his chest.

"I love you, Emily. And I don't know what tomorrow will bring," he said. "I don't know what people will say about you and the duke, and I don't know how you may have to fight society going forward, but you will never be alone, for there is little that could take me from your side."

"Even if that little something is of my own doing?"

He chuckled. "You and I may disagree over certain things, as we tend to do, but you will never have to fight for my love. That I will give freely and without hesitation, without expectation."

Emily would have swooned were she not already secured in this bed, in his arms. "And you will have all my kisses for the rest of my life."

Alex shrugged, lowering his head down for a kiss. "As you wish."