Page 103 of A Dangerous Engagement

He stepped right up to her and took her hands in his, staring into her sparkling green eyes. She did not pull away. Could she hear his heart pounding?

“Miss Mayson, the Prince Regent plans to reward me for my services to the country in searching out the members of Lady Blackstone’s insurrectionist group.”

“Oh, how very wonderful.” She squeezed his hands.

“He has said he plans to give me a profitable estate in Cambridgeshire that is at his disposal, bestowing on me the title of First Baron McDowell.”

Her eyes grew wider, and her pretty lips parted, tempting him. He ached to kiss her, his breath shallowing and making it more difficult to speak. But he wanted to do this right.

“The Prince Regent also plans to petition Parliament to reward me with twenty thousand pounds, and to reward you—”

“Me?”

“With the sum of thirty thousand pounds.”

“Oh.” Her chest rose and fell rapidly.

“You will not faint, will you?”

“No, of course not. But ... oh my. You will be a wealthy man, a baron, and I ...”

“You will be a wealthy woman.”

She pulled her hands free and threw them around his back, hugging him. He slipped his arms around her and held her close, pressing his cheek against her hair.

She was in his arms again ... at last.

Felicity could hardly believe what Mr.McDowell was telling her. Joy bubbled inside her, but ... was it too good to be true?

“Just because he petitions them ... that does not mean they will grant it, does it?”

She pulled away, realizing her behavior was quite unseemly and would be embarrassing if Mother or anyone else came into the room and saw them. She took a step back. But he grabbed her hands and leaned toward her.

“It is not a guarantee, but it is likely. And before any other men realize that you are to be a wealthy woman, I need to ask you something.”

Her heart was pounding. Her gaze moved from his bright-blue eyes, which were strangely dark at the moment, to his perfect lips. Then he leaned his head down so his forehead was nearly touching hers.

“I need to tell you that I think you are the most clever, kind, unselfish, courageous woman I know. You are exactly the kind of woman I wish to marry ... the only woman who could make me happy.”

She could barely breathe.Do not faint, Felicity. Do not.“I hope it isn’t only my new fortune that makes me appealing.” She smiled to show she was in jest, but a lump rose into her throat, forcing her to try to swallow past it.

He seemed to go a shade paler, and his throat bobbed. “I can see why you would think that.”

“It’s only that ... no one ever wanted to marry me when I had no fortune.” Except Mr.Ratley.

The way he was staring at her made her bite her lip, wishing she had kept quiet. Her insecurity and fear had overtaken her. “I’m sorry. I—”

“No, I understand. I have felt the sting of rejection for my lack of wealth and status, and I do understand. But the truth is, I would marry you even if you did not have a shilling, though I may not be able to prove it.”

“No, I was wrong. You are a good and honorable gentleman. I should not have insinuated ...”

He leaned even closer. “The truth is, I wanted to marry you ever since you showed how brave you could be, stealing into Lady Blackstone’s chamber and finding those papers. And when Ratley said those idiotic things about you, when he could have said how brave and intelligent and kind and good and noble and clever you are ...”

He thought she was all those things? Her heart swelled inside her chest, pushing against her ribs, as she stared into his gentle blue eyes.

“Do you remember when we were hiding in the shell grotto?”

“I remember a little.” Unfortunately, most of it had come back to her. Her cheeks began to burn.