Thief of Shadows (Maiden Lane #4)(41)

He glanced down at her, so beautiful, so full of that life. “No, I don’t believe so. A husband and father’s first duty is to his wife and family. Everything else is secondary. How can the people of St. Giles ever come first if I am married?”

Her eyes widened in astonishment. “I don’t believe this. You’re attempting to become a saint.”

His mouth tightened. “No, I’ve merely dedicated my life to helping others.”

“But why?”

“I’ve told you why,” he said, trying to still his impatience. This discussion was like cutting open his chest, putting a hand in, and stirring his organs about. He did not like it at all. “The children, the poor of St. Giles, the terrible lives they lead. Did you not hear me when I spoke?”

“I heard you well enough,” she snapped. “I’m asking why you. Why must you be the one to make this sacrifice of your entire life?”

He shook his head helplessly. She was of the privileged class. She’d never known want, never counted coins to calculate whether they should go to pay for coal to warm the body or bread to feed it, for they would pay for only one, not both. She simply could not understand.

Winter dropped his hand from her arm and stepped back, putting prudent distance between them. His voice was carefully modulated when he spoke.

Carefully gentle. “If not me, then who?”

MEGS SIGHED AND arched her back, luxuriating in the lovely feeling after lovemaking. This had been one of many revelations she’d discovered since dear Roger had initiated her into the secrets of the bedroom: how boneless, how utterly relaxed her body felt afterward.

Not that they’d ever had the opportunity to meet in a bedroom.

At the moment, she lounged on a settee in a very dark receiving room at the back of the Duchess of Arlington’s house. She could hear the sounds of the ball, muffled by the walls and intervening rooms, but it was still a lovely, cozy refuge for just the two of them.

“Time to get up, my love,” Roger whispered in her ear.

“So soon?” Megs pouted.

“Yes, at once,” he mock-scolded her. Roger sat up and put himself to rights. “You don’t want the matrons in the ballroom to notice your absence, do you? Or worse—your brother the marquess.”

Megs shuddered at the thought. Both her brothers in their own ways had made rather scandalous marriages, but that didn’t mean they would look at all favorably at even a hint of impropriety from her.

She sat up reluctantly and began straightening herself.

“Besides,” Roger continued casually, “I do want to remain on good terms with my future brother-in-law.”

Megs caught her breath and looked up, joy rushing into her breast.

Roger burst into warm laughter at the expression on her face. “Did you think I wouldn’t want you for my wife, sweet Meggie? Haven’t you realized yet that I’m head over heels in love with you?”

When she just stared at him, frozen, his face fell. “That is, if you are amenable to my suit? I fear I may’ve overstepped my—”

She flung herself on him before he could finish.

“Oof!” Roger fell backward onto the settee under her onslaught.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Megs muttered in between covering his sweet, dear, wonderful face with rather messy kisses. “Oh, Roger, how can you ever think otherwise than that I love you with all my heart?”

He caught her face and held her still for a much longer, more expert kiss on the lips.

“Oh, sweeting,” he whispered as he broke away. “You’ve made me the happiest man in the world.”

She lay her head beside him, simply enjoying the moment.

Then he lurched beneath her and slapped her rather familiarly on the bottom. “Up, up, up.”

Megs groaned, but complied. She hurriedly checked herself in a small mirror and then turned to Roger. “Shall we have a short engagement?”

“Yes, please.” He grinned down at her, the dimple she’d grown quite fond of flashing in his right cheek. “But a small favor? Can we keep our engagement secret until I can order my estate and make a proper suit to your brother? I’m not as rich as I’m sure he would like, but I’ve a business offer that—”

“Hush.” She placed her fingertips over his lips. “I’m marrying you because I love you, not because of your money.”

He frowned. “You could marry a title. Marry a much richer man.”

“I could but I won’t.” She smiled up at him, blissfully happy. “And I’ll be sure and make that point to Thomas when the time comes.”

He laid his forehead against hers. “I do love you.”

“I know.” She stood on tiptoe to brush a kiss against his lips. “I’ll not tell anyone of our engagement as long as you promise not to wait too long to talk to Thomas.”

“A fortnight, no more.” His roguish brown eyes grew grave. “Truly, it’s an excellent investment, Meggie. If all comes to fruition, even your brother will be impressed.”

She shook her head fondly, whispering, “You don’t need money to impress me, Roger Fraser-Burnsby.”

She stood a second, looking into his eyes, wanting to say so much more and unable to find the words.

Instead, in the end, she touched his cheek, turned, and slipped from the room.