"He's been looking at you all night, like you are a bonbon he'd like to sink his teeth into," Daphne whispered to Claire, who felt her cheeks heat at her friend's frankness. "And for good reason, I have to say. You look marvelous. The scarlet along with the gold embroidery on the bodice? Inspired."

"Thank you. Do you really think he's partial to me still?"

"Oh, trust me, Claire, that man is pining like a little pup. He kept looking for you even while dancing with me, with these basically in his face," she gestured discreetly to her breasts, which were displayed to their advantage in the deep-necked gown, supported by stays of the finest quality.

"But he hasn't done more than politely greet me, he hasn't even asked me for a dance," she looked sadly at where he was dancing with Elizabeth- who was still very much giving her the cold shoulder. He looked up, their eyes clashed and he missed a step before making a graceful recovery.

"You see!" Daphne said gleefully. "He's beside himself for wanting you! You have him in the palm of your hand. Are you ready to make your move tonight?"

"Not even a little," she confessed shakily. "But I am going to do it anyway. The more I wait to think, the more I shall try to talk myself out of it."

"That is my entire philosophy for life," Daphne replied cheerily.

"Seeing as how your life philosophy has gotten you pregnant out of wedlock, that is hardly a ringing endorsement," Claire countered dryly which earned her a shocked laugh.

"How despicable you are, Lady Northhaven!" Daphne chuckled. "I shall have you know-"

Daphne froze mid-laugh, her smile contorting into a look of astounded horror.

"Oh good God! That tenacious bastard- he's found me!"

Claire turned around, following Daphne's gaze to the top of the staircase leading down from the ballroom entrance where the majordomo was set to announce the arrival of a new guest. A slender man stood tall and resolute, his clothing immaculate, his blonde hair brushed to perfection. Eyes haggard, exhaustion, and anxiety stitched into his very posture as his eyes scanned the crowd.

As far as Claire was concerned, there were two types of aristocrats. The first were those who were nobility by virtue of their titles. They were gentlemen in name only, indulging their every whim, fat and despondent, involved in every type of sin and vice they could manage because of sheer boredom- useless wastes of privilege and power. And there were those who had their aristocracy carved into their very being, those who shouldered their consequence like the responsibility it was, with the deference it was due. And they did not hesitate to wield it as a weapon in order to get what they wanted. Men like the Duke of Rothbury.

And the Earl of Pembroke.

His eyes settled on Claire and Daphne, though Claire may as well have been a potted plant for all the acknowledgment the Earl gave her, his eyes riveted to the woman beside her. His shoulders relaxed, but the determined set of his jaw only intensified. Claire hazarded a look toward her friend, whose face was the very image of undeniable, heartbreaking longing. And then in a trice, that vulnerability was gone, replaced with dread.

"Daphne? Would you rather leave?"

"Yes, yes I think I shall. No, no, do not follow me. I shall be perfectly fine in the ladies' retiring room. I'll turn in early." Daphne turned the opposite way in a haze

"Daphne, this man...has he hurt you?"

Daphne gave her a cryptic look.

"Physically? Pembroke would never even consider it- no matter how much I must have tempted him. But here," she pointed to her heart, "he's hurt me here. He's been hurting me for too long. And I will not stand for it anymore."

The man in question was currently cutting directly through a crowd straight towards them, of course, they simply parted out of his way. His entire presence was so overwhelming, bending the rest to his will without even uttering a single word. When he was intercepted by a displeased seeming Rothbury, Daphne used the interruption to hurry out of another exit. Based on the disapproval in the Duke's expression, it was clear that the Earl had arrived sans invitation- a rather astounding breach in etiquette for one as exacting in regards to proper conduct as Pembroke. The Earl bowed respectfully to their host, speaking a few tight, polite words, and then continued his march toward her.

"Where is she?" he barked out when he reached her.

"And greetings to you, too, Pembroke," Claire said flatly as the Earl's eyes narrowed in irritation.

"Lady Northhaven, it has been an age." He bit out the banal greeting. "Now, where is Lady Whittaker?"

"Why, I am hardly her keeper. How am I supposed to know?" Claire gave him a tight, patronizing smile. She may not know what had happened between her friend and this man, she may not even know if her friend was in the right, but Claire had no intention of letting down Daphne ever again. From the corner of her eye, she noticed another figure approaching them.

James was coming to her rescue yet again, it seemed, and Claire's heart lifted in glee. He still cared for her. She still held some sway over his heart.

"She was right here with you not even a moment ago. I demand that you tell me her whereabouts. You know naught what is between us, so cease your attempts to interfere."

What exactly, did Daphne see in this buffoon? He was good looking, sure, but his demeanor left much to be desired. Claire was not one to entertain a fully grown man's entitled temper tantrums.

"Well it seems to me that she does not wish to speak to you, so you can huff and puff as you like, you won't intimidate me."

"Don't play games with me, madam, you will find me to be a very intolerant man to such machinations."

"And you, sir, shall find me very intolerant to anyone who dares disrespect Lady Northhaven," James' hand came to rest possessively on her back and he matched Pembroke's furious stare with one of his own. "You would do well to watch how you speak to any lady, and to this lady in particular."

"And you are?" He raised a haughty eyebrow that had Claire wanting to slap the insolence off his face. Though it fell to Claire, as their mutual acquaintance, to make formal introductions, it seemed neither man was altogether too concerned with formality.

"Lindsey," James replied coolly. "As in, Marquess of."

Pembroke swore under his breath, closing his eyes as if summoning his patience. Claire doubted he was too used to being outranked by someone.

"This is the Earl of Pembroke," Claire nodded to the man, using the opportunity to give James' arm a thankful squeeze.

"A pleasure," James drawled without an ounce of sincerity. "Now if you shall excuse us? I shall be escorting Lady Northhaven to dinner."

Without waiting for a response, James offered Pembroke a dismissing nod of his head, tucked Claire's hand in the crook of his elbow, and led her away.

"My white knight, always charging to my rescue," Claire teased him warmly. "Though I can handle a huffy Earl, not to worry."

"Oh, of that I have no doubt," James laughed. "But I did not like the way he was speaking to you. Sometimes a man is in need of a little humbling."

"I've missed you, James," Claire said softly, squeezing his arm again.

"Claire..."

"And I've decided that I reject your rejection."

James drew to a surprised halt, took a minute to look around, and then diverted from his path from the dining room to the large doors leading outside to the beautifully maintained gardens that were lit by large torches.

"What are you talking about, Claire?" He asked, his tone warm and amused, giving Claire the courage she needed to continue.

"I have decided that I want you, James. And I have decided that I shall not let you go. You may have an easy time walking away from me, but I cannot bear it, James."

"Claire, it is not that I don't want you. I admire you greatly. I desire you greatly. I just don't think we can give each other what the other needs. Claire, I want what is best for you, from the very bottom of my heart."

"Well, you are wrong James. You are what is best for me. You say that I need someone to be patient with me? Yes, you are likely right. You have seen me at my very worst. There are times when my bad habits will win, there are times when I will not be able to be the best version of myself, but it is you who has made me want better for myself. And to expect better from myself. To look at myself more positively, but not to become so lost in myself that I justify hurting another as I hurt you. If I need patience, James, then I want you to be patient. It won't take as much as you think, because I am going to meet you halfway. I am going to fight every day to be the person that you need. Because that is what love is, James; striving to be what the other person needs. Fighting to make them happy, even if you have to fight yourself. And I love you, James. More than I ever thought I could ever love a man. I love the serenity and maturity with which you conduct yourself, I love your strong sense of honor. I love you for seeing worthy in me, even when I didn't. Every bit of my heart is yours. And so I want you to abide by the time limit you gave me. Give me until the end of this house party, James."

James remained silent, his gaze blazing with intensity. His hand came up to grip her chin and he leaned forward and pressed a quick, hard kiss to her mouth.

"And just what do you plan on doing in these five days, my lovely, clever Claire?" He asked in between a few more teasing kisses.

"Why, I am going to seduce you, of course," Claire grinned, feeling giddy for he had referred to her as his Claire. James' eyes flashed with surprise before his own mouth pulled up at the corners.

"Is that so, beautiful?" His voice rumbled from his chest. "And just how do you plan to do that?"

"Well James...I've decided to be a bit bold," she leaned into him and whispered about the lingerie and heard a rough groan come from his mouth. "All those pretty, frilly things. Only for you."

"Oh, my God, Claire. You're killing me."

"Not just yet, James," she fisted his coat and tugged him down for one more kiss. "But I am going to try my damnedest tonight. Don't lock your door."

Claire woke up to the light of day streaming in through the window of James' room, her body sore in the best of ways. James' arm was thrown over her torso and their legs were intertwined and she could feel the delicious heat of him at her back. She wanted to turn around and kiss him but could not bring herself to disturb his sleep.

Quite frankly, for a man of his age, he had rather worn her out!

Oh, he had been wonderful. It had taken them some time to find their rhythm, both of them needing a bit of a reminder of how things worked, oh but once they found their pace- things had taken off like fireworks. She really needed to thank Daphne for all that she had taught her, as mortifying as the conversation had been. Some of the things Daphne had spoken of had been very useful.

James rolled over with a grunt, freeing Claire from his embrace, allowing her to sit up and observe his handsome face. He was so handsome, Claire could hardly bear it. She traced the contours of his face adoringly, watching his muscles twitch under her touch.

He cracked one eye open, mischief glinting through those pine-colored irises.

"If you've the energy to be up and about already, clearly I didn't do my job well enough, Claire."

"Oh, you did your job very well, My Lord," Claire sighed happily and laid against his chest, tracing circles in the smattering of hair across it. "I am merely an early riser by habit."

"Not too bad for an old man, if I do say so myself," James gave her a self-satisfied look, reaching beneath the covers to give her bottom a possessive squeeze that made her squeak in surprise.

"You are in rather prime health!" Claire protested.

"Ah yes, but I already feel as if I have pulled a muscle in my back," he groaned as he stretched.

"Well, perhaps we were a tad overzealous last night. At your advanced years, thrice in one night may be pushing it."

"Do you know who my son is?" James asked with a quirked eyebrow. "Couldn't have let myself become a stain on our family name, now could I?"

"James, I don't share," she said in mock warning. "So don't take too much inspiration from your offspring."

"That boy is going to be married this time next year, I would stake my entire fortune on it."

"Miss Heartwood?"

"Ah, my shrewd beauty, no wonder I adore you," she felt his mouth press to the top of her head. "And now, we must talk about serious things, my dear."

Claire raised her head to find him looking very solemn indeed.

"What is it?"

"Now that you have..." his voice fell to a hush, "...taken my virginity, do you intend to make an honest man out of me?"

"James!" Claire snorted with laughter.

"After thirty years, I was as close to a virgin as one can get, Claire! Don't tell me you're one of those rakes that seduce innocents and then leave them after ravishing them?"

"You're being ridiculous, James!" She giggled even harder.

"Claire, I am serious," he moved quickly and tackled her so that she was now beneath him. He trapped her hands between his own and settled himself between her legs. "I don't need until the end of the house party. I already know my answer. Will you marry me?"

"James! Oh, do you truly mean it?"

"Of course I do, Claire. I love you. I meant to tell you sooner but then you showed up in that pretty little night dress and the blood from my brain was directed to more urgent areas. I haven't seen a scantily clad woman in over three decades, you must allow for some lapse in intelligence."

"James," Claire's voice shook with emotion.

"I love your loyalty to your family, I love your fighting spirit, I love your willingness to improve yourself. I love you, and want to spend the rest of my days with you by my side. So, will you marry me?"

"Oh, yes, James!" She threw her arms around her and drew him close. They laughed, and kissed, and they made love one more time. And though James' back really did not thank him for that last one, his heart was more than pleased that he had found himself such a special person to love him to the end of his days.

He did not mind a few thorns so long as a rose so lovely promised to be his forever.