"Oh, Lord Trevor," Emilia started, not liking that anxious, yearning look he was giving her. "That is so kind of you to offer. Have you...have you talked to my brother?"

She wasn't sure what else to say; she hadn't had time to think about how she would turn Trevor down. Frankly, Emilia had hoped that she could dispel the notion of marriage before it got to this point.

"No, my lady. I wished to speak with you first. I know His Grace respects your opinion." He gave her an encouraging smile that tugged at Emilia's heartstrings.

Emilia returned the grin weakly. "That is kind of you, Lord Trevor."

Goddammit. That was kind of him. Why did he have to be so lovely? Emilia internally screamed at herself for letting it get this far. She never should have led him on when she was always in love with Will. She never should have used him like that, especially last night.

Even if it had worked.

"I have enjoyed getting to know you so much, my lord," she began cautiously, "but I am not certain I am ready to be wed. I know that must seem quite ridiculous, as I am nearly a spinster's age, but I assure you that I would not be a satisfactory wife. You are such a superior gentleman." Emilia gave him a flattering smile and told herself to shut her mouth. She had said quite enough, and she doubted that he would believe a word of it.

"Oh, my lady," Lord Trevor replied, his brows rising high into his perfectly parted hairline. "There is no such thing as a man too good for you. You deserve only the best."

He let go of her hands then, glancing down at them.

"But you are right," he says as he looks back to Emilia. "I am likely not the right fit for you, my lady. Perhaps, however, we could maintain our friendship?"

Lord Trevor's face is so hopeful that Emilia cannot help but say, "Yes, of course, my lord. I should like that very much."

As she'd maintained from the beginning, Emilia always liked Lord Trevor. In a different time and place, perhaps it could have worked between the two of them. She was simply relieved that he had not tried to convince her to accept his proposal. Emilia relaxed on the couch, not realizing how straight she had been holding her back.

"In that case," Lord Trevor said suddenly, jolting upright and clapping his hands together, "perhaps you could join me for a morning ride?"

Emilia bolted upright again, peering at him curiously, rethinking how easily he had accepted her rejection. Considering how nervous he seemed upon arriving, Trevor hardly seemed resigned at all about her refusal of his proposal. And now he should like to go for a ride?

"Why," Emilia laughed lightly, "I do not have a chaperone to join us, though." There was no way that Emilia was going to offer up Theo for the job. That certainly sounded like the worst way to spend a morning, as he clearly was not in a pleasant mood.

Trevor did not seem concerned. He did not bring up Theo nor pose an objection to the idea of riding sans chaperone. "It is raining, so we shall be inside the carriage. No one shall see us."

Emilia shrugged. Since no one would see them, it was really not a concern then, was it? It was the least she could do, after all. She did not think she could bear to refuse him something else. Emilia had done worse things in her life than simply ride in a carriage with another man.

In fact, she had done worse things with a man in the past day. Thinking of the previous night, Emilia's mind flooded with images of Will. Will, as he had pushed her up against the door. Will, as he had carried her to her bed. Will, as he had leaned over to kiss her, to touch her, to make her gasp into his mouth.

Yes, a ride in a carriage would be just fine. Scarcely a concern as far as propriety went in Emilia's book.

Trevor was watching her expectantly. "Yes, of course," she said, trying to sound cheery. "I would be delighted to join you for a morning ride."

"Excellent," he replied, smiling. "Shall we?" He held out an arm for her, and she took it. Trevor guided her out into the hallway before Emilia went to find her cloak. She was looking for a specific one; it was robin egg's blue and just heavy enough to shield from the rain, though not so much that it would overheat her.

Emilia could already tell from the thick air in Kingfield House that the day would be muggy and humid in London. The thought of putting on an extra coat really did not sound pleasant, but she also did not wish to become soaked from the wetness.

Speaking of soaked, Emilia glanced at her slippered feet. Perhaps it would be wise to pull on her boots before she left, as well. She busied herself with changing her footwear, not wanting to keep Lord Trevor waiting for too long.

Finally, Emilia found herself prepared for the weather. Spinning back around adorned in her pelisse and boots, Emilia saw Trevor drop a note into the tray where their invitations and such usually were delivered.

"What is that?" she asked.

"Simply a message to let your brother know where you have gone," he said, shrugging.

Emilia thought of Theo finding that note while in his foul mood and grimaced. She did not look forward to speaking to him after she returned home. However, like most things, Theo would forgive her eventually.

Following Trevor out the door, Emilia walked to his carriage, her feet splashing through puddles on the front-drive before Kingfield House.

"After you, my lady," Trevor said kindly, holding the door open for her.

"Thank you, Lord Trevor." She smiled at him as she climbed onto the seat, bouncing slightly on the cushions. He slid next to her before rapping on the top to inform the driver they were ready.

"Oh," he exclaimed as he turned to look at her. "I did not notice this before, but you appear to have a little something on your cheek, my lady."

"I do?" Emilia said, her hand flying up to inspect the offending area.

"Do not worry," he chuckled, "I've got it." Trevor whipped his handkerchief out from the pocket of his breeches dramatically. "You must have had some jam this morning that missed your mouth, Lady Emilia."

He brought the handkerchief up to her face, right near the corner of her mouth, the cloth covering it as he wiped at her skin carefully.

Emilia gave him a confused look, and her words were muffled as she spoke. "I did not have—"

But she couldn't finish her sentence because then everything faded to black.

****

Will bolted up in his bed.

He was covered in a cold sweat, his sheets tangled around his naked body. Will yanked up an arm from where it was stuck between the twisted bedclothes and dragged it across his face, trying to wipe away the dreams of Emilia. He was going to ask her to marry him today.

And he was terrified.

Will was frightened of what he was bringing Emilia into. But he finally felt comfortable giving her a choice. He finally had something on his side to use as leverage, and it gave him hope that maybe it could work.

Will dragged himself out of his bed. He should take a bath but did not wish to waste time.

Emilia might have already woken up. Alone.

Naked and alone.

Will groaned. He did not have time to think about Emilia lying in her bed, naked. He did not have time to sit and go over the details of the previous evening, how he had worshipped her body.

Will stopped in the middle of his bedchamber, a thought striking him.

Jesus Christ, what if he had gotten her with child?

He hadn't even thought—he hadn't even been cautious at all. What the bloody hell was wrong with him?

The thought added another level of urgency to Will's movements, rushing to the washing basin and splashing water over him with little care for the mess he was making.

He would still give Emilia the choice of whether or not to marry him, of course. But if she found out that she was carrying his child...

Well, Will did not know what he would do.

He quickly finished getting ready and made his way across town to Kingfield House, informing the servant posted near the door that he was there to call upon Lady Emilia. Not one minute after the servant departed to presumably deliver the message, Theo came storming down the hallway.

"Good afterno—"

Will did not get to finish his greeting before Theo slammed his fist into Will's jaw. Will doubled over for a moment, rubbing the area that was struck. But Theo grasped Will's navy topcoat and tugged him back up, directing him with a pointed glare.

"I saw you leave, Trotten."

He did not have to explain what he meant.

"What the hell were you doing awake?"

"I do not think that matters at the moment, but if you must know, I couldn't bloody sleep, Will."

Something must have been in the air last night, that all of the gentlemen of London had alluded slumber, Will thought. But he did not have the opportunity to contemplate it further because Theo was still spitting at him.

"I am staring out my window, and guess who I see dart from my goddamn house?" He punctuated the sentence with another swipe to Will's face. Will did not fight back or even bother with a response. He had no defense. Theo could hit him if it made him feel better.

"I told you that I didn't want you touching my sister unless you were ready to offer more for her," Theo snarled. "But when she spoke to me this morning, do you think it was to inform me that you had done so?"

"No, but—"

"No! She distinctly told me she was not marrying you. Or—"

"Kingfield!" Will choked out, quite literally, being that Theo's grip was still around his collar.

Theo dropped him abruptly, sending Will struggling for balance.

"I am here," Will heaved, quickly trying to catch his breath, "because I want her."

Theo threw his hands up impatiently, barely even glancing at Will, who was readjusting his clothing. "I know you want her, you swine. Clearly, otherwise, you wouldn't have been here last night. Not to mention that I could read every single thought that flashed through your brain last night. Fucking uncomfortable, that was."

"No," Will ground out, forcefully, "I want to be with her. I want to marry her."

"I don't care what—wait, come again?" Theo spun around, fixing Will with an intense look. Kingfield's dirty blonde hair was a messy mop on his head, and Will wondered if he'd slept even a wink since the moment he spotted Will leave. Likely, he had been brooding ever since, for the last six hours.

"Did you offer for her? Did she say no?" Theo wondered.

"No, I haven't asked her yet. That is why I am here."

"Why in God's earth did you not do it last night when you were here? We could have skipped this," Theo ground out, gesturing between the two of them in their disheveled states.

Will stared at the ceiling for a moment, hoping to find some patience. "No, we could have skipped this if you had let me speak before pummeling my face in, Kingfield."

Theo was rolling up his sleeves as Will talked, and Will wondered if he was planning on punching him again. Mentally, he prepared himself.

"I still would have hit you," Theo said casually. Then he gave Will a pointed look. "You should have seen Emilia's face this morning."

Will closed his eyes briefly in rue. "You are right. I am sorry. But when I returned home, Farrington had found something that might help me with the king."

"Farrington? What was he doing at your home in the middle of the night?"

"He couldn't sleep, either," Will said, shrugging.

Theo muttered something then that sounded distinctly like women. Then he shook his head once and asked, "What did he find?"

"Proof that Ernest set up my father. And was involved in the deal."

Theo's brows rose in interest. But Will did not really wish to speak of his father or the king at the moment. So instead, he urged, "Where is she, Kingfield?"

Theo moved one shoulder up and down, saying, "Doubtless still in her bedchamber. I am unsure, honestly, where she slipped to after breakfast. She seemed like she desired some space."

"Well, I told her to marry Trevor, so as I am sure you understand, I would like to speak to her as soon as possible," Will said, trying not to sound completely desperate. Though he was. Completely desperate.

"You are the worst," Theo replied dryly, rolling his eyes. "But you needn't worry about Lord Trevor. Emilia informed me that she did not wish to marry him."

Relief flooded over Will. Thank God for his stubborn woman. For the first time since he had woken up that morning, Will allowed himself to relax. He shrugged out of his topcoat, which still had a fine layer of water droplets on it from the rain outside. Figuring he would be there a bit, Will went to hang it up, but something caught his eye.

"What's this?" Will asked, glancing down at a note that sat in the mail tray. "It says it is important."

Theo brushed the question aside. "It is from Lord Trevor. I assumed it was to ask about meeting to ask for Emilia's hand, but as she no longer wants that, I have not bothered to read it yet."

Will ripped it open, not bothering to ask for Theo's permission. His eyes flew over the words Lord Trevor had written, and his stomach sank in the process. Will felt like he was falling through the floorboards of Kingfield House.

"Theo," Will said, his voice shaky to his ears, "this says they've eloped to Gretna Green."