“I would be ruined in the eyes of London Society,” she finished for him, her fingers tightening around his.
“Aye. It’s nae that it might happen, either. If ye come with me, it will happen. Ye’re nae ruined yet, as ye’ve got Jane with ye and we can call this a kidnapping, or convince Hurst nae to mention it at all.” That would be more difficult than she could possibly know, but he was the one who’d had the man forcibly removed from his coach. He would be the one to make it right, if it came to that. If it came to him losing Amelia-Rose.
“Yer parents willnae welcome ye back, either. They’ll more than likely disown ye, so if ye change yer mind about me, and about living in the Highlands, ye’ll nae have a home to return to.”
Surprisingly, she smiled briefly. “That, of all things, doesn’t particularly trouble me.”
“It’s only one of many, lass.”
“Are you trying to convince me to refuse to go with you?”
“For God’s sake, nae. But I want yer eyes open. Nae regrets. Nae regrets ye cannae live with, anyway.”
She gazed at him. “That’s your real point, isn’t it? That I should be horribly disappointed to lose access to fine parties and refined company and be forced to spend my days with a rough-hewn Highlander on some lonesome loch in the middle of the mountains?”
Niall winced. “Aye, that’s it, I suppose. I wish I had more to offer ye, but I’ve nae been a—”
“You asked me,” she interrupted.
“Aye, of course I did.”
“I mean, you asked me. You want what’s best for me, but you’ve left it to me to decide what that is.”
He frowned. “What else would I do, drag ye off against yer will and make ye miserable? I want ye, Amelia-Rose, but if yer heart doesnae come with the rest of ye, I have naught.”
A tear ran down her cheek, and it took every ounce of will for him not to wipe it away. “You just described exactly what everyone else has already done to me,” she whispered. With her free hand she lifted one side of her pretty green pelisse away from her gown. His thistle lay pinned over her left breast. Over her heart. “You have my heart, Niall. You are my heart. Wherever you go, I will go.”
Niall closed his eyes for half a dozen hard beats of his heart. Of everything he’d planned, of all the trouble he’d caused for himself and for his family and for her, this was what he’d worried over. Opening his eyes, he pulled her forward and lowered his mouth over hers. His. She wanted to be his.
“I love ye, adae,” he murmured, cupping the sides of her face in his rough hands.
“And I love you, skellum. I didn’t know what I could do to stop this nonsense with Hurst, but I kept … I hoped…”
“It doesnae matter now. Ye’re here, and I’m nae letting ye go.” He kissed her again, the touch of her soft mouth against his making him feel protective, grateful, and very, very lucky all at the same time. “All I can give ye is a bit more time to consider. As long as Jane is with us, ye have an escape. A chance at some respectability.”
“Yes, about that,” Jane said, sitting forward. “Please stop the coach.”
Amelia-Rose faced her companion. “Jane?”
“I’ve watched you two from your second meeting,” Miss Bansil said crisply. “I saw you falling in love. According to your mother, my aunt, that is a horror not to be tolerated. As if it’s wrong for the brother of a viscount to wed the daughter of the second cousin of the Marquis of Lanford. Does he make you happy?”
“Yes, he does,” Amelia-Rose answered with a swiftness that made his heart pound all over again.
“Will the life he’s described to you make you happy?”
“Yes, I believe it will.”
Jane looked at Niall. “Have you lied to her about anything?”
“Nae. Only about when I fell for her.”
“Do you mean to be faithful to her and not abandon her?”
“I do, and I willnae.”
“Then you don’t need my respectability. You need to head north without impediment. I don’t wish to move to Scotland, and so now I mean to worry about my own reputation. I believe I may take a walk, and then go see your mother at Oswell House as you suggested, Niall.”
He leaned across the coach and planted a kiss on Jane’s mouth. “Thank ye, Jane Bansil,” he said, worrying for a second at the lass’s stunned expression and hoping she didn’t mean to have an apoplexy on the spot. Knocking on the roof, he called for Gavin to stop the coach.
“Jane, do you have money if you need to hire a hack?” Amelia-Rose asked, digging into her reticule.
Niall pulled a five-pound note from his pocket and folded it into the companion’s hand as the coach rocked to a stop. “If ye’d take a bit of time for a meal first, mayhap, and then let my mother know where I’ve gone, I’d appreciate it, Miss Bansil.”
She nodded, one hand rising to her lips. “I can do that.”
Francesca had likely figured it all out by now, if she hadn’t realized it already this morning, but the countess had a reputation here in London, as well. She deserved more than an after-the-fact statement, but that would have to wait.
Jane stepped out of the coach and shut the door, then opened it again and leaned in to take Amelia-Rose’s hand. “My best to you, cousin,” she said, a tear running down one cheek. “You see, I’m not a villain.”
Amelia-Rose gripped her fingers. “No, you’re the very opposite of a villain. I’m ashamed I ever suggested otherwise.”
She closed the door again and stepped back. “Are we off, then, or do I stop for some tea?” Gavin asked from the driver’s perch.
Niall pounded the ceiling. “Go, ye idiot.”
As they rolled back into the afternoon traffic, Amelia-Rose pushed the curtains aside to look out at London. Did she have in mind that this could well be the last time she ever set eyes on it? “I wish there was a way to give ye everything ye want,” he said, checking his pocket watch. His brothers had had Hurst for an hour, now. If they kept to the plan and didn’t throw the marquis into the Thames, soulful Lionel would be receiving some choice warnings about making a scandal and then set loose about now.
She sat back, leaning against his shoulder in a way that spoke of trust and even contentment. “I was actually thinking that I haven’t a stitch of clothing with me other than what I’m wearing. I didn’t see your trunk tied to the back of the coach, either.”
“We cannae take this coach north,” he returned, sliding an arm around her waist. “Hurst would have the law after us, and he’d be right to do so. I’ve another coach waiting just north of Town, and I raided Eloise’s wardrobe for a few things for ye. Ye’re of a size, I reckon.”
“Very close, yes.” She twisted her head to look up at him. “Does she know what we’re doing?”
“Nae.”
Amelia-Rose straightened. “She should know. Your scandal could affect her.”
“She’s engaged already. And she’s a god-awful liar. This way she can claim she’d nae idea what her improper brother was up to, and I reckon her friends will believe her.” He’d actually considered telling her this morning, but while he trusted she would do her best to be discreet, she’d more than likely tell Matthew Harris—and Niall didn’t know her betrothed well enough to trust him with Amelia-Rose’s reputation.
“You thought of everything, then, did you?”
“I tried to. I would’ve told ye last night, but they moved ye to a different room. The thistle was the best I could do.” He drew her pelisse aside, brushing a finger along the flower. “I’m glad Jane decided to give it to ye.”
“I’m glad you decided not to give up on me,” she returned, cupping his face in her palms.
“Are ye certain ye dunnae wish we’d nae met? I reckon ye and Hurst might have been happier if I’d nae left the Highlands.”
“I might have set my cap at Lionel,” she confessed, her lips thinning. “He’s very pretty, after all. And yes, I probably would have agreed to marry him, just to please my mother—and to get me out of Baxter House. I would have spent my time being precisely the lady he expected me to be, sober, somber, with no opinion but his, no reading because it will make the skin of my neck sag, no—”