She chuckled, as he’d intended. ‘I’m a widow, yet my father meddles in my affairs as if I’m just out of the schoolroom.’
‘Again as it should be. If my daughter is as ravishing as you when she’d older, I’ll exhaust myself beating away all her admirers.’
Again she laughed. ‘Hard to believe when she has her papa wrapped around her little finger and knows he’ll do anything to make her happy.’
He smiled. ‘She does have a way of getting what she wants from me, so it’s good that she’ll have a new mama to teach her some restraint.’
‘Hmm, much as I’d adore to be her mama, I’ve not been asked. Yet.’
When Brent dropped to one knee on the passageway’s carpet, she gasped and quickly glanced around to ensure they were still alone, but the house remained silent. ‘Brent,’ she hissed, trying to pull him to his feet. ‘I didn’t mean here.’
He shrugged and gave her a don’t-care look. ‘By tomorrow, the servants will know you’re to be my wife and my daughter will be shouting the news from every window.’ He took her hand and rubbed the bare fingers on her left hand. ‘Lillian, love of my life, will you marry me and transform me from a forlorn recluse into the happiest peer in the House of Lords?’
‘Oh, Brent, does this mean you’re finally going to sit in parliament?’
He nodded. ‘Isn’t that what you’ve been urging me to do for the past three years?’
Tears flowed again as she said, ‘Yes, yes, yes. You’ll be brilliant. Our government needs young men with new ideas who can shake the stubborn old goats out of their complacency. They need you, Lord Mallory, and others like you. What about Michael? Can you convince him to follow you into parliament when his father succumbs?’
Brent threw back his head and laughed. “Only you, my darling Lillian, would view my going into government as more important than my proposal of marriage.’
Suddenly aware that she’d skimmed over the first part of his statement and ignored his position on bent knee on the floor and jumped to the excitement of him as a parliamentarian, she felt ashamed. Her eyes went wide with guilt. ‘I’m so sorry.’ She covered her face with her hands but he pulled them away. ‘Perhaps you should rescind your proposal. I’m certainly not conservative enough to make a good politician’s wife.’
He kissed the backs of her hands and smiled. ‘But you’re the perfect wife for me. And I’d really like your answer because this floor is rather hard on the knees.’
‘Yes, yes, yes, I’d be honored to become your wife, Lord Mallory.’ His sagging shoulders told her how tense he’d been waiting for her answer, though surely he’d guessed that she’d cultivated their friendship because she’d been infatuated with him since they’d been children. Rising to his feet, Brent slipped off his signet ring and slid it onto the fourth finger of her left hand. ‘I love you, Lillian, and I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.’ She clung to his neck when they shared kiss after kiss.
Tugging her with him, Brent strode to his room and opened the door. When she was inside, he locked it and tested that no one could barge into the room, especially his daughter. ‘Alone at last,’ he teased. ‘We have few hours left until we face your father and I intend savoring every moment.’
Lillian groaned. ‘I doubt the duke will be thrilled with any of our news. First, he’ll be furious that I snuck out of his house last night without the servants noticing because he’s keeping close watch over Candace and her recklessness. Secondly, he might not picture you as the best person to polish my reputation, considering the scandal when you fortified Marion’s reputation after her affairs. Such heroism is rarely seen in our circles, and therefore your gallantry was misconstrued. As for having a liberal-minded son-in-law sitting with him in Lords, he’ll be more incensed by your radicalism than by you having an illicit affair with his daughter.’
While she’d been speaking, Brent had skillfully turned her and, for a second time, eased her out of her garments.’
‘You’re rather good at that,’ she said over her shoulder.
He chuckled. ‘I’ve had lots of practice recently…’ She hissed in a breath and he kissed her bared shoulder. ‘But only with a small girl’s clothing. You’re the only woman I’ve touched in years.’
‘I’m glad,’ she said with a huff. ‘Oh, dear, I sounded like a green-eyed cat, didn’t I?’
‘I liked it. A lot. Been a long time since anyone cared enough to feel jealous of who I’ve been with, and I must admit, I’m feeling rather possessive of you too. The thought of any of those louts putting their hand on you tonight drove me crazy. I knocked over a footman’s tray of champagne and banged into at least ten women in my rush to find you.’
‘Mmm, I must say, I like your eagerness too. A lot.’ She pointed at his clothing. ‘Lose those, right now.’
He touched a finger to his forehead. ‘Yes, milady. What ever you desire.’