Page 107 of The Unfortunate Debutante
Once they were situated in the carriage, Simeon asked, “Did you get the answers you were hoping for?”
“I did,” she affirmed. “My family kept me away from my grandfather to protect me. He planned to marry me off without even discussing it.”
Mrs. Morton interjected, “I couldn’t help overhearing that he was marrying you off to an earl. Most women of the ton would be pleased by that arrangement.”
“You’ll find that I am not like most women of the ton,” Emma asserted.
“For which I am grateful,” Simeon added, kissing her on top of her head.
She tilted her face to look up at him. “Besides, I am much more interested in marrying a Bow Street Runner than an earl.”
Simeon stoodin the posh entry hall of the Duke of Remington’s townhouse. He was in full dress and was waiting for Emma’s arrival for their engagement ball. He had offered to escort her personally to the ball, but Downshire huffed a firm refusal, stating that it was not appropriate for an engaged couple to spend so much time together.
For the past week, he had spent every moment he could with Emma. They had gone on carriage rides through Hyde Park, toured Grange Gardens, and even spent evenings at the theatre. Unfortunately, no invitations had been forthcoming for balls or social gatherings for Emma, but he, along with members of the Beckett family, had already devised a plan to help with that. He had no doubt that after tonight, the ton would accept Emma for the beautiful, unique woman that she was.
The main door was opened, revealing Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Maddix. Previously, his breath would have hitched at Martha’s beauty, but he now realized that it paled in comparison to Emma’s.
He tilted his head respectfully. “Mr. and Mrs. Maddix, what a pleasure to see you again.”
“Mrs. Maddix?” Martha repeated. “When did you stop calling me Martha?”
Reaching out, Emmett placed a hand on his shoulder. “You took a bullet for me, Simeon. We are past formalities between us.”
“Understood.” He smiled.
Turning to address her husband, Martha asked, “Would you mind giving me and Simeon a moment alone, dear?”
“Of course,” Emmett replied. “It will give me a chance to get a drink before this blasted affair.”
Laughing, Martha teased, “I fear that Luke is starting to rub off on you.” She turned to face Simeon to explain. “Emmett and Luke have become rather close, living on neighboring estates.”
“Or it could be that I prefer to see my godson, Matthew, and Luke is always loitering about,” Emmett joked. “Speaking of Luke, has he arrived?”
“Not yet, but Benedict and Jonathon are in the duke’s study.”
With a lingering glance at Martha, Emmett said, “Don’t be long, my love.”
As her husband walked away, Simeon questioned, “Are you happy?”
“Blissfully, so,” she replied. “And you?”
“I am so happy that my heart might burst with joy,” he answered honestly.
She smiled. “I am so pleased to hear that.”
“For so many years, I thought I had been searching for you, but I realized that my heart had been searching for someone entirely different.”
“You were searching for Emma,” Martha said knowingly.
He nodded. “I was.” He shifted his gaze over her shoulder, then admitted, “After you married Emmett, I spiraled out of control. I was filled with hate and despair, but Emma changed all that.”
Martha’s eyes grew reflective. “When you find true love, that’s what happens. The love removes all doubts and fears, allowing you to be free from the burdens of your past.”
“It’s true,” he remarked. “I’m finally returning to the man I was before I lost you that fateful day.”
“I’m glad, especially since that was a good version of you,” Martha commented, smoothing out her blue gown. “Has she met your family yet?”
Glancing in the direction of the ballroom, he responded, “She’ll meet them tonight.”
