Page 53 of Once a Scoundrel

“Just like you,” he repeated, his eyes shining with pride and love.

Her vision blurred with fresh tears. When the kitten wiggled in her arms, she set it on the ground. It scrambled forward and sank its teeth into Stephen’s boot. He stared down at it, his lips pressed into a tight line, saying nothing.

Ruefully, Faith gently pulled it away from his boot and sent it scooting in the other direction. It raced down the aisle as if it owned the place, pausing to hiss and swipe its paw at every horse who poked its head out of its stall to investigate it.

She shook her head. “Charlie the dog is not going to like this!”

“He’s just going to have to get used to the idea of sharing you,” he murmured, slipping an arm around her waist.

She continued to watch the kitten as it scampered through the stable. He’d brought her a kitten in apology—unbelievable. And so typical of him, to know exactly what would melt her defenses. What would appeal most to her heart. But then, hadn’t he always been the man who knew her better than anyone else in the world, even four years apart and two continents away?

Keeping tears of happiness from falling through sheer will, she breathed, “Apology accepted.”

His shoulders sagged with relief. “Good. Because there’s something else for you inside the basket.”

She shook her head. “I don’t need any more gifts.” She had his love. She needed nothing else.

“This isn’t a gift,” he corrected quietly. “It’s a promise.”

He held the basket toward her.

Hesitatingly, she reached inside it again. She half-expected a collar for Charlie or some other such trinket for the kitten, but her fingers brushed against something tiny and metal lying on the satin lining.

She froze, stunned. She couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe— “Stephen...”

Smiling at her reaction, he reached into the basket and withdrew the ring. The diamond glittered even in the dim shadows of the rain-dreary day.

“I love you, Faith.” Dropping the basket to the floor, he reached for her trembling hand and slipped it onto her finger. “And this ring is a promise from my heart to yours that I will never leave you again, that we will be together, now and always.”

He lifted her hand to his mouth and caressed his lips across the ring, then turned her hand over and placed a delicate kiss against her palm.

“Our marriage won’t be easy. Mary and Jeremy are with Daniel’s parents now, but there will always be rumors swirling about them, about me and my past.” He drew a deep breath. “But if you’re strong enough to love me, despite all that, then I want nothing more than to marry you, to make a family and future with you.”

She sobbed softly when he touched his lips to hers in a kiss so tender, filled with so much love that it tore her breath away.

He knelt on one knee and took her hands in his. “Will you marry me, Faith?”

Before she could answer, the kitten raced back and bit at his boot again with a snarl. Despite her tears, a bubble of laughter rose on her lips at his chagrinned expression as he slid a narrowed gaze down at the ball of fur.

Ignoring the kitten’s fierce snarls as it continued to attack his boot, he pressed on, “Marry me, my Faith. Say you’ll give me a second chance—”

“Third,” she corrected as she swiped at her tears. “But who’s counting?”

A slow grin spread across his face as he rose to his feet and slipped his arms around her waist. “I don’t deserve you.”

She smiled, happiness swelling inside her. “Yet you have me anyway.” Then she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You know what everyone will say,” she warned teasingly, smiling as her cheek rested lovingly against his. “That you married me because it was expected.”

“With you, darling, I will gladly do the expected.” He lowered his head and kissed her.