Page 46 of A Rogue to Reform

Her father cleared his throat, and her mother covered her cheeks with both hands and smiled.

“Ouch,” Evan whispered.

Someone handed her a handkerchief, and she wiped his mouth before wiping hers.

Evan stood and turned to her father. “I just asked your father for your hand. He was considering it.”

“I just hope you are prepared to deal with the spirited lass,” her father muttered, seeming both perplexed and relieved at the same time.

Felicity started to argue at being called spirited, but decided it was best to remain silent at the moment. Her heart was beating wildly at the realization she was to marry Evan, the man she loved with all her heart. However it came about didn’t matter at the time. All she could think was that he would be forever hers.

When Evan turned to Grant, her brother frowned and had crossed his arms. “What?”

“I hope we are still friends, especially now that we are to be brothers,” Evan told him.

Her brother let out a sigh and held out his hand. “I am stuck with you then.”

Evan slapped Grant’s hand away and hugged him instead.

“I suppose we should celebrate then,” her father said, shaking his head. “Young people can be so impetuous.”

Her mother went to her husband and slipped her arm through his. “I most definitely agree. In our day, we would never dare. Gerard, would you please alert the others and ask that they bring champagne and flutes?” her mother instructed the butler, who hurried away.

When Gerard returned with Ana and two other servants, everyone held up a flute of sparkling liquid. Her father met her gaze and then Evan’s. “To Evan and Felicity. We wish you good fortune and happiness.”

As they sipped, Felicity looked at everyone around the room past her hazy, teary eyes. Everyone smiled brightly, excited to be the first to celebrate the happy occasion.

Bruising began to show on Evan’s face, with a cut lip and another one above his right eyebrow.

“The both of you require cool compresses,” Mae, the cook, said as she motioned to both men. “Please join me in the kitchen.” Like repentant schoolboys, they followed her as she walked away.

“This has certainly been a strange afternoon,” Hannah said, lowering to a settee.

Felicity looked to her friend. “Did no one call on you today?”

Hannah shrugged. “I did not expect anyone to. The only gentlemen who spoke to me were our self-appointed guardians, Henry Campbell, your brother, and Lord Johnstone.”

“I am certainly disappointed,” Felicity said just as Gerard reappeared.

“Mr. Campbell is here.”

Henry walked in and hesitated, his gaze going from the shattered vase to the champagne glasses, and lastly to Felicity and Hannah. “What did I miss?” Henry asked with a confused expression, looking to every person in the room.

“Evan proposed to Felicity,” her mother replied while her father poured another glass and drank down the contents.

Finally, Henry seemed to gather his composure. “I came to speak to Grant.”

“He and Evan are in the kitchen,” Felicity said. “Mae is looking after their injuries.”

Her parents placed their glasses down and walked out of the room with Henry.

All strength left her body and Felicity could only sit and look straight ahead. “What is happening, Hannah? I feel as if this is a dream. Will I wake in the morning and find that Evan never asked me to marry him?”

Hannah giggled. “It is all very real, dear friend. You are to marry Evan after the most chaotic and yet romantic proposal ever.”

A wide smile split her face as joy filled every inch of her being. “It is all real. I can barely believe it.”

*