Page 72 of The Secret Suitor

Millie nodded, and they seemed to come to an agreement to put this behind them. Mr. Stroud left the room, his sigh following him out.

“You forgave much easier than I have,” Wesley said the moment they were alone. “I am still irritated with the woman.”

“Perhaps it is the spirit of Christmastide influencing me. I am feeling charitable.”

Wesley crossed the space between them and pulled her into his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. “You are a wonderful example to me.”

“I feel exhausted,” she whispered. “My heart was beating so forcefully, I thought it might come through my chest.”

“It is behind you now,” he soothed.

“Thank you for supporting me.”

“Millie, if you will let me, I will support you in everything for the rest of our lives.”

She leaned back slightly, looking into his eyes. “You mean it.”

He laughed, the sound a force from his stomach. “Of course I mean it. I love you, Millie. You are clever, witty, compassionate, and my friend. I bungled things the first time around, but I know you, and I value you.”

“You do happen to have all the requirements on my mother’s list.”

He chuckled. “A fortune, good breeding, and exceptional sense, if I remember correctly.”

“And everything on mine,” she said.

“I am utterly devoted to you, and I heard a rumor you have loved me for many, many, many years.”

Millie’s laughter filled both the room and Wesley’s heart. “I worried you were wrapped up in the spirit of the house party and as soon as we returned home you would forget about me, but you have not been able to leave my side.”

“I think we will make a good match of it, Mildred.”

“I happen to agree, Wesleydale. We should probably return to the drawing room. I am certain they wish to begin the play soon, and they might be wondering where we are.”

“Let them wonder for a few moments longer,” he murmured, enjoying the feeling of her in his arms. He brushed his thumb over her cheekbone and pressed a kiss to her soft lips, eager for the day he could do so anytime he wished without fear of being discovered.

Millie kissed him back before pulling away and tugging on his navy blue waistcoat. “Come, grave digger. We have a performance to do.”

“As you wish.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

The play had been an overall success. Mr. Kendrick preened the entire evening, properly brimming with pleasure at his own cleverness. Millie had congratulated him at the end of the night, and he had told her she played her part exceptionally well.

She was still unsure what to make of that.

Now, they were seated beside one another at dinner the night of the musicale, and Mr. Kendrick was putting the majority of his attention on Mrs. Bowles, the woman seated on his other side.

Which left Mr. Stroud for dinner conversation.

“Are we to be friends?” he finally said, his tone quiet. He had combed his blond hair neatly, and his clothing was spotless. He looked very handsome, but nothing about Millie’s interactions with him had inspired any real depth of feeling. She could objectively find him attractive without thinking she had missed out on a possible connection.

But yes, she did believe they could easily become friends. The situation with his sister had somehow made them understand one another better.

“I would like that,” Millie said.

Mr. Stroud gave a soft nod. “It sounds as though Mr. Prescott intended to propose before the year was through.”

A blush swarmed her cheeks. “If you refer to the game we played on New Year’s Eve, I believe our predictions were meant to be for the following year. Besides, it was only a silly game.”