Page 89 of The Botanist’s Improper Bride

“You… love me?”

His heart hammered out a beat to accompany the words: She loves me, she loves me, she loves me. He wouldn’t forget those words for as long as he lived.

“Yes, you silly man.”

He pouted. “You just said I was brilliant.”

“And you are.” A mischievous smile curled her lips. “You also can’t seem to see how wonderful you are. You’ve always treated me like an equal even though, in society’s eyes, I have lower status and less claim to education or intelligence. You’ve endured situations that I know you must have hated in order to court me, and you never faltered when even the most steadfast suitors might have run.”

“All I did was⁠—”

“Hush.” She put her fingers to his lips. “You’re kind, respectful, and never judge anyone based on their circumstances. You have the most impressive mind of anyone I know, but you don’t think you’re above explaining complicated concepts to those who can’t keep up with you.”

“May I talk now?” he asked against her finger.

“Not yet. You’re also far handsomer than you give yourself credit for. You have the loveliest brown eyes, the sweetest freckles, and you cut a fine figure in your shirtsleeves but an even finer figure out of them.”

Blood suffused Trevor’s face, and he knew he must be quite red.

“Your blush is charming too,” she added as an afterthought, before removing her finger. “There. Now, I’m done.”

“Do you mean it?” he asked, unable to help himself.

He was awed by the conviction with which she’d spoken, and even if it shocked him to hear how she viewed him because he’d never have seen himself that way, he got the impression that she was telling the truth as she saw it.

Honestly, that filled him with a sense of wonder. When he’d decided to court her, he’d hoped she’d merely settle for marrying him. He’d never imagined that she might come to care for him even half as much as he cared for her.

“Yes.” She smiled with all the tenderness he felt in his own heart. “I love you, Trevor. Even when I was so busy keeping secrets that I lost sight of who I was, you’ve always seen me clearly, and somehow, you liked what you saw.”

“I love you too.” He let go of her just enough to get his arms beneath her and scoop her onto his lap. “I think I have for a long time.”

Laughing breathily, she slid her arms around him and touched their foreheads together. “Really?”

“I was desolate when I found out you were betrothed to someone else.”

Their lips met, and he cradled her close to his body, a warm bundle of woman that was the most precious thing in the world to him. They kissed, lightly at first but growing deeper, until the carriage bumped to a halt and their teeth clashed.

“Ugh.” Seraphina extricated herself from his hold and looked out the window. “We’re back at Wembley House. Can we just hide in here for a while longer?”

“If you like.”

But then there was a crash, followed by pounding footsteps, and the carriage door flew open.

“Well?” Letitia demanded breathlessly. Her eyes went straight to Seraphina. “Oh thank God, you’re here. They let you go?”

Seraphina nodded. “Trevor and Mr. Vane provided enough evidence to counter Mr. Emerson’s that the magistrate decided not to take us to trial.”

“Eeep!” Letitia jumped inside and tackled Seraphina, hugging her so tightly that Trevor wasn’t sure she’d be able to breathe. “I’m so glad. I don’t know what I’d have done if they locked you up. Maybe tried to blow up Newgate.”

“Shh!” Seraphina hissed. “You can’t say things like that where someone might hear you.”

“I’d have helped,” Trevor said, looking around Seraphina to Letitia. “I don’t know as much about chemistry as I do about botany, but between us, I’m sure we could have figured it out.”

Letitia beamed at him. “This is why you’re my favorite cousin.”

“Well, fortunately we don’t have to do any of that.” Seraphina slipped past Letitia and out of the carriage. “How upset are the Earl and Countess?”

“Lady Wembley is beside herself,” Letitia said, following her out. “She feels terrible for not accompanying you to the magistrate.”