He scanned the room in search of Juno. Most of the guests were present. But not her. Damn.
Moving another few steps into the room, he fixed his attention on Lady Cosford. “Might I speak with you a moment?” he asked quietly but loud enough for her to hear.
“Of course.” She rose from the settee and joined him. Then they moved back toward the doorway.
Dare got right to the point. “I wonder if you could tell me where I might find Mrs. Langton?”
Lady Cosford’s brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, but she’s gone.”
The world seemed to fade around Dare. His lungs squeezed and his appendages felt odd, as if they weren’t even there. She was gone. It was over.
No, it’s not, you idiot. Go after her.
He twitched, rolling his shoulders. “Where did she go?”
“She went to Bath.”
“When?”
“An hour ago?” Lady Cosford looked uncertain.
“How can you not know?” His voice began to rise as all the wonderful emotions he’d just fucking recognized begin to melt away.
None of this was supposed to happen. He wasn’t supposed to have fallen in love or have been stupid enough to let her go.
“We can ask the stable when she left. She took one of our coaches.” Lady Cosford spoke in a calm, helpful manner, but it did nothing to alleviate his agitation.
“Is there something amiss?” Lady Bentham called from somewhere. Dare had tunnel vision at the moment and could only see his hostess. Truthfully, he couldn’t even really see her. He saw Juno, but she was so terribly far away. Could he ever get to her? Was he too late?
Dare’s heart pounded a harsh, staccato rhythm. Cold sweat dappled the back of his neck.
“Are you all right?” Lady Cosford asked, sounding as if she were down a hole.
“He doesn’t look all right.” Lady Bentham again, closer than before, but still as if she were behind something.
He felt a touch on his arm and instantly jerked away, stepping to the side. He blinked, and the room came into focus. What the hell had just happened to him?
Looking about wildly, he found Lady Cosford. “I need to go after her. Immediately.” He wasn’t even going to change clothes.
“I’ll have your coach prepared,” Lady Cosford said.
“What a magnificent surprise this is,” Lady Bentham murmured. “And how titillated the ton will be.”
Lady Cosford turned on the older woman, her eyes narrowed. “Have you no shame?”
“I have plenty, but not about this,” she said with a laugh. She looked to Dare. “The duke knows how the world works. He knew the minute he declared his intent to pursue Mrs. Langton that his secret—whatever the specifics are—is out in the world. To think those present in this room wouldn’t share such delightful information is beneath his intelligence.”
She was right. But he hadn’t considered it before he’d spoken. He hadn’t thought about it at all. There had been no strategy to his utterance, just a primal need to reach the woman he loved. Juno would be thrilled that his rigidity had been nowhere in sight.
Buoyed by this, he turned to Lady Bentham. “It’s not a secret. I am in love with Mrs. Langton and need to tell her so as soon as possible. If it makes you happy to spread that information, then by all means do so. Honestly, I don’t care if the entire world knows. Although, I would prefer she heard it from me,” he said wryly, surprised and grateful that his equilibrium had mostly returned.
“I just did.”
Dare thought he was hearing things. But he turned to the doorway and she was there. His goddess had returned.
Juno stared at Dare, thinking she couldn’t have heard him right. He loved her? And he’d said so in front of everyone in this room?
Every guest present was focused intently on the drama playing out just inside the threshold. Juno wondered what she’d missed. Although, she wasn’t sure it mattered. Not if he’d actually said what she thought she’d heard.
“You came back,” Dare said simply, his features radiating joy. It was an odd thing to behold, and Juno had to blink, as if she were looking at the sun.
“I did,” she said slowly. “Did I just hear—”
“Me say that I love you. Yes. I was an ass. An inflexible, overthinking, single-minded curmudgeon. Who would like to beg your forgiveness.”
“Are you sure you want to have this conversation here?” she whispered, glancing particularly at Lady Bentham, who was watching—and listening to—them with rapt interest.
“I do. I don’t care who hears what I have to say.” His brow creased. “Unless you do. Perhaps you’d prefer I close my mouth and never speak again.”
She couldn’t help smiling, overcome with joy that he would put her feelings in front of his. She’d been so wrong to compare him to her parents, to forget that he struggled with his inflexibility. “I admit I’m shocked to hear you say so much, let alone display…so much, but I am quite delighted to hear whatever you have to say however you wish to say it.” If she cared about her professional future as a companion, she would silence him. However, she was fairly certain her role as a companion was already at risk since Lady Gilpin was seated nearby, and her attention was completely focused on them.
Furthermore, she could see Dare’s rigid outer shell cracking apart, and she couldn’t bring herself to stop that. This was an important moment for him. And hopefully for them together.
He dropped to his knee before her, and several gasps filled the air. Juno’s heart picked up speed, clamoring against her ribs as happiness and anticipation collided in her chest.
“In addition to begging your forgiveness—”
“You have it,” she cut in, not wanting him to go another moment thinking she was angry or disappointed. “There’s nothing to forgive. I should have been more understanding. I do know you, and I love all your eccentricities.”
His lips curved into the most dazzling smile he’d yet displayed. Juno had to keep herself from leaping onto him and tackling him to the carpet.
“You love me?”
She nodded.
“How unexpected,” he murmured, taking her hand. “And wonderful. In addition to begging forgiveness, when apparently none is required, I also planned to use this opportunity to beg you to be my wife. Juno, my goddess, will you do me the honor of becoming my duchess?”
A duchess! Juno had considered many options when she’d decided to turn the coach around and return to Blickton, including marriage. However, she’d instantly determined that would never happen. What duke would propose to a paid companion? Particularly a duke with rigid plans and expectations.
She clapped her free hand over her mouth as emotion overwhelmed her. She hadn’t expected him to say he loved her. And she’d certainly never imagined this.
“You planned?” was all she could manage to say, briefly lowering her hand to her chin.
He arched one of his gloriously thick brows at her. “You can’t be surprised by that?”
A giggle slipped from her mouth, and she moved her hand back up to seal her lips. Inhaling through her nose, she dropped her hand and tried to calm the torrent inside her. “No, I should not be surprised.”