“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Good. She and I will chat then. I’ll ask Lady Fielding to seat her beside me. It’s a break with the rules of etiquette, but what’s the use of being a duke if I can’t be obnoxious and demanding?” He returned inside.
Ronan remained on the balcony, raking a hand through his hair and wondering what had just happened. He laughed as he sauntered in to rejoin Dahlia and the Lord Admiral. They were standing at the same spot where he’d left them, both still sporting worried expressions.
The Lord Admiral noted his smile. “Did you manage to repair the damage, Brayden?”
Dahlia was wringing her hands. “Oh, please say you did.”
“There is no damage to repair. The duke apologized to me and assured me that we will have his vote. Not only that, but he’ll throw his full support to us to be sure our budget request passes.” He turned to Dahlia. “This is your doing. He was thoroughly charmed by you. In fact, he’s going to ask Lady Fielding to seat you next to him at tomorrow’s party.”
The Lord Admiral emitted a sigh of relief. “Well done, Miss Farthingale.”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure what I did. I thought I had angered him, and he was livid.”
“You were honest with him, and he sorely needed it. Everyone panders to him. He recognized you as a person he could trust. It seems to be a precious commodity these days. However, tomorrow try to be a little more restrained in your opinions. I think you’ve sent him home with a blistered backside.”
The Lord Admiral laughed. “Well, my thanks for saving the Royal Navy. I shall leave you to Captain Brayden now.”
He bowed over her hand and then left them.
“So, I didn’t sink your best-laid plans?” She smiled at him.
“No, Queen Pea. You were brilliant. Would you care to dance? Stoke stole the last waltz from me. They’re about to play another, and I have a desperate need to hold you in my arms.”
“I think that would be lovely. But isn’t it unusual to play so many waltzes in an evening?”
“It is, but Lady Broadhurst has a daughter making her come-out. Three waltzes, three potential suitors. All rules are tossed out the window for this matchmaking mama.”
“I won’t complain. There is something quite heavenly about being in your arms.”
“Feeling is mutual.” There was a new awareness thrumming through him. Something had changed between them, and it took him halfway through their waltz to realize what it was. In helping him with the duke, they had just formed a very important connection. This had nothing to do with his response to her body or her beauty, which seemed to grow more spectacular with each passing moment.
This had to do with her becoming a part of his life. His assignment as navy liaison to Parliament defined him as a man. It was a prestigious position, even though it was not one he would have preferred for himself.
He would have been happiest in command of a battleship.
But liaison was the job he had been tasked to do. This evening, Dahlia had come through for him, saving his arse. More important, she’d saved him while remaining true to herself. For the first time, he realized how much richer every aspect of his life would be with her in it.
Until this moment, he had been thinking of her primarily as a pleasing bed mate. He had also been thinking of her as a wife and the perfect mother for their children, should they be blessed with them.
Those were important, of course. But he had not considered her as a confidante and partner in every aspect of his life. When it came to matters beyond their domestic life, he had only been thinking about what he could offer her.
Offer her marriage.
Offer his protection.
Provide a home for her.
Protect their children, should they have any.
He’d never once given thought to all she would add to his life. But he understood now what the author of The Book of Love had been describing. It wasn’t merely about the senses. It was about the connections one built over the course of a marriage. It was about the strengths in each that enhanced the other.
He did not know if the Lord Admiral would ask for more from Dahlia. But knowing she could handle whatever they tossed her way was a source of pride for him. Also, she offered a fresh perspective. As helpful as Joshua and Robbie always were, the three of them were often of one mind.
Dahlia would bring not only a fresh opinion but a woman’s opinion. Other men might dismiss it, but he’d been raised by a fierce, intelligent, and independent mother. He understood the value of her thoughts. Of course, he was not going to divulge military secrets to Dahlia. But his everyday worries?
“You are looking at me so oddly, Ronan.”
They were spinning around the room along with the other couples, flowing to the music in a smoothly moving current. “Am I?”
“Yes. You are looking at me as though you are seeing me clearly for the first time.”
“I am, Queen Pea. I thought I understood what the book described. But it is only now that I realize the full impact of the advice. We look at a person, but what do we really see? What we want to see. What we expect to see. But if we clear away our preconceptions and open ourselves to all possibilities, we suddenly notice an entirely new world set out before us.”
He wanted to tell her that he loved her, but to do so amid a crowd was out of the question. Once he did tell her, he intended to seal the declaration with a kiss. Perhaps a string of kisses.
Perhaps more.
Definitely more.
He wanted to devour this girl.
“I’ve never felt like this before,” he said, his voice husky as he struggled to hold back the words she was not yet ready to hear. But he wanted her to know that he was not going away. “You and me. I want you in my life forever.”
“Don’t say anything more, Ronan.” He felt her tremble in his arms. “Let’s wait until your vote is over. I may have done you a good turn this evening, but I could be the goat tomorrow.”
When the dance ended, the Lord Admiral called Ronan over. “Something’s come up. We have to go. Nothing to do with the vote. Forgive us, Miss Farthingale. And thank you again for all you did for us this evening.”
Ronan took a moment to escort her to a group of her cousins who were clustered in a circle beside the balcony doors and merrily chatting away. He led her to them, knowing they would keep her safe from Wainscott. But he frowned at her to emphasize his concern. “Do not leave them.”
She smiled at him. “I won’t. If they migrate to the food, I shall migrate right along with them and keep to the middle of the herd.”
“Brayden, let’s go,” the Lord Admiral said impatiently.
“Until tomorrow, Queen Pea.” He raised her gloved hand to his lips and kissed it.
He dared not look back once he strode off.
Dahlia was not a child. She would know better than to give Wainscott the chance to find her alone again.
“What has happened, my lord? Who has summoned us?” They grabbed their cloaks and hurried out the door to the Lord Admiral’s waiting carriage.
“Lord Liverpool. He’s assembled his cabinet ministers at Westminster Hall and wants us there immediately.”
Damn. This had to be something serious. Lord Liverpool led Parliament. He was the most powerful man in England, save for the royal family. Arguably, he was even more powerful than the royals. Ronan’s eyebrows arched upward in surprise. “Any indication of why he needs us so urgently?”