Jonas lifted an eyebrow as though indicating he was not finished and did not appreciate being interrupted, causing Walter to swallow so hard, he could feel his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “My apologies. Please continue.”
“As I was saying … I do not take your request for my blessing lightly. I have not forgotten how devastated Georgiana was when you left for France two years ago, nor am I likely to ever forget.”
Walter felt the palms of his hands begin to sweat as he feared he was going to be denied. He might even be told he could no longer court Georgiana. He had no idea what he would do if that happened…
For what felt like forever, neither spoke. It wasn’t until Jonas picked up his glass once again and resumed lightly sipping his brandy, that Walter realized that he was now expected to say something.
Swallowing hard, and then taking another large swallow of his own drink with shaking hands, he said, “I will not even try to pretend it wasn’t my fault. Though Rowley did play a part in it, the decision to leave was mine, and it was the worst mistake I have ever made.
“I am blessed beyond measure that Georgiana even deigns to speak to me at all after I hurt her like that. I can promise you, sir, if you let me have her hand, I will never break her heart again. I will stay by her side, even through the times when she might not want me to be there, and I will never let her go.”
A hushed silence filled the room, and Walter held his breath, as Jonas seemed to ponder what he had said. It was almost impossible to tell what the older man was thinking, since he had his chin resting in one of his hands, which obscured the view of his mouth, and his eyes gave nothing away.
Slowly, Jonas got up from where he was sitting and, taking both of their glasses, went to refill them without saying a word. Walter had no idea if that was a good sign or a bad one.
On the one hand, didn’t refilling both of their glasses mean they were going to talk longer? And yet, her uncle still wasn’t saying anything or even looking at him at the moment.
He nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard what seemed to be a strange sound, only to realize Jonas was chuckling. Looking up in astonishment as Georgiana’s uncle turned back around, he saw a smile on the man’s face. A very large smile, at that.
Still in shock, Walter accepted the drink handed to him as the chuckling grew louder. “What … I… does this mean…?”
His reaction was apparently amusing to the other man, whose shoulders shook as he told him, “Oh, don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t lying when I told you I am not going to forget how you hurt Georgiana. However, since she was willing to forgive you, and clearly still loves you, too, I suppose an old man like me can’t hold it against you too much. You have my blessing to marry her, if she says yes, which I have little doubt she will.”
Walter was starting to feel calmer now, but his eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Then, what was all that about just now? You nearly had me believing you weren’t going to give me your blessing.”
“Well, I didn’t want to make it too easy for you,” Jonas replied, as though it were obvious. “I had to make you sweat a little first before I gave you my blessing. That is what I did when Eloise’s husband came to me to ask my permission. Since I truly do consider Georgiana to be a daughter to me, it would have been showing partiality if I hadn’t done the same to you.”
Walter may have felt a little exasperated at being played in such a way, but the knowledge he could now ask Georgiana to marry him far outweighed any other consideration.
“So, you really weren’t ever considering refusing?” he asked, sipping his brandy and enjoying the taste for the first time.
Jonas smiled and shook his head. “Not for a moment. Anyone who sees the two of you together for any length of time could never deny you belong together. You have had more than enough difficulties getting to where you are now. I am not about to add another to the list.”