To Dance until Dawn - Emma V. Leech Page 0,89

him give himself over to pleasure, to her, spilling himself inside her with a helpless cry. It was too much, enough to overwhelm her and send her tumbling in his wake, holding tight until at last they subsided. She clung to him, still breathing hard, and quite unable to keep the delighted smile from her lips.

Max let out a long, slow sigh before he raised his head to look at her.

“Are you all…?” The question died on his lips as he regarded her smug expression and he gave a rueful bark of laughter. “You’re happy now I’ve ruined you, then?”

Phoebe pulled his head down and kissed him. “I am blissfully happy. Thank you, Max.”

He snorted and turned on his back, taking her with him.

“Anytime, love,” he said dryly. “It was my pleasure, I assure you.”

“Mmmm,” Phoebe sighed, snuggling into his warmth. “Mine too,” she murmured, and drifted happily to sleep.

Chapter 21

Dear Florence,

Phoebe is coming home on Friday and the place is in uproar. It’s supposed to be a secret wedding to avoid a dreadful scandal, but that’s not stopping Mama from preparing like the King himself is coming to stay. I’m glad you’re coming too, but do try to keep Evie from following us. I’m not getting into trouble if she gets lost again.

―Excerpt of a letter to Miss Florence Knight from The Right Hon’ble Philip Barrington, The Earl of Blakeney.

24th April 1827. Dern Palace, Sevenoaks, Kent.

Max handed Phoebe down from the carriage, uncomfortably aware of her father’s cool gaze upon him. The back of his neck prickled and he had the awful suspicion that he might blush, but then Phoebe gave a shriek of delight and threw herself into her papa’s arms, kissing his cheek and hugging him tightly.

“Oh, Papa! We’ve had such an adventure. I can’t wait to tell you all about it,” she said, before kissing him again and running to embrace her mother.

“Phoebe, darling,” Matilda said, laughing and crying at once. “Oh, we are so glad to have you home again. We’ve been so worried.”

“Whatever for?” Phoebe asked, looking a little put out. “Surely you knew Max would look after me, and I’m not such a ninny as all that. Well… mostly I’m not,” she added, sending Max such a joyful smile his heart skipped.

Good Lord, but he was smitten, so helplessly in love with her that it was a good thing she had agreed to marry him. He wasn’t certain he could have survived losing her. He straightened abruptly, suddenly aware he’d been gazing at her like some lovesick mooncalf, and discovered Lucian watching him again.

Max stiffened as the marquess approached him and, to his great relief, held out his hand. Almost daring to breathe again, Max took it.

“Welcome home,” Lucian said, smiling now. “And thank you for keeping her out of trouble.”

Max cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, uncertain he could accept thanks for that in the circumstances.

“No,” Lucian said, silencing him before he could speak. “There’s no need. I know better than anyone that it is impossible to keep her entirely out of trouble, but she’s here in one piece and she’s happy, that much is obvious.”

“She is,” Max said, able to agree with that with no problem. “We both are.”

Lucian nodded. “I’m glad. More than I can say. I have always worried that she would fall for the wrong sort of man, someone who would not deserve her.”

Max gave a rueful smile. “I’m not certain I deserve her, but I love her, Lucian. With all my heart. I’ll be good to her.”

“I believe you. After all,” Lucian added lightly, “we are both members of Angelo’s.”

A wicked glint of amusement shone in his eyes and Max cleared his throat, aware it was a joke, but… still.

“So we are,” he replied.

“Papa, don’t frighten Max,” Phoebe scolded her father, running back to thread her arm through his.

Lucian looked down at her, his adoration quite obvious as he covered her hand with his own.

“As if I would, Bee,” he said, reproach in his expression. “Besides, I believe Max is not so easily intimidated. He would never have won your heart if he was, I think.”

“That’s true.” Phoebe beamed at him and then turned to smile at Max. “And I do love him, very much.”

Max’s throat tightened and he took a breath as he looked at her father, surprised to see the intimidating Marquess of Montagu blinking back tears.

“I’m glad, dearest Bee,” he said softly. “For you know, I could not have