What a Spinster Wants - Rebecca Connolly Page 0,86

tilt to her head.

The look he gave her was a kiss in and of itself. “I don’t know that anything has ever been more worth my while than this.”

Edith bit down on her lip to hold back a whimper of the most pleasant distress, longing to fly away from this room and these people, to just be with him and no one else.

Graham’s eyes drifted down to the exact place where her lip puckered beneath her teeth. When they returned to her eyes, the intensity pulled her closer to him, the hand at her waist sliding further around, anchoring her there as much as any dance could allow.

She’d have gone closer if she could have.

And then, far too quickly, the waltz was finished, and the respectability of their proximity could not last.

“Graham…” Edith whispered as their hands lowered, fingers lacing.

He brought her hand to his lips, lingering in a manner that made Edith shiver. “Save me the supper set, sweetheart. I want to spend as much time with you as I can.”

“You can have them all, mo chridhe,” Edith breathed, knowing he wouldn’t understand the endearment, but needing to say it.

As if he knew, he kissed her hand again, before returning her to Grace and Charlotte, neither of whom had words for her, though both took her hands.

The ball proceeded another hour or so without much fuss, Edith dancing with Henshaw, Aubrey, Tony, Francis, and Sebastian. Graham danced with her friends as well, but nothing made Edith happier than watching him dance with Amelia. She smiled more brightly than Edith had seen her do in months, and Graham was doing it for her.

If Edith hadn’t loved him before, she certainly did now.

Suddenly, there was a ruckus at the front of the ballroom, disrupting the music and the dance. Edith grabbed Georgie’s arm, fearing the worst for herself, and for Graham.

Then, through the crowd, came a man dressed too casually for a ball, breathing as if he were desperately winded, and his eyes scanned the entire company eagerly.

As soon as Edith could see his face, she gasped and released Georgie’s arm, turning to her other side, where Amelia had gone very still, her eyes wide.

“Amelia?” she asked gently, very concerned that she would swoon.

Graham came to them as well, though he bore a small smile on his face.

The man’s eyes suddenly caught Amelia, and he froze as completely as if he had been a statue.

Amelia ignored them both. “Edmund.”

Mr. Andrews looked her up and down without shame, his generally reserved countenance gone in the face of agony and ecstasy. He swallowed once, and then marched towards her just as her feet carried her forward. They clasped each other tightly, Amelia sobbing against his shoulder, and he clutching her to him as if nothing in heaven or on earth would ever take her from him.

There was no helping the tears streaming down Edith’s cheeks as she witnessed their reunion, the love between them palpable as well as visible.

Graham wrapped his arms around her and kissed the side of her neck softly, holding her close.

“You did this?” she whispered, running a hand over the arms that held her.

He rested his head against hers. “I received a fascinating letter only yesterday, inquiring as to whether Amelia Perry might be in attendance, and if one Edmund Andrews might be admitted to see her. I replied in the affirmative, and Ingram related the whole situation to me.”

“Tell me,” Edith murmured.

Graham chuckled softly. “As it happens, Andrews has been working for the government. His latest assignment was in Portugal, and he fell into a spot of trouble, which is why he stopped writing to Amelia. Vale and Ingram discovered this while working with Chadwick on your particular matters, and the three of them were able to get him back. As I understand it, he came straight here after giving his report and seeing his duty fulfilled. His biggest concern was that Amelia had thought him indifferent and uncaring, when quite the opposite is true, as you can see.”

Edith nodded and leaned back against him while they had this moment.

Graham kissed her again, this time at her ear, very softly. “I’d hold you the same way in this company if they were not already doing so. You are too beautiful, too lovely to resist. It is only the promise of sitting next to you at supper that is keeping me from stealing away with you right this minute.”

Her eyes fluttered, and she pulled his arms more tightly about