Married by Christmas by Isabella Hargreaves

Author:Isabella Hargreaves
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency romance, historical romance, holiday romance, friends to lovers, older man younger woman
Publisher: Isabella Hargreaves
Published: 2021-09-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

For one brief moment, all Lauren could think was that Sir Oliver Masterton loved her and wanted to marry her. Her dream come true! Then she re-ran his words in her head. He was proposing despite all the dictates of his good sense and on the basis of his reconsideration during a two-hour carriage ride. Hardly a well-considered proposal.

She ought to be committed to Bedlam if she accepted such an offer. Had she learned nothing from her recent engagement to Lulworth? If there were any doubts by either party that a marriage would not work, then it should not take place. There was no guarantee that by tomorrow morning, or any day thereafter, he would not have changed his mind again.

Her heart ached so much, she thought it would split in half. She studied the carpet and bit her cheek. She could do this. She must. Lauren straightened her spine, released his hands, and raised her eyes to meet his.

“Thank you for your kind offer, Sir Oliver, but I fear I must decline.”

At her words, his eyes widened in surprise, then his shoulders slumped. “Decline!”

She dipped her chin to give a nod, although it broke her heart to do so.

“But I love you.” His open mouth and the lines between his brows and around his eyes could have been comical in another situation.

He had thought she would fall into his arms at his words. “Yes, and I you, but your decision to propose is very sudden, and I can’t help suspecting you will regret it by tomorrow.” And it would do me far more damage to believe I had a future with you and then to lose that hope.

“And if I don’t regret it, then will you agree to marry me?”

“Maybe?” What was he suggesting?

“What can I do to convince you that I have thought over all you said to me this morning and that I agree with you? That I mustn’t live my life fearing I’ll make the same mistakes as my parents? I see that now. I will do everything in my power to facilitate your happiness.”

How could she fight such sincerity? “Thank you.”

Gaze hopeful, he recaptured her hands in his. “You will reconsider?”

“You... I... We need time to consider whether love is enough when you have been so set against our marriage.”

His jaw tightened. “Every minute longer we take here brings your uncles closer to finding you. I bribed the man who brought your aunt’s belongings here to give me her address. I paid him well to tell no other, but there is no guarantee he will keep his word.”

A lump formed in her stomach. “You think they will find us here?”

“It’s possible.”

“My uncles will not allow me to marry you?”

He shook his head. “Never. I may be wealthy, but I don’t have a title.”

“You’re a friend of the Regent! He knighted you.”

“Still not enough for them.”

She couldn’t be found—not now she had escaped them and the miserable fate they had planned for her. Not now her happiness with Oliver was within her grasp.

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