“Lucy!” Edward exclaimed, catching her hand the moment she stepped out of the carriage. “You are utterly breathtaking.”

Lucy’s heart skipped a beat and she took him in, seeing the way his gaze warmed with heat as he studied her.

“Truly exquisite,” he breathed, leaning a little closer.

Her stomach tightened as his head lowered and he caught her lips with his for a brief moment, his hands settling around her waist. She forgot all about Lord Hutton, about her father’s confession and subsequent apology. There was only Edward.

“I wish we could remain like this,” he whispered in her ear, one hand reaching up to catch her chin. “But I believe Mama is waiting for us. I must apologize that my father is still out of the country on diplomatic business, although he has written to me to let me know he is equally thrilled about my impending marriage.”

“I am glad to hear it,” Lucy said softly. “Although you are right when you state that your mama—and my parents also—will be waiting for us.” She laughed quietly as he let out a soft groan of frustration. “I do not think the ball can begin without us.”

Edward sighed heavily but did not release her. “Then let me say to you now, Lucy, that my heart is filled with love for you.” His voice softened as he gently rested his forehead against hers, and Lucy felt her breath catch in her throat. “I have fallen so deeply in love with you that I cannot bear to think of being apart from you. Our marriage cannot come soon enough.”

Not caring about whether her parents saw her or about keeping Edward’s mother waiting, Lucy flung her arms around Edward’s neck and kissed him deeply. She felt tears flood her eyes as their lips met, knowing that the same love was in her own heart. It had been growing slowly, rooting itself in her heart the first time they had met, and it was now fully blossoming.

Reluctantly, she broke their kiss, holding his dear face in her hands. “Edward,” she whispered, her racing emotions pushing at her already shaky composure. “I love you, too.”

He smiled gently. “I am very glad to hear it,” he murmured softly. “It seems we shall both go into this marriage with what we have always hoped for.”

Lucy gave him a shaky smile, trying desperately not to let the tears drop from her eyes. Edward tenderly brushed his thumb over her lashes, the gentleness in his face tugging at her heart.

“Shall we go in, my love?” he asked. “The guests will be arriving soon, and it would not do for them to find us out here instead of in the receiving line.”

“I do not think I should mind that, even if there was something of a scandal,” Lucy murmured, wishing she did not have to let him go. The moment seemed too precious, too important, to let go of it so quickly.

Edward chuckled and stepped back, putting her hand on his arm but leaving his own hand there to linger. Lucy found herself walking towards the house beside him, caught up in a whirlwind of sensations. She was abuzz with feeling, thinking that she was walking on some kind of gentle clouds instead of solid ground. Edward was everything she had always wished for.

After greeting Edward’s mother and accepting her effusing congratulations once again, Lucy took her place beside her betrothed and prepared to meet their guests. Soon, she found herself curtsying over and over again, her hand taken by the gentlemen and her cheek bussed by the ladies. It felt as though her smile was becoming a permanent fixture on her face, the line of guests almost never ending.

“Perhaps a few moments to rest?” Edward murmured as the line slowly came to a close. “We are to dance soon, but I can tell you are tired already!”

The thought of dancing with Edward made her heart skip a beat, though Lucy had to admit that she would very much like to sit for a short while.

“A glass of something, perhaps?” Edward continued, his hand on the small of her back. “There is a small alcove just along this way, where you can watch the proceedings below stairs whilst keeping yourself hidden.”

“Thank you, Edward,” Lucy replied, truly grateful for his consideration. “I would like to sit for a few minutes, if it is not too much trouble.”

He grinned at her. “The ball will wait for us both, my love. You may rest for a full hour if you wish it!”

Lucy laughed, letting him lead her towards the small alcove just along the hallway. She soon found herself looking down on the ballroom, seeing the great many guests that filled almost every space. Suddenly she felt the need to hide from them for a few minutes, knowing that she would be the center of attention any moment now.

How much her circumstances had changed. She had gone from being a wallflower to having almost every eye on her. It was unbelievable.

“I will only be a moment,” Edward said softly, bending down so that he might look into her eyes. “Are you sure you are well? You look a little pale, although still utterly resplendent.”

Lucy could not help but frame his face in her hands, the love she felt for him almost overwhelming her to the point of tears.

“I am just so very happy,” she murmured, seeing the answering light in his eyes. “And a little overwhelmed, I will confess.”

He smiled at her before brushing her lips with his. “You mean more to me than you could ever know.”

Watching him walk away, Lucy heaved one long sigh, happiness filling her heart and soul. She was so deeply in love with this man, and knowing that he loved her in return was more than she had ever dreamed about. His title or status did not matter, for that was not a measure of a man. Edward’s kind and selfless character were what continued to draw her to him. He lacked the arrogance that came with so many titled men, always gracious and more than generous. Closing her eyes briefly, Lucy sent up a quick prayer of thanks that she had met Edward that day in the gardens. How different her life might have been otherwise!

Opening her eyes, Lucy sat quietly and watched the guests mingle, hearing the orchestra preparing to strike up the next dance. Rows formed and the dancers began. Lucy smiled to herself as she watched them, wondering when it would be time for herself and Edward to take to the floor. Surely it would not be too long now.

A sudden dart of worry hit her as she realized just how long she had been sitting there alone. This was now the second dance she had watched to completion, with the third soon to begin. Where was Edward?

Lucy got to her feet and leaned over the balcony rail just a little, her eyes searching for Edward.

Perhaps he has simply been caught up in conversation, she told herself. Or mayhap his mother wishes to speak to him. You are becoming anxious over nothing.

Lord Hutton’s face floated before her eyes as the fear and worry she had felt earlier that evening flooded her once more. Surely Edward’s prolonged absence had nothing to do with Lord Hutton? Edward had reassured her that the man would not be allowed to set foot on his property, had he not?

Her breath coming in shallow gasps now, Lucy searched in vain for Edward, her eyes landing on the wide-open French doors. She froze, her eyes lingering on the darkness. It was a little too early in the evening for the doors to have been opened, which gave her pause. Her hands grasped the rail tightly as she waited, suddenly certain that the doors had something to do with Edward.

A figure dressed almost entirely in black slowly made its way through the crowd towards the French doors. His gait was slow, possibly due to his opulence. The only flash of white was his shirt, but other than that, he was almost entirely hidden in the shadows of the room. Lucy gave a strangled cry as the figure turned to glance around him before disappearing through the French doors, clearly believing that no one had seen him.

It was Lord Hutton.

Hurrying down the stairs, Lucy struggled to catch her breath, fear pouring through her veins and making her heart pound frantically in her chest. Edward was gone, she knew it for certain. He would not have left her alone for so long.

“Lucy!” her mother exclaimed just as Lucy found herself at the steps that led to the ballroom. “We have been looking all over for you and Edward.” Her eyes twinkled. “Of course, we knew where you might have been, but thought it best to come seek you out.”

“No, Mama,” Lucy gasped, finding it difficult to get her words out in her breathlessness. “He is not here. He is gone.”

“What?” her mother exclaimed, the color draining from her face. “He has run off?”

“What is this?” her father demanded, suddenly appearing by Lucy’s side. “The man has left you?”

Lucy shook her head, clinging desperately to her father’s sleeve in an attempt to get him to listen to her. “Lord Hutton, Papa. He was here! I saw him, at the French doors!”

Tears blurred her vision as she saw her father’s face pale slightly, his change in demeanor warning her that he had immediately come to the same conclusion as she.

“We must find him, Papa!” Lucy begged, blinking back her tears in an attempt to keep her composure. “I cannot let Lord Hutton—”

“Take your mother to the drawing room,” her father interrupted, taking her hand and gently removing it from his sleeve. “I will summon the butler and find Edward’s mother. She must know of her son’s disappearance.” He gritted his teeth. “As the Marquess himself is not here, I must hope she will permit me to take charge.”

“You are sure he has gone, Lucy?” her mother asked, taking Lucy’s arm. “We should speak to the footmen to ensure that is the case. Perhaps he has simply been caught up in conversation?”

Lucy shook her head. She did not need for the footmen to search for Edward—her heart already knew that something was terribly wrong. He would not have left her sitting there for so long, having promised to only be a few moments. He had been the one to remind her of their first dance together, that she only had a little time to rest. Edward was not about to forget his obligations simply because of a conversation. He was not that kind of man.

“I am sure we will find him very soon,” her mother continued as they entered the drawing room. “Lord Hutton can have nothing to do with this, surely!”

Lucy quickly described what Lord Hutton had done to Edward already, speaking in rapid tones as she paced up and down. Her mother’s features changed from hopeful to horrified, having been kept in the dark up until that point over Lord Hutton’s true nature. By the time Lucy had finished speaking, her mother had been forced to sit down heavily in a wing-backed chair, her eyes wide and staring.

“I must change at once,” Lucy continued, relieved to recall that they had brought some clothes with them, given that they would be staying overnight. “I cannot help with the search otherwise.”

“Lucy!” her mother gasped, sounding horrified. “You cannot do such a thing! You have responsibilities now—the ball, the guests!”

“My only responsibility is to Edward,” Lucy said firmly, battling the overwhelming dread growing in her chest. “I cannot simply pretend all is well at the ball when the man I love is in danger. I will not be long, Mama. Please try to understand.”