“I insist that you are introduced to your bride this very evening.”

Luke nodded, trying not to allow any of the frustration he felt show in his expression. “Very good, Father.” Having arrived a little too late, they were now sitting at the back of the room, listening to some young lady’s song. Lady Thorpe had invited them both to her musical evening, but thus far, Luke was rather regretting accepting the invitation.

“I am going away tomorrow, you know,” his father continued, as Luke strained to hear him over the sound of young Miss Wellby attempting to reach a particularly high note—and failing miserably.

“Away?” Luke repeated, frowning. “Where?”

His father grinned at him, his blue eyes filled with mirth. “When you bear the title, Luke, then you will know exactly why you need to return to the country in the middle of the Season. Business matters do not simply wait until a convenient time.”

“Do you need me to come with you?”

His father’s grin widened all the more. “No, not at all. I would not deprive you of your time in London, especially when you will need to court your betrothed.”

The smile faded from Luke’s face. He had quite forgotten about such a thing, recalling too late that he would have to spend time taking Lady Elizabeth all over town in an effort to get to know his future wife.

“Now, shall we go to meet her?”

“Now?” Luke repeated, as the screeching of Miss Wellby continued. “We are in the middle of a musical evening, Father. We cannot simply rise and quit the room.”

His father chuckled. “No, I suppose not. What I meant is that your dear Lady Elizabeth is just now due to perform.”

Luke stared at his father for a moment, before turning his head slowly back towards the front of the room. He could not breathe, his heart thundering wildly in his chest as he waited for his mysterious bride to appear.

A young lady rose from her chair and came towards the front of the room, and just as she turned to sit down at the piano, someone tapped Luke on the shoulder.

Twisting his head around, Luke accepted the note from the footman but did not even think to open it. Sitting back in his chair, he made to set his eyes on the lady, only to realize that the pianoforte was directly in his view of her.

“Well?” his father whispered, as the music began to start. “What do you think? A real beauty, is she not?”

“In truth, I did not see her,” Luke confessed, rather frustrated. “The footman made to hand me a note, and I missed her. Now I cannot see her face!”

His father glanced at him before returning his attention to the lady at the piano. “Then you shall have to wait until her set is finished.”

That did not sit well with Luke. His nervousness upon seeing his bride-to-be was growing steadily by the moment, and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

“For heaven’s sake, son, sit quietly!” his father whispered, with a small smile on his face. “You shall see her soon enough.”

Luke shook his head and sat forward in his chair, the note from the footman still in his hand. He wanted nothing other than to simply rise from his chair and move across the room in order to see her, but to do such a thing would only draw attention to himself, and on top of that, it would be seen as rather improper. He would have to wait until she finished, which might not be for a good half hour.

Unfolding the note, Luke tried to concentrate on it instead on his elusive bride, his brows furrowing as he read the few short lines. Quietly, he handed it to his father, who upon reading it, glanced over at his son with a look of resigned surprise, before handing it back to him.

“You need not go to see that cousin of yours, just because he begs you to do so,” his father muttered, out of the corner of his mouth. “The man is up to no good, as usual.”

Luke rolled his eyes, folding up the note and putting it back in his pocket. His cousin, who this year had taken on his father’s title of baron, had apparently not changed his ways since Luke had last seen him. At one time, he had considered Parke a friend, and he had enjoyed all the revelry his cousin had enjoyed during Luke’s first Season. After that, they had drifted apart considerably. Parke now enjoyed throwing himself headlong into as much liquor and other pleasures as he could manage, whereas Luke had been forced to take a long, hard look at his choices. Since then, Luke had chosen to live rather differently. He had not seen his cousin since he had attended the funeral of the old Baron Parke a little over a year ago.

“His mourning year must be up,” Luke commented with a wry smile. “I would have thought that a new title would have meant he might have to consider his responsibilities, but apparently not.” The note begged for Luke’s help over some matter with creditors, who were in search of Parke’s blood since he had not paid them what they were due, telling him that he was currently ‘holed up’ in White’s, waiting for someone to assist him in escaping from the creditors, whom Parke was sure were waiting outside for him.

Luke was not inclined to go to Parke’s side, however. He would not turn away from the chance to meet his new bride in order to go in search of his cousin, regardless of whether or not they were family.

“You will go to help him?”

Shrugging, Luke tried to catch a glimpse of his bride, as she finished her wonderful piano sonata, but found that he still could not see her. “I suppose I shall at some point this evening. I am in no particular rush.”

His father sighed, shaking his head. “I know not why he is so determined to ruin his life and his family’s fortune. Thank goodness he has no mother or siblings to care for, God rest her soul.”

“My aunt would be horrified at what Parke is doing, were she still living,” Luke replied with a dark look at his father. “I thank God she is not.”

“Maybe you can knock some sense into him,” his father shrugged with a wry smile. “Goodness knows the man needs to listen to someone.”

Luke did not reply, his attention drawn to the lady in front of him who rose from the pianoforte as the rest of the company applauded her.

“Can you see her now?” his father murmured, as she came around the pianoforte to dip into a small, graceful, curtsy. “What say you?”

Luke found that he could not say anything, such was his shock. The lady standing there was none other than the mysterious young lady he had now had the opportunity to speak to on three previous occasions, the lady he had walked with in the park only a day previously. The lady he had been so conflicted over, finding an affection growing in his heart when he knew it should not be there. He had been caught by her beauty and grace, and now to discover that such a creature was to be his bride made him almost overwhelmed with delight. There would be no more of a struggle between his heart and mind, no more questioning what he was to do. All had come to a rather perfect end.

“She is wonderful, I assure you,” his father continued, as Lady Elizabeth caught Luke’s gaze for a moment. “She will make you very happy, I dare say.”

Lady Elizabeth’s cheeks darkened to a rosy pink, as Luke held her gaze, her expression almost a little embarrassed. She was clearly well aware of him, aware that he was now studying her with a new sense of wonder, overcome with the news that the lady he had not been able to get from his mind was, in fact, his betrothed.

“I have met her before,” he said hoarsely, “Although I did not know her name.”

“Oh?” his father asked, looking surprised. “And did she know you?”

Luke shook his head, suddenly desperate to remove himself from his seat and hurry over to Lady Elizabeth so that he might introduce himself properly. He could hardly wait for her reaction, aware that there had been something blossoming between them.

“Well, it looks as though you are now to both have that opportunity,” his father said, easing himself upright to standing, wincing slightly as he stood. “I keep forgetting that I am not as young as I used to be,” he muttered, as Luke came after him. “That blasted knee of mine.”

Luke gave him a sympathetic smile but found that he could find no response, such was his desire to see Lady Elizabeth. The rest of the guests had now risen to their feet and were going in search of refreshments before the second half of the evening could begin. Luke did not care for food nor for drink, his mind fixed solely on the lady he could call his own.

“This way, my boy,” his father muttered, making his way through the crowd and toward the young lady, and from Luke’s assumption, her mother.

He saw her eyes flare, as she caught sight of him and his father approaching. She did not look at his father but only at him, her cheeks still a dusky pink. Luke recognized the lady with her at once, recalling her from the time he had been at her home and introduced to her.

“Lady Lewisham!” Luke heard his father exclaim, as he hurried forward to greet the lady. “How very good to see you again.”

“Lord Stowell,” the lady replied, with a bright smile. “How wonderful! I am only sorry that my husband is not here to greet you.”

Luke kept his eyes on Lady Elizabeth, seeing her frown just a little as she glanced at her mother and then to Luke’s father. There was a slow dawning awareness on her face, her mouth falling a little ajar as she turned her gaze back to Luke. Unable to stop his smile, Luke found himself practically grinning as she became aware of exactly who he was and what he was to be to her.

“And, of course, this is my daughter, Lady Elizabeth,” the Lady Lewisham continued, with a bright smile which she directed over towards Luke.

Lady Elizabeth curtsied, her eyes darting from Luke to his father and back again. Her smile was warm, yet her eyes filled with both confusion and embarrassment. Luke wanted to tell her not to be ashamed, that there had been nothing improper between them thus far. All in all, he found this a very happy situation, his future now bright and shining in front of him as he smiled at Lady Elizabeth.

“How very good to meet you again,” Luke’s father said, putting one hand on Luke’s shoulder. “And this is my son, Luke, Earl of Mallon.”

Luke bowed at once, before catching her hand and bending over it. “Lady Elizabeth,” he said quietly, feeling her pulse fluttering in her wrist underneath his fingers. “How very good it is to make your acquaintance.”

She swallowed hard, her eyes wide. “Indeed,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Very good to meet you, Lord Mallon.”