Unfortunately, by the time the ball came around the following day, Lord Hartley had sent a note saying he had been entirely unable to locate Lord Morton. Ellen, who was now ready to go to Lord Hughes’ ball, felt rather nervous as she paced up and down the drawing room, waiting for his carriage to arrive.

“Oh, so you are ready after all!” her mother exclaimed, as she came into the room. “I must say, Ellen, you look positively beautiful this evening. I am sure Lord Hartley will appreciate the effort you have made.” She came closer and took Ellen’s hand in her own, catching her daughter’s complete attention. “I know you have found the last two weeks particularly trying, but it has been good to see you smiling again lately.”

Ellen looked up at her mother, surprised. “You think me less morose?”

“Indeed, I do,” her mother smiled, her expression soft. “Have you made much progress with Lord Hartley?”

Thinking of their carriage ride the previous afternoon, Ellen gave a small nod. “I think so.”

“I am very glad of it,” her mother declared. “I think it will all turn out rather well, my dear, so long as you do not bear him a grudge and find a way forward for you both.”

“I understand, Mama.”

Just as she spoke, there came a knock at the door, and Lord Hartley was announced. Ellen curtsied quickly as he bowed, a little annoyed to discover that her heart quickened at the sight of him. He was looking rather dashing, she had to admit, with his crisp white shirt and green cravat. His dark brown hair was neat, and his eyes held a hint of warmth as he smiled at her.

“I thought the color might match your eyes,” he said, evidently seeing her eyes linger on his cravat. “And I do think it is quite the right shade.”

A heat travelled up her spine, but Ellen straightened her shoulders and tried not to feel it. “You are very thoughtful, Lord Hartley.”

Her mother smiled and excused herself, claiming that she was going in search of her father to hurry him along. Of course, Ellen knew it was simply a ploy to give herself and Lord Hartley a few minutes alone, but to her surprise, she found that she rather appreciated it.

“You are looking very lovely this evening, my dear,” Lord Hartley murmured, his eyes somewhere near her toes, as though he were unsure as to whether or not she would accept his compliment. “Your beauty never ceases to astound me.”

This time, Ellen could not prevent the heat in her face from blooming. “Thank you, Hartley,” she replied, dropping his formal title. “I think this evening will be quite enjoyable.”

He blinked, as though surprised that she was not as upset with him as she had been, and Ellen sighed inwardly, aware that she was going to have to explain herself a little more. She had tried to say a few things in the carriage the previous afternoon, but it had not been enough. If she was to be honest with him, then this was her opportunity.

“George,” she began, seeing the astonishment on his face, as she tried out his Christian name. “I know that we have a great deal to work through together, but I will be honest with you and say that I have come to something of an understanding about my own behavior.”

“I see,” he replied, his voice quiet. “And what is that?”

Drawing in a deep breath, Ellen gave him a small smile. “It is the fact that I allowed my own desires and hopes to push me into a situation that ended badly,” she admitted. “I said before that I had an affection for you, and it was that which drove me to insist on a walk in the gardens.” She did not mention that she had kissed him first, finding it difficult enough to speak to him so candidly. “You have asked me to trust you, and I think that it is now becoming apparent that I must do so. I have no choice but to believe you when you say that it was your intention that night to tell me all.”

He nodded fervently, drawing closer to her. “It was, my dear Ellen,” he said, in a low voice. “I knew it would push you away from me for good, but I could not allow myself to continue with such a façade, not when I was losing my heart to you.”

His profession of love had her breath catching in her chest, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled to find the words to say.

“I know that this is still an unfortunate circumstance, but I will confess that I cannot help but have a little happiness in the knowledge that I am marrying the lady I have come to love,” he continued, his hand reaching out for hers, and Ellen found herself taking it automatically. “You may never feel the same as you did before, but I profess my love for you, Ellen. You are the reason that I wanted to put my past life behind me for good, the reason that I am now striving to be the very best kind of man I can be. I wanted to tell you the truth then, so that I would not bring you any kind of harm, and yet I could not hide my desire for you. I kissed you because it was the fulfilment of all that I wanted. My marriage to you will be the happiest day I have ever known – and it will be all the happier if you are able to find it within yourself to begin to trust me again.”

Ellen swallowed twice, trying to rid herself of the sudden ache in her throat. His words were heavy with truth, the look in his eyes one of honesty and hope. “I forgive you for what you did,” she said hoarsely. “My mother told me that you accepted all the blame when you spoke to my father when you could easily have told him the truth about my part in all this. You protected me from shame and did all you could to shoulder the responsibility. It was not all your doing, George. I accept my own actions for what they were.”

He shook his head, his expression serious. “You cannot know what that means to me, Ellen,” he replied softly. They looked at one another for a long moment, the silence between them growing thick.

Slowly, Hartley lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss to the palm of her hand. Since she did not yet have her gloves on, Ellen felt every part of it, her heart threatening to burst from her chest.

In forgiving him, a burden had rolled from her shoulders, clearing her heart of the some of the lingering pain. It was as though she could now see the way forward, the path lit with a delicate light. A path that, should she allow it to, would lead her into love.