The prospect of being with Ash again was so appealing it was frightening. Was she seriously considering, Maura wondered, taking her stepmother’s advice to join all the other pitiful husband-hunters who stalked wealthy noblemen?
She was disgusted at herself for the very idea. How could she have sunk so low, behaving just like Priscilla, manipulating and conniving to ensnare a wealthy husband?
Except that she would not be pursuing Ash for security or material possessions, Maura declared silently. It would be purely for love.
The inescapable truth was, she desperately wanted to be with him, even if he didn’t love her … although she yearned for much more. She wanted to share his life, his home, to bear his children, to own his heart as he did hers. She wanted the entire wonderful fairy-tale dream.
But if you truly want such things, an insistent voice inside her prodded, you will have to fight for them. You have never been a coward, but you are acting like one now. This is no way to prove yourself Ash’s match, languishing in the country in this pathetic manner, hiding yourself away, such a vast distance from him.
“What do you think, my fine fellow?” Maura finally asked the stallion. “Should I return to London and pursue Ash? I would have an ally in Katharine. No doubt I could ask her for advice on winning his heart.”
Emperor gave her no answer, of course. Instead, he abruptly pulled away from her and spun around, then with a flash of his heels, took off running again.
Maura’s thoughts remained on her dilemma as she watched his exuberant play. Perhaps it was deplorable, but the overwhelming yearning inside her was growing stronger with each passing hour. She needed to return to London and tell Ash that she had changed her mind. She did not want to be honorable and release him from their betrothal. And if he had no desire to wed her, then she would settle for whatever he would give her. She was willing to humble herself and beg him to take her back, if need be—
“That stallion of yours is one magnificent animal,” Ash said in an admiring tone behind her. “I can see why Deering coveted him.”
At the sound of his dear voice, Maura’s heart lifted with joy, then promptly plunged back down again when she remembered she had no grounds to feel joy at Ash’s presence. Turning slowly, she saw him standing on the other side of the gate, looking impossibly handsome in a blue coat and buff pantaloons.
Maura raised a hand to her breastbone to calm her clamoring heartbeat. She ought to be embarrassed that he had likely heard her plotting a campaign to capture him—and yet she was too glad simply to see him.
She drank in the sight of him, and realized he was watching her just as intently.
“Ash … what are you doing here?” she managed a breathless query.
“I could say I came to claim the yearling you promised me, but I would be lying.”
“Then why?”
“I brought you something.”
When Ash let himself in through the gate, she noticed he was carrying a gold brocade bag roughly the size of his hand. As soon as he reached her, he proffered the bag to her. “Here, open it.”
Maura loosened the drawstrings and peeked inside, only to find a horseshoe that was bent and twisted and beginning to rust.
She sent him a puzzled look. “You brought me an old horseshoe? Whatever for?”
He hesitated, seemingly oddly wary. “That is not just any old horseshoe, I’ll have you know. It is the one Emperor lost during the storm a fortnight ago. I returned to Fawley and spent a full day searching for the damned thing.”
“I don’t understand,” she said, still bewildered.
The look in Ash’s green eyes was compounded of wry amusement and something more unfathomable and disturbing. “I wanted to remain in keeping with the tale of Cinderella, but I thought you would prefer a shoe for your horse more than a glass slipper for yourself.”
When his meaning finally dawned on her, Maura drew a sharp breath and was barely able to find her voice. “You are here … in the role of prince?”
“Yes, and I wish to make you a proper proposal of marriage.”
She stared at Ash, not daring to believe what she was hearing, since it was doubtless too good to be true. “You must be roasting me.”
This time the tender laughter and affection in his eyes was unmistakable. “Surely you know by now that I never jest about matrimony.”
Maura’s shock gave way to sudden hope, yet her tone held skepticism in addition to breathlessness. “You actually … want to marry me?”
“That is what I said, isn’t it?”
“No, it is not. You said you intend to propose. There is an immense difference.”
“Very well, vixen … I very much want to marry you. The thought of spending the rest of my days without you is unbearable. I love you, Maura,” Ash added simply, gazing levelly at her.