“Not precisely, no,” he said, setting to work on her chemise next. “However, never fear, there is a lifetime of speeches like that in your future, my love.”

“Oh, that’s lovely too,” she murmured, her words coming muffled under the material of her chemise as he lifted it up and off over her head. “Pray, try to remember that one for later, my lord. I would write it down as well.”

“As you wish,” he said with amusement, tossing the chemise aside. Lisa immediately turned to face him.

“You really do love me, don’t you Robert?” she said with a shy smile.

“I really do,” he assured her, slipping his arms around her and drawing her against his chest. “But you knew that, didn’t you?”

“I thought so,” she said quietly, and then admitted, “but there were times when I was sure I had been mistaken.”

“You were not mistaken,” he assured her, bending to press a kiss to her forehead. “You were absolutely right and I was just too stubborn and . . . er . . .”

“Stupid,” she offered to aid his memory.

“Yes, that,” he muttered. “I didn’t see it.”

“I’m glad your eyes are open now,” she said with a happy smile.

“So am I, my love. So am I,” he assured her, allowing those open eyes to roam all the lovely flesh he’d revealed. Then he bent to kiss her as his hands followed the same path his eyes had blazed. Lisa responded at once, pressing closer and slipping her arms around his neck with a little moan, and Robert saw something else with his open eyes; he saw a long, happy life with a marriage full of friendship, love, passion, children and trust. He was quite sure the Langley curse had finally been broken.

“Ah hem.”

Robert stilled and then broke their kiss to glance around at that very loud and obvious throat clearing. Richard and Christiana stood in the door with Daniel and Suzette behind, he saw with confusion, and then glanced back to Lisa with surprise when she squealed and dropped to her haunches, trying to cover her nakedness.

Scowling at the embarrassing intrusion, Robert quickly grabbed his robe off the bed and knelt to help her into it. Once he had her properly covered up, he straightened and turned to scowl at the two couples. “What is the meaning of this?”

Four pairs of eyebrows shot up at the question and Robert was just realizing that his outrage may have been misplaced when Richard asked, “Shall I have the carriage readied for a trip to Gretna Green?”

“The alternate course is that you head back to your house and visit Lisa with someone present until we can arrange a wedding here in town,” Christiana pointed out gently.

“She could be carrying your child even now,” Suzette pointed out. “A quick trip to Scotland might be best.”