So, from ignoring it, he tried to deny it. He spent many sleepless nights giving himself a lecture on why he needed to watch Gretchen; it was for Elizabeth's safety, he'd tell himself, only to be reminded of the fact that he had left Elizabeth in the care of a total stranger for an entire month. His argument didn't make any sense but he wasn't willing to admit to himself that he was falling for this red head.

Then, there was the day he invited Gretchen to his study to apologize for being cruel to her. His intention had been to try to smooth things out between them, not to sit there, staring into Gretchen's eyes and fighting the urge to lean forward and kiss her. The only reason he hadn't given in to his desire to kiss her was the fact that she bent her head and lowered her gaze. He was convinced that if she had waited another second, he wouldn't have been able to restrain himself.

Ethan could no longer deny what he felt for Gretchen. He couldn't take his mind off of her when she was absent, and when she was in the same room as him, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. He knew she must have noticed his lingering stares by now but he couldn't help himself.

There was also the night of the ball. It had taken everything in him not to engage in a fight with Lord Ashton. He hated the sight of Gretchen wrapped in another man's arms and while he hadn't felt it in a long time, he knew he had been jealous. When he had pulled her away and led her outside, he had been surprised by her question and so much more than that, he had been surprised by his response; he was afraid of love. It was then that he became completely certain of how he felt for Gretchen and the knowledge had caused him to retreat into the building like a little boy, rather than stay behind to acknowledge what he felt.

A part of him wanted to be afraid of loving again but he knew Gretchen was nothing like Juliet. Juliet had married him for the money and had disappeared when the marriage became a bore, reappearing a year later to dump their six month old —a baby he hadn't even known existed— on his doorstep. But Gretchen not only stayed, she figured out Elizabeth's discomfort and showed her great love. Perhaps it was Gretchen's love for Elizabeth that made it impossible for Ethan not to fall in love with her?

Finally admitting to himself that he was in love with Gretchen, Ethan knew he couldn't go another second without admitting it to her. There was the possibility that she'd reject him but he didn't think there was any point in trying to suppress his feelings for much longer; he knew that it was only a matter of time before they made themselves known.