"Ah, yes," Rand spoke softly as they continued to dance. "You'll be amazed at how many offers come from men you've not even met."
"But why?"
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For the first time, Rand realized how their living in the country had sheltered her. "Because you're beautiful, titled, and wealthy."
"Are there really so many men who would marry a woman they didn't even know?"
"Most would, my sweet.. .I'm afraid most would."
They finished the waltz in silence, and Rand ushered Sunny back to the edge of the floor. He had barely released her when she was converged upon by admirers. Sunny was gracious to the crowd of some 20 young men surrounding her, but as Holly had stated, she had a way of looking at a man that told him when he had pushed too far.
At least six young men were vying for her immediate attention when a familiar face appeared on the fringe. Sunny looked up into Jordan's beautiful blue eyes and gave him a special smile. Many a heart turned over with roaring jealousy when they saw that private smile, and some hearts turned to anger when Jordan extended a hand and Sunny moved toward him without being asked.
"I asked the Lord to send me a friendly face or two," Sunny remarked, smiling at him as they waltzed. "I believe the saying *you're a sight for sore eyes' would be appropriate right now."
Jordan laughed. "I could say the same about you, Sunny. You've never looked lovelier."
"Thank you, kind sir," she replied primly. "I fear if this pace keeps up for the remainder of the evening, however, I'm going to greatly resemble a damp cloth."
"I sincerely doubt that," Jordan told her, and could see by the face she pulled that she did not believe him. The dance with Sunny was over much too soon for Jordan, and only the knowledge that he was somewhat special in her eyes kept him from walking across the floor and cutting in on her next dance partner.
Jordan glanced away from Sunny's progress when someone jostled his arm. He brushed at his sleeve and in so doing, caught sight of Holly, lovely in a rose-colored silk gown, talking with a few other girls. He hadn't danced with her all evening or told her how pretty she looked. As Jordan moved toward her, he was also faintly aware of the fact that she must miss Miles on a night like this, and told himself that the least he could do was fill in for her brother.
"Excuse me." Jordan's manner was most urbane. "I wonder if I might interrupt you ladies in order to claim Miss Gallagher for a dance."
The others in the group dimpled at him, and his own smile was
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charming as he swept Holly away.
**Do you miss Miles?" Jordan asked after a moment.
"Yes," Holly said inadequately, knowing that he wouldn't understand why his nearness made it so difficult to speak. To Holly he was by far and away the most captivating man at the ball. She had seen the look on his face when he had danced with Sunny in his arms, but even though she longed to be the one on the receiving end of that look, she wasn't vexed with either of them. Sunny would keep her secret for life, and Jordan simply couldn't see past the end of his well-shaped nose.
"I failed to tell you when I came in earlier that you look wonderful tonight."
"Thank you," Holly said shortly, wanting to pinch herself for her tongue-tied response.
"Have you heard from Miles?" she finally managed. "Not for a month at least. Have you?"
"Last week I think it was. He said that you had written to him about some land you wanted to purchase."
"The Bailey land. The deal is almost closed." "A good buy, was it?"
"Definitely," Jordan replied with some pride. "I know a good thing when I see it."
Holly, quite angry all of a sudden, stopped on the floor so abruptly that Jordan nearly stumbled.
"Jordan Townsend, you wouldn't know a good thing if it bit you on the nose," she said in soft anger.
It was a relief to hear the music die down on that note. Holly knew she had done the unforgivable; they were both embarrassed. But at the moment she couldn't stand near him for another second. With as much dignity as she could muster, Holly swept off the floor. Her Uncle Douglas was there to dance the next dance with her, and she was spared, at least for the moment, having to face the man she loved.
Sunny tipped her head back to look up at Dexter, and he grinned,
"You'll hurt your neck that way."
Sunny shook her head. "How does Judith stand it?"
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"Why, she's madly in love with me," Dex said with a cheeky smile on his handsome face. "And when you're in love, what's a little height difference, give or take a foot? Actually, you've no reason to complain-you're quite tall."
"Compared to Judith I am, but next to you and Brandon I'm a stubby thing."
Dexter glanced down at her slim, graceful carriage and slowly shook his head. "You might not be up here with me, but by no stretch of the imagination would anyone label you stubby."
The tempo of the music increased, and Sunny was not able to make a reply. In fact she was completely out of breath when the dance ended and she found herself back next to Chelsea.
"Well, you're certainly having a horrid time," Chelsea teased.
"Oh, it's been lovely," Sunny returned, her eyes alight with happiness. "Thank you for all the hard work, Chelsea, and for pushing me to keep going when I wanted to quit."
Chelsea chuckled over the image her words evoked. Sunny had hated dance lessons and had begged with all her heart to get out of them. Rand had been insistent, however, and it had obviously paid off. Chelsea watched with a small smile as she saw Jordan claiming Sunny yet again.
"Oh, Jordan-"
"I hope you'll pardon me," a deep voice cut in before Sunny and Jordan could exchange another word or even take the floor. "I'm late, and I've not danced with the guest of honor. You will excuse us, Jordan?"
"Of course, my lord," the younger man replied and stood quietly as he watched the Duke of Briscoe swing Sunny onto the floor.
"Hello," she smiled up at him. Brandon beamed in return.
"I'm sorry I'm late. How are things going? Did you see the queen?"
"I did!" Sunny told him triumphantly, "and got a *very nice, my dear.' I think she says that to everyone, but I was so relieved to have it over, I didn't care."
"I knew you could do it."
"Did you? I wasn't too awfully sure of myself I've missed seeing
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you around Willows' End, Brandon," Sunny said, quickly changing the subject. "How have you been?" The last question was offered in such a way that Brandon knew she was speaking of Dinah.
*Tm well, thank you," he told her kindly. "It hasn't been without its difficult moments, but God's comfort is more than abundant."
Sunny gave him such a serene smile that Brandon felt something move within him. He was doing it again, comparing his companion with Dinah, only this time something was remarkably different. This time his companion measured up.
He had realized some weeks ago that his love for Dinah had drastically waned, but she was still the godly example he held up whenever he considered getting serious again. Until tonight, when he danced with Sunny, he thought he'd never find her equal.
"You've grown rather quiet," she commented softly.
"You've grown, period," Brandon said smoothly, "into one of the most beautiful women in London,"
"Thank you, Brandon. I've heard that and similar comments all evening, but coining from you, someone who has been like a brother to me, it's somehow very special."
Brandon hid his disappointment at being referred to as a brother. "It's rather hard to reconcile the little ragamuffin I took aboard my ship a few years ago with the woman you are today."
"Well," Sunny spoke sincerely. "We can thank God for that."
Brandon smiled and refrained from arguing. The memory of that ragamuffin was very dear to him, and even though she'd had much growing up to do, Brandon had loved her at first sight, loved her as a sister. Now it was happening all over again, only this time
the love was different, no less deep, but for more intimate. The new Sunny, this older, grown-up Sunny, was more captivating to him than any woman he had ever met. Even Dinah.
As the dance ended and he was forced to turn her over to another partner, Brandon realized that the seemingly impossible had happened. The little girl had grown up, and even though just a month ago Brandon could not imagine them as husband and wife, he now found himself struggling with how delightful she had been to hold.
The gaunt woman he had lifted into bed following her illness weeks ago was a distant memory. The Sunny in his arms tonight had been all woman, soft and lovely, and Brandon felt as though a precious jewel had been wrenched away from him as he'd watched her
dance away with another man.
"Has something happened, Hawk?" Rand's voice came quietly
for his ears alone.
Brandon was glad for his company, but the emotions raging inside him were in such a turmoil, he didn't know where to begin. "Something has happened," he admitted finally, "but I'm not sure you'd understand."
Rand was quiet for just an instant. "IVe always known there was something very special between you and Sunny. If you're thinking I would object to you because of your age or for any other reason, you couldn't be more wrong. I think you'll find I'm a most understanding man, if in fact you have fallen in love with my sister."
Brandon looked at Rand with such profound relief that the older man nearly laughed.
"Come by tomorrow. We're staying here in town for at least a week. Sunny is sure to have a slew of callers, but you and I can sequester ourselves in the den.**
The dinner bell sounded on those words, and both men went off in search of their dinner partners. Rand anticipated a few minutes with his wife. Brandon, who prayed as he tracked down Sunny, found himself a bit nervous that he might do or say something tonight that would spoil this evening for her.
Jordan was doing some praying of his own as he walked a delightful young lady by the name of Roxane Carley into dinner. Holly was supposed to be on his arm, but a last-minute change of dinner partners had occurred. Jordan, who had been counting on this time to talk with Holly, found himself keenly disappointed.
An hour later, his own dinner companions felt the same way. Jordan had spent the entire meal watching Holly some three tables away, talking and laughing with the men on either side of her.
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**IT smells like A bower in here," Rand commented as he joined Chelsea in the morning room.
"Indeed it does," she agreed with him. They both looked around the large room overflowing with flowers for the Lady Sunny Gallagher.
"Has Holly seen these?"
"Yes. And if by that question you're asking if she's jealous, nothing could be further from her mind. You know the only proposal she's interested in."
"Well, we can praise God then, because his isn't here." Rand spoke as his hands sorted through the morning post, "Everyone else in London has written for Sunny's hand, however. They're calling her the 'Jewel of London.' Here's one you might find interesting," Rand noted as he made himself comfortable in a chair.
"From whom?"
"LordUndley."
"Lord LindleylRand, he's 60 if he's a day."
"He's 57 according to his letter," Rand stated calmly. "Here's what he has to say: 'I realize my suit may come as a surprise to Sunny, and she may consider my age a hindrance, but regardless of my age I wish her to be a wife in every sense. I believe she would enjoy her position as the Duchess of Colton.'"
"Who else?" Chelsea asked, knowing she was now forever past surprises.
"Lord Kenmore, Percival Cromery, Cecil Jamieson-"
"Foster's brother?" Chelsea interjected.
"Yes. I'm sure it has something to do with the feet that Foster and Heather are out of town, and Foster is not around to discourage him."
"He's cared for her since before she moved to Willows' End. That's a lot of years to carry a torch."
"How about Lord Lindley? He writes on to say that he met Sunny in December of 1844 while she was riding with Brandon in the park. That was just days after she arrived.'*
Husband and wife stared at one another. There didn't seem to be much to say.
"Are you going to tell her?"
"I'll have to."
"When?"
As if on cue, Sunny and Holly chose that moment to arrive home from shopping.
"No time like the present," Rand said under his breath and rose as the girls came in.
"Chelsea!" Sunny spoke in surprise, and her sister-in-law watched as her adorable nose wrinkled in offense. "Why in the world would you put all of these flowers in the same room? Couldn't you spread them around the house a bit?"
"There are more in your room." Chelsea's voice was droll. "And more still in the upstairs salon."
Sunny sat down on the settee and stared around her. "This is what you were talking about, isn't it, Holly? Total strangers sending flowers and proposing."
"This is it. Has Sunny received proposals, Papa?"
"Oh, Holly," Sunny laughed. "Certainly not yet. I-" She stopped when Rand held the letters in the air.
"Who are they?" she wanted to know.
Rand began to read the letters. Sunny, listening intently, had a comment for every one.
**Oh, I remember him."
"You're not serious!"
"Not Cecil!"
"He has no chin."
"He was nice."
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"I've never heard of him."
"His hand kept stroking my waist!"
"He promised me the moon. He really did."
"He stepped on my foot, twice."
"Who?"
"I think his hair was fake."
Holly had her fece in a pillow to stop her laughter, and Chelsea was thinking that if Sunny kept it up, she wouldn't be able to contain her own mirth. Rand had more to read, but a caller was announced. Sunny stood in a panic, thinking it was more flowers being delivered 01 someone coming to declare himself. She sagged in relief when Brandon's frame filled the doorway.
"Oh, Brandon, I'm so glad it's you and not someone else coming to propose," Sunny told him bluntly.
"As bad as all that?" Brandon managed to keep his voice light.
"Yes. I wish they would all understand that I plan never to marry."
Brandon arranged a smile on his face and gave everyone a brief greeting, but he felt as relieved as Sunny did when Rand almost immediately suggested that they head into the study.
+ $ *
"I don't know when it happened exactly. When Dinah first mentioned it, I was so flabbergasted I nearly laughed in her face. But since then I've thought about Sunny off and on, and then last night when we danced...
"Oh, Rand," Brandon shook his head. "I sound like a lovesick schoolboy. You heard what she said." Brandon pointed toward the door. "After all these years, she still doesn't want to be married."
"She's never been in love, so of course she would feel that way," Rand offered compassionately.
"What about young Townsend? They certainly seem interested in each other."
"I believeheis, but Sunny thinks of him only as a friend."
"It seems that we have something in common."
Rand studied Brandon's face as he weighed his next words. He didn't want to give him false hope, but Rand believed that Brandon meant more to Sunny than either one of them realized.
"Would you have considered loving Sunny if Dinah hadn't planted the idea in your head?"
"I don't believe so, no."
Rand didn't say anything, and Brandon turned to him, his look intense.
"Are you thinking-"
"I don't know." Rand cut him off before his hopes could rise. "I know how she cares for you, however, and that she's very young.... Maybe given time..." Rand let the sentence hang, and Brandon nod' ded. He certainly couldn't ask for more than that.
"Thanks, Rand."
"No thanks needed. IVe shared with C
helsea, and we're both praying for you."
"What did Chelsea say when you told her?"
That it was about time."
Brandon was so surprised he blinked in stupefaction.
"And she agrees with me," Rand added. "She thinks Sunny has probably loved you for years."
+ * *
"You realize that she's loved him for years."
"Who has, Aunt Lucy?" Holly wanted to know.
"Why* Queen Victoria, my dear. She's loved Albeit for years,'* the elderly aunt replied, and Holly wondered how their conversation had moved from Aunt Lucy's flower garden to her bunions and then on to the queen and prince consort.
"Now, Sunny," she turned to the younger girl. "How was the ball? I wish I could have been there, but I don't like evenings on the town; they fluster me. I remember when I was young-"
Aunt Lucy was off again, and she failed to notice that she had given Sunny no chance to answer the question. The girls had been invited to tea just that morning, and even though they both wanted to see some friends, they knew that this would be their last chance to visit with their beloved aunt before heading back to Willows' End.
"Have you accepted a proposal?"
Sunny, whose mind had begun to drift, came back to the present with a jolt.
uNo," she said a bit too vehemently. "That is," her voice was
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softer now, "I haven't really had time." Sunny knew the last thing she should tell Aunt Lucy was that she didn't plan on marrying.
For once Aunt Lucy was quiet. Sunny began to look uncomfortable, and Holly smoothly filled in the breach by asking Aunt Lucy how she liked living in London.
"Well, you know I do, my dear. But I so love the country. I would dearly lovetolive where you can hear the birds singing in the morning and listen to the creatures of the night as you fall asleep. London is so busy and noisy at times."
Sunny and Holly couldn't have agreed more. They were both eager to return, and in their opinion tomorrow could not come soon enough. Brandon was to go back with them, as was Andrea. In feet, Andrea was to come for them any time now. She had needed to shop and passed up the offer of tea with the promise that she would see Aunt Lucy another time.