"Very well, brother," Ines smiled brightly.

She deliberately and gracefully changed the subject completely to ease his obvious panic. She waved her delicate hand in the air, as if physically pushing the scandalous topic away.

"If the formal courtship went so perfectly well," Ines continued smoothly, keeping her tone light and playful, "and you did absolutely nothing highly improper behind closed doors..."

She let her voice trail off for just a brief, teasing second. She offered him a final, highly knowing look. Then, she shifted her posture on the sofa.

Ines leaned forward again. The playful, teasing light completely vanished from her eyes. Her expression instantly turned highly serious, deeply focused, and incredibly excited. She crossed her hands neatly over her lap.

"Does this mean," Ines asked slowly, making sure every single word carried the proper weight, "that we will finally have a proper announcement at the grand Hamilton Season’s Ball next week?"

The question hung heavily in the warm air of the drawing room.

For the past several months, the entire London Ton had been eagerly waiting for the Duke of Ford to host his famous opening ball. It was the most important social event of the year. But the dark, terrible shadow of Lord Farrington and the tragic carriage accident in the woods had forced them to delay the grand party. Now, the dark clouds had completely cleared. The ball was finally back on the schedule.

Rowan listened to his sister’s important question.

Instantly, he felt the tension completely leave his entire body. His tight grip on the arms of the velvet chair loosened entirely. His broad shoulders dropped back down into a natural, relaxed position. He let out a slow, quiet breath of pure relief.

The bright red blush that had stained his pale cheeks finally faded slowly away, leaving behind his usual complexion.

Rowan thought about the grand ball. But more importantly, he thought about the beautiful woman he was going to bring with him. He remembered the exact look on Delaney’s face when they stood on the cold cobblestone street outside the country theater. He remembered the bright, joyful light in her hazel eyes when she had proudly accepted his invitation.

A happy smile spread slowly across his face. It was not a polite, formal smile. It was a smile born from the very depths of his soul. It was the smile of a man who had fought a terrible war and finally won the greatest prize in the world.

He looked directly at his sister. Then, he turned his head and looked at his Aunt Margery.

He nodded his head proudly.

"Yes," Rowan confirmed softly.

His deep voice did not shake. It was completely steady, vibrating with absolute certainty and a deep, overwhelming joy that filled the entire room.

"I formally invited her to the ball during one of our meetings," Rowan explained quietly, his eyes shining brightly with the beautiful memory. "And she accepted. She will travel back to London next week."

He sat up slightly straighter in his chair, taking on the full, proud authority of his noble title.

"We will officially announce our betrothal to the entire Ton next week," Rowan declared firmly. "I want every single lord and lady in London to know that Lady Delaney Kingsley is mine, and I am hers. There will be absolutely no more secrets, and no more hiding."

For a single, completely silent second, the drawing room was incredibly still. The two women simply stared at him, fully absorbing the massive, wonderful news.

Then, the quiet room absolutely exploded with joy.

Aunt Margery let out a loud, joyful cry. It was a sound of happiness. She completely abandoned all proper, quiet societal decorum.

She threw her hands high into the air, her purple silk sleeves falling back past her elbows.

"Oh, wonderful!" Aunt Margery cheered loudly, her face glowing with absolute delight. "Absolutely wonderful! This is the greatest news I have heard in years! My hard work has finally paid off! The Kingsley family and the Hamilton family will be united as a big happy family!"

Aunt Margery quickly brought her hands down and clasped them tightly against her chest. Her mind immediately began racing with a thousand different tasks.

"We must start the grand preparations immediately!" Aunt Margery declared, her eyes wide with sudden, urgent focus. "A simple ball will no longer do. This is now a formal betrothal ball for a Duke! We need more flowers! We need the finest champagne in all of England! We need a larger orchestra!"

Beside her, Ines did not stay seated. The Duchess jumped up from the sofa completely. She moved with sudden, rapid speed, her pink silk dress flying around her ankles.

She completely ignored the small tea table sitting between them. Ines ran directly over to her older brother’s chair.

Before Rowan could even do anything, Ines threw her arms around him. She hugged her brother incredibly tightly around his neck, burying her face against the collar of his fine dark coat.

Rowan was slightly surprised by the sudden, fierce embrace, but he quickly wrapped his own strong arms around his sister’s back, holding her close.

"I am so entirely happy for you, Rowan," Ines whispered sincerely against his cheek. Her voice was thick with emotion. "You have carried the heavy weight of this family for so long. You have protected all of us. You deserve this happiness more than anyone else in the entire world. She is perfect for you."

Rowan closed his eyes. He felt a deep, warm swell of affection for his little sister. They had survived the loss of their parents, the strict demands of polite society, and the dangerous threats of their enemies together.

"Thank you, Ines," Rowan replied softly, his deep voice carrying his own profound gratitude. "Thank you for welcoming her into our home when she had nowhere else to go."

After a long, emotional moment, Ines finally broke the tight hug. She stepped back, wiping a single, happy tear from the corner of her eye. She smoothed the front of her pink silk dress, quickly regaining her composure.