A Secret Proposal by Valerie Bowman Page A

that Devon had won the tournament and Thad was on his way. All Amelia could think about was seeing him again. She had to admit when Lily had first proposed the boxing match bet, Amelia had been convinced it would never work. Even if Lord Colton managed to win, she couldn’t imagine Thad proposing as a result. But apparently, Thad took a bet seriously. Very seriously indeed.
    Amelia paced back and forth in front of the mantel. Convincing Thad to propose wasn’t the only problem she faced. Far from it. How exactly would she ever tell Mama what she was planning to do?
    A rap sounded on the door and Amelia whirled around. She had almost convinced herself that she’d imagined the knock, but then the door swung open and Thad stood there looking breathtakingly handsome. He had a black eye and a cut on his nose. But otherwise, he looked absolutely delectable. She ran to his outstretched arms.
    Thad hugged her close.
    “I knew you would come,” she said. “Did Lord Colton do that to your face?”
    Thad smiled, wryly. “Yes. But you should see him.”
    Amelia couldn’t help her answering smile. Thad, always cocky. “Are you all right?”
    “Perfectly. I let him win.”
    “You did?”
    He winked at her. “Can’t let the old man feel bad about his age. But the fact was it was a draw that likely would have gone on throughout the night if I hadn’t taken a fall. Besides, I may have lost, but I really won.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “The truth is I was curious as hell to discover what forfeit he wanted from me.”
    “And?”
    Thad touched her cheek. “My forfeit was to tell the woman I love that I love her.”
    Amelia sucked in her breath.
    “And that’s why I’m here, Amy. To tell you…”
    Time stood still.
    “I love you,” he breathed.
    “I love you, too, Thad.” She wrapped her arms around him again.
    “And I have every intention of asking you to marry me and I sincerely hope you’ll say yes, but first, there’s something I must tell you.”
    Amelia’s chest went tight. She already knew. He wanted to tell her what had happened themorning Paul died.
    “Thad, no. It’s not necessary. We don’t have to—”
    “Yes,” he answered firmly. “It is necessary. I’ve put this off far too long and I cannot in good conscience let you believe you love me if you don’t know the truth.”
    Amelia swallowed. “Very well.” She nodded.
    Thad took her hand and led her over to the settee. She sat and he paced in front of her. She stared at his boots traveling back and forth across the Aubusson rug in the Morgans’ finely appointed drawing room. He paused and Amelia trailed her gaze up his body. He looked so handsome. So handsome and so vulnerable.
    She loved him.
    Her heart was near to bursting with love for him. This man was one of the only people left who knew her brother, who remembered her brother, who had loved her brother. And now she loved him. She didn’t care if he owned a boxing saloon and had a tarnished reputation. She didn’t care if he didn’t have a title and Mama would never accept him. She couldn’t live her life for Mama any longer. She realized that now, watching Thad pace across the carpet, his hands folded behind his back. She had to live it for herself. She straightened her shoulders. But how bad was what he was about to tell her?
    Cold dread clutched at her heart. She’d never wanted to hear the story of the day Paul died. It would only hurt to learn the awful details and it could never bring her brother back. But for whatever reason, Thad felt he had to tell her. And she would listen. She would do this for theman she loved. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, bracing herself.
    “We’d been drinking that night,” Thad began, his voice calm. “Celebrating Paul’s engagement. We’d gone to Brooks’s and had a fine time. God, if only we’d gone home after that.”
    Thad took a deep breath. “Instead we decided to go down to St. Giles, to a gin club we sometimes