wedding. I’m just worried that my uncle will
ruin everything.”
John took her hands and rubbed them between his. “You are
freezing. How do you stand the cold?”
“I rather like it,” she said. “It makes me feel alive.”
“It makes me feel cold,” he complained, but smiled down at
her and continued to warm her fingers. “I will not allow anything or anyone to
interfere with our plans, Emma.”
They started walking again and turned a corner, which took
them to a courtyard that had several benches and a fountain that had been
drained for the winter. Still, the three angels in the center were serene and
beautiful. She wished that she could hear the trickle of water and tried to
imagine it. “Uncle Drake can be very determined when he wants something.”
“So can I.” He sat on the nearest bench and pulled her into
his lap.
“You are not taking this seriously,” she said.
He kissed her chin and nose. “I have posted guards all over
the house and grounds. I nearly strangled Trent tonight at the ball. How much
more seriously do you wish me to take this, Emma. You have lured me into the
garden, the least you can do is offer a fellow some warmth and a kiss for his
trouble.”
“I most certainly did not lure you. You, sir, chased me into
this situation.” Her cheeks hurt from smiling, but she couldn’t stop. His
playfulness made her giddy with excitement both for the moment and for the
future. “However, I shall give you a kiss, since you have already grabbed for
the warmth you require.”
“Very generous,” he said.
Emma leaned in close to him and his arms wrapped around her
tightly. She might not have realized how cold she really was had his heat not
engulfed her so completely.
Her head rested on his shoulder, but she moved it so that her
lips were only a breath away from his cheek. She pressed them forward and the
stubble of his beard’s new growth pricked her skin. She touched her cheek to
his and rubbed lightly to feel his beard better. Bolder, she kissed his chin
and neck, which produced a low grown from John’s chest. When she turned her
head up, he immediately covered her mouth with his. There was something more in
this kiss than the few they had shared in the past two days. She felt his
desperation mingling with her own.
He pulled away. “I think we had better return.”
“Of course, you’re right.” She wondered if he heard the
reluctance in her voice.
If he did, he didn’t acknowledge it. She got up from his lap
and he rose a bit slower than usual before offering his arm.
“Do you think that Oliver will mind living with us rather
than in his own home?” John asked.
She shrugged. “He’s five. I expect he will not care for a
few years and then he will go to school.”
“He’s a fine boy, Emma. You have done a wonderful job with
him.”
Her chest tightened and her heart did a flip. “Thank you.
He’s a good boy.”
John nodded. “He is, and I believe that you are to be
credited for making him that way.”
She was about to argue, but thought better of it. “It is
very nice of you to say so.”
“Do you think you are ready to go back inside? I’m
positively freezing,” he said.
“I think I can sleep now, and the day after tomorrow I shall
plan to sleep better every night.”
* * * * *
Emma thought her nerves would snap by the time the wedding
came and went. She barely had time to rest between fittings and well-wishers.
Oliver also demanded her attention. John did not return to the House of Lords
and seemed to always be hovering within reach, and she had to say, she rather
liked having him around. He helped with decisions, asked her opinion and stole
kisses every now and then.
The entire household walked as if on glass. The footmen had
all been put on guard duty. Any sightings of Uncle Drake were reported to his
lordship immediately. Nothing was left to chance. John had called it a high
military alert and that was exactly what it was. No one ventured out
ruin everything.”
John took her hands and rubbed them between his. “You are
freezing. How do you stand the cold?”
“I rather like it,” she said. “It makes me feel alive.”
“It makes me feel cold,” he complained, but smiled down at
her and continued to warm her fingers. “I will not allow anything or anyone to
interfere with our plans, Emma.”
They started walking again and turned a corner, which took
them to a courtyard that had several benches and a fountain that had been
drained for the winter. Still, the three angels in the center were serene and
beautiful. She wished that she could hear the trickle of water and tried to
imagine it. “Uncle Drake can be very determined when he wants something.”
“So can I.” He sat on the nearest bench and pulled her into
his lap.
“You are not taking this seriously,” she said.
He kissed her chin and nose. “I have posted guards all over
the house and grounds. I nearly strangled Trent tonight at the ball. How much
more seriously do you wish me to take this, Emma. You have lured me into the
garden, the least you can do is offer a fellow some warmth and a kiss for his
trouble.”
“I most certainly did not lure you. You, sir, chased me into
this situation.” Her cheeks hurt from smiling, but she couldn’t stop. His
playfulness made her giddy with excitement both for the moment and for the
future. “However, I shall give you a kiss, since you have already grabbed for
the warmth you require.”
“Very generous,” he said.
Emma leaned in close to him and his arms wrapped around her
tightly. She might not have realized how cold she really was had his heat not
engulfed her so completely.
Her head rested on his shoulder, but she moved it so that her
lips were only a breath away from his cheek. She pressed them forward and the
stubble of his beard’s new growth pricked her skin. She touched her cheek to
his and rubbed lightly to feel his beard better. Bolder, she kissed his chin
and neck, which produced a low grown from John’s chest. When she turned her
head up, he immediately covered her mouth with his. There was something more in
this kiss than the few they had shared in the past two days. She felt his
desperation mingling with her own.
He pulled away. “I think we had better return.”
“Of course, you’re right.” She wondered if he heard the
reluctance in her voice.
If he did, he didn’t acknowledge it. She got up from his lap
and he rose a bit slower than usual before offering his arm.
“Do you think that Oliver will mind living with us rather
than in his own home?” John asked.
She shrugged. “He’s five. I expect he will not care for a
few years and then he will go to school.”
“He’s a fine boy, Emma. You have done a wonderful job with
him.”
Her chest tightened and her heart did a flip. “Thank you.
He’s a good boy.”
John nodded. “He is, and I believe that you are to be
credited for making him that way.”
She was about to argue, but thought better of it. “It is
very nice of you to say so.”
“Do you think you are ready to go back inside? I’m
positively freezing,” he said.
“I think I can sleep now, and the day after tomorrow I shall
plan to sleep better every night.”
* * * * *
Emma thought her nerves would snap by the time the wedding
came and went. She barely had time to rest between fittings and well-wishers.
Oliver also demanded her attention. John did not return to the House of Lords
and seemed to always be hovering within reach, and she had to say, she rather
liked having him around. He helped with decisions, asked her opinion and stole
kisses every now and then.
The entire household walked as if on glass. The footmen had
all been put on guard duty. Any sightings of Uncle Drake were reported to his
lordship immediately. Nothing was left to chance. John had called it a high
military alert and that was exactly what it was. No one ventured out
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