she asked.
“Yes,” he said. “I had to travel to Edinburgh on business.”
“I hope it went well,” she said. How inane she sounded. Perhaps it was better than saying what was truly on her mind.
Don’t go away again without warning me. Let me know when you’ll be gone, so I’ll know how many days to prepare myself for sorrow.
“I’ve missed you,” he said, and her heart tripped over itself. In violation of every societal rule she’d been taught, she placed her hands on his arms. She stood too close. She leaned toward him.
“I’ve missed you as well. Every day has been a month long.”
He didn’t speak, and neither did she. They were comfortable in each other’s silences, and it was so restful to be with him in one way and so tumultuous in another.
He made her feel things she’d never felt.
She wanted to be kissed. She wanted to be held. She wanted to know if an embrace was as wondrous as all the poets said it was. She wanted to know, most especially, what happened afterward.
Would kissing him ease this uncomfortable ache? Would it rid her of this craving to touch him, to stroke her hands over his broad shoulders and down his arms to measure the incredible breadth of him? She wanted to lay her cheek against his chest, marvel at the beating of his heart, thanking God all the while He had sent Macrath into her life.
“I turned to look every time someone entered a room,” she said.
“I stored away a dozen stories I heard, thinking you would want to know what was happening in that part of the world.”
“I wanted to talk to you about Gladstone’s speech.”
They smiled at each other.
“Will you be going back to Scotland soon?” she asked, her earlier fear returning.
“I think so, yes.”
She tried to remain calm but the pain bit through her composure.
He’d never come out and said the words, but he’d given her to think he loved her. How could he now speak of leaving her?
“You would like Scotland, I think.”
She only nodded, feeling numb.
“Will you come with me to Drumvagen, Virginia?” he asked, catching hold of her hand and drawing her back to him. “Will you be my wife and love me as I love you?”
Her heart was beating out of her chest. In a moment it would fly away like a suddenly released bird.
“I would be very amenable,” she said.
Why was she being so coy? There must be no mistake. He must know exactly how she felt.
“Yes, Macrath, yes. With my whole heart. I love you so.”
He leaned close, pressing his lips against her forehead.
“You’ll talk to my father?” she asked, the words feeling too heavy to be spoken.
“Today if he’ll see me.”
She had never done anything as shocking as what she did next. She placed her hand on his chest and slowly stood on her tiptoes.
“Kiss me,” she said. “Please.”
“Virginia,” he said, pulling back, “this isn’t wise.”
But, oh, she had been wise for so long, and he was such a temptation.
Suddenly, his arms were around her and his mouth on hers. He angled his head to deepen the kiss. Every thought disappeared and every sensation vanished but for wonder and excitement.
She’d known he’d be direct, perhaps a little impatient, and he was. She’d suspected she would be eager and she was.
His lips were soft, his body hard beneath her hands. His tongue touched hers, darted back, and teased her again,
She linked her hands behind his neck and held on, allowing herself to sink into the deliciousness of his mouth.
Her heart fluttered. Her breath and pulse raced. Something dark, heavy, and a little frightening arced between them.
He was right in cautioning her. She never wanted to move from his arms.
When they finally parted, she moved back, touching her lips with her fingertips.
If someone saw her, she would be lectured for hours about deportment and how she’d failed to give the impression she’d been reared correctly.
But any punishment was worth it for one of Macrath’s kisses.
Chapter
“Yes,” he said. “I had to travel to Edinburgh on business.”
“I hope it went well,” she said. How inane she sounded. Perhaps it was better than saying what was truly on her mind.
Don’t go away again without warning me. Let me know when you’ll be gone, so I’ll know how many days to prepare myself for sorrow.
“I’ve missed you,” he said, and her heart tripped over itself. In violation of every societal rule she’d been taught, she placed her hands on his arms. She stood too close. She leaned toward him.
“I’ve missed you as well. Every day has been a month long.”
He didn’t speak, and neither did she. They were comfortable in each other’s silences, and it was so restful to be with him in one way and so tumultuous in another.
He made her feel things she’d never felt.
She wanted to be kissed. She wanted to be held. She wanted to know if an embrace was as wondrous as all the poets said it was. She wanted to know, most especially, what happened afterward.
Would kissing him ease this uncomfortable ache? Would it rid her of this craving to touch him, to stroke her hands over his broad shoulders and down his arms to measure the incredible breadth of him? She wanted to lay her cheek against his chest, marvel at the beating of his heart, thanking God all the while He had sent Macrath into her life.
“I turned to look every time someone entered a room,” she said.
“I stored away a dozen stories I heard, thinking you would want to know what was happening in that part of the world.”
“I wanted to talk to you about Gladstone’s speech.”
They smiled at each other.
“Will you be going back to Scotland soon?” she asked, her earlier fear returning.
“I think so, yes.”
She tried to remain calm but the pain bit through her composure.
He’d never come out and said the words, but he’d given her to think he loved her. How could he now speak of leaving her?
“You would like Scotland, I think.”
She only nodded, feeling numb.
“Will you come with me to Drumvagen, Virginia?” he asked, catching hold of her hand and drawing her back to him. “Will you be my wife and love me as I love you?”
Her heart was beating out of her chest. In a moment it would fly away like a suddenly released bird.
“I would be very amenable,” she said.
Why was she being so coy? There must be no mistake. He must know exactly how she felt.
“Yes, Macrath, yes. With my whole heart. I love you so.”
He leaned close, pressing his lips against her forehead.
“You’ll talk to my father?” she asked, the words feeling too heavy to be spoken.
“Today if he’ll see me.”
She had never done anything as shocking as what she did next. She placed her hand on his chest and slowly stood on her tiptoes.
“Kiss me,” she said. “Please.”
“Virginia,” he said, pulling back, “this isn’t wise.”
But, oh, she had been wise for so long, and he was such a temptation.
Suddenly, his arms were around her and his mouth on hers. He angled his head to deepen the kiss. Every thought disappeared and every sensation vanished but for wonder and excitement.
She’d known he’d be direct, perhaps a little impatient, and he was. She’d suspected she would be eager and she was.
His lips were soft, his body hard beneath her hands. His tongue touched hers, darted back, and teased her again,
She linked her hands behind his neck and held on, allowing herself to sink into the deliciousness of his mouth.
Her heart fluttered. Her breath and pulse raced. Something dark, heavy, and a little frightening arced between them.
He was right in cautioning her. She never wanted to move from his arms.
When they finally parted, she moved back, touching her lips with her fingertips.
If someone saw her, she would be lectured for hours about deportment and how she’d failed to give the impression she’d been reared correctly.
But any punishment was worth it for one of Macrath’s kisses.
Chapter
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