Taming of the Beast (Scandalous Affairs #2) - Christi Caldwell Page 0,120
he demanded.
“Tynan?” she whispered, hopelessly and helplessly befuddled. He was here. “What are you doing here?”
Tynan was interrupted from answering by the appearance of a small child. “Knocked ’er over, ye did, sir.”
Another little boy trotted over, kicking up snow as he skidded to a breathless stop. “Bad form, ’urtin’ a lady.”
“Don’t I know it,” Tynan muttered.
“An’ especially when ye are intendin’ to ask ’er—”
Tynan swiftly brought a palm up, muffling the remainder of Finn’s words.
When Tynan removed his hand, Finn wore a silly little grin on his gaunt face.
“What are you doing here?” she asked on a breathless, confused whisper.
“Mr. Wylie brought us to the park.”
Oh, God. He’d brought the three former street waifs whom he now cared for here to play? Her heart would never survive this newest swell of love. The depth of emotion threatened to burst from her chest and swallow her in this all-consuming love for this man before her.
But then, on the heels of that came the silly thought she’d briefly entertained on the hope fueled by Claire’s earlier talk—that Tynan was here because he’d been looking for her. But Faye came crashing back down to reality like a ton of bricks. Her teeth chattering, she drew her cloak closer. “I sh-should allow y-you to your fun,” she said softly. “Good”—bye—“day, Tynan.”
Unable to meet his gaze, she looked to the safer faces. “Finn. Jack. John.” Each boy touched the brim of the new hats they wore. Fine ones of quality that paired perfectly with the heavy wool garments they wore. He’d gotten them new attire. He’d spent his money—
A strong hungering filled her to stay, because this would likely be the last time their paths crossed. Faye compelled herself to move.
“Don’t,” he said gruffly, freezing Faye in her tracks. “Wait. Please, just wait.”
She turned back quickly.
“I knew you would be here,” he called out, the unexpectedness of those words sending her back on her heels.
“You—”
“Visited your townhouse this morn? Yes.” He grinned wryly. “I was turned away.”
She tried to speak, the effort producing nothing more than a little cloud of white in the cold. Of its own volition, her gaze went flying to the Serpentine in the distance, where her brother skated with his family.
“It was not your brother.” Tynan was quick to reassure her with a defense her brother was undeserving of. “The servants.”
Who took orders from her brother. Faye clenched and unclenched her hands into tight fists at her sides. “He’d no place to interfere.” Her mind worked fast. Tynan had gone to her household? Why?
Tynan grinned. “Fortunately, I did make some loyal friends in my short tenure in your family’s household.”
Her lips twitched in the first smile she’d managed since he’d gone almost ten days earlier.
But then his smile slipped, chased away by a grave solemnity. “I spoke with Lord Lothian. He explained that you wrote to him.”
“Oh,” she said, her heart falling. This was why he’d sought her out, because of her interference. She should feel guilt, and yet… “I do not regret it, Tynan. He deserved to know. He needed to know who you really—”
Tynan said something to the trio of boys. Finn, leader of that group, reached inside his jacket and withdrew a crushed crimson rose that revealed the first hint of bloom. Taking long, high steps through the snow, he pressed the flower into Faye’s hand. “’Ere.”
Puzzling her brow, she was glancing down at the delicate flower when Tynan’s quiet murmur brought her head up.
“O my Luve is like a red, red rose.”
That verse, spoken like a song in Tynan’s deep, honeyed baritone, brought Faye’s heart to a stop.
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.
Tynan paused, and she silently cried out, willing him to continue, wanting this moment and whatever it was that he offered in this instant to be fully realized.
Jack trotted over, tripping and giggling as he nearly fell in the snow. As he reached Faye, he added another red flower to her hand. As she accepted that offering, she had to bite the inside of her lip to keep it from shaking.
So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
As Tynan continued quietly, reciting that memorized poem, Faye drew Jack’s wilted flower close, hugging it along with the other, the fragrant smell all the stronger in the crisp, clean afternoon air.
So deep in luve am I;
Her heart forgot its beat once more, as it always did because of this man. Tynan’s gaze locked with hers.