be better. That was who she was.
She was his home. His second chance at life. And she belonged with him, here in his arms.
He wrapped his arms around her tighter, crushing her to him as if he might never let go. She was his and he was hers, he had no doubt about it.
Now he just had to make sure she knew it.
10
Sweet warmth flooded Abigail’s veins and her mind was a delicious blank. For the first time in forever there was no plan, no scheme, no tactics.
Abigail forgot how to think.
Her world was only filled with sensations. Intoxicating, thrilling sensations that made her limbs feel weak and her belly heavy. His arms were so tight about her, the heat of his body wrapping around her in a heady cocoon. Never in her life had she felt so safe. So cherished. The way his lips moved over hers, it was as though she were precious.
She’d never been kissed like this, and to be honest she was fairly certain she’d never been kissed at all. Those quick stolen pecks she’d received from suitors past could hardly compare to this.
His lips were warm and firm as he guided her deeper into the embrace, his grip on her sure and tight. The kiss was like their dances together. Effortless. Perfect.
I wish it would never end.
The thought broke through her mindless state, and like a spell being broken in a child’s tale, the moment ended abruptly.
“Alex?” A voice called his name and he froze. His muscles tensed beneath her hands and then he was turning, tucking her behind him. “Alex, is that you? Whatever are you doing on the side of the woods—” Lord Arundel’s voice came to an abrupt halt. “Oh. I, uh...I did not realize you had a companion.”
“Lady Abigail?” Marigold’s voice was awash with shock.
Abigail closed her eyes against a wave of embarrassment. Not only had Lord Arundel witnessed her kiss, but his wife, Lily’s best friend, had also seen their stolen kiss.
“Max. Marigold.” Alex’s voice was tight as he greeted them. “Lady Abigail was kindly assisting me with an errand.”
Abigail stepped out from behind Alex, a small smile plastered to her face out of sheer habit. Caught kissing a man who was not even courting her. How very amusing, she hoped her smile said as her mind replayed two words over and over. An errand. Abigail was helping him with an errand. The words sounded so ludicrous she nearly winced.
Why on earth would he have hidden her from view if this were a simple errand? No one with half a lick of sense would take this scene to be anything other than what it was. A stolen embrace.
That was surely what Lord Arundel and his wife were thinking. Indeed, Marigold’s thoughts gave her away in a heartbeat. Her eyes wide, her lips parted, her cheeks pink—she looked positively scandalized.
Well, at least I’m not boring. It seemed even when attempting to be on her best behavior, Abigail still had the ability to make a wallflower blush. The thought did little to assuage her pride and embarrassment still slithered through her like snakes.
“I thought you were meant to be escorting Miss Charlotte this morning,” Max said, confusion and something insultingly close to horror in his eyes at the sight of his friend with Abigail.
She stiffened, her shoulders going back and her chin coming up high. She was a duke’s daughter, for heaven’s sake. Certainly Major Mayfield could have done worse.
Marigold’s still-horrified expression seemed to belie the thought. Her gaze screamed, mistake! Clearly in Marigold’s opinion Major Mayfield had made an egregious error.
Really, the girl was as good as an open book.
Abigail took a step back toward the calm safety of her horse as she half-listened to Alex explain about the ripped gown and her offer of assistance.
“That’s very sporting of you, Lady Abigail.” Lord Arundel’s’s voice was filled with suspicion.
Abigail turned to her horse and pulled the cloak from her saddle bag. With little else to do, she made a show of adjusting the side saddle so she could get back to riding. Preferably her ride would take her far, far away. To another country, perhaps.
Silence filled the air, but she wasn’t about to justify her actions to Lord Arundel. But no one else stepped in to fill the silence either.
“Yes, well, it seems my good deed has been done for the day,” she said, turning back with a feigned calm, as she handed Alex the cloak, that smile brittle but fixed