his hair, feeling the familiar dark curls.
It was him, was it not?
He felt so familiar as his forehead came to rest on her shoulder and she could feel the warmth of his breath even through the fabric of her high-collared dress. He felt larger than life as he leaned into her, his hands settling on her waist, then moving farther onto the small of her back, urging her closer into his embrace.
Caroline exhaled a sharp breath when her mind instantly returned to the moment in the alley. The way he’d held her had felt the same, had it not? The pressure of his hands on her back. The feel of his towering form pressed against her.
His head rose then, ever so slowly, and she felt his breath tickle her ear before he pulled back and his dark gaze returned to meet hers. His eyes lingered on hers for long moments as though he, too, was trying to see what existed between them, who they were, perhaps who they could be together. Then his gaze moved up and swept over the top of her head before drifting down to her left ear, his eyes narrowing in something resembling disapproval before moving as though trying to see around her. “Don’t move,” he whispered then, his voice hoarse, sending shivers down her back.
In the next moment, his hands abandoned their position on her back and moved upward, trailing up her arms and onto her shoulders. His knuckles brushed against the line of her jaw before the tips of his fingers touched her hair right above her ears, then ran back until they found the pins holding her hair up and in place.
Caroline held her breath as he pulled the few pins out of her hair and, before long, she felt her tresses tumbling down. His gaze lingered on the task while hers remained on his face, watching the sense of awe that came to his dark eyes as the last strand was freed and her curls danced down over her shoulders, framing her face in a most unfamiliar way.
He smiled at her then, his fingers still running through her tresses. “You should wear it down more often,” he whispered, and a teasing smile came to his lips. “Have I not told you that before, little mouse?”
Indeed, he had.
Months ago in a dark alley.
Wearing a mask.
Although Caroline had known, had suspected for a while and had then put all the little pieces together and come to see the whole picture during the course of this evening, her jaw still dropped when Lord Markham called her by that annoying nickname the masked stranger had so often teased her with.
A soft chuckle rumbled in his throat as he brushed the back of his hand over her cheek, then gently grasped her chin. “Are you truly surprised?”
Caroline inhaled a slow breath and a smile stole onto her face.
He grinned. “When did you first suspect?”
Her mouth felt suddenly dry. “I…I always thought there was something familiar about you, but…” She licked her lips, her thoughts drawn back to one particular afternoon.
“You’re blushing,” he observed with delight in his eyes as he watched her. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you blush before.”
Embarrassed, Caroline tried to jerk herself free, but his left arm snaked around to her back, holding her trapped, while his right hand refused to relinquish its hold on her chin. “It was when I kissed you at the orphanage, wasn’t it?” he asked with a chuckle.
Caroline squared her shoulders and met his gaze, annoyed with herself for cowering. “It might have felt familiar, yes.”
Still grinning, he nodded. “I thought it might have been a mistake although I never once regretted having done so.” His gaze dropped to her mouth, and Caroline felt her heart beat hard against her ribcage. “Why did you not confront me?” he asked then, curiosity sparking in his dark gaze.
“I wasn’t certain,” Caroline whispered, feeling somewhat lightheaded. “What if I’d been mistaken? What would you have said if I’d asked you and I’d been wrong? It could’ve ruined me.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t risk it.”
“Do you think everything through so thoroughly?” he asked, amusement in his voice. “Well, I suppose except for those nightly excursions of yours. They seemed to be spur of the moment decisions.”
Taking affront, Caroline glared at him. “I didn’t go out to…to…”
“I know,” he interrupted when words failed her. “I know you did what you did because you care for those who cannot help themselves. You