O Night Divine A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,89

laughing and released her. “Gad, you haven’t changed in all these years. And I did not let go of you so that you can hit me again, so you had better not.”

“I won’t. You are smiling again. You look very handsome when you smile.” She leaned forward. “That is merely a statement of fact. I am not trying to flatter you. Nor am I trying to borrow money from you. Honestly, how can you be so ridiculous?”

“Duly noted.” He glanced out the window again. “We’re almost at Chipping Way.”

She moved to sit beside him and took his hand. “How do you feel, Innes? Does it feel like a homecoming to you?”

He stared down at their entwined hands, albeit their gloved hands. But her touch still felt splendid. He made no comment about it or the fact that they were now sharing the same carriage seat. “I don’t know. I have to think about it.”

“Well, I don’t.” She could not stop a tear or two from escaping her eyes. “Welcome home, Innes.”

Chapter Three

Innes hopped out of his carriage the moment it rolled to a stop in front of Number One Chipping Way. He placed his hands on Hyacinth’s waist to lift her down but had not expected the jolt of heat that coursed through his body at their mere touch. He released her too soon, causing her to fall against him. It was his fault. She hadn’t the time to regain her balance.

She gripped his shoulders. “Oh, how clumsy of me.”

“My fault entirely.” He tucked her hand in his elbow and said no more as he led her to the front door of her house.

She was impertinent and opinionated, not at all the sort of woman he should want as his wife…not that he was thinking of finding himself a wife. Bloody hell, no. But his body was now responding as though she was The One.

No, again.

Decidedly no.

He barely had time to remove his cloak and hand it over to the Brayden butler before Hyacinth was dragging him into the parlor and calling for her parents. “Mama! Papa! Look who I found!”

Her father came running out of his study.

Her mother hurried down the stairs.

In the next moment, the two of them were hugging him at the same time, completely ignoring that he was a grown man and as big as Romulus. “My lord, it is a pleasure to see you after all these years,” Romulus said with genuine sincerity.

Violet was in tears.

Now, so was Hyacinth.

Like mother, like daughter.

Violet was still as beautiful as he remembered. Perhaps a stray gray hair or two on her head of dark hair. Nor had Romulus changed much. Perhaps the slightest bit heavier, but that was all.

Suddenly, it felt as though he’d never been away.

“How kind of you to drop in to see us,” Violet said, ringing for refreshments.

“Please, do not go to any bother on my account. I was merely escorting your daughter home. I cannot stay.”

Hyacinth’s eyes were sparkling, and her smile was bright enough to light up the night sky. “I’ve invited him to supper tomorrow evening, Mama.”

Her mother nodded in approval. “Excellent. We’ll have more time to chat and reminisce.”

But her father was pensive. “How is it that you’re the one who brought my daughter home?” He wasn’t accusing him so much as frowning at Hyacinth. “You were supposed to be out shopping with your friend, Lady Allison.”

Innes did not know why he suddenly felt protective of the girl, but his heart compelled him to come to her defense. “I happened to run into Hyacinth, and we got to chatting. I offered to give her a ride home. I know it is not quite proper, but the ride was short, and Hyacinth chattered the entire way.”

Romulus sighed. “Yes, that sounds like my daughter. Will you stay and share a brandy with me now?”

“Another time, truly. I must go. But it was wonderful to see you both again.”

Hyacinth was frowning at him. “And we shall see you tomorrow for supper.”

He tweaked her nose.

She tugged on his ear. “Innes, I want your promise. You are not going to back out of the invitation.”

“Who said I was?”

She tipped her head up to look him in the eyes. “Then say it. Yes, Hyacinth. I shall be here tomorrow for supper. I give you my sacred, unbreakable vow.”

He repeated her words verbatim.

She released the breath she had obviously been holding. “Thank you, Innes. I’ll walk you to the door.”

When they reached it, he turned and cupped her