To Save a Love - Alexa Aston Page 0,6

and call him thus. In only a few days’ time, they would be actual husband and wife.

What were a few days of a white lie to strangers?

*

Getting out of the city had taken longer than Dez wanted. It amazed him how much traffic stacked up at such an early hour. Glancing out the window, though, he saw various delivery wagons and knew shops and businesses must be restocking before opening for the day. Once they left London, though, they definitely picked up speed. Anna told him no rain had come for two days, which was a surprise in itself being that it was spring in England. It helped them move faster with the roads dry. A muddy road always slowed a coach and the vehicle could become easily bogged down. A heavy rain would also hamper them, making it almost impossible for a driver to see. He prayed good weather would hold at least for a day or two, putting distance between them and the city.

He had done his part, greeting his father after Torrington arrived from his club, Ham alongside him. His brother barely glanced at him before heading up the stairs to dress for dinner. Dez had accompanied the earl to his study and answered a barrage of questions regarding his final term at Eton and then he had told his father of plans to visit a friend in the country for a week or two. As expected, the older man didn’t even appear to be listening and merely nodded in assent. At least he had laid the groundwork so that Torrington wouldn’t suspect him to be involved in Anna’s escape from London and the very old Viscount Needham.

The mail coach began to slow and Dez figured it was stopping again for a fresh team of horses. They had already stopped once to exchange their exhausted team for a new one. As before, no one was allowed to disembark from the carriage since the hostlers prided themselves on changing out a mail coach team in under three minutes. The coachman had told them as they boarded this morning that the third stop would be long enough to purchase food to eat. They wouldn’t have to do so this first time because Dalinda had packed them sandwiches and apples, knowing they needed to save every pound they could. Dez would retrieve the food from his valise the next time the coach stopped.

He looked down at Anna’s hand nestled in his and couldn’t help but smile. Yes, he knew they had a very rocky road ahead of them. He hadn’t the faintest idea what they would do to earn a living but he couldn’t help but think their love would get them through difficult times. He realized he had lied to himself, thinking he wanted the best for Anna, having her wed another man. No, he was selfish to his core because he wanted Anna Browning all to himself. He couldn’t wait for them to be man and wife, not only in name, but by consummating their marriage. He was wise enough to realize even being married wasn’t enough. He had to breach Anna’s maidenhead and make love to her in order for all legalities to be settled.

The coach had barely started up again when he heard a thunderous noise. Fear trickled through him. Anna must have sensed it because she gripped his hand. He glanced at her.

“It’s all right, love,” he reassured.

She wet her lips nervously, nodding. Trusting him.

Dez looked out the window and saw the carriage come up beside theirs. He grew hot and dizzy when he saw it.

It was his family’s carriage.

How?

Only Dalinda had known of their plans to make for Gretna Green. Well, his twin and Billy, the footman. He couldn’t imagine Billy betraying him—yet the Torrington crest on the carriage that now pulled ahead of them was proof that one of two people had betrayed them. Billy had to be the weak link. Dalinda would have rather been beaten and starved than divulge where he and Anna had gone.

The horses began slowly and Dez met Anna’s gaze. She had bitten her lip so hard that he saw the blood.

“He’s won,” she said dully.

Then she grabbed the lapels of his coat and yanked him toward her for a searing kiss. He tasted her sweetness and the copper of her blood. The kiss went on until the mail coach came to a complete stop. Anna broke the kiss.

“I will always, always love you, Dez. My heart is