'Tis the Season for Lady Sarah - Maggie Dallen Page 0,3

was currently taking place in the main hall. Servants were everywhere, everyone seemed to be moving quickly, commands were being shouted. Through it all, she stood still and quiet, her gaze darting to and fro to find him. He must have been looking for her, too. He wouldn’t leave without seeing her.

There! Her gaze caught sight of his back just as he reached the door leading to out back in the direction of the stables.

“Wait!”

He did not hear her as she cut through the crowded kitchen, ignoring the questioning looks. It wasn’t as though she were a stranger to the kitchen, but it was hardly common for the sister to the marquess to run recklessly through the house, nor had she ever been known to chase down a merchant.

She temporarily forgot that she was supposed to be a proper young lady with decent manners. She forgot about decorum completely when she reached the door he’d gone through and stumbled through it herself, climbing awkwardly over the stacked crates waiting to be brought inside as her skirts caught on the edges, her feet slipping in the melting snow.

“Where is he?” she asked no one in particular. But then she caught sight of him, heading toward the carriage house where his ride no doubt waited.

“Mr. Stallworth!” she shouted, heedless to the attention she was drawing as she chased after him. “Mr. Stallworth!”

He stopped and turned, and...there. There it was. The handsome face, the kind blue eyes. He had not changed a bit. His hair was still light blond and adorably rumpled, his lips full and smiling. His skin was slightly darker than it had been, but other than that, he might as well have walked straight out of her daydreams.

“Lady Sarah.” His voice was filled with warmth, and it was all the encouragement she needed. Racing toward him she did not stop until she was close enough to touch him. She caught herself just in time before she could reach for him, contenting herself with gazing at his handsome features, taking in every last detail of her beloved’s demeanor.

“How wonderful to see you again, Lady Sarah,” he said as he cleared his throat. Was he overwhelmed with emotion too?

She blinked up at him, her smile so broad it hurt her cheeks, but words… She had no words. Where to begin? She’d missed him so. She’d thought of him constantly. And yet, in all that time she’d never given any thought of what her first words would be when she finally saw him.

She saw the error of that lack of foresight now as she gaped wordlessly.

His gaze raked over her, taking in her green morning gown, the dark locks that were piled high atop her head.

“My, you have grown into quite the beauty.” His eyes were filled with such warmth she thought she might weep.

She didn’t. She thought about it, but she held in the emotion.

“Mr. Stallworth, you’re back.” She could have bit her tongue for her idiocy. All these months and her first words were to state the obvious.

“Indeed.” He beamed at her as though her words hadn’t been tragically prosaic. “I have so many tales to tell you about my journey. Stories you wouldn’t believe.”

Laughter bubbled up inside of her. “Yes, I should like that very much,” she said.

“Your mother was kind enough to invite me to attend the festivities surrounding your brother’s wedding,” he said.

Her heart soared. “Wonderful. That is...wonderful.”

Drat. What had happened to her vocabulary? This morning she had been well acquainted with the English language, and now…? Now she couldn’t express all this joy and excitement she was feeling if she had all the words in the world at her disposal.

He gave her a regretful grimace as he nodded toward the carriage house. “I really should be—”

“Wait, don’t go. Not yet.” Was that desperation in her voice? Oh dear. She cleared her throat, hating Mr. Stallworth’s sudden unease, his gaze darting left and then right to ensure they were not causing a spectacle.

That she was not causing a scene.

She forced some dignity into her tone as she added, “I merely meant, I will look forward to seeing you again soon.”

He visibly relaxed and she felt a surge of pride. Of course he liked her best when she was pleasant and cordial, sweet and smiling. What man wouldn’t? Besides, hadn’t he told her once, just last year, that it was the sparkle of joy in her eyes that made her the most beautiful lady in all the land?

The memory