Page 219 of Storm of Bells
Mrs Ambrose…
At the sound of that name, I was abruptlywide awake. Scrambling to sit up straight, I dragged in a deepbreath.
‘Who says I’ll be the one to change my name?’I raised my chin. ‘Maybe you should—’
His lips cut me off mid-sentence.Instinctively, I reached for him, but his hands enveloped my wristsand, slamming them into the padded backrest of the bench, he pushedme back against it. Son of a bachelor! Did he think he could justkiss my protest out of the way? Unless I wanted to be trampledunderfoot in this marriage, I had to stand up to him! I had to…hadto…
‘Did you want to say something,MrsAmbrose?’ Mr Ambrose growled.
‘You…you should let go of—’
Abruptly, his lips sealed mine again. Hekissed me without remorse, and I let him, let him in, in all theways you could imagine. Warmth spread through my chest as his armswrapped around me and he pulled me against his chest roughly. Whenhis mouth finally lifted from mine again, I gasped for breath.
‘Now, tell me again…’ Dark, ocean-colouredeyes bored into mine. ‘What did you want to say to me?’
Grabbing him by the short hairs, I staredfiercely into his eyes. ‘I wanted to say that you should kiss meagain!’
His eyes glittered. ‘Adequate.’
And he proceeded to show me exactly how‘adequate’ it was. Only when the carriage rolled to a stop in frontof the manor did I come back to the real world. And with the realworld, Mr Ambrose’s earlier words came flooding over me.
‘They wish to give us someprivacy.’
Privacy.
Privacy for…
My heart began thudding wildly.
What the heck is the matter with you, Lilly?It’s not as if this is the first time you’ll do this! You knowperfectly well what will happen!
Yes, I did. And yet…in a way, I didn’t. Thiswasn’t just a night I would be spending with a man. It would be anight I would be spending with myhusband. My very firstnight as a married woman.
With a final crunch of gravel, the coach cameto a halt. Not even really knowing why, I shifted away from thedoor, further into the interior of the coach.
‘Lillian?’
The way he spoke my name tugged at my heart.Moments later, an unbelievably gentle granite hand cupped my cheekand turned my face towards his. Two dark, unfathomably deep,sea-coloured eyes met mine.
‘Lillian.’
Once again, that was all he said. Just myname. But it was enough. Instinctively, I turned my body into his,snuggling against his chest.
‘What is it?’ he whispered, stroking a thumbdown my cheek.
What it was? It washim. It waseverything.
There was only one thing I could say. Gazingup at him with love and trust in my eyes, I told him: ‘Let’s gohome.’
Wordlessly, he nodded. Sliding his armsaround me, he lifted me off the bench and, kicking the door open,stepped out into the beautiful sunset. Light as red as rubiesflooded over the countryside and painted the façade of the mansionin warm tones. With one long stride, he stepped down out of thecarriage, carrying me clasped tightly in his arms. Effortlessly, hestrode towards the front door—which was saying something,considering my generous padding in various areas. It felt strangelywonderful to be carried through the air as if I were a precioustreasure.
Bad Lilly! Bad! Has your spine turned tobutter? You should keep your independence, remember? You have twolegs of your own!
I was just opening my mouth, wondering whatto say, or if to say anything at all—when all of a sudden, MrAmbrose stopped in front of the threshold and, to my totalsurprise, set me down.
I blinked up at him in surprise. What wasgoing on?
Cocking his head, he pushed open the door tothe manor and, gazing deep into my eyes, held out a hand to me. Inhis eyes, I could see reflected all my needs and wants, and secretthoughts.
