Page 63 of The Secret Life of the Elusive Governess
Softly breaking their kiss, Moses pressed his forehead to hers.“I was three minutes away from coming to you,” Moses said deeply. “Mr. Collins told me about your near escape. My God, Caroline, my heart nearly fell to my feet when I heard.”
The words, loaded with care and fear, registered into her mind but they paled in comparison to what had just taken place. The love of her life had just kissed her. What would it take to feel that warmth again? Could she be so bold as to kiss him?
Then Moses seemed to remember his vow and stepped back with tightly clenched eyes, “Forgive me, Caroline, that was out of place. I have broken my word and now I am nearly what I had feared to become.”
Become what? An adulterer?Caroline thought quickly before a pressing thought buried that one. This was prime time for her to tell him the truth about her and possibly give him a warning about the peril she might be putting him in. But, did she dare?
“I—”Should I tell him? Is this the right time?“I am sorry for worrying you but I am here unhurt… well, mostly unhurt.” Caroline added as she leaned into his chest and rested her head there, “I… I don’t believe they really wanted to harm me.”
“They who?” Moses pressed.
“A group of four boys, orphans, from their raggedy worn clothes, I suppose,” Caroline added, “With a sly looking leader who is no more than six-and-ten years, I assume.”
“Wanted or not,” Moses’ voice was defiant, “they tried to attack someone I would move heaven and earth for. They had no right to assault you. And—”
“Please, no,” Caroline whispered, feeling preemptively what he was going to say, “Do not blame him, Moses. It is not Mr. Collin’s fault.”
The almost growl that she felt vibrating in Moses’ chest reminded her of a possessive dog and, absurdly, she giggled. “Stop. Mimicking a hound quarrelling over a bone is not the reaction I thought you would have.”
Pulling away, she went to sit in a nearby seat and smiled when Moses joined her. The Duke was dressed beguilingly in black Hessians, beige buckskins, a dark blue coat with a lighter azure waistcoat underneath.
It pulled at her to tell him the truth but she needed to find a better time to do it. Under the downside of an almost tragedy was not the time to relay her deepest secrets. Moses sat beside her and took her hand. A few moments passed in easy quietness as he massaged her hand with his thumbs.
“How long have you been in love with me, Caroline?”
Chapter 24
The question was a digression, but Moses needed to take her mind off what had happened earlier. The kiss had not been planned, either, so with both unplanned events, Moses felt he should just allow spontaneity to rule the moments that followed.
Seeing her in such distress had decimated the weak walls he had tried to put up against his emotion for her.I love her. I cannot push her away anymore.
The lovely blush on her face warmed him and, with a smile, he prodded her head up. Red was an enticing color on Caroline if he thought so himself. “Two years ago, mayhap?”
She almost hung her head but decided to look at him directly, “Yes, but I began with distant admiration laced with some strains of fear at first and then…” she searched his eyes, “…sympathy. I felt your pain with Her Grace and I started to wish you would find someone to make you smile. I never imagined in all the states of existence, with me being who I am and with you being who you are, that it would be me. That I would be the one to put that smile on your face.”
“Well, you have,” Moses replied.
And if God has any mercy upon me, I will not lose you to any ruffians.
“But now that I have, I know the position I am putting you—us—in,” Caroline said, “It is a dastardly one.”
Moses had to swallow the blows that came with her words. His position was a perilous one. His heart was taken yet his loyalty rested somewhere else.
Moses massaged his brows for a tense moment but then decided to get to the matter at hand. Reaching beside him, Moses plucked the drawing-book out of his desk. “Do you want to know how I know?”
Her face was contorted into a mien of confusion before Moses handed her the book. She went so pale that Moses instantly regretted showing it to her. Clearly, it was supposed to be a secret, and a well-kept one at that if the lack of blood in her face was any indication.
“W-where did you get that?” a slick sheen of sweat had started to bead on her face.
“Calm down, Caroline,” Moses hushed. “I am not angry at you. I am rather flattered.”
Her eyes darted to him before vivid red bloomed in her face. She shied away from him, bent over, and caged her hands in her head. “Please tell me that this is a night terror.”
Playfully, Moses pulled her hands apart, “No, it is not.” But then he sobered, “I do need to know how it ended up on a table in my wife’s sitting room.”
Caroline’s head snapped up as fear really ran through her, “What? How could it get there? That book is one I have kept buried in my desk drawer. No one knows about it.”
“Which tells that one of our people is not to be trusted,” Moses replied.
