Page 86 of His Unforgettable Bride
As they entered the back door to the kitchen, Icala turned away from the stove and revealed a wide grin. The scent of roasting meat also offered a warm welcome. “It is a good day, is it not?”
Fairly run-of-the-mill, in Juliet’s opinion. She stomped the snow off her shoes onto the braided rug and started to shed her shawl. “I’m glad you think so.”
“I’ll take your wrap.” Tabitha extended her arm, her overcoat still buttoned to her chin. “You go on ahead to the library.”
“Enjoy your lesson.” Icala shooed her toward the hallway with his wooden spoon.
Juliet glanced at the floor near his dark shoes to ensure he hadn’t dripped a droplet. Satisfied he hadn’t, she nodded and left the kitchen. Why all the smiling and enthusiasm about Livy’s instructions? Of course, there was nothing wrong with their keen interest and support. However, a suspicious person might wonder why they were almost giddy.
Juliet would have preferred to take a minute or two to tidy herself, but apparently, there wasn’t time. She freed her hair from the binding, stuffed the leather piece into her pocket, and threaded her fingers through the strands before entering the library.
She halted abruptly at the sight of lit candles everywhere. On the mantel, the coffee tables, and scattered on the bookshelves. And there was Gray, standing before the fireplace, his back to her, flames licking the hearth. A dark blanket and wicker basket were splayed on the floor behind him. An intimate picnic. Had she ever seen anything more romantic and lovely? No and then he turned around.
He was as handsome as she remembered, maybe more so, if possible. Hungrily, she drank him in, from his cleanly shaven face to the tips of his shiny black boots. His brown waves were tamed and shorter than before he left Everly. But his golden-brown eyes hadn’t changed a tinge. They still had the power to weaken her knees.
“You’re back.” She said the only thing that came to mind, which ended up being the obvious.
He chuckled that masculine laugh, deep and throaty.
The sound of it, along with everything about him, sent shivers tingling up her spine.
“You look beautiful.”
She tucked his sweet compliment deep inside her heart, where she stored all his others. “I’ve worked all day and am likely a mess.”
Shaking his head, he approached her. Was there wariness in his eyes? “Trust me, you are the best thing I have ever seen.”
Her hands grew clammy, and she swiped them on her uniform’s stiff skirt. What about the two unmentioned matters that loomed large in the library—he was still a prince and engaged to somebody else? “I was to report here for a lesson. Does that make you my instructor?”
“Not at all, and the lesson was mine to learn, never yours.”
What in the tarnation was he talking about? Was she the instructor? No, she had no wisdom to impart. She glanced at the wicker basket. “I assume Icala is to thank for our private meal.”
“Yes, he, Tabitha, and Livy helped with this little surprise. Shall we investigate what he has prepared?”
It was almost as if Gray wanted to court her. But he’d leave town soon, and the man had a fiancée. Not one thing since Tabitha had entered the tearoom minutes ago had made a speck of sense.
When she nodded, he reached for her hand and led her to the blanket where they sat. She tucked her legs beneath her skirt as the fire sizzled over his shoulders. “I’m surprised there isn’t a chaperone on duty.”
“Cy and Livy, along with my friend, wait around the corner in the drawing room. Later, I would like for you to meet him.”
“I’d like that, as well.” It wasn’t every day she met someone from his past. In fact, she had never experienced the pleasure.
He unpacked the hamper—slivers of rare roast beef, deviled eggs, thick rye bread, cheese squares, and a currant-and-nut pudding in individual tureens.
After Gray blessed the meal, he filled his plate. Oddly, Juliet had no desire to eat, only to sit and stare at him instead. A notable cleft dented his chin, something she’d missed when he wore whiskers. She fought the temptation to fit her finger into the groove.
His attention swerved from his full plate to her face. “Your gaze is quite intent.”
“I’m curious what is on your mind.”
He wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Two critical items. First, the chief constable visited me the day I arrived in Victoria and reported Ruby was already under surveillance for additional crimes. She is now locked in a cell, awaiting trial.”
Holy Moses. Emotions bombarded Juliet, everything from relief to sympathy for her tormentor. “I am tongue-tied.”
“The good news is she cannot hurt you anymore. Perhaps her captivity is the push she needs to change her life. For the child’s sake, I did ensure she received the reward money.”
“Thank you.” Juliet’s heart squeezed. Her old roommate was a tried-and-true criminal. But then, so was Juliet, once upon a time. Childhood pickpocketing was still stealing, no matter how a person twisted the facts and made excuses. Starting today, she would pray for Ruby and her baby. Would someone kindly help raise the little one, much like Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood had taken in Tabitha and Livy?Please let it be so.
