Page 47 of The Marquess's Scandalous Game
Emma gazedat Leo as she chewed her pastry. Leo’s eyes were wide. He could not mask his surprise at meeting her on the road.
“You did not come to me, Leo. You left me no choice. I had to come to you,” Emma said, somewhere between a plea and an explanation.
Leopold entered the carriage and sat across from Emma. She felt his gaze travel the full length of her body before he found her face.
“I was on my way to Adlington Hall,” Leo announced.
Things were not going according to plan because she was not expecting to meet Leo on the road. The carefully rehearsed speech she prepared on the journey had all but evaporated.
Damn it!
Emma reached inside her picnic basket and stretched her hand to Leo.
“Would you like some pastries?” Of all the things she could say!
Emma flushed as she waited for Leo to accept her offer. She studied his face. She felt a rush of warmth and tenderness at being with him again. She could not believe that it had been merely several weeks since she had seen him. It seemed like forever.
“Thank you,” Leo replied as he took one of the pastries and put it between his lips.
Emma helped herself to another pastry. Her sickness had passed in the last few days, and she had a roaring appetite. Emma and Leo ate in companionable silence while Emma’s mind scrambled to assemble her speech’s puzzle pieces. She opened her mouth to speak, but Leo beat her to it.
“I have been a fool, Emma.”
“On that, we agree.” Emma gave Leo a hard stare.
“I never told you, but when I met you at the ball for the first time, I … I felt that I had met someone who truly understood the pain that I had felt, even though we had only just met. I saw the compassion in your eyes. It was quite extraordinary.”
Emma stopped chewing and her hand stilled.
Leo let out a long breath. “The time away served a useful purpose. It made me realize I was only hiding from my feelings in Hardwick Hall. My life was missing something. I know now that it was you and the love that you brought to my life. You were the missing part that I needed to help me to embrace it,” Leo explained.
“Oh, Leo. Please.” Emma held up her hand and he paused. “I owe you an apology. I was selfish. I put my needs first, and I broke my word. I disregarded your feelings even though you opened your heart and shared them with me. It was self-centered and insensitive. Being away from you made me realizewhat was ultimately the most important thing in my life: you and our child. I do not need to be a healer. What I need is you.”
Emma drew in a breath and continued. “There is no other person in this world I would rather be with. I understand why you were angry with me, and I wanted to apologize to you in person. I did not think the letter or poem would be adequate. You had not come home. I know I need to rebuild your trust, and I am willing to do whatever it takes.” Emma saw Leopold’s features soften.
“I understand why you did what you did. You are so selfless,” Leo’s voice was filled with meaning.
Emma gazed deeply into Leopold’s eyes. “Now that I have another life growing inside me, I know there is more that I need to think about. My baby and my husband must come first. While you were away at Hardwick Hall, I realized my life would be empty without you. Healing could never fill that void.”
Leo moved from his side of the equipage and sat beside Emma. She could feel the warmth of his nearness.
Leo took her hand in his. “You were the missing part of my life, and now that I have you and a baby on the way, I have everything I have ever wanted.”
Emma took Leo’s hand and placed it on her stomach. “The staff at Adlington are busy working on preparing the nursery.”
Leo smile. “It is only the beginning. You can let me know what you want. You will have it.”
“Even when you were not with us, you were still thinking about our needs. I know that I can count on you when life gets stormy. I could not bear living apart from you for a moment longer. I need you there to celebrate even the smallest wins with me,” Emma announced.
Leo reached down and claimed Emma’s mouth in a tender kiss. He whispered against her lips. “I love you, Emma. I will always be there for you. You can count on me. I choose to bethere in the morning when you wake up. I want you to be the first thing that I see.”
Emma’s hand reached up and pulled Leopold’s head closer for another kiss. She broke the kiss, and Emma spoke while their faces were inches apart.
“Did you say that you love me, Leo?” Emma whispered. Her heart was pounding in her chest.
“I love you, my dear Emma. All of you. I love your quirks and the joy you get from helping others,” Leopold declared.
Emma threw her hands around Leo’s neck and gazed deeply into his eyes. “You are very dear to me. My life would be meaningless without you. I love you, and I do not want to live without you.”
