Page 90 of Murder at Hambledon Hall
I foundHarry drinking coffee and reading the newspaper in the Roma Café. He wasn’t due to open his office for another half hour, but I couldn’t wait. I wanted to see him, and knowing he often stopped at the café, I’d hoped to find him there.
Luigi spotted me entering before Harry did. He greeted me with a nod that wasn’t a simple nod, but more of a knowing one. The two elderly men on the stools at the counter both swiveled to follow the direction of Luigi’s gaze. They broke into twin grins then winked, one after the other.
I peered over Harry’s newspaper. “You told them?”
He looked past me to Luigi and the two regulars. “No. I must have given it away.”
“How?”
“I haven’t been able to wipe the smile off my face since you kissed me.”
“Youkissedme.”
“Will you come up to my office so we can…discuss it?”
“All right.”
He didn’t bother to fold the newspaper. He simply left it on the table where it slid onto the floor in a jumble of loose pages. He tossed an apology over his shoulder to Luigi before ushering me out of the café.
Once we were alone in his office, he closed the door. Before I’d had a chance to remove my coat and deposit my umbrella in the stand, he gently pushed me back against the door and kissed me.
I dropped the umbrella and clutched his impressive shoulders, before stroking my hands up the back of his head into his hair. Touching him like that, holding him and being held by him in return, was more thrilling than the first time. More thrilling than I’d expected it to be, and far more satisfying.
When the kiss came to an end, he helped me out of my coat. “Is this business or pleasure?”
“Neither.” I picked up the umbrella and speared it into the stand while he hung up my coat and removed his hat. “I want to ask you if we can call on Dr. Garside as soon as possible. Aunt Lilian is ready to accept help.”
He took my hand and rubbed his thumb along mine. “That’s good news. We can see him this morning. Does this mean you told her about us?”
“Not yet. She’s delicate, and I don’t want to trouble her. Also, my uncle needs careful management if he’s to accept you. Our news has the potential to upset my relationship with them. We need to keep it secret a while longer.” I was well aware that I’d just lectured my uncle on the very topic of keeping secrets. In that case, the secrets would cause an explosion if discovered. This situation was different, however. In our case, it would prevent one.
“Very well, if that’s the way it has to be for now, then so be it.”
Harry was more accepting than I thought he’d be. He must have already come to the same conclusion.
“Thank you. My family is important to me, but not as important as you are. If I have to distance myself from them over this, then I will, without hesitation. But not yet.”
He tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear then traced his thumb along my jaw. “You won’t have to, Cleo. I promise. I’m going to charm Lady Bainbridge into wanting me for her nephew-in-law, and I’m going to manage Sir Ronald with such skill he won’t remember ever having rejected me as your suitor.”
I grinned. “I know you will. Thank you for understanding, Harry.”
He stroked his thumb along my jaw again, all the way to my lower lip. His smoky gaze followed the trail. “As long as this isn’t your way of saying you’ve changed your mind and no longer want to move forward.”
“No! Not at all.”
One of his dimples appeared with his lopsided smile. “Then I accept the delay on one condition.”
“Name it. I’ll even share my next investigation with you.”
The second dimple appeared. “Nothing as drastic as that. My only condition is that I can kiss you in the meantime, when we’re alone.”
“That’s a condition I willingly accept.”
He circled his arms around my waist and proved exactly how much he appreciated our agreement with another heart-pounding, breath-stealing kiss.
