Page 56 of Margins of Love
He had no idea where he wanted to take her and what he would do, but he needed to be alone with her.
In the alleyway around the corner from Pavel’s shop, Fave stopped. How dare she buy his emerald from under him? “What do you have to say for yourself?” he growled.
Rachel looked hurt and upset, but her eyes were warm and, oh, so beautiful. He almost forgot why he’d led her into the alley and away from the beautiful gemstones, all of which he wished he could lay at her feet.
“You hurt me,” she hissed.
“I’m sorry for that. Fancy seeing you here dressed as… Ehm… what are you wearing?”
“Sammy’s breeches and coat. How dare you?” Her breath came quickly as a dragon about to spit fire. “You tricked me, used me, tripped me up, then left me, and now you’re dragging me away from a deal to undermine my authority.” She enumerated his transgressions on her fingers.
“What are you talking about?” He moved closer and made sure her back was to the wall so she could not storm away from him, as his sister would in confrontations like these.
But not Rachel. She was different. She squared her shoulders and looked him straight in his face, dangerously close. He felt her chest rising and falling rapidly against his overcoat.
“In the orangerie. You pinned me down with a kiss and held out for her to catch us.” She sputtered the words in disgust. “You knew she’d catch us!” She waved her index finger close to his chin.
“Are you mad?” Fave snarled. Her rapprochement hurt even more than her competition for the King’s emerald. It had not occurred to him to question why she had not run to him the other day before she heaved herself onto the carriage. Not in his wildest dreams would he have thought that she would blame him for getting caught. He had been so hurt, licking his wounds during the day and burning for her at night, that he had not been thinking. He thought he could swoop her up and she would melt into his arms, magically… naïvely.
“Is this why you left?” he asked.
“Left what?” she grimaced. It was not becoming, yet she looked so very pretty.
He wanted to be more upset. He knew he had given his trust too easily. But he wanted to kiss her more. At this moment, he knew he loved Rachel. “The house party. You left without a word. I didn’t know how to find you! I thought you’d be off with my designs. For the King’s competition.” Fave’s tone was less stern than he desired, almost pathetic.
“What competition?” Rachel rasped.
“The emerald… colored like the Scottish Highlands… you know…”
“I don’t know anything anymore! I need a fall-back, I picked the Indian diamonds, the snowflake ones. My investment.” A tear-stained her cheek, but her gaze remained austere. Even though she stood proudly, her eyes spoke of resignation.
“Why did you research emeralds? Why the interest in my sketches?”
“What? How can you ask me that?” She looked hurt and did not dignify him with a response.
“You with your artistic ingenuity, mystical eyes, and amber-kissed hair… But then she caught us…” He wished he’d seen what she would and was upset with himself for not clearing it up and finding her sooner. He felt like the oversized green boy she must think him to be.
“What choice did I have? I was compromised and I am betrothed.” Rachel’s hand snapped to her mouth when she said the words. It must have pained her as much as it pained Fave to hear them. “Why didn’t you ask the hostess for my address? You never came to call on me. I knew you were back in London. I waited, I… I…” Her voice broke off as she bit her lips and willed her tears to dry. But her eyes were wet, rimmed with red lines of sorrow. A stab of pain shot through Fave when he realized he was the cause of her angst.
They looked at each other and the air crackled between them. Suddenly, he was aware of her proximity, and he wanted to lean in, to feel her warmth. His body tensed, but he remained frozen. He had thought about her so many times and in so many settings. But never in an alleyway, with her in breeches, close to tears. He wanted to tell her that he loved her but his mouth was dry, his mind devoid of words in the face of her distress.
The moment spread before them and they remained still.
Rachel lowered her glance, her eyes glistening. “I am getting married tomorrow.” Her shoulders sagged as the words escaped in a whisper. Her chest sank and he let her get away. The announcement had made further entreaty impossible.
Before she turned the corner, he added, in the same low voice, “As am I.”
Rachel stopped cold. Her lips parted as if to say something, but no sound emerged.
She walked away but looked over her shoulder again and again.
He missed his chance. In his dreams, he had taken her into his arms and she had dropped her head back to be claimed in his kisses. In reality, he had missed his chance. The shred of suspicion that she might be a competitor for the King’s jewels had brought the worst cowardice in him. He had been raised to react with his head down, suppressing any urge for the greater good to blend into the ton.
* * *
Back at the store,Fave found Rachel, Pavel, and Arnold discussing a matter quite hotly.
“This is my emerald. Mine!” Arnold shouted at Rachel.
