Page 46 of The Moonstone Major
Her dark emerald eyes dazzled in their softness and their beauty. Tears now formed in them, for this was Chloe, and he knew this would happen. She wore her feelings on her sleeve. “Fionn,” she said in a breathy whisper, “that was wonderful.”
“We had better join the others.”
He saw the hurt in her eyes over his response, but he wasn’t going to encourage this madness beyond one kiss. While Chloe’s sisters, having married for love, wanted the same for their beloved younger sister, the brothers-in-law knew better.
It took more than love to make a happy marriage, especially to one of the Killigrew girls who were raised in elegance. How could he ever compete with wealth and a title?
Chloe thought she was above it all, but she was not. She had never endured real hardship, and he was not going to be the one to introduce her to it. Life as an army wife might be fine for other women, but not for one who had grown up in London’s elite Mayfair and now had a duchess and a marchioness for sisters.
He took her hand and led her up the slope, ignoring the softness of her skin against the rough pads of his blistered palms.
She darted from his side when they reached the top and ran into the copse of trees. “Chloe, where are you going?” He took off after her.
But she merely intended to dunk her handkerchief in the stream. After wringing it out, she hurried back to the wagon. Mr. Hawke, Molly, and the girls were already seated on their benches, and the picnic basket had been neatly stowed.
Heat burned through him as he placed his hands around Chloe’s waist to help her up. She did not thank him or look at him, but immediately asked the girls to put out their hands. She wiped each with the dampened handkerchief and then wiped her own hands.
He climbed in beside her. “We’re all settled, Mr. Hawke. Drive on, if you please.”
Clouds were beginning to gather on the horizon, and they had a good hour before they would reach Westgate Hall. He did not want the girls or Chloe to be caught in the rain.
As the wagon rattled along the path toward the main road, Chloe gently took his hand. He glanced down, noting the disparity between them. Her hand was soft and small, while his was big and roughened from toil. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“Cleaning your hands, too. We all spat into them.”
“It is nothing.” He had put his hands into far worse, endured festering wounds formed from broken blisters when working as a chimney sweep’s monkey, among other things. He’d been only six years old at the time. As the boys around him began to die off, he knew he would have to make his escape and somehow survive on the streets.
But Chloe did not need to hear this story.
He held out a hand. “All right.”
She took gentle hold of it and ran the cool cloth over his calloused skin. Once done, she took his other and did the same.
“Thank you, Chloe,” he whispered.
“Same, Fionn. Thank you for a perfect afternoon.Allof it.”
He sighed and cast her a wry smile. “My pleasure.Allof it.”
They reached Westgate Hall moments before the first raindrops fell.
Fionn hopped down and helped the girls alight. “Run straight inside.”
Melrose was waiting at the front door and held it open for the two little ones. One of the footmen helped Molly down, and she hurried in after Imogen and Ella.
That left only Chloe.
Her eyes sparkled, no doubt because she had now received her first kiss and was quite pleased by the result. “I won’t delay you,” she said, giving him her hand. “The heavy rain will come soon. Thank you for a beautiful day.”
“I enjoyed it, too.”
He had watched her run inside and was about to hop up front with Mr. Hawke when the Marquess of Burness came hurrying out. Of course, Chloe had turned back and was now on his heels. “Don’t leave yet, Fionn. Come into my study. Cain is here as well. We have something important to discuss with you.”
“Very well.” He motioned for Mr. Hawke to take the rig back to Moonstone Cottage. “I’ll cut through the beach afterward.” It was the shortest way home.
He marched in with the marquess and Chloe, knowing this important matter could have nothing to do with the kiss he’d just given her.
That would be a confrontation for later on.
