Page 85 of The Confessions of a Lady
‘What the bloody hell are you on about?’ Penny leaned into the outrage. It was far easier to manage than processing everything they’d just experienced.
‘You promised you would save yourself. That if it came down to making a choice, you would choose yourself over me.’
Tears threatened as her anger deflated and her heart thudded painfully. Penny bit her lip. ‘You silly man. I didn’t choose you over me. I found a better option. I chose us. I will always choose us.’
Liam’s confusion was almost comical after so much chaos. ‘Us.’ He spoke the word as if it were a foreign language.
‘Yes. You and me. Us.’
He leaned forward, pressing his cold forehead against hers. ‘I’ve never had an us to choose before.’ His voice broke, causing an echoing crack in her heart.
‘You do now, Liam.’
He crushed his lips against hers in a fierce kiss before pulling away. ‘I do. Although I’m not sure I can survive loving you, Penny Smith. But as you’re determined to save me, I suppose I shall have to try.’
Penny’s laugh came out as a sob as she pulled him closer and returned his kiss.
‘If you two are quite finished, we have a deceased and smouldering lord to identify, a sobbing constable to contain, and someone should probably see to your arm, Liam. You’re bleeding all over Penny.’ Philippa approached them, her dress pristine, every hair in place, and a smoking pistol at her side.
‘Did Worthington get his man?’ Liam squinted up at Philippa.
‘Please. He’s a dreadful shot.’ Philippa looked behind her where Worthington was pulling Constable Sweet to his feet. She turned back to them. ‘Whereas I never miss.’ She helped Penny up and they both took one of Liam’s arms, carefully lifting him to standing. He leaned heavily on Penny as Philippa stepped away, brushing her sleeve free of dirt.
The duchess arched a single brow at Penny. ‘As your employ with Lord Renquist is at an end, I have a new job proposition for you.’ She glanced at Liam. ‘This one mucked up the whole investigation and we still need to discover who the Wolf and Crow are before the nightmare ends. The Queen has taken note of your skills and thinks you would be an excellent addition to her team. I happen to agree.’
‘Philippa, can you please leave the recruitment of my fiancée until after I’ve stopped bleeding?’ Liam hissed in a breath and Penny tightened her arm around his waist.
Philippa rolled her eyes and sighed loudly. ‘Fine.’ She stalked over to Worthington and watched him shackle Constable Sweet.
Penny looked up at Liam. ‘Inmate, maid, marchioness, and now one of the Queen’s deadly damsels? I’m not sure the beau monde will know what to make of me.’
‘Because you defy their labels. You are the woman I love. And I am the man you love. Nothing else matters.’
‘Take me home, Liam.’
‘With pleasure, sweet Penny.’
Three months later
Penny sighed as Liam leaned across the leather settee in his study and pressed an open-mouthed kiss to the side of her neck, savouring the taste of her skin.
‘We have at least two hours until everyone comes for dinner. I can think of several things we could accomplish in that time.’ He pushed aside the shipping reports he was reading and traced his hand up Penny’s leg, nudging the primer book from her hands.
‘Liam! I must finish my lessons before Professor Derringer comes tomorrow. Molly is going to join us. She is so skilled with sums. You wouldn’t believe the way she whizzes through all of Professor Derringer’s books on Algebraic equations. I think he’s quite astounded by her. And not a little infatuated.’
In a swift move, he pulled her onto his lap despite her slapping hands. ‘Have I ever told you that your eyes remind me of the forest? Full of mysteries and shadows I hope to explore?’
Giving up her efforts to study, Penny sighed and leaned against him, letting him cradle her in his arms. Her lips curled in a secret smile. ‘Have I ever told you your scent reminds me of the forest? Wild and free. Tempting me to fly with you into the unknown.’
He leaned forward, nibbling her jawline, pressing soft kisses in a trail to her mouth. Teasing her lips open, he sipped and sampled, savouring the sweet, tart flavour of apples on her tongue.
‘I never imagined I could be loved the way you love me, Penny. That I could marry a woman as strong and beautiful as you without fear of the beast within destroying everything. But you showed me I could change my fate.’
Penny traced soft fingers over his cheek, slipping her hand into his hair and scratching his scalp. He wished he could purr in satisfaction, like a sated jungle cat.
‘Your beast isn’t so bad. He just needs a soft blanket, a tasty treat, and some scratches.’ She scraped her nails down his back, his jacket dulling the sensation, but not stopping his body from hardening in response. ‘You taught me how to change my stars too, Liam.’
‘Did I?’ He found the hem of her skirt and delved beneath, tracing over her ankle, up her calf.
