Page 61 of The Dreaming Beauty
At that moment, Marcus hated his abilities. Hated that Simon wasn’t lying to him, that his brother truly cared for Tansy.HisTansy. “Does—does she know how you feel?”
“She will soon if she does not yet. I just had several bouquets of roses delivered to the cottage. They are her favorite, you know.”
He hadn’t known, but he should have guessed. He released the shelf and took a step toward the door. He needed to think. To ride. “On second thought, I should leave this room. A little fresh air would do me good.”
Simon smiled. “Yes, it will. Take your time, and I will make your excuses for you, should Mother come searching.”
Marcus’s hand went to his jacket, where the offer from the dowager lay hidden in the inner pocket, and then to the one for Tansy in his waistcoat. Was it wrong to write to Tansy if she was to be his brother’s future wife? Where did her feelings lie? With him or Simon? He couldn’t be sure. Hadn’t she told him she had requested his presence last night as a friend? His heart pounded, and his temples throbbed. Nothing seemed clear anymore.
* * *
When night fell, Marcus eagerly slipped outside to deliver his news to Tansy. With his note secured on his person, he sneaked his horse out of the stable. The wind slapped against his back like an angry mother, its forceful breeze chastising him for sneaking away when he should be home in bed. He defied the weather and rode on, his worries more for Tansy than for himself. She had her family’s past to reconcile, and there was a strong possibility the threatening note she’d received was somehow connected. Like the night before, he tied up his horse a discreet distance from the house and went the remaining bit on foot.
The willow beckoned him nearer. They’d become special to him, a place he associated with Tansy. Soon he was beneath its branches, a cove from the wind, and slid the note into the fairy house. As soon as his hand released the paper, a prickling sensation crawled up his back. All his senses flared to life. He had learned to trust his instincts, and his instincts told him someone else was there.
Frozen in his hunched position, he listened for any sound to reveal the location of the person. His effort to hear any subtle noise was nearly thwarted amidst the rustle of wind and the pounding of his own heart. Tansy’s note writer was near; he was sure of it. But where? If he did not guess correctly, his life might be at stake. But if he was careful, the antagonist might leave him alone. It was clear Tansy was the real target.
Each second blurred by and nothing. The Masked Baron had instructed him time and time again to be patient, so Marcus gave himself another moment before reacting.
Just as he was about to stand, the wind waned, and he caught the faintest even hum of breathing.
If he were to guess, there was a man hiding just behind the thick trunk of the willow not a foot from him. Marcus stood and walked backward, keeping his eyes on the trunk and hoping there was not a second man he need worry about. Not bothering to muffle his steps, he purposely rustled the branches as he passed through them.
After a cursory glance at his surroundings and finding nothing alarming, he put his plan into action. There was no way he was going to simply walk away from whoever was threatening Tansy. Not if he could end this right now.
With noiseless steps, he circled around the willow to the opposite side, nearer the cottage. The only solution he could think of was to reenter the willow and catch the culprit unawares. Parting the branches the slightest bit with the back of his hand, he searched for any sign of movement. Nothing. The man was intelligent enough to wait to ensure an escape without discovery. But he had probably not expected Marcus’s presence tonight, and if he did, he had underestimated the abilities of this professor and steward.
When the wind picked up, Marcus made his move and slipped inside, going directly to the trunk. He’d counted on his speed instead of attempting to further mask his steps, but he’d underestimated the number of steps to the tree. He heard the rough sound of cloth rubbing against the willow bark as the assailant was startled into action.
Acting quickly, Marcus reached around and grabbed the man’s right arm. Using it as leverage, he swung himself across the intruder’s body, smashing the man’s back against the trunk. The man swung his free arm at him, and Marcus captured it with his left hand, then preemptively blocked any employed weapon from the man’s right arm, pinning it to the tree too. He looked at the intruder’s face, ready to slam his head into the man’s nose if necessary.
What he saw shocked him.
Tansy, with her eyes squeezed shut and squirming with all her might. She opened her mouth to scream, and Marcus, in his desperation to keep their presence together secret, did the only thing he could think of to silence her. He bent his head quickly forward, capturing her mouth with his own. In an instant, he released both her arms and brought his hand up to cup her head. She pushed at him as the action forced her eyes to open, and recognition melted all her resistance. Her eyes closed again, this time with a softness that matched her lips, and his own eyes drifted closed in turn. He had been astonished to discover Tansy’s identity, but her response to his hurried kiss was far more stunning. She curled her arms around his back, holding him in place. And wouldn’t he be remiss if he did not do the same, especially if she was doing the inviting?
Where his touch was heated and imperative before, now he was infinitely more gentle. He wanted her to know that she was safe, and she seemed to understand that he would never intentionally hurt her. Part of the longing he felt for her was no doubt carried through his touch. There was nothing he would not do for her. The moment he desired to last for a lifetime had to end though. She needed tohearhis apology so she would never doubt him. And he needed to make sure she was not injured.
He released her too quickly, and her legs crumpled beneath her. He caught her back to him, her hand landing just below his cravat. Could she feel his heart racing beneath her palm?
“Forgive me,” he murmured into her hair that hung long down her back and tickled his hand near her waist. “I swear I thought you were an intruder. When I saw it was you, you scared me half to death.”
“I scared you?” She was trembling again, and regret sank in his chest. Scaring her was the last thing he wanted. “Where does a professor or steward or whoever you are learn to do something like that?” she asked.
“To kiss a woman?” His pulled back, his gaze dropping to her lips, the mere glimpse kindling a fire inside him. “Tansy, a man does not need to be taught such things.”
A laugh, light and airy, flittered from the mouth that had captured his complete attention. “I meant how did you move so silently I did not know you were there?”
He grinned. He knew what she meant, but at the moment, all he wanted to do was kiss her again—properly this time, without any trace of fear or surprise. Besides, how could he tell her that he had learned to move and fight from the infamous Masked Baron, although Marcus was an amateur in comparison? Most still feared his friend, despite the fact that he was one of the best men Marcus knew. Instead of answering her directly, he did his best to explain. “I am sorry for frightening you. I sensed a presence and thought I heard breathing, so I circled around the trees. After the threat you received, I hoped to discover the culprit and restore your peace of mind.”
He was afraid to release Tansy in fear she would collapse in shock again, not to mention she fit so perfectly in his arms. How had he mistaken her for a criminal? With one arm around her, he used the other to rub her arm, trying to soothe her. “Did we not agree that you were to stay inside at night?”
“I... I was too eager to learn what you had discovered.”
Her breathing seemed to have evened out, and he gently released her, testing her strength. She remained upright, proving her resilience. He reluctantly stepped back and blew out a breath. “Did I hurt you?”
Her hand went to her wrist. “No lasting damage.”
His gaze traveled to her mouth, to those sweet lips he had crushed in order to silence a scream that would have given their presence away. Her reputation was important to him, and he could only hope he’d made the right decision in the moment. “Did I... did I bruise your mouth?”
