Page 46 of Snowbound Regency Christmas
‘Girls. Through here.’
Nodding for his nieces to follow, he turned off the path, leading Jane by her unresisting hand. She seemed to be floating along beside him with little comprehension of where they were going and it made it easy to steer her through a broken section of hedge and into the trees beyond.
Once a safe distance from the path, he beckoned the girls closer.
‘Look.’ He pointed with a not entirely steady finger to a sapling a few yards away. ‘There’s a young oak over there that looks perfect for climbing. Why don’t you try? I won’t tell Grandmama if you won’t—just be careful not to fall.’
Three little faces lit up. Climbing trees was strictly forbidden and a sanctioned chance to break the rules was enough to send Charlotte and the twins scurrying off, their skirts flying as they hurried to leave him and Jane alone.
‘If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to get rid of them.’
It sounded as though Jane was attempting to appear calm, although her body gave her away. With her hand still held captive in his, he could feel how it shook, a telltale tremor that hinted her tense expectation was every bit as strong as his.
‘Only for a moment. I’d like to speak to you without an audience.’
With a glance to make sure the children were in no danger, he drew her behind a tall shrub, his blood roaring in his ears. The gentle pressure of her fingers gave him courage, however, which was just as well, as for what he was about to do he needed all the courage he could find.
Very carefully, giving her plenty of time to twist free if she chose, he stepped closer. Her bonnet moved, tilting upward as she looked at him, and he gently shook his head.
‘No hiding now, Jane. If you’ll permit me, I’d rather look you in the eye.’
A beat of tension crackled in the air. The only sounds were the swishing of bare branches and the distant giggles of his nieces somewhere in the background, but then Jane lifted her free hand, the stiff fabric of her bonnet rasping softly against her glove as she pulled it from her head.
She looked up at him. Her eyes were wide and in them he thought he saw the same complex jumble of emotions that burned in his own chest. There was a very real possibility that he was wrong, that wishful thinking had clouded his judgement, but he’d come too far to back down now.
‘Jane,’ he choked out, his pulse racing so fast it made it speaking difficult. ‘Since my return—’
He wasn’t able to finish his sentence before she wrapped both arms around his neck and brought his face down to hers.
She kissed him as though nothing mattered more. Her hands cupped the back of his neck and his initial shock subsided in a burst of fireworks as her fingers slid beneath his collar to stroke the sensitive skin of his nape, his own hands flying up to take possession of her as she leaned against his chest.
No thoughts were necessary. He didn’t need to think while he held her, revelling in the warmth of her body and hidden curves rediscovered by his questing palms. She felt just as she had the last day she’d been in his arms and he tightened his grip so this time she wouldn’t slip away.
He could have stood there for ever, kissing her until she saw stars; a constellation had certainly spread out behindhisclosed eyelids as her mouth moved over his, and if he hadn’t heard a faint sound from somewhere behind them he wasn’t sure he would have been able to stop. They had waited so long and it was a wrench to have to make himself draw back, listening intently to what had suddenly become an extremely unwelcome noise.
‘Wait. I think someone’s coming.’
Jane blinked up at him, her eyes unfocused and her cheeks flushed a delicate pink. Her lips were rosier than usual and so soft-looking he had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from claiming them again, although a second later they parted in dismay.
‘I don’t want to be seen like this. Where’s my bonnet?’
She stumbled back, her obvious panic rising as she cast about. Her bonnet must have dropped from her hand when she’d kissed him and Duncan urgently scanned the melting snow around them, his concern growing as the sound of chatter and crunching boots came closer.
‘Over there. It must have rolled…’
Jane scrambled for the black shape caught in a nearby tree’s roots, but she didn’t get there in time.
Two women appeared from around the other side of the shrub, both starting when they realised they weren’t alone.
‘Oh, Lieutenant Fitzjames. You gave us a fright!’
They smiled at him, although he saw the shape of their lips stiffen when they caught sight of Jane. She’d managed to pull her bonnet on but the veil was snagged awkwardly on the brim, leaving her face exposed, and he felt a stab of horror as he watched their eyes fix immovably on her damaged left cheek.
Both women stared as though they had never seen anything more fascinating than Jane’s rapidly reddening face. She stared back, although stricken rather than intrigued, and Duncan felt something inside him twist.
He stepped forward, deliberately blocking her from their line of sight. What he wanted to do was demand they remember their manners, but he knew Jane wouldn’t appreciate an even more unpleasant scene.
‘My apologies for startling you.’ His voice was clipped but he couldn’t seem to summon much more than the barest civility. He couldfeelher dismay as she stood behind him, all delight and wonder drained away, and he could have cursed the two interlopers for destroying what should have been a moment to cherish.
