Page 58 of The Secret Love of a Gentleman
‘You will forget me the minute you reach town.’
It was as though she was afraid to believe him. But she told him she thought her husband loved her and his affection died.
‘I will not forget you and I shall look forward to seeing you. You will come?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then trust me until then at least.’ He had no experience of love like this. He had no idea how deep his feelings ran compared to others; whether they would stand the test of time. Yet he believed it was love that claimed him, heart and soul.
A tear ran down her cheek. He brushed it away with his thumb.
‘I will miss you,’ he said.
‘I will miss you too.’
The light in the room was clear. She ought to leave but he would have no other chance to kiss her. He braced her nape and brought her lips to his.
They kissed for long moments, her hands on his shoulders as his held her waist.
He broke the kiss. ‘I will write in hidden words to Mary, and you will come to London, and we will see each other then.’ He promised her the only things he could.
She nodded. ‘We will.’
But then her arms wrapped about his neck and as her forehead fell against his shoulder, he heard the words she had not said,don’t go.
His arms enveloped her and held tight. ‘Sweetheart, you need to leave.’
‘I know.’ She lifted her head, rose to her toes, and kissed his lips. ‘When I say goodbye later, I will want to kiss you and you will know I cannot.’
He nodded, as emotions gathered in a firm knot in his throat. The decision to come to Mary and Drew’s had changed his life.
‘I will go,’ she said, releasing him.
‘I will see you downstairs in a while.’
‘Yes.’
She did not leave.
He pressed another swift kiss on her lips. ‘Go, or I will carry you to your room, and then if anyone saw us, we would be damned.’
She laughed, though it had a hollow sound. Then, she turned away and crossed the room. When she reached the door, she looked back. ‘Goodbye, Rob.’
‘I will see you soon downstairs. Listen for my words in Mary’s letters.’
She nodded, then opened the door and left him.
He sat on the bed and held his head in his hands. His life had changed entirely in the last day. He would marry her, regardless of anything else. Morally he would never be able to live with himself if he did not.
31
It seemed as though Rob constantly looked across the table at her throughout breakfast. Every time Caro looked up, her gaze caught on his; each time heat crept into her cheeks and she looked away.
Drew talked as he would any other morning. She could not think of a single word to say, so she responded with yes or no, or a nod, while her heart began to crack.
When the clock on the mantel rang out ten strikes, Rob stood. ‘I should leave.’
Mary walked beside him as he left the room.
