Page 26 of The Lyon and His Promise
“Yes, Your Grace,” they answered in unison before they stole a glance at one another.
The duchess left them, and they quickly returned to their box to resume watching the play. But Gyles was already beginning to worry. He hated to think that his rash decision to kiss Josephine had ruined her chances of having the Duchess of Winshire’s approval. Without the duchess’s backing, Josephine might never return into the good graces of Society and this would be all his fault.
Chapter Twenty
Josephine fidgeted withthe beads on her reticule while she waited for Gyles outside of his parents’ carriage. He put his arm on the frame as he spoke to the duke and duchess.
“No need to wait,” Gyles stated. “I’ll see Josephine inside and walk home from here. You best get Father home. I can see for myself that he’s tired.”
“Don’t be long,” his mother warned.
Gyles closed the carriage door, and they watched the conveyance disappear around the corner.
“Will your father be alright?” Josephine asked as she took his arm and they began making their way up the walk to Simon’s house.”
“He’s been overdoing things trying to keep up with my mother, but he’ll be fine with some rest.”
“I have to also ask… when we saw your friend Lord Rowley this evening after the play, the lady he was with seemed ill at ease. Did I say something to offend her or is she just one of thetonwho will never accept me?”
A grunt left Gyles. “Lady Maribel is a friend of someone whose name has been paired with mine by some people as of late. I suspectthat is the cause rather than anything you’ve said or done, Josephine.”
That gave her something to think about as silence descended between them. Finally, he opened the door for her, and they stepped into the foyer. She was alone. With Gyles. Her heart raced with the possibilities that were floating through her mind. She wondered if he would be offended if she asked him to join her for a late-night drink of brandy. Of course, this might lead to other possibilities that she was more than open to if their kiss at the theater was any indication how she felt about this man.
It wasn’t as though she were a virgin having to worry over losing her maidenhead. A brief memory of pain with her husband and that horrible experience briefly flashed inside her head but she put the experience behind her. She shouldn’t let Raphe’s roughness in their bed cloud her judgement on how Gyles might perform. Adrian had proved that a lover could be gentle. She knew in her heart Gyles would never hurt her. Her hand being raised to Gyles’s lips brought her out of her sudden melancholy mood.
“You’re frowning, Josephine. I’m so sorry about being caught by the Duchess of Winshire in my eagerness to steal a kiss from you,” Gyles proclaimed while he continued to hold her hand. “I can only pray I didn’t cause the Duchess to change her mind.”
She shook her head. “Since she still wants to meet with us for tea tomorrow, it seems clear she will still support me. I wasn’t thinking about her.”
“Then what has upset you? Not afraid to be alone with me, are you?”
She gave him a small smile. “I was just allowing my past to catch up with me. Bad memories best left forgotten,” she answered pulling her glove from her hand. She reached over to cup his warm cheek, rubbing her thumb over the bit of stubble that had formed as the day and night had progressed since he last shaved.
“I would wipe those memories away if I could, dearest Josephine.”His tone was husky and so sincere that Josephine’s hearted melted even more for the man next to her. He took her hand and placed a kiss on the inside of her palm. She gave a contented sigh.
“You already have, Gyles. Even if this doesn’t work out between us, I have cherished the time we have been able to spend together,” she whispered trying not to think of losing Gyles for a second time in her life.
“No talk of this ending, Josephine. Not when we are just beginning this journey together, you and I,” he said before leaning forward and sealing his promise with a kiss.
How many times had she envisioned his lips pressed to hers in her wildest dreams? But this was certainly no dream, not when a moan of what could only be termed pleasure rumbled in Gyles’s chest. He took hungry possession of her mouth with deep sweeping strokes of his tongue leaving Josephine to follow his lead. This kiss was far superior to the one at the theater because this time they were alone. It was late enough in the household that the servants were asleep. Josephine put all of her love into returning Gyles’s kiss.
She reluctantly pulled back from his embrace while he traced her faced with one of his long warm fingers.
“You amaze me,mon amour,” Gyles said before placing a quick kiss upon her lips again.
A gasp left her at his words.My love? Did he really use those words in French or had that been a figment of her imagination?
“You love me?” She marveled at the implication that perhaps all her dreams really could come true.
“I must sharpen up my kissing skills if the one I just gave you left any doubt in your mind,ma cherie,” Gyles said chuckling before he continued. “But alas, I have safely delivered you home and I must let you go… for now.”
“Gyles…”
“Yes?”
“I have always loved you, too,” she murmured with an open heart knowing she could trust Gyles completely. “Ever since I was a little girl, you were the only man I ever dreamed of, even when I thought you were someone I could never have.”
“That has all changed now, Josephine. My fondest wish is for us to eventually marry. That is if you’ll have me once the time is right.”
