Page 18 of Lady Elizabeth's Winter Stranger
“Of course I do,” she said, before she thought of playing flirtatious games.
He smiled at her.One of those lovely smiles that made her silly heart turn cartwheels.“I hoped you would.”
“I kissed you.”She was grateful that her hood and the unreliable light hid her blush.“It’s a sign that I like you.”
“I could say the same.”
She smiled back, enraptured despite the looming disaster of tonight’s Christmas party.Because chance or fate or providence had tossed this marvelous man in her path when under normal circumstances, it was likely that they’d never have met.
“If I can, I’ll come out riding at dawn.If not, I’ll do my best to get you a message.”It was a pity Flossie was with her family.Elizabeth could trust her with a note.
“I’ll wait near the gates.”
“I’ll look for you.”
“I won’t be able to steal you away for a kiss.”
Her dour groom Stubbs would have a fit if she ran off into the bushes to kiss Tom.He’d make sure that Papa heard about her sins, the minute she got home.“No.But perhaps—”
“We could talk about future meetings?”
“I’d like that.”In the restricted space, she made herself shift away from him.“Now I really must go.”
She prayed that the servants hadn’t come back early.She prayed that her parents hadn’t had a quick trip south.The idea of being sent away to Scotland now, when life in London turned so intriguing, was too awful to contemplate.
Tom took her arm, and they stepped out of the doorway together.She kept her head down so the loose hood concealed her face.She’d managed to escape discovery so far, but this close to home, the risk became more immediate.
Elizabeth was glad of Tom’s arm, and not just because she liked touching him.The crowd on the street was rowdy with Christmas cheer.Carol singers stood in front of Hatchards, and a host of vendors had set up on the footpath, hawking mulled wine and sweets and decorative sprigs of holly.Their old friend, the chestnut seller, had even found himself a new patch, although he was busy with customers and didn’t notice Tom and Elizabeth passing.
“This is where I turn off,” she said when they reached her corner.
“This leads to Lorimer Square,” Tom said with audible surprise.While he must have already guessed that she was a lady, Lorimer Square was one of the most exclusive addresses in London.
“Yes, it’s where I live.”She tugged free of his arm.Whatever she might prefer, she couldn’t linger for a long farewell.“I should be safe going on from here.Even if someone sees me in the square, I can make some excuse that I slipped out for a breath of air.”
“I’ll wait here.I can watch until you turn off into the square.Call out if you run into trouble.”
“I doubt you’d hear me over the din.”
“I’ll always hear you, Flossie.”
She paused to look deep into his eyes.“My name isn’t Flossie.”
Elizabeth was acutely aware of this moment’s significance.So far, they’d played an enjoyable game, but once Tom knew who she was and where she lived, the game ended and real life took over.This budding attraction between them might blossom into something very significant indeed.
His lips turned down with the humor that she’d liked from the first.“You don’t say.”
“It’s Elizabeth.”
“Elizabeth?”He looked ridiculously pleased.She supposed he recognized that she was ready to put an end to the mysteries between them.Next time they were alone together – and she was sure that time would come – they’d learn everything they needed to know about each other.Although they’d already learned the most important thing: that a raging fire of desire burned between them.
“Goodbye, Tom.And happy Christmas.”
He caught her hand and squeezed it in a way that somehow translated to her heart cramping with yearning.“Happy Christmas, Elizabeth.It’s been marvelous.”
“Yes, it has.”She mustered a mighty effort to tug her hand free and rush down the snowy street toward her house.She didn’t look back.But all the way, she could feel his gaze on her.
Chapter 6
