Page 66 of An Unbending Lady for the Desperate Earl
“Victoria?” Christian pressed. “Are you wounded?”
She shook her head. “No… I am… not hurt.”
“Do you know where the ringleader is? Simon Green told us that the leader of these people brought you up here. Is he still around here? Do you know where he went?”
Victoria cleared her throat. “He told me he had some business to attend to about an hour ago, and then he left. I have not seen him since.” The lie flowed effortlessly from her tongue, because it had to. Her father would always be her father, no matter what he had done. And she had to protect him now, even if it pained her to lie in front of the man she loved more than anyone.
“Blast!” Christian muttered. “He must have escaped.”
She nodded. “Yes, he must have.”
“And you are certain you are not hurt?” He brushed his thumb across the apple of her cheek.
“I am unharmed,” she replied. “But I am glad to see you. Gladder than I can possibly say.”
“I have been going out of my mind with worry. We lost your trail, and I feared I might never find you. But here you are… here you are, unharmed.Iam the one who is glad.” He leaned forward and the world seemed to stop for a moment, despite the chaos still reigning below. His lips were so close to hers, and she sensed that he was about to kiss her.
“Wait,” she murmured. “What about Lady Helena? She is here somewhere. You cannot kiss me, if you are still betrothed. It would feel improper, and I do not want my first kiss to feel improper.”
He tucked the unruly strand of her raven hair behind her ear. “There is no betrothal, Victoria. I intend to break it. From the moment I met you, you changed everything. I couldn’t even contemplate marrying another, when you are in this world. I adore you. I cherish you. And… I love you, Victoria. I love you more than I have ever loved anything in my life. If I am to be married, then it will be to you… if you will have me, of course.”
“I love you,” she whispered. “I did not think I was capable of it, but I love you, with all of my heart. I have thought only of you, but I was so afraid that we would reach this point, and you would have to return to the duties you promised your mother and father.”
He shook his head. “I wish to be happy. I wish to make you happy. And I can only do that if I am forever at your side, bound to you in holy matrimony—the only ties that I am sure you cannot pick your way out of.”
She chuckled. “Then… kiss me.”
He cupped her face in his hands and gazed into her eyes, making her heart beat that much faster. She didn’t know how this had come to pass. Nor did she know what she had done to deserve his love. This cold, spiky, independent creature had found someone who adored her, precisely as she was. And there was no finer feeling in all this world. It could not even be marred by the knowledge that she had let her father go. After all, if he had not done any of this, then she would never have met Christian. A small silver lining in an otherwise heartbreaking situation.
Slowly, he leaned in, and she ceased to breathe. His lips touched hers, and sparks of pure bliss erupted in her veins. A tender graze, unlike anything she had ever experienced. Her palms pressed against his shoulders as his kiss deepened, his mouth moving in an exquisite rhythm which she instinctively matched.
Nothing else mattered as their kiss continued, her arms looping about his neck as he pulled her from the chair and held her on his lap, cradling her close to him. Their dance in the bedchamber of Christian’s home had been the most joyful moment of her life, but this put that firmly in second place.
“I love you,” he murmured, pulling away for a second so he could look upon her.
“And I love you,” she replied, flushed with contentment.
“May I kiss you again?” He smiled.
She giggled, which was something sheneverdid. “Please do.”
He slid his hand along her neck and encouraged her head to move toward his. Their lips connected as if they were always meant to be joined in a kiss, her fingertips running through his hair as she sank into the moment entirely. If this was happiness, then she wanted more.
Chapter 28
“We should help downstairs.” Victoria broke away from their kiss, much to Christian’s dismay. He had known the blissful moment couldn’t last, with so much mayhem surrounding them, but he had hoped for a few seconds more before they had to return to reality.
“I suppose you’re right.” Slowly, he released her and got to his feet, helping her to stand.
“But do not think, for a single second, that I am done with you,” she chuckled as she looped her arm through his, and they exited the office.
He smiled. “I hoped you would say that.”
Together, the headed down the stairs, to find that the band of kidnappers had been corralled into the center of the barn, with the constables insuring that they were all suitably bound. It irked Christian that the mastermind behind all of this had managed to escape, but he supposed they might be able to get one of the minions to talk. Then again, that would be up to the constables. Or Victoria and Benedict, if they felt up to the task.
“Nice of you to join us.” Foster eyed him curiously.
“Is everyone present and accounted for?” Christian ignored him.
