Page 55 of Shining Knight
Chapter Thirteen
Eugenia’s senses werestunned. First, there was the shock of someone grabbing her when she jumped to the ground, then the realization that it was Graham, and then the feel of his warm arms surrounding her. The last thing she ever would have expected was for him to kiss her. He tasted of fire and brandy and she could not help but respond.
She liked it very much, but was he trying to convince her that they would be compatible?
Reluctantly, she pulled away. “What are you doing?”
“I will ask the same of you. I am not the one coming down into the road from my window in an attempt to escape.”
Well, she could not argue with that. “I meant the kiss. What do you mean by that?”
He looked as though he was trying to catch his breath, as indeed was she. She wriggled to get down from his arms.
“Stop that!” he squawked.
“Then put me down,” she insisted.
“I do not want to,” he answered, almost sounding petulant.
“Very well.” She settled against him as though she could stay there all day.
He turned and leaned back against the wall. “I will hold you until you explain why you were running away.”
“I should think it to be rather obvious,” she murmured, rather liking the feel of being in his arms.
“You are running away from me,” he said. There was a hint of anger in his voice.
She answered carefully.” I am leaving for a time, in order to reflect—and to allow all this chaos to go away. Scandals always die down if one only waits.” She hoped.
“True enough, but only to a certain extent. In this situation, it will only go away if you marry.”
“That may be the way of the world, but it is so very wrong.”
“I agree, but your choices of Ravenhill or Farnsworth will hardly make you happy, unless you have changed your mind?” He left the query dangling, but he knew very well she had no interest in either man—she would not term Ravenhill a gentleman—as a spouse.
“How could you even ask that?”
“Because you seem very opposed to me, and I want to know why.”
“It is not you, Graham. I cannot have you make such a sacrifice for me.”
“I would do anything for you, Genie. Do you not understand that?”
Her heart thudded, and she was surprised how much she wished that she could ask him about his heart, his love. But even she could not be so bold. “Then allow me to leave. I left a note for Rowley so that he would not come looking for me. If you reassure him, then there will not be a fuss.”
Graham slowly set her down on her two feet and looked her in the eye.
“There is absolutely no way I will let you run away in the dark of night, alone. If you think that, and that your brother will not come looking for you, then you have lost your wits, pet.”
“I will find a way to leave, Graham, and I will not tell you where.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
He cursed, a long string of words, and ran his hand through his hair as he began to pace about while having a conversation with himself. She thought perhaps he might be a little bit intoxicated, but he seemed to have sobered now.
She debated picking up her valise and slipping away, but that would only make matters worse. Fervently, she hoped he would come to the right conclusion. If she were male, there would be no question that she could go away to think.
He finally stopped and turned. “There is only one solution.”
“Only one?” She frowned.
