Page 68 of Lord of Mischief
Osmont and his cronies could wait.
Of more pressing urgency was the matter of Eve.She was waiting for him outside in the garden.He had broken her heart, and she claimed to want to move on with her life, yet she was here.
Was there a remote chance he had not burnt all his bridges with her?
“She is here.Don’t waste this opportunity,” he whispered as he began to stir the soup.
She may never come here again, never be alone with him again.This may be the only chance he would ever get to speak the words his heart was demanding of him.
He watched as the vegetables and grains swirled around in the gently bubbling soup, then turned and looked to the door leading back outside.
For heaven’s sake, go to her. Tell her your heart.
He had already lost her.There was only a small hope, but he had to risk it.He put the spoon down, summoned all his courage and walked back out into the garden.
Eve was leaning against the high, stone garden wall, not far from the gate.The gate which she had walked out of the previous morning, one he had not expected her to ever walk through again.
With slow hesitant steps he came to her and took her gently by the hand.He lifted it to his lips and placed a tender kiss on her fingertips.He heard her soft sigh and looked up to see her eyes shining with tears.He brushed his hand on her cheek, thumbing one of the tears from her face.“I could spend an eternity telling you how deeply sorry I am for all I have done.That deceiving and betraying you is the very worst thing I have ever done in my life.I could tell you a thousand times I know I have lost the greatest love of my life.But I know none of it will ever wipe the memory from my mind of the look on your face that afternoon in the stables.”
“Freddie,” she murmured.
He slipped his hand under her chin and lifted her face so she was looking directly into his eyes.His gaze fell upon her soft rose lips.Lips he knew were meant to be his for all time.
“I love you,” he said.His lips descended, but a hand came between them and gently pushed his face away.
“Not yet.”
He searched her gaze.“When?”
“Ifis more the question that needs to be answered.There is still much I need to think about.So many things of which I am uncertain,” she replied.
Disappointment burnt his heart, but along with it was a spark of hope.Hope, which until now, he had thought was stone dead.“Can you answer me one question?”
“Yes.”
“Are you done with me?”
She walked toward the garden gate, stopping a few feet from the entrance.She turned and looked at him.“No, I’m not done with you, Freddie Rosemount.Of that I am certain.”
