She giggled. “No, I’m not kind,” she said, though she could feel how his compliment made her glow, cheeks warming as he smiled at her. “And you do deserve it.”
“Yes, you are,” he said, and his voice was sincere. “You are clever, and wise, and compassionate and loving. And beautiful and sweet too. I am so, so lucky to know you, Bernadette.”
“No,” she whispered, and her eyes were full of tears. “No, Nicholas. I am lucky to know you.”
His eyes held hers. “The luck is mine, he said after a moment as they gazed into one another’s eyes. “I am so grateful. I love you, Bernadette. I love you with all my soul. I am so pleased I found you.”
Bernadette gaped at him. She shut her mouth. Not only had he said she was beautiful and sweet, but he’d said he loved her. She cleared her throat. A wonderful warmth was spreading through her, a warmth that began where her heart was, filling each inch of her body and throbbing in her cheeks, making her smile and feel as though she was flying.
“I love you, too, Nicholas” she managed to say, though her voice was tight in her throat, emotion closing her throat. “I love you too. So much.”
He gazed at her and she thought she saw tears there, but then he leaned forward and he rested a hand on her cheek and the space between the seats in the coach didn’t seem so big after all as he pulled her towards him and his lips found hers again.
She shut her eyes, feeling his soft, warm, firm mouth on her, exploring her mouth, touching so gently, so caringly, that she thought she would melt inside. He drew her close, holding her in a tender, sweet embrace, and she nestled close against him, holding him close and feeling her own eyes mist over.
He leaned back.
“Whew,” he breathed raggedly. She giggled, her ownbreathing just as wild.
She smiled at him and he smiled back and they sat without speaking for a moment or two. The coach rattled down the street and they passed windows where lamplight glowed and she felt her soul soar. They were getting closer to his townhouse.
“Let’s go in,” he said gently as they rolled up towards the square opposite the townhouse. “I’ll be glad to know we’re both somewhere warm.”
“Me, too,” Bernadette said, shivering with cold.
“Let’s go in,” he repeated gently as he stood to open the door. She stepped down and he caught her in his arms, carrying her lightly up the stairs and settling her on the doorstep carefully. “I’ll talk to your parents.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Please have a bath drawn for Miss Rowland,” he told the butler as he appeared, gazing at them from a bright-lit corridor. “And have word taken to her parents that she is safe.”
“Of course, my lord,” the butler said, bowing low. He stepped aside so they could enter, and Bernadette almost collapsed as she stepped inside the warm, brightly lit house.
No sooner had they crossed the threshold that Mama and Papa’s voices filled the air.
“Bernadette! Bernadette! Oh, thank God!” Her mother cried out, running towards them.
“You found her. Where did you find her?” Lord Rothendale demanded of Nicholas.
Bernadette blinked at her parents, confusedly. She had expected chastising and fury for compromising her reputation and that of the family. No such anger showed in their faces.
“I think we are both too tired for explanations now,” Nicholas said firmly. His face was intensely pale, and Bernadette could feel the tension in his body. His eyes held her father’s, his gaze hard. “Bernadette should retire to bed, and I will return and discuss things in the morning.”
Bernadette looked at him fearfully. He couldn’t leave her here with them. They might be calm now, but she could not imagine them staying that way. “Please, stay?”
Nicholas looked over at her parents. Mama cleared her throat.
“It’s late, Lord Blackburne. We shall have the guest-suite prepared for you.”
“Thank you, my lady,” he replied, bowing low.
“Where have you been?” Lord Rothendale demanded of Bernadette, making her heart thud fearfully. Nicholas cleared his throat.
“We will discuss this in the morning, Lord Rothendale,” he said firmly. “For the moment, I think it would be a better course of action for us to rest.”
“Mm. You’re right,” he murmured.
Bernadette let out a sigh of relief, gazing up at Nicholas. He looked hard at her father for a moment, then turned to her.
