Oh, the temptation! “It would hardly be comfortable for you, especially now.” But he wanted her to contradict him. “It is too risky. We might be caught.”
“If someone finds us, they will not be the least surprised that a rich gentleman has convinced a poor woman to share a little sport.” Then her wicked, teasing smile broke out, the one he had not seen in so long. “And I will be most uncomfortable if we stop now. “
He could not have agreed more, as he prayed it would not be a disappointment to her, between the circumstances and his having only one hand. All he had was his love for her, and that would have to be enough to overcome their disadvantages.
Afterwards, Darcy held Elizabeth on his lap on the bench in the cramped carriage, her head resting against his, her body warm and relaxed. It might have been clumsy and cramped, but none of that had made it any less fulfilling or blissful. Even now, pleasure still shimmered in his body. If onlyhe could hold her hand or caress her! But his left arm was around her, and his right would not obey. All the automatic, unthinking times he had never considered how much it meant to have two hands.
“Can you reach inside my coat?” he asked. They had been too eager to undress fully, even if there had been room for it in the cramped carriage. “There is a small pocket on the inside, near my heart.”
She gave him a teasing look. “Always wanting my hands inside your clothes.”
“There is something for you there. A gift I bought for you in Paris, just a small thing, but it reminded me of you.”
For some reason, that sobered her. Her hand crept inside his coat, pulling out the small package wrapped in a piece of linen. She unfolded it carefully to reveal the handkerchief embroidered with violets, cowslips, and lily of the valley. She stroked it gently, and then brushed it against her cheek. “I have heard of how fine French silk is, but I have never felt anything so soft,” she said with a catch in her voice. “Thank you.”
“Do you remember seeing the wildflowers together as we walked to the cottage in the woods? I thought of that when I saw it. It was like having a little bit of you with me.”
She kissed him tenderly. “I will treasure it.” She placed it on her lap, and then reached down to touch his limp hand. “Can you feel things with it?” she asked softly.
“To a degree,” he said. “It is less than it was.”
She hesitated. “It does not seem to pain you when it moves.”
He shook his head. “No.” Only the shoulder hurt, and an occasional stabbing pain down the arm that came out of the blue.
Her hand moved over his, grasping his wrist, and then she raised it until his palm rested against her cheek. “I do not want you to forget what it feels like to touch me with it,” she said with a catch in her voice.
The softness of her skin was a balm to his fingertips, a sensual pleasure and a reassurance that his injury did not disgust her. As well as a tenderness that fed a deep well in him. How fortunate he was to have her, and how he adored her!
If only they could remain in this moment forever, their eyes locked together in the darkness and love flowing between them! It was as if her essence were giving him much-needed strength. A tingle of her Talent flowed into his fingers, his hands, and down his wrist, curling around his sinews and bones. It felt heavenly.
“No,” he gasped. “Do not use your Talent. It is not safe.”
The tingling drained away, leaving emptiness behind. “I did not even realize I was doing it,” she said tremulously. “I was only thinking of how much I wanted your hand to heal. But I will not do it again.”
“I am not angry at you,” he said gently. “Simply worried about being caught.”
“I know. I am supposed to be watching for that, when my Talent slips out of my control.” Then she smiled, and with what sounded like a deliberate attempt to lighten her voice, she said, “You would not believe the scoldings I have received on the subject! But I will save that story until we have more time.”
“I want to hear all of it,” he said. “Every single thing that has happened while we have been separated. And how on earth you made your way here.”
“The dragons managed most of it.” She brought his hand down and carefully interlaced her fingers with his. Amazingly, he was able to tighten his hand just a fraction, nothing that could qualify as a grip, but enough that she should be able feel it. “My task was only to find where you were being held prisoner and report it to Colonel Fitzwilliam, who would have handled the dangerous parts of rescuing you. I did not even know if I would see you.”
“Richard? Is he here, too?”
“He wanted to come, but I thought he would draw too much attention, a foreign man of fighting age. No one has shown any concern about me. The War Office should use women who are increasing for all their missions. Men are suspected at every turn, but I have barely had my papers checked. Everyone offers to help me.”
She made it sound so easy, but he knew better. “Coming to France is simpler than leaving. How will you get back?”
She nestled her cheek against his. “The dragons have a plan for that, too. We will be going home through a Gate.”
The upstairs maid came down to the kitchen the next morning. “You,” she said to Elizabeth rudely. “Madame wants you in the sitting room.” The lazy girl. Napoleon’s spy.
Elizabeth put aside the carrots she was peeling and untied the apron she had borrowed from the cook. “Right now?” she asked.
“Of course right now!” the woman snapped. “Follow me.”
What could Mme. Hartung want with her? Elizabeth trailed after the maid, through the dining room and to a charming sitting room overlooking the gardens. Her eyes immediately flew to Darcy’s familiar form, standing by the window.
