“By all means.”
“What is it you want now?” He understood her dreams as a girl of sixteen years, but what were her dreams as the woman she was today?
Her smile turned sheepish. “You won’t laugh?”
“Promise.”
“The life I told you about? The one Tommy Trumble promised me? I still want it, foolish as that is. There’s something I’ve never done.”
“What is that?”
“I’ve walked across all manner of muck and filth in solid brown boots, but never across green grass on my bare feet. I would like to. I always thought it would be soft.”
“It is,” said Lucas. And he made a determination right there. “Will you agree to another day with me tomorrow?”
A wariness came over her. “Perhaps it would be best if we leave it with today.”
She was protecting herself, he understood that and her need to. But he couldn’t simply leave it.
He couldn’t simply leaveher.
This woman didn’t understand something about herself that he did.
She was special.
“I have a surprise that I would like to show you.”
“Another?” She shook her head in bemusement. “What is it?”
“Nice try, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you. Just say you will.”
She thought it over. Every nerve in his body made itself known as he waited for her answer.
At last, she said, “No more mountains to climb?”
“I promise.”
“Then, yes.”
Relief arrowed through him.
Tomorrow, he would see this woman frolicking across green grass on her bare feet.
And he knew just the place.
6
Nell sat in the rented open-air cabriolet with a light breeze blowing through her hair and marveled that it was yet another bright, sunny day in the countryside. She knew it couldn’t hold forever, but she would take what she could get of it.
Much like the man beside her.
She stole a sideways glance at Mr. Kendall. In truth, she was a little shy of him. She’d shared so much of her past yesterday. She’d shared what she’d never dared share with anyone. She would’ve thought he’d never want to see her again. But he hadn’t reacted that way at all.
You are not a replaceable person, Miss Tait.
And then there were his words from the day before.
I don’t see you that way.
