His hand swallowed her hand.His cheek leaned into her palm.His lips lifted oh so slightly into a satisfied smile.
She should drag her hand away and tell him to behave.But she didn’t want to.So she cradled his cheek and let his sneaky arm curve around her waist, tugging her closer.So close.Until she was almost in his lap and his forehead was leaning against hers.
“I’ll stay here until I see lights on in your room.”
“You do not have to.Lady Guinevere’s is highly?—”
“Guarded, I know.Still.”His hand flexed on her waist.So very proprietary.
Now she slid her hand away from his rough heat, standing in the narrow confines of the carriage.He helped her onto the street, and she almost went into the darkness of the alley without saying a word.But the light from the half-moon above drew her back.He was halfway out of the conveyance, watching, poised and ready.Just in case.She had to crane her neck up to study the shadowed planes of his moon-drenched face.
“Thank you,” she said.“For tonight.I do not think I’ve ever had a lovelier time.”
“My family is your family.”His voice was a wink, a challenge.
She wanted to meet it.“The king awaits, my lord.”
He slipped his hand in the pocket, and she knew it was to palm the stone, hot there, demanding.“Go.”
She did this time, down the ally, through the back door, and up two flights of stairs.She stopped in the dark hallway.A shadowy figure stood at the end, right near her door.
The form transmuted her heart’s beating into terror.She took a step backward, palms already sweat slicked, breathing ragged.Apollo had found her.Apollo would?—
“Miss Chester?”She nearly collapsed.Not Apollo’s voice.Lady Guinevere’s guard.His footsteps echoed as he walked toward her.
“Mr.Bran.You scared me.Is all well with Lady Guinevere?”
“Yes.”He stopped when they stood beside one another in the narrow hallway, shoulder to shoulder.“She needs to see you.First thing in the morning.”
She started to ask why, but he strode off before she could make more than a peep of a sound.
Why did Lady Guinevere wish to see her?Had she done something wrong?
Diana entered her room and pushed back the curtains.Temple’s carriage was still in the street in front of the shop, and he leaned against it, looking up at her window.She pressed a palm to the glass, and after a moment, he ducked back inside the carriage, sent it rolling down the street.Diana closed the curtains and shoved the table away from the window, tugged and pushed the bed until it sat there instead, the length of it snug against the window frame.Heavy from exertion, her arms and legs trembled, her breath rattled.Her mind, though, had sunk into a curious stillness.Only one question pulsing there: Had Lady Guinevere decided to send her away?
If she curled up next to the window, she was as close as she could be to where Temple had been.She could close her eyes and see him there still, waiting outside the carriage to ensure her safety.
She curled up against the night-cooled glass and pulled the summoning stone from her pocket.Alchemists.What a secretive lot.Sybil had said something, hadn’t she?About loose lips and alchemist secrets?Temple seemed to have plenty of those, even though he claimed his family believed in collaboration between the classes.
Temple would likely marry her with the intentions of keeping half his life hidden away.But then, she would do the same.
If she did, an alchemist might understand.
