“Leaving you alone,” she finished for him. “Had you no oneelse?”
“I had myself. That was all I required.”
Maggie had possessed a childhood that, while far fromperfect, had never been lonely. Her days had been filled with siblings andlove, albeit with a healthy portion of bickering. Of course, there had come theinevitable awful realization that she must leave the comfort of her familybehind, but that had only come later. She felt sorry for him, for what he musthave suffered as a boy suddenly bereft. “You have me now as well,” she toldhim, hating that he had ever felt as if he were on his own, though she knewwell she shouldn’t care one whit.
“Have I?”
She knew he referred to their agreement as much as to theconfusing state of their marriage. She swallowed, wondering if she was pledgingmore of herself than she could give. But then she thought of the lad who hadlost his mother, who had been left without comfort and love, and her heartcrumbled for the boy he must have been. Tears stung her eyes, and she blinkedthem away. “Of course you do,” she said before she could think better of it.
“Why the devil are you here, Maggie?” he asked, pulling awayto look down at her, his gaze dark and searching.
She wasn’t certain she knew what he was asking of her. Shefrowned. “You brought me to Denver House.”
“I’m well aware.” He paused, seeming to collect histhoughts. “What I meant to ask is why are you in this chamber with me? Why areyou being so good to the man who never wanted you?”
She’d known, of course, that he’d never wanted her as awife. He’d made that abundantly clear with his desertion and ensuing silence.But hearing him confirm it aloud still hurt. Drat him. Maggie stared,frantically searching for a response that wouldn’t divulge more than she wishedto him. “I am your wife,” she said simply. “It is my duty.”
“Duty,” he repeated, his tone going lifeless.
Was it possible she had actually hurt him? Though she knewshe ought to possess a heart of hardest stone when it came to him, she couldn’tquite bear to. He had a way of creeping into her heart when she least expectedit. At Lady Needham’s party, they had fallen into each other’s arms littleknowing what was to come when their true identities were uncovered. In sodoing, they had become inextricably linked in a way their mere marriage hadnever managed to do.
“I don’t want to be your duty, Maggie,” he intruded upon herthoughts, his voice low and intense. “I want more from you.”
“How much more?” she dared to ask.
“I don’t know.” His voice was ragged, infused with thepent-up emotions undoubtedly roiling through him.
It wasn’t an answer to any of the questions thudding aroundin her mind, but it was somehow all she needed. She hooked an arm round hisneck and pulled his handsome face closer to hers until their mouths barelytouched. He didn’t require further encouragement. With a groan, he claimed herlips in a long, searching kiss.
Maggie’s fingers sank into his hair as she opened for him.His tongue sank into her mouth and she sucked it, a hot surge of want nearlytoppling her over in that moment. How was it that she could be irritated withhim one minute, and yet in the midst of a dusty room, she could long for him somuch the next?
He broke the kiss at last, resting his forehead againsthers. His breath draped warmly over her lips. “Tell me how it is that youcontinually surprise me.”
She stared. “I could ask you the same.”
“Thank you for finding me.”
That gave her pause. She hadn’t anticipated his gratitude.“I figured you needed finding,” she told him with a small smile.
He dropped a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. “It would seemyou have an uncanny knack for finding me when I need it most.”
“If you’re speaking of our meeting at Lady Needham’s, it wasyou who found me,” she pointed out, trying to maintain the tentative grip shehad on her judgment. “You thoroughly trounced my train.”
“Trains are nuisances,” he quipped. “You ought to have hadit tied up properly, by God.”
Maggie’s smile widened. “I did. You ought to have watchedwhere you were placing your overly large feet.”
She enjoyed their banter, truly. She was starting to knowhim, and to her amazement, she rather liked him. He was at times a paradox,filled with passion and yet cold and calculated. He blustered without meaningit. He had loved his mother. He had loved another woman who had not been worthyof that love. She knew now that beneath his façade there hid the boy who hadbeen left alone in the world, that the boy had grown into a man who stillpossessed that same fear of being alone. He was imperfect, it was true, but sowas she. And his kisses made her mad. His touch set her aflame. Perhaps therewas hope for them after all. Her rational mind was too afraid to hope, but herreckless heart was not.
“Now I’ve overly large feet, have I?” There was a grin inhis voice.
“It’s amazing you can even walk with those unwieldyfellows,” she teased, running her hands down over his broad shoulders. Shehadn’t meant to feel so much for him, and certainly not so quickly, but he madeit appallingly easy.
“You’re a minx.” He found her bottom through the layers ofher gown, sliding beneath her bustle with unerring accuracy. He pulled her moresnugly against him.
“What if I am?” she challenged.
“I shall have to make you pay.”
