Helena placed her hand on his elbow, and they made their way to the waiting conveyance.
Chapter Twenty-Four
There can be no true happiness until our objective is achieved.
—FromLady’s Suffrage Society Times
Silence pervaded asthe brougham rumbled through the London streets, taking Helena and Gabe to Wickley House. Her husband’s posture was stiff, his jaw tense, as if something weighed heavily upon him. She knew the feeling.
Finally, Helena could bear no more of the quiet, so she broke it. “Did you mean what you said?”
His arresting gaze seared her. He was so beautiful, her heart hurt.
“I meant everything I said, Helena. And far more.”
She swallowed. “You are truly pleased to have me as your wife?”
“More than I can properly convey in words.” He held out a hand to her. “Come here.”
The only place for her to go was his lap.
So Helena went, settling herself gingerly upon his broad thighs, no easy feat given the encumbrances of her skirts and tournure. “I shall crush you.”
“Hush.” He removed his gloves and then cupped her face. “You are light as a bird, and I cannot bear to have you sitting on the other side of this bloody carriage when you could be right here, where you belong.”
Where she belonged?Yes. Oh, yes.She liked the sound of that.
Helena plucked the hat from his head, placing it on the bench at his side, before positioning her hands on his broad shoulders. As always, his warmth and strength seemed to sear her palms. The love she had been carrying for him all this time surged. She could not keep it to herself any longer. But how to tell him, when he believed love was the source of anguish and ruin?
Her heart gave a pang.
“Thank you for dashing off to see Lady Beatrice on my behalf,” she said, instead of saying those three terrifying words just yet.
His deep-blue gaze searched hers. “Helena, I will always defend you. As your husband, it is my—”
She pressed a finger to his lips, silencing him. “Pray do not saydutyagain. I do not want to be your obligation, Gabe.”
He kissed her finger, then plucked it away from his lips so he could continue speaking unimpeded. “I was going to say that as your husband, it is my honor to defend you. I will do anything and everything in my power to protect you and keep you from harm, always. That is my solemn vow to you.”
He would defend and protect her, but would he ever love her?Couldhe ever love her? Helena did not dare to hope. Her love could be enough for the both of them.
“I can defend and protect myself,” she told him in lieu of making any dangerous confessions.
“I have no doubt of that.” There was a note of pride in his voice that settled into the deepest recesses of her heart. “You are the most daring, brave, strong woman I know. But I am here for you, always. You need never take on the world alone or seek the aid of others instead of me. I am yours.”
Hers.
She liked the sound of that as well. Indeed, she had spent years longing for him, wishing, hoping.
“Mine,” she repeated, scarcely trusting the word or the implications behind it. Scarcely believing the Earl of Huntingdon could possibly be hers and hers alone. “Truly, Gabe?”
He caught her wrist in a grip that was firm yet gentle and flattened her hand over his heart. Beneath the layers of his clothing, his heart hammered a steady, reassuringthud-thud-thud.
“Yours,” he said again. “Forever yours, Helena. Only yours.”
She froze, staring at him. Surely he could not mean what her foolish heart hoped to hear? Gabe was not telling herhis heartwas hers.
Or was he?
