“That was Imalda.” His voice was now tense.
“Did you take a peek?” I teased. I do not know what came over me. I shouldn’t have been speaking to him in this manner, though I saw that a corner of his mouth dared to lift. “You can put me down now,” I said as we reached the top of the stairs.
“We are almost there,” Draven reassured me as he continued to carry me. “You are not heavy.”
“I can walk on my own, you know.”
“What kind of gentleman would I be if I let a lady walk?” He chuckled to himself; the deep sound resonated through my body. He set me down gently. “And to answer your question, I did not peek.”
I stood upright, and the blood rushed back into my head. I swayed for a moment, reaching out to steady myself as I placed my hand on his arm.
“Perhaps you were better off with me carrying you.” Draven’s voice was full of amusement.
“You would like that too much,” I teased, my eyes meeting his.
“I would.” His gaze held mine intensely, and I felt that string again, the invisible pull of my body to his.
“Welcome home,” I said.
“Home? Is that what you think of this place now?”
“I have been making myself at home, yes.”
“I see,” Draven said. “I am pleased to see you, Rosalia.”
“I as well.” That magnetic pull, drawing me to him. I cleared my throat. “I spoke with Imalda earlier. She told me how you helped her after her sister died. That was very kind of you.”
“Imalda … she is like family to me.” His face softened. A flicker of vulnerability crossed his features, and I caught a deeper glimpse of him: a protector.
We stood there for a moment in the hallway, and as I stared at Draven, all I wanted to do was to reach out and run my hands down his cheek.
“Good night, Rosalia,” he said, our routine of him walking me to my room and saying goodnight at the door playing out once more.
I didn’t want to say goodbye. “Draven,” I said, reaching for him as he turned to leave. “I have a question. The maids. I saw one of them the other day, someone I have never seen before. I ran into her in the kitchen, and when she saw me, she ran away.”
“You probably startled her. The maids are not used to anyone at the mansion other than me.”
“But she fled as if she were afraid of me. Why would that be?” I asked him, searching his face for any notion of the lies.
“Perhaps she feared she was being replaced? I seldom have visitors, and the maids have been in my employment for quite some time. She likely spotted you in the garden and assumed you were a new addition to my staff.”
“You were not there. She reacted as though I intended to harm her. And I’ve heard the whispers in town …”
“What whispers?” he asked, his gaze locked onto mine.
I looked at him for a moment, truly looked at him. The man who saved me from the river and had given me shelter, the man who also saved Imalda. I decided to forget about the rumours and to believe what my heart told me.
There was nothing to be afraid of at Thornwood Manor.
“Nothing. I do not believe them.”
“All right,” he said. “Have a good evening.” But he didn’t move, looking like he was waiting for me to say something else.
I didn’t know what to do next. I had felt lonely the days Draven was absent, and now I didn’t want him to leave. A bold impulse overtook me. I opened the door to my room and stepped inside.
“Would you like to come in?” I asked him, my heart beating rapidly in my chest.
“I would love to,” he replied, a smile carved on his face. With that, he stepped into my room.
