“Now that is a kiss I will not forget,” he whispered. His fingers danced over her hips. It was a sensual touch, something much more heated than even what they had just shared.
What am I doing?
Caroline realized the scandal of it all. She had just kissed the stable man, and what was worse, she wanted it to happen again. She was yearning for him to keep touching her, to the point that she was wondering exactly what they could do out here against the garden wall. When an image entered her mind of David pressing her against that wall, drawing up her skirts, she stumbled back, horrified at her own thoughts.
“Miss?” he said in concern.
“I – I have to go,” she stammered, turned, and sprinted from the garden.
He called after her again, but she didn’t turn back. She just kept running. Even when she reached the house, she didn’t stop inside the servants’ quarters. She ran all the way through the house, even running on her toes to avoid being heard, and reached for Alaina’s door.
She broke into that chamber, stumbling to a stop when she caught sight of Alaina fast asleep on the bed. Caroline halted, not wanting to wake her friend, as she held her hands over her lips, thinking about what she had done.
I cannot tell her. What will she think of me?
Chapter 14
“Something’s wrong. I can see it in you, Caro,” Alaina whispered to her friend. Caroline was clearly doing her best to pretend she did not hear Alaina as they made up the horses. Caroline finished tacking up the saddle, then stepped away, reaching for the picnic basket. It was so heavy that she struggled under the weight of it. Alaina went to help her, but Caroline backed up, looking around the stable to make sure they weren’t seen.
“Remember who we are,” Caroline hissed under her breath.
“You mean who we’re pretending to be,” Alaina reminded her.
For some reason, Caroline blushed the deepest shade of red Alaina had ever seen.
Something is very wrong, indeed.
“Come with us on the picnic today?” Alaina asked as she helped Caroline attach the basket to the back of one of the saddles despite the glower she received for it.
“I can’t.”
“You can. Please, come,” Alaina pleaded. “It’s time you had a break from this place and fearing discovery. Today, we could be a little more relaxed.”
“You know we can never relax,” Caroline barked back with such animation that Alaina sighed.
She is right.
Alaina bit her lip, her emotions torn. Part of her wished to tell Caroline about what exactly she and Marcus had shared the night before. She wished to show Caroline the poem, too, so they could talk about how, for Marcus, this clearly wasn’t just about a dowry anymore, yet Alaina knew they could not talk of it.
Caroline would be outraged if she knew that Alaina’s heart now belonged to Marcus. Alaina had a feeling that Caroline would still cling to the idea that it was all an act for Marcus too.
It’s not an act. He couldn’t fake what we experienced last night.
A shuddery breath escaped her as she remembered the thrill he had caused her against her bedchamber door and the feeling of his hardness against her hip.
He had wanted me. I know it.
“Ah, here we are.” Marcus’ voice was suddenly in the stable with them.
Alaina stepped back, trying not to look as if she had been helping Caroline with the picnic basket. Caroline slipped with the basket, in danger of dropping it off the horse again when suddenly another man stepped forward from Marcus’ side. It was David, the stable man.
He took the basket out of Caroline’s grasp in one swift movement.
Wait … did he just wink at Caro?
Alaina looked around slowly, uncertain if it had been in her imagination. What was clear to see was the way Caroline blushed the colour of a beetroot.
“David is going to join us on our picnic, too,” Marcus said to Alaina as he clapped David on the back. “We need to talk about your business plans, David.”
