Lucy swallowed. “What would that be?” she replied, though the words felt weak the moment they left her mouth.
His gaze remained fixed on her, and then he slowly smiled. “You know, you always look away when you get speechless,” he said. “I have noticed that.”
Her heart thudded painfully as he closed the space between them by degrees so small they felt deliberate, inevitable. She noticed it then, more clearly than ever, the way his gaze lingered on her lips. Not her smile, not her eyes, not even the slight flush of her cheeks... her lips. A sudden, dizzying thought struck her.
Was this why he had been staring all those times before? Not admiration for her smile like he had said, but because he had wanted to... wanted to kiss her?
Or perhaps it was all part of his practice, some exercise in preparation for Judith, she reasoned. But she couldn’t convince herself of it. The way he was now, the intensity in his eyes, the deliberate, slow approach was something else entirely.
Lucy lowered her gaze, blinking repeatedly as she tried to figure out her next step.
“Do not look away,” Rowan said quietly.
It was not only the words but the tone of his voice when he said it that startled her into stillness. She lifted her eyes at once, meeting his gaze in open surprise. He was closer now, close enough that she could no longer pretend she did not know what was happening.
His hand rose, tentative but certain, his fingers closing gently around her arm, the warmth of his touch sending a shiver through her that had nothing to do with the cool air in the room. His other hand followed, resting just above her elbow, not restraining her, not quite claiming her either, but leaving no doubt of his intentions.
Lucy opened her mouth, unsure whether she meant to protest or to just let it happen. “Your Grace, perhaps it would be best to?—”
He leaned even closer, interrupting her with the motion. She shut her eyes, waiting with her heart in her throat. Just as his nose brushed hers, the door burst open, and Anthony’s voice cut through the charged silence.
“Father! She has arrived,” he announced.
Rowan instinctively stepped back, giving them both space, and Lucy mirrored him, her hands dropping to her sides. The airbetween them still thrummed with intensity, but the nearness that had set her pulse racing was broken, just enough to make her ache. The spell, whatever it had been, shattered instantly.
“Thank you, Anthony,” Rowan said, and he cleared his throat.
Anthony lingered a moment, eyes flicking from Rowan to Lucy, then he retreated with a polite bow.
Once they were alone again, Rowan’s gaze fell on Lucy. For several heartbeats, they simply looked at each other, the world outside the study fading. She could see something in is eyes, but she was too dizzy to try and figure out what it was.
Finally, he drew in a slow breath and looked away. “I will see you at dinner,” he murmured. Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room.
Lucy remained where she was, hands resting on her knees, her pulse still hammering. The study felt impossibly empty now, but the echo of his presence, the almost-kiss, and the look in his eyes seared itself into her mind. She drew in a shaky breath, trying to steady herself, but it was no use.
Some moments, she realized, were meant to linger, and this one would haunt her long after the candles had burned down.
“Why on God’s green earth did you close your eyes, Lucy Crampton?” she mumbled to herself.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Judith had arrived earlier than expected.
It was fortunate, Lucy thought, as she fussed with the final touches of her attire. The extra time meant that Judith had already begun making her acquaintance with the boys. Anthony had informed her that she had spoken to each of the brothers alone when she arrived. Anthony had shown her to the library, Daniel had spoken to her in the drawing room, and Brook had spent some time with her in the west hallway.
Lucy had not been present, and part of her felt a flicker of unease at that thought. She adjusted the folds of her gown, smoothing a crease she could not entirely banish, trying to still the nerves fluttering in her stomach that had appeared ever since she and Rowan had that moment in the study.
She figured that if Judith had taken the time to speak to each child individually, then perhaps dinner would proceed more smoothly than Lucy had feared.
Now it was time. The table had been set with meticulous care, polished silver glinting faintly in the candlelight, the scent of roasted meat and fresh bread filling the air.
Lucy took her seat at the end of the table, her posture careful, hands folded neatly in her lap. Brook sat close beside her, fidgeting slightly, while across the table, to Rowan’s right-hand side, Daniel chatted with Judith, who sat to Rowan’s left. Lucy could see the ease in Daniel’s face, the way his eyes lit when Judith asked him a question, and the little laugh that escaped him.
Judith, poised and composed, leaned slightly toward Anthony, seated to her left, speaking with an ease that made the older boy smile in response. Lucy watched, and she could not help but allow herself a small, private smile at the scene. The way Judith engaged with the children was warm, and even Lucy could see that Judith had a natural way with them.
Yet, despite it all, a faint disquiet tugged at the pit of her stomach. Something about the scene, something about how smoothly Judith was moving among the children, made Lucy’s chest tighten ever so slightly. She knew it was right. She knew Judith belonged here in some measure. Still, her own presence at the table felt precarious.
Leaning a fraction closer to Brook, Lucy kept her voice low. “She seems to be having fun with Anthony,” she observed. “She seems nice, don’t you think?”
