He exhaled sharply. “Is she all right? Did you send for a physician?”
“There was no need. She wasn’t injured. Just cold and tired.”
“Where is she?”
“She’s in her room, with Her Grace.”
“Thank you.” He reached out to put a hand on his butler’s shoulder and then pulled the man into a hug. He shut his eyes. “Thank you.”
Carlson stiffened in surprise for a moment before returning the hug with a small chuckle. “Marriage has certainly changed you. For the better, I might add.” He patted Evan’s back before the two men pulled apart.
“I must see them at once,” Evan said. “My horse is outside. I didn’t bother putting him away in case I needed to go out again.”
The butler inclined his head. “I’ll see to it, Your Grace. Go be with your family.”
Evan broke into a jog as he ran upstairs. He was slightly out of breath as he opened Lilly’s door.
He saw Marina first, dozing in a chair next to Lilly’s bed. Then he saw his little girl sleeping in the bed, on her stomach. He saw her back rise and fall with steady, even breaths, and tears sprang to his eyes.Safe. She’s safe.He chanted the words to himself as he stepped into the room and walked blindly towards the bed.
“Don’t,” Marina whispered.
He startled at the sound of her voice and turned to see that she was fully awake. She stood up and gestured for him to follow her into the hallway. Once the door was quietly closed behind them, she turned to face him.
“She’s exhausted and needs to sleep,” Marina said. “You can talk with her tomorrow.”
“How is she?” he said. “Carlson said she was not injured.”
“Not at all,” she reassured him. “Just scared.”
“What happened?” he asked.
“Let’s go to your room, and we can talk.”
They made their way through the hall as Marina told him about how she found Lilly. His admiration for her grew with every word.
“It was smart of you to use Prince William,” he said. “It looks like your parental instinct is even stronger than my own.”
She smiled shyly at the compliment as they entered his room. “I would not go that far.”
“I would. Because of you, Lilly is safe in her bed. Who knows what would have happened if you hadn’t found her when you did?” He didn’t want to think about it. Those horrible scenarios had been flying through his mind when he was riding around the manor.But now they don’t matter. Thanks to Marina, she’s safe.“I would kiss you right now, if I could,” he said.
Her smile turned coy. “What is stopping you?”
He leaned down and kissed her gently. It was nothing like the urgent kiss he had given her before. This one was slow and full of affection. He broke off after a moment and rested his forehead against hers. “I love you,” he said. “I did not want to tell you until I was sure. But I love you, Marina. With all of my heart.”
She smiled up at him. “I love you too.”
“Even though I was not your first choice as a husband?” His tone was teasing, but the question was half-serious. He needed to be sure.
She reached up and cupped his cheek with her hand. He leaned into the touch. “Yes,” she said. “There is no other man I would rather be married to. I’m in love with you, Evan. That will not change, not for the rest of my life.”
He smiled, even as a lump formed in his throat. He leaned forward, about to kiss her again, but she turned away at the last moment just in time to sneeze.
He laughed. “How many times did I warn you about catching a cold?”
She smiled sheepishly. “I suppose this is where you say ‘I told you so.’”
“Definitely not,” he said. “This is where I take care of you, especially after all of the care you have shown me and Lilly lately.”
