“You couldn’t keep me away.” With a last goodbye to Liam, he headed toward the door.
Liam turned and held out a hand to Tilly, a radiant smile making his face glow. His joy was infectious, and she took hishand and stood, happy to be with a man who seemed worlds different from the one she’d known just a couple of days before.
“Thank you,” he said as he led her through the dining room.
“For what? I believe you did all the work with Mr. Morris. I simply sat and smiled and ate,” she said, even as she warmed at his compliment.
“Nonsense.” He pushed open the door and waited for her to walk through into the lobby. “You were as charming as you could be, and I’m certain that helped sway him in my direction.”
Tilly’s face warmed. “I was simply being me.”
His smile grew broader as he looked at her, but he said nothing.
They crossed the spacious room and drew up against a small crowd of people near the large stone fireplace on the far side of the room.
“What do you suppose is happening here?” Liam mused as he rested a hand on Tilly’s elbow.
Tilly stood on her toes to see over the people, but half her mind remained on the warmth of Liam’s touch against her sleeve. She was thankful that it was winter and she had sleeves, or else she might have forgotten how to breathe altogether.
She caught a glimpse of a couple turning and sweeping across the floor through a break in the crowd. “They’re dancing!”
Liam’s hand tightened on her arm, and he carefully slipped them both through the gathered knot of people to reach the front. Tilly clasped her hands together in delight. There were indeed three couples moving in a waltz where the seating around the fireplace normally was. Someone had pushed the settee and the armchairs off toward the window to create a dance floor, and near the fireplace, two men with violins played a beautiful melody.
“Would you like to dance?”
Tilly’s breath caught in her throat as she looked from the dancers to Liam. All she could do was nod. He grinned and led her out to the makeshift dance floor. His right hand found her waist, and Tilly thought it would be all she could do to count the steps, much less remember to breathe, as they began to move across the floor.
She could feel the eyes of so many people on them, and yet she couldn’t tear her gaze away from Liam. He was beaming, and he hummed the tune that was playing as they circled around the floor. After a minute or two, she settled into the rhythm of the movement, even if she was still overly aware of how close he was to her.
“I haven’t danced in so long,” she finally managed to say. “Mama used to make Jamie take a turn with my sister and me so we could learn.”
Liam laughed. “My mother did the same. Deirdre used to glare at me the entire time, but that was probably because I stuck my tongue out at her whenever our mother wasn’t looking.”
Tilly giggled at the thought of a mischievous young Liam teasing his sister. “Jamie did that to me so often, I lost count. I usually stepped on his toes to get back at him. It made Mama think I was a hopeless dancer.”
Liam made an amused face. “I have a hard time imagining Marshal Wright being anything but deadly serious.”
“Oh, I could tell you some stories.”
“Please do. It’ll help me the next time he stares me down as if I’m responsible for every bad thing that happens in this town.”
Tilly winced. While she knew part of that came from the terrifying story Deirdre had told her earlier that day about last summer, she was certain a lot of it also came from how Jamie discovered she was in Crest Stone. “I’m sorry about that.”
A second passed as Liam looked down at her. “I know you didn’t mean for that to turn out as it did, and I apologize if I ever indicated it was your fault.”
Tilly swallowed. His forgiveness, even if it wasn’t in so many words, meant everything to her. She glanced away, toward the men on the violins who had struck up a cheerful rendition of “Good King Wenceslas.” Liam adjusted his steps, and Tilly followed.
“Thank you,” she finally said.I know you didn’t want to marry me. She bit her lip to keep the words inside. He seemed happy right now, and the last thing she wanted to do was remind him that he’d essentially been forced into this union. If he hadn’t volunteered, Jamie likely would have sent her packing back to their parents.
They made another turn around, and several more couples had joined by this point.
“Are you ready?” Liam asked out of nowhere.
“For what?”
His only reply was to grin at her. Then he lifted his hand and spun her around. Tilly burst into laughter. Around and around they went until they were both so out of breath that they had no choice but to step aside and watch.
Tilly snuck a glance at her husband as he clapped in time to the music. He seemed happy—truly happy—to be here with her.
