They stood together for a long moment that seemed to stretch for an eternity. Then Graham cleared his throat. “Emma, I wonder if I might have a moment alone with Adelaide?”
Emma’s lips parted slightly, and she looked at her friend. Graham was happy when Adelaide gave a slight nod, indicating she wanted the same thing he did. Still, Emma shifted her weight.
“Er, I…I really shouldn’t leave you unchaperoned,” she murmured, glancing from the couple to the door and back again.
Graham arched a brow at her. “But you will. Because you are a good woman.”
Emma shot him a look and then nodded. “Very well. I should check on James and his guest, at any rate. See if he needs saving. But I’m leaving the door open a crack, you two. And I will be backveryshortly.”
“Yes, Mother,” Adelaide teased as Emma slipped from the room.
The moment she had gone, Graham reached for Adelaide and she stepped into his arms, tilting her face toward his with a shuddering sigh that seemed to sink into his very soul. His mouth covered hers and she opened to him, her body molding against his as he kissed her as thoroughly as he could without coming undone and losing control with her.
As much as he wanted to, it was clear they had no time. When they’d stood in each other’s arms for what felt like forever, she broke the kiss and stepped back, her cheeks still flaming like an innocent.
“Thatis a good way to start a morning,” Adelaide said with a nervous smile.
“I agree,” he said, taking her hand and leading her to the settee where they sat far too close together. He brushed an errant curl away from her forehead and smiled. “I like this look on you, Adelaide.”
She bent her head. “Rebecca was more than happy to help me abandon my severe hair.”
“I never asked you, can you see without your spectacles?”
She laughed then, a musical sound that made his heart lighter. “Gracious, yes. They were only ever for reading, and a slight adjustment at that. I see better without them, truth be told.”
He smiled, but then he sobered. There was one question that had plagued him all night, all morning. “Are you sorry about last night?”
Her expression softened as she stared at him, her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted. “Graham, surely you must know the answer to that question.”
He shook his head.
She took both his hands in hers and leaned closer. “I have never regretted any moment with you, Graham. Not a one. If I have not made it clear, then I must tell you that you…you brought me back to life. I couldneverregret that.”
He caught his breath, for what she’d said was exactly how he, himself, felt but had never allowed himself to examine too closely. Since the end of his engagement to Meg—hell, even before that—he’d felt trapped. Dead inside. Empty.
But the moment he met Lydia, the moment he danced with Adelaide, all that had begun to change. The ice around him that held him in place, kept him cold and broken, had melted with every look and laugh and heated touch.
And calling that being brought back to life was the most apt description he could imagine. He stroked his thumb over her lower lip, ready to tell her he felt the same, but before he could, the door behind them slammed open.
Both jumped to their feet, pivoting to face the intruder. Adelaide swung slightly and Graham caught her elbow to steady her as her aunt Opal stomped into the room with Emma hot on her heels.
“You havenoright to barge into my home!” Emma snapped out, sending an apologetic look to Graham and Adelaide.
Lady Opal glared at Emma. “You speak of your rights when you all but stole my charge out from under me? When you have left her alone with this…this…animal, who likely smells the whore on her?”
Adelaide flinched and Graham took a long step toward her. “Have a care with how you speak to the Duchess of Abernathe and to Adelaide, Lady Opal.”
The older woman’s eyes narrowed and her lined face grew lively with what he could only describe as…rage. He knew that rage. He’d seen it many times on his father’s own face. He’d felt it that night when he attacked Sir Archibald. On the morning when he realized Simon had betrayed him.
It was out of control. It was violent. And it was turned on Adelaide. In that moment he wanted to tug her behind him, to cocoon her into his arms and protect her from all the vile words this nasty woman had spewed over the years.
But Adelaide didn’t ask him to do so. She lifted her chin and stepped around the settee to her aunt with all the bravery of a soldier about to enter into battle. “What are you doing here, Aunt Opal?” she asked, the slight tremor to her voice the only indication of her fear.
“Look at you, with your dress cut down to your breasts and your hair loose like a lightskirt,” Lady Opal growled. “Thisis why I don’t let you spend the night away.”
Adelaide drew in a long breath, ragged and tired, like this was something she’d faced before. Faced so many times. He supposed it was, based upon the secrets Adelaide had whispered to him the night before. His heart hurt for her.
“Why are you here?” she repeated, gentling her tone even in the face of her guardian’s cruelty.
