“Lost me? You would not have lost me,” Eliza insisted.
“What if I had not come after you?”
Eliza gave a shiver.
“I need to keep you with me always,” he said as he tightened his hold.
“I would like to breathe, however.”
Only then did he loosen his arms.
“I do not think you realize the panic and fear…the letter.”
“What letter?”
He told her what came in the post.
She gave another shiver.
“That was why I came after you and then I saw the footmen unconscious...I was afraid…” Lucian couldn’t voice all the fears that had flooded his brain.
Eliza placed a hand over her mouth. “Will they recover? I will never forgive myself if they are permanently harmed, or if they have been killed, because I had wanted to come here.”
“They appeared only unconscious to me as I passed them.”
“We must go and help them.” Eliza turned and started for the entrance.
Lucian didn’t want to let go of her, or let her out of his sight, so he hurried to catch her hand in his and by the time they reached the outside, the other footmen that Lucian had asked to follow him to the cave were just arriving. The two that had been knocked unconscious were sitting, rubbing the backs of their heads.
“They will be fine, Eliza.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes,” he assured her, and hoped that he was correct. Lucian then instructed the footmen to collect the man inside and to take him back to the manor and keep him confined and guarded. They were then to send someone for the constable and another for a doctor. He then stood back, an arm around Eliza while they did his bidding. She simply stood quietly, though she seemed to shiver.
“Are you cold?”
“No,” she answered quietly. “I…um…I just…I did not really think that…then he was there…”
“He has now been taken care of,” Lucian promised. “He will not bother you again.”
She gave a nod then blew out her breath. “You are correct. I shall stop being a ninny,” she said.
“You were not being a ninny,” he chuckled. “Come with me.” He led Eliza back into the cave then turned to face her before he braced both hands on her cheeks. “My heart nearly stopped when I saw the footmen.” Lucian leaned forward and kissed her gently. There was no passion or desire, only love. “Do you have any idea how much I love you and the very idea that something could have happened…”
She blinked at him. “You what?”
“I love you. Certainly, you know that.”
The corner of her mouth twitched. “No.”
“I asked you to be my wife today. I want to marry you.”
“You never mentioned love and I assumed it was out of duty.”
His face heated. “I feared your rejection and nobody wants to bare their heart to have it given back.”
“Oh, Lucian, I know that better than anyone.”
