He smiled, his wizened eyes appearing to see more than she imagined he might. “God answers our prayers in His own time.”
Alyssa watched as he walked away, and then she headed toward the merriment.
She strolled along the stalls and even purchased an apple, which she munched on happily. When she spied a cluster of bright purple blooms, she walked toward them. She bent down and inhaled their unique scent.
“Those are the Michaelmas daisy, miss.” A woman in a plain, gray dress and a white apron walked over to her with a kind smile. Her graying brown hair was pulled back into a bun.
“I know.” Alyssa shrugged. “Studying flowers is sort of a hobby of mine.”
“A bouquet for the lady, please.”
Alyssa’s breath left her lungs in a rush asshe slowly turned to meet thatfamiliar, hypnoticblue gaze. Travellwas looking at her witha heated stare, but when the woman handed a bunch of the daisies to Alyssa, tied up into a neat purple bow, he broke contact to hand the woman a gold guinea.
The seller’seyes instantly lit up. “Oh, thank you, my lord!”
He turned back to Alyssa and held out his arm. “Shall we, my lady?”
Alyssa could tell a blush sufficed her face, for her cheeks warmed traitorously. But then, Travell had always had that effect on her. As they began walking, she said, “Thank you for the flowers.”
He inclined his head. “They pale in comparison to your beauty.” He suddenly winced. “That rather sounded like something Byron might say, didn’t it?” he murmured.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “It did, rather, but I appreciate the sentiment, nonetheless.” As he turned his head to glance at her, her stomach fluttered. She quickly faced forward and attempted to steer the subject to neutral ground. “Were you aware of the fair today?”
“I was,” Travell admitted. “Although it’s been years since I’vejoined in the festivities, I always give my staff at Rosewood leave to attend.”
“That’s very kind of you,” she said sincerely.
“It would be,” he returned. “If I could get Ives to leave his post.” He blew out a breath. “If you haven’t noticed, he’s particularly stubborn, especially now that my father is in residence. He doesn’t want to ‘shirk his duties’ to the earl. Asif there is a more faithful servant in all of England. I doubt even the Regent has such a devoted man as Ives.” He shook his head. “Even Mr. Lyridon declined the offer to join the festivities. I nearly stayed behind as well, but they both practically shoved me out the door. No doubt they are tired of my constant hovering.”
Alyssa laughed, and then the conversation between them fell silent. But instead of scrambling for something to fill the void, they both seemed content to allow the lull.
Finally, Travell paused and turned to her, regret filling his gaze. “I’m sorry for how I’vebeen actinglately.My recentbehavior hasbeen…boorish and insensitive,and I have not engaged in the proper conduct of a gentleman. I know that you’re still feeling the loss of Lady Alwan andyou’ve neededa friend. For that, I humbly apologize.” He exhaled heavily. “If only Triana were here, she would know what to say.”
He offered her a crooked grin and Alyssa’s throat tightened, truly touched by his words. She reached out and grasped his hand. “That was a perfectly lovely apology. I’m not sure your sister could have done any better. “She squeezed his hand. “You have always been a dear friend to me, Travell.And I know what you’re going through at the moment. Such trials can wear on the most honorable of souls.”She tilted her headto the side and glanced at him coquettishly to add,“As far as yourboorishconduct is concerned, you haven’talwaysbeen that difficult to endure.”
“Indeed?” He started walking again, but he didn’t release her hand, and that thrilled her more than she wanted to admit. “In that case, my lady, perhaps you might allow me a brief kiss behind the old oak tree later?” he teased.
Her lips twitched. “Perhaps.” But of course, the answer would beyes.
***
Travell’s chest was lighter than it had been in days.It was rather freeing to confess his transgressions, even though he wasn’t in the presence of a priest. At least the tensionbetween him and Alyssa had finally been broken. He was worried that he’d overstepped those bonds too far and he might never be able to regain her trust, but he should have known her heart was large enough to forgive his blundering. And although he would like to lay all the blame at his father’s feet, it wasn’t his sire’s condition that had caused him to act so rashly, but rather his growing awareness of Alyssa.
For years he’d overlooked a treasure that had been right in front of him the whole time. Shehadmerelybeenhidden behind Triana’s shadow. But the recent dreams he’d harbored about the lady had been anything but“sisterly.”
Even now, his cock stirred with eagerness, just by walking beside her andcatching a whiff of her violet perfume and thatunique, feminine allurethat belonged only to her. A stray strand of her dark hair blew across her cheek and he yearned to brush it back behind her ear.Her eyes sparkled with emerald fire as she took in the sights of the fair, pointing out various things they passed.
However, it was her mouth that tormented him more than anything. He recalled the taste of those pink, petal-soft lips andwould have found a way to give her the moon for just another chance to take her in his arms.
But he wouldn’t. Not yet. Not until he could prove to her that his attentions were sincere, that he wasn’t just looking to add her to his list of sexual conquests. He wasn’t such a rutting boar that he couldn’t control his baser urges around her. He’d done it many times before when his work for the Home Office required complete focus, so he was confident he could do it now. Unfortunately, no other woman had succeeded in breathing meaning back into his life, when he hadn’t even realizedhe hadn’t been truly living, merely just existing.
Nevertheless, hewould woo Alyssa the way a lady was meant to be courted, and pray that this second chance she’d bestowed on himwouldn’t go to waste.
He spied a small theatre some distance away and pointed. “I do believe we may get to see a puppet show.”
Alyssa’s gasp of pleasure nearly made him groan. “Punch and Judy!” she exclaimed. “Did you know that they started out as marionette’s, but because of their violent actions, they have been turned into gloved performers?” She laughed. “I never tire of watching them. I’m still fascinated when the showman changes Punch’s voice by a swazzle to deliver that gleeful cackle. It’s just spectacular!”
Travell told himself that he might as well start figuring out a way to travel to the moon, so that he could bring it down for her, ashe could deny her nothing. “I would hate to disappoint a lady,” he murmured.
