At the time, he had tried to distance himself from her, anticipating that having a possessive male hovering around would dampen the chances of finding her a suitable match.
But, Honora had made no alliance in all these years.
Had not allowed herself to be formally courted by any of the young, lovestruck lords who had thrown themselves at her feet, showering her with flowers and poetry.
Silas reached out and tucked a wisp of honey-blonde hair behind her ear, his chest tightening as her mouth curved up in a small smile.
Perhaps he had been wrong?
What else in his life had he been wrong about, he wondered.
Fifteen
Honora still sparkedwith pleasure as they made their way back to Althorpe Hall.
Silas rode ahead with easy grace, his powerful form on display.
Every time she tried to look away from him, her eyes were somehow immediately drawn back. To the way his shoulders filled the fitted coat, the effortless way he steered his mount, hands gentle yet firm. It was too much for her feminine sensibilities to bear.
She was practicallyovercome.
Apparently, she was the embodiment of all that she had thought only for vapid females of the simpering kind.
It was humbling, in fact, to be brought so low by her emotions, but also wonderful at the same time.
She had been missing out on so much of life, living with her heart locked away behind a wall of disillusionment.
Since Silas had kissed her, it was as if the sun shone a little brighter, the very air flowing sweetly into her lungs, her skin tingling with anticipation for the next caress.
It was as if she had been sleeping, and now she was awake.
Suddenly, Silas pulled up his horse, peering at something in the distance.
Honora slowed beside him, Hephaestus chomping restlessly on the bit, urging her to let him loose for another run.
“What is it?” she asked, scanning the wooded slope that had caught his attention.
Silas frowned, wheeling his horse around as he scanned their surroundings. Something must be wrong, she sensed it in her bones.
“I thought I saw something, in the trees.” He glanced in her direction, schooling his features into something stoic and reserved.
Honora didn’t like it one bit.
“You think someone is watching us?”
“It was probably just my imagination. Although, now that I think of it, we should have brought Jobs with us,” he replied curtly, kicking his horse forward into a brisk trot. “Let us get back.”
Honora didn’t miss the way he covertly checked their surroundings, the tension in his posture.
Hehadseen something. Honora could only hope it didn’t mean what she thought it did.
* * *
Annoyingly, Silas disappeared after they returned to Althorpe Hall, and Honora found herself with nothing to do except entertain herself.
She had claimed a small room adjoining the library on the ground floor as her own for the duration of her stay. The house was vast and Honora doubted Silas would even notice, as distracted as he was.
As Jobs carried in her books and supplies, Honora chatted to Mrs Hemsley as they briskly drew off the dust covers and opened the windows to allow some fresh air into the space.
