Leaning close, she whispered, “Mr. Malcolm?”
Chapter 13
With his face covered, Malcolm didn’t bother hiding his smile, but it took all his willpower not to laugh out loud when Miss Leigh gaped. The delicate covering around her eyes did nothing to hide her shock as she stared at him, and as he stared into her gaze, his heart couldn’t help but soar at the hint of pleasure shining in her green eyes once she recognized him.
Even if it was there for only the barest of moments.
With a furrowed brow, Miss Leigh cast a glance around them before leaning in to whisper, though her words faltered off into nothing, “How…?”
Malcolm pointed to his clothes with a flourish. “As I said, my master and I are of a similar size—”
“You stole them?” she said, her voice tight and sharp.
“Of course not.”
“This is foolhardy, Mr. Malcolm! You could lose your position if you are discovered.” Miss Leigh caught herself as her tone rose, and she managed to end in a whisper.
“Your concern does you credit, but I assure you all is well,” he replied, offering up his arm once more, but she remained standing where she was, glancing about them as though someone might suddenly discover the poor groom amongst their ranks.
“What other choice did I have after you stopped coming to visit me in the woods last week?” he asked.
Miss Leigh let out a sharp sigh. “I ought never to have come at all.”
“Yes, but you did several times. Then, without warning, you stopped coming, and I have spent every free moment waiting for you with no sign or explanation as to why you abandoned me. Have I done something to offend you?”
She raised a hand to her forehead, but when her fingers hit her mask she dropped it once more. Miss Leigh shook her head. “For all that you jest, you are no fool, Mr. Malcolm. We may have enjoyed our time together, but we both know there is no future for us, and it does neither of us any good if we continue to pretend otherwise.”
“There is nothing untoward about friends visiting one another.”
Miss Leigh’s head jerked back, her eyes blazing. “Do not feign ignorance, Mr. Malcolm. No declarations have been made, but your feelings have been clear.”
“And yours?” he asked, drawing nearer. “What are your feelings?”
“Does it matter?” she asked with wide eyes. “Nothing can come from it.”
Malcolm smiled anew, his heart pressing against his ribs as he considered the implications of her evasive answer. They had danced around this subject with each of their visits—few and far between though they were. Were her concerns solely surrounding the money issue? Were her feelings from friendship or something more? He had to know.
Stepping closer, he lowered his voice into a gentle caress. “Might we not enjoy tonight? Not worry about what tomorrow may bring, but indulge in the fantasy the masquerade provides?”
He couldn’t take his eyes off her, but this time it was not only her beauty that had him entranced, it was the play of emotions he saw in her gaze. Though he’d wondered if it was his imagination, Malcolm couldn’t deny the conflict he saw simmering there. Her brows drew together, and her breaths quickened, but more than that, her eyes burned with anguish.
“And hurt all the more tomorrow when reality makes our dreams impossible?” she whispered. Malcolm’s heart stuttered a beat, but before he could say a word, she stiffened and shook her head, pulling away. “I ought not to have said anything, Mr. Malcolm. Please forget it—”
“How can I? I have searched for so long for a lady like you,” he said, drawing near once more.
With another hesitant shake of her head, she distanced herself again. “Will you force me to say that which I do not wish to say? Will you force the issue until I have no choice but to be cruel? Please, don’t make me. I am touched by your overtures, but as I have said before, it is foolish to think this will end in anything but tears and heartbreak.”
Pausing, Miss Leigh held his gaze and more of her heart shone through those blue depths. “Please do not make me say it, Mr. Malcolm.”
With slow movements, he took her hand in his, and his lips longed to press a kiss to her knuckles, but even his foolhardy heart knew better than to do so. No one noticed them at present, but that was bound to change quickly.
Malcolm rubbed his thumbs across her bare hands and wished he’d chosen a costume that didn’t require gloves. “Do not think of tomorrow, Miss Leigh. Think of tonight. This very moment. Can we not share a magic moment? Give in to those dreams and stop thinking about the impossibilities. I would gladly accept the heartache that follows if I am allowed one night to pretend we are courting.”
Miss Leigh’s gaze fell to their hands and then her eyes slid closed. She remained stiff and unyielding for several long heartbeats, and Malcolm’s pulse quickened as he considered this heady moment in time. Would she throw caution to the wind and embrace his offer? Fleeting though it may be, any lady willing to embrace this moment could not be considered mercenary. If her heart remained untouched, it would be easy enough for her to walk away.
Standing there with the masquerade swirling about them, Malcolm’s heartbeat slowed, then stilled as he waited for her to answer. For all that he had been confident mere moments before, his chest tightened as the silence dragged on.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and turned them to meet his. “Only for tonight?”
