“Traipsing through country markets...”
“You saw us?”
“...and your very secret business inside that Catholic church...”
“Er,” began Helena, but the duke was chuckling to himself, walking away. He raised a hand in farewell, not looking back.
Helena watched him disappear into the dining room. She’d wished on a star and the wish had come true. She could finally look forward to the dawn.
From inside the dining room, she heard commotion. Girdleston’s muffled voice, choked and outraged. Her father, braying about contracts. Her mother’s tears. Above it all, as clear as shattered glass, she heard the Duke of Lusk proclaim, “The wedding to Lady Helena is off. I’llsay no more on the matter and sign whatever is required, my lord. I’ve fallen in love with Miss Knightly Snow.”
Raised voices ensued, but Helena did not wait. She fled to her room. When her family called, she feigned shock and deep contemplation. It was not difficult.
When the clock struck midnight, she waited fifteen minutes and then slipped down the stairs and out the cellar door, running to Declan in the stables.
Declan sat beside Helena on the bench in the carriage room, shaking his head at the story.
“Did Knightly behave as if marriage to Lusk was a consideration?” he asked.
Helena shrugged. “I cannot say what happened after I left. Before, my impression was enthusiastic hope from Lusk and an indulgent sort of preening from Miss Snow. By no means is she acertaintyfor Lusk.”
“She did have a prince eating out of her hand,” said Declan. “Lusk will be child’s play.”
“She strikes me as a very clever girl,” said Helena. “Whatever her plans for him, she will keep him at the tantalizing length of an arm for some calculated amount of time. It’s only what he deserves—perhaps he needs it. He is finally paying attention.”
Declan wiggled his hands free and leaned back on his palms. “I cannot believe it. When you’d lost all hope before she appeared, I honestly had no idea what we would do. I was a moment awayfrom racing us both out the door. Your original plan brought to bear—to bolt. I thought we could go to Italy. Or America.”
“Yes.” She leaned back so they were shoulder to shoulder. Their legs swung from the edge of the bench. “It was nothing short of phenomenal. We could not have planned it more beautifully if we had plotted for a hundred years. If we had every girl in England from which to choose. My mother actually came to my room after the party to comfort me in my loss. She was appalled by the duke’s behavior and thought I’d be suffering some humiliation or heartbreak.” A sigh. “They really do not know me at all.”
“I know you,” he said. “And I love you.” He rested his face against her ear, breathing her in.
“I love you too,” she said softly, wistfully. With no warning, tears threatened. They’d done it, they’d actually done it. They’d found a way to free her of Lusk and be together. They’d saved the forest.
“What did you tell your mother?” he mumbled into her hair.
A heavy sigh. “I simply said, ‘I want to go home. To Castle Wood. To my house and my apples and the crofters.’ ”
“Staying as close to the truth as possible,” he said. He kissed her neck and she shivered.
“It is entirely the truth. It leaves out only one thing, which is you. I reckon . . .” She pulled away, trying to see him in the dim light. “I reckon that after several weeks, you can seek me out, and we can tell them? There will be outrage, histrionics, gnashing of teeth. But it will be toolate.” She grinned at him. “I love that we’ve made it too late.”
He nodded. “I’ll make certain it’s legally binding before we tell them.”
“When the dust settles, you may relocate your family to Castle Wood.”
He gazed at her. “You are certain? About my father and the girls?”
She laughed. “When have I ever seemed uncertain to you? It was our arrangement. I would never renege on our arrangement.”
He kissed her. A kiss of gratitude and possession and love.
Helena put her hand on his thigh, and it occurred to her,I have my hand on his thigh.
I can touch him.
I can touch all of him.
He is mine.
