Page 34 of Reckless Desire

“I am sorry,” she said. “This has been a trying day.”

He nodded. “A very trying day, indeed.”

And it would become much more trying if Sir Stirling insisted that Lord Hensley marry her. Oh, she hadn’t considered that. What if Sir Stirling insisted she marry Lord Newhall? Her situation with him was far more compromising than even that with Lord Hensley. Her heart skipped a beat at the memory of their brief kiss. She hadn’t had time to consider much, but she wouldn’t soon forget the velvety warmth of his lips. Kenna stepped on a rock and leapt aside. She bumped into Lord Newhall.

He caught her. She snapped her head up and met his gaze. His eyes were intense. She became aware of the crush of her breast against his side. Butterflies skittered across the insides of her stomach.

“Did you hurt yourself?” he asked.

His deep voice rolled over her with the warmth of velvet.

“A rock,” she said.

“I beg your pardon?”

She couldn’t tear her eyes from his. “A rock. I stepped on a rock. My feet will be tender by the time we reach your horse.”

He said nothing.

“We should go,” she said.

He nodded, but didn’t release her. Her heart beat fast. She wondered if he would kiss her again. But there was no one to see them. Oh, no, this wouldn’t do. She pushed at his chest and his arm fell away from around her waist.

They started walking.

“We may run into Stirling,” he said. “I sent word that I was on your trail.”

“Really? We might see him?”

“If we are lucky.”

Or unlucky. Her plan had escaped her control before she’d really had a chance to implement it.

“I imagine everyone will be talking about us,” she said more to herself than him.

“Unfortunately, it will be impossible to keep secret your abduction,” he said. “The women at the party know, and there is Mister Davis.”

“There will be a terrible scandal.”

“Do not fear. As I promised, Stirling and I will deal with Hensley.”

That was right. He said Sir Stirling would ensure Lord Hensley went to prison. That meant she was safe from any possibility of being forced to marry him.

“We have walked at least a mile,” she said. “We passed the spot where we fell in long ago.”

He glanced at up at the sky, then stared in the direction of the water for a moment. “The river is turning south. We need to continue east to intersect the road.”

Wearing boots, she could walk for miles, but her feet had begun to hurt walking in slippers. They veered east and, moments later, Kenna caught sight of a road through the trees.

“At last,” she breathed. “Do you think your horse will be where you left him?”

“As long as no one found him, I imagine so,” he replied.

They emerged from the trees and began walking south.

“We have at least a mile walk back to where we fell into the river,” she said.

“I am sorry, Miss Ramsay.”