Page 40

Zander, dash him to ribbons, had proven her so very wrong.

Not so long ago, she had wanted him gone.

Now a vice squeezed her heart until she could not draw a breath whenever she imagined never seeing him again.

Despite her untenable fascination with him, Lilly remained a practical woman.

Of course, he would go.

What else would he do, for pity’s sake?

Even if Zander could not remember precisely what it entailed, he had a life apart from Kelston Hall.

Women in her circumstances—on the shelf spinsters—illegitimate with a pockmarked face and a figure that ran toward plumpness, did not dare hope for anything more than a comfortable position to occupy their time until they became too aged to continue working.

Was she not already tremendously blessed?

Yes. Yes.

Of course, she was, silly goose.

For reasons known only to her, Miss Davenport had ensured Lilly a stable future.

So, why then, this past week since Zander said he wanted to kiss her—Lord, how Lilly wanted him to kiss her—had every waking moment been consumed with daydreams and woolgathering fantasies?

Wistful, fantastical notions that could never be, but she still yearned for with all of her being?

And the nights?

The nights were far worse.

She dreamed of Zander.

Heated, chaotic, tormentingly sensual visions, and in her scandalous dreams, Zander kissed her.

And…once upon a midnight dream…he had done more.

So much more.

Forbidden, wanton, unchaste things.

Heat scorched Lilly’s cheeks, and she swiftly glanced around.

The unseasonably warm day brought a flush to the faces of many of the adults and children, picking fruit and gathering nuts.

Thank goodness.

She could blame her rosy complexion on the warm, late September afternoon and not the improper thoughts about the virile man a few feet away.

Much to her relief, the sheriff still had not called.

Lilly did not intend to contact him again, either.

Should Sheriff Wrottesley inquire why she had wanted to see him, she would mention the man she had recently seen twice, studying the house. Or at least he seemed to observe Kelston Hall.

In point of fact, he simply might be another newcomer to Prudhoe and wanted to familiarize himself with the area.

She had not mentioned the incidents to Charles or Zander. Nevertheless, a tiny worry rooted around in the back of her mind that, although highly unlikely, the loiterer could be connected to Zander’s abduction.