Page 68 of A Secret Consequence for the Viscount

‘But tonight I am in the company of beauty, grace and honesty, so here’s to the future, Eleanor. And here’s to faith.’

‘Faith?’

‘In that future. Faith to decide how we go on from now.’

‘Where do you want us to go?’ The words came unbidden, tumbling out over the top of her more normal caution.

‘I’d like to do away with your Scottish husband for a start.’

She could see naked desire scrawled across his face and the thick soup of chicken, veal and almonds became dry in her mouth. She was also far too hot. With care she removed her lace fichu, squaring her shoulders so that the bodice was not quite as revealing as it might have otherwise been.

‘The story of my marriage was Jacob’s idea. A way to protect me from the censure of society.’

‘And I thank him for it.’

‘But I promise that I never gave Lucy the same lie.’

He looked up at that, the gold chips on the edge of his irises caught in the firelight. ‘What did you tell her?’

‘That her father loved her. That one day he would be back because I...’

She stopped.

Loved him.

How easy it would be to simply move forward and fall into his arms.

The muscle along the side of his jaw moved, the scar on his cheek standing out further because of it. ‘I am grateful, Eleanor.’

And just like that she was back again, back six years sitting opposite him in front of the fireplace in his room.

I am grateful, Eleanor.

His words then, when they had dressed finally and he had got ready to return her home. She had sensed his distance then, but it was different now. Could the wasteland of the years lost finally end in salvation?

She laid her hand gently down across his damaged hand, feeling the ridge of bandages end under the fabric of his sleeve.

‘Once, I hoped that you loved me.’

There, it was said and she did not wish to take it back. If she was to trust him, she needed to have faith.

His other hand came down over hers, warm and solid.

‘Hoped?’

‘You did not say it, but...’

He swore softly, their fingers intertwined. ‘Sometimes I barely even like the man that I was and I should not have—’

She didn’t let him finish.

‘Being together was a mutual decision and if you didn’t say the words then—’

He placed his finger on her lips to stop her from admitting more.

* * *

She was frightened. He saw that her whole body shook with it. She had given her eighteen-year-old self to him, then he had disappeared and ever since...?