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When the carriage turned through the gates of Pembroke’s estate, Drew sat up straight, lifting off his hat so he could lean his head against the window and see ahead.

A lone woman stood by the side of the drive a few yards away. She was far away from the house.

He pulled the window strap, to pull the glass down. Throwing his hat on the far seat, he leaned out.

‘Mary!’

Her hand lifted.

He ducked back in and knocked on the carriage roof urgently, telling the driver to stop.

‘What is it?’ Wiltshire asked.

A lopsided smile tugged Andrew’s lips as he looked over his shoulder. ‘Your niece, the daft girl. Heaven knows what she is doing right out here?’

Love, a painful but beautiful ache, ran through his blood. Drew turned the door latch as the carriage stopped, leapt out and ran the few paces to her as she ran at him too. He caught her up off her feet and twirled her around, as her arms embraced his neck. When he set her on her feet, they kissed.

He could grow to like these homecomings too much. The feeling was addictive.

Tears made her eyes appear like glass, and her palms braced his unshaven jaw.

‘I smell like a sewer and look like a vagrant, I know,’ he said. ‘But I did not want to waste a minute getting back to you.’

‘I feared they would not let you go.’

‘They would not have done, had not your uncle become involved. I am in debt to him.’

‘I thought I had lost you,’ she said.

‘No, and not ever now. What are you doing this far from the house?’

‘I walked out to wait for you, in the hope you would come.’

‘Mary! Drew! Are you getting into the carriage?’ Richard called.

‘Yes! Hello, Uncle Richard!’ Mary called back.

Drew tucked Mary protectively beneath his arm as they walked to the carriage. ‘Your uncle told me the house is full of your family. Is there a way we can avoid them for now?’

‘If the carriage goes into the stable yard we can enter the house through the servants’ hall.’

‘Then that is what we will do.’