This time, he was trying to save women’s lives. Perhaps even save Olive herself. When she met someone worthy of her, she might become a mother and need the very substance Eli’s chemist would produce in order to survive the delivery of her baby.
It didn’t make him feel any better about his duplicitousness.
He pushed his books aside. Rather than wither with time, Eli’s schoolboytendrehad ripened into love. But strong emotion was dangerous. If his father suspected the truth, Eli’s love would become ammunition. Something else to snatch away, in the name of retribution.
As furious as he was with his father for his cold-blooded manipulation, the marquess was right: Stopping now would mean losing Oliveandany hope for cures. And that would be only the beginning.
With Prinny’s promise hanging in the balance, Father’s decades-long feud with the Harpers would seem positively benevolent compared to the marquess’s vindictiveness should his son defy him now.
If Eli so much as breathed a word of caution to Olive, Father’s rage would turn on her. The marquess did not take betrayal lightly. He would destroy Olive with merciless savagery, simply because it would destroy Eli as well.
He rubbed his face as though he could scrub the image away. When he lifted his hands, Mr. Harper was standing in the door to the dining room.
Mr. Harper smiled and gestured with his hands.
Eli pointed to himself and then to his books.
With exaggerated gestures, Mr. Harper jabbed a finger at Eli, then pointed in the direction of the horses.
And Olive.
Even Eli could not pretend to misunderstand the message.Why are you in here when Olive is out there? Go to her!
Mr. Harper sought a reconciliation that had no hope of happening. He also loved his daughter. Which meant he approved of a union between Eli and Olive. He looked at Eli and saw a son-in-law. He saw happiness for his daughter.
There was nothing Eli wouldn’t give for all of that to be true.
He nodded his understanding to Mr. Harper and packed up his research. It was New Year’s Eve. A day of reflection and renewal.
Even though he hated himself for it, Eli’s stomach already fluttered with anticipation at the thought of seeing Olive. Touching her, kissing her, just being in the same vicinity as her. She was the sunlight to his seedling.
As always, when he stepped out into the cool morning air, the sight of her stole his breath.
She was holding court in the middle of a group of horses, talking to them about who-knew-what. As he watched, she pulled a large carrot out of a pocket, took a bite from the tip, then offered the rest to Duke.
Eli’s lips could not help but grin at such an endearing gesture. Olive was sweet and strong, adorable and majestic. He could nothelpbut love her. Nor could he stay away.
He set out toward the fence.
The horses scented him first, flaring their nostrils and tilting their ears in his direction.
Olive glanced over. A smile transformed her face from merely pretty to heart-wrenchingly beautiful. She sauntered toward the fence.
He met her there, hungry for her kisses.
She tilted her face up toward his. Just before his lips could claim hers, she touched her nose to his and turned away with a coquettish bat of her eyelashes, perfectly cognizant that he wanted a kiss, and she had the power to grant or deny.
He had never been more flustered.
“Earn your kiss.” Her cheeks flushed pink as she danced backward out of reach. “Take a ride with me.”
Belatedly, Eli realized that two of the horses were saddled. Duke, he would not be going anywhere near. The other was Mr. Edward.
“Mr. Edward is a sweetheart,” she assured him. “Docile as a lamb.”
So claimed the renowned prodigy unintimidated by wild stallions.
“I must mount a horse to earn a kiss?”
