It was a vow; one she was surprised to discover she didn’t mind at all.
“When we reach York—” Her words were interrupted by a loud yawn she couldn’t contain. “Oh, excuse me.”
He folded his arms across his chest and rested his head against the seat behind him. “York is many hours away, and we’ll have to change trains a few times. No need for ye to be awake for all of it.”
Perhaps it was the lack of sleep last night, but she wasn’t following his reasoning. “What?”
“Go to sleep, milady,” he grumbled. “I’ll watch out for ye.” His good eye was fixed on something down the aisle, though she had the impression it was more because he didn’t want to look atherthan it was anything particularly interesting. “I’ll keep ye safe.”
Why did that simple vow send a flood of warmth through her?
Sighing, she decided to trust him, yet again, and closed her eyes. The seat wasn’t as comfortable as the first-class compartments her father had rented all those years ago when they used to visit his aunt at Dumpkins, but at least they weren’t wooden benches.
She tilted her head to one side, and when her cheek found his shoulder, neither of them flinched away. With her eyes closed, she could only imagine the stiff way he was holding himself, but the thought made her smile.
Her Lunzie was certainly surprising her at every turn, wasn’t he?
As she drifted off to sleep, her last thought was,The next few days will certainly be interesting…
CHAPTER 7
It was rather a good thing they didn’t have to change trains in Inverness, because Lysander was enjoying having her head pillowed against his shoulder far more than he had expected. It also gave him time to study her, and despite his anger at her, he liked what he saw.
Whatever she’d done to her face—she looked gaunter somehow—hadn’t necessarily made her less beautiful, but more approachable. He’d never been a man who was intimidated by beautiful women, and when he’d seen her at the ball, he’d made a point to seek her out because shewasthe most beautiful woman there.
The most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
And he’d enjoyed the time he’d spent with her…especially the time spenttouchingher. Had her mother not dragged her off, he was only minutes away from suggesting a tour of his father’s library so he could get her well and truly alone.
Finding out she was self-centered and cruel had been a blow indeed.
Except…now, she wasn’t quite as perfect, and he was beginning to realize she wasn’t always cruel. He’d heard her say those things about Lyon with his own ears, it was why he’d started on this disguised journey after all, but now he was beginning to see there might be more to her than her opinions about his brother.
He’d bargained for a kiss from her, thinking it would increase her humiliation once she realized who he was. But he was coming to realize he very,verymuch wanted to kiss her for his own sake too. She was desirable in a way that wasn’t based on her beauty at all. It was in the way she smiled when she saw the landscape of the Highlands from the train, or the way she didn’t sit back and wait for life to happen to her.
Well, ye didnae expectthis, did ye, ye wee dobber?
He might’ve dozed a few times as well, between gazing out the window and scowling menacingly at anyone who gave Tiffany a second glance, but as the train slowed to pull into Edinburgh, he was wide awake, which allowed him to see her startle awake; an experience he was glad not to have missed.
She jerked upright, uttering an adorable, “Oh!”and only then opened her eyes. She blinked a few times, and he watched as awareness came to her features. When she glanced at him, he knew he was smiling.
“What?” she demanded.
He shrugged. “Do ye always wake up that way?”
“What way?”
“Ye were upright and functioning before ye ever opened yer eyes.”
She frowned. “How should I know if that is normal? I amasleepwhen it happens.”
“True. I should ask yer sister.”
“You should do no such thing!” When she gasped, he realized she wouldn’t wantLaird Gaberlunzietalking about anything to her sister, much less about her sleeping habits.
He kept a neutral expression as he teased her. “How else would I learn the answer to my question? Is there anyone else ye regularly sleep with?”
Her second, far-more-outraged gasp caused his smile to break free, and he had to turn away from her to hide it. As the train stopped, he stood and reached for her carpetbag.
