“Wonderful.” She rose on her tiptoes to see past the crowd of passengers, onlookers, and dignitaries.
Tristan should be close.
A part of her wanted to see him soon; another part wasn’t so sure. Only Tristan could make her so confused. Her pulsegave a kick when a group of men parted, revealing him. As if summoned by her stare, he turned towards her, and their gazes locked.
She didn’t mean to stare at him, but his eyes had a magnetic quality she couldn’t dismiss. The glint in them wasn’t hard to interpret; it was sheer, pure longing, and her pulse spiked in reply.
He weaved through the crowd towards her, moving with predatory menace. A little shiver went down her neck the closer he walked.
Rowan stopped smiling when Tristan stood next to him.
“Lady Effie. Lady Vaughan.” Tristan gave her another intense stare she found difficult to hold.
“What a beauty you have there, Montcrest.” Jane pointed at the locomotive.
Tristan took a moment before angling towards her. “She isn’t just beautiful but also strong and determined. She’s special.”
Jane looked puzzled. “You’ll get great satisfaction from her.”
His harsh mask slipped for a moment, and he showed the same fragility as he’d revealed the night of the ball.
His long eyelashes fluttered down. “One can only hope.”
Effie’s face warmed, but this time it wasn’t anger.
Rowan broke the spell. “May I go on board?”
“The train should leave in twenty minutes,” Tristan said, returning to be his usual controlled self. “But if you want to go now and take a tour, the machinist will let you in.”
Rowan let out a whoop. “Thank you.” He went to hug Tristan but stopped awkwardly midway before stepping back from him.
Tristan moved as well as if to hug him back, but between Rowan’s indecision and Tristan’s stiff moves, nothing happened.
“Ladies, I’ll see you later.” Rowan bowed quickly before rushing towards the locomotive.
Steam crept out from underneath the machine and wrapped around Tristan’s legs, giving him the air of a supernatural being emerging from the shadows.
“Lady Effie, I need a word in private if you have time,” he said, bringing her back to the less ominous present.
Jane gave her a shocked, wide-eyed stare. “Do you want to go?”
The sooner she dealt with Tristan, the better. Also, she might clarify some of her doubts. “I do. Will you be all right here?”
“Do not worry about me. I’ll stay here and wait for the machine to…” Jane waved. “To start.”
Effie followed Tristan to a quiet corner at the end of the platform. The station was crowded, but his presence never failed to be imposing as if he used more space than he needed.
He clasped his hands behind his back. His dark coat enhanced his broad shoulders and the golden hues in his hair. “I understand I didn’t express myself properly the last time we met.”
She fought the urge to avert her gaze, but she didn’t want to appear more intimidated than she was. “I won’t lie. Your words confused me.”
“That wasn’t my intent.” He swallowed a couple of times. “What I meant to say is that I find it difficult to focus on my work because I keep thinking about you. Something you said, something you did, or the way you smiled keeps intruding in my mind. My thoughts are stuck on you, and I’m not complaining. Quite the opposite.”
She shifted her weight, unsure about what to say or think. He was the first man who had made plain his interest in her, and she would be lying if she said she didn’t find that exciting.
“I like your happiness and your kindness. I like how expert you are in veterinary medicine. I like you when you talk aboutanything. I likeyou.” He raised a hand slowly, his eyes widening and darkening with longing.
If she didn’t want to be touched, he was giving her plenty of time to step back, but she didn’t mind his touch after what he’d said.
