Page 64 of The Governess’s Carnal Temptation

“No,” he muttered, for at that moment, Charlotte appeared from the back of the carriage, and walking beside her, one hand firmly around hers, was Lydia.

“Lydia,” he muttered and swung open the window. “Lydia!”

She looked up; her red hair sparkled in the sunlight as she held one hand over her eyes to shield herself from the glare. “Lydia!”

“She’s back, Papa,” Charlotte shouted back. “For good, yes?” She looked up at Lydia, who cupped her face and nodded before looking up at Nicholas again.

“Is it true?” he shouted, not caring that the entire household could hear.

“It is,” she called back, her voice strong and clear like church bells on a Sunday morning. “If you’ll have me!”

He did not reply. Instead, he pushed himself away from the window, raced out of the study, down the stairs, and burst out of the front door. He’d gotten there so quickly that Charlotte and Lydia hardly had a chance to walk up the stairs.

“Lydia,” he gasped, out of breath from his sprint. “You’re back. Is it true?”

“I am, as I said. If you will have me, but if I am too late….”

“Too late? Why?” he asked and walked toward her, cupping her face as she’d done to charlotte.

“Because of the article. You and Lady Evelyn,” she started, but Charlotte spoke up.

“All lies! Lady Evelyn is gone for good! We shall never have to see her again,” Charlotte declared with a bright grin that made Nicholas smile.

“She is right. I’d rather be alone than with her,” Nicholas explained quickly. “Although if I could be with anyone, it would be you.”

“Oh, Nicholas,” she said through suppressed tears. “You are all I want. All I ever wanted. I should have been honest and told you. Instead, I ran away, thinking if I left you to marry Lady Evelyn, I’d do you a favor. That I’d be saving you.”

“No,” Nicholas replied, aware that had been her thinking all along. “You are the one who saved Charlotte and me both by being you, by being your wonderful, warm, selfless self. Oh, Lydia. I loved you all these years, and I love you still. And now that you’re here, I shall never let you go again.”

And then, without hesitation, Nicholas leaned down and placed his lips gently on hers. Lydia closed her eyes and responded in kind, wrapping her arms around his waist while Charlotte clapped.

When they parted again, he saw tears in Lydia’s eyes but knew they were tears of joy, for he felt them too.

“I love you, Lydia,” he whispered.

“And I love you, Nicholas. I always have. And I always will.”

As they stood together under the bright spring sky, Nicholas’ heart filled with joy, for he knew every word to be true and from now on, nothing would ever part the two of them again.

EPILOGUE

One week later

Lydia stood at the window, a sheet covering her nakedness when the door opened, and Nicholas entered. She turned and watched him walk across the dim room, a banyan wrapped around his body. He carried two cups of tea and swiftly paced them on the table beside him.

“Two teas, as ordered,” he said with a wink and approached her. It was early still, not yet five in the morning, but the two hadn’t slept yet. These past few days had been filled with all manner of activity. During the day, she’d returned to her lessons – though these days, she was no longer just a governess. She was the lady at Nicholas’ side. While their status was undetermined, they were happy with the arrangement, and the servants quickly became accustomed to their unorthodox setup.

She spent her days teaching Charlotte and taking on household roles while Nicholas tended to the running of the estate. In her free time, she and Nicholas walked the grounds, talked, and kissed as they had when they were young. And at night… well, there was no time to rest either, for she’d spent each night since her return with Nicholas – just as she had this night.

They’d been awake all night, laying in one another’s arms, dreaming the hours away with their plans for a shared future. Plans they only interrupted when desire overcame them and kisses temporarily replaced words.

“Shall we take our tea?” Nicholas asked, but Lydia shook her head.

“I had another idea that came to me while you were gone,” she said quietly, walking toward him. As she did, she let her sheet fall from her shoulders so that the only cloak she had was that cast on her by the moonlight. Nicholas wheezed, but his eyes grew wide, and he greedily drank in her form.

“My, Lydia. What a way to welcome me back.”

She grinned at him. “It seems quite unfair that I am the only one undressed; do you not think so? Your Grace?”