Page 58 of Adeline

It went far beyond mere infatuation.

It would not be dampened or diluted by giving in to a lustful tryst. Or satisfied by a harmless walk in the park or ices at Samson’s.

No, this sensation coursing through her, driving her every move, pushing her to claim Jasper as hers would not be easily ignored or assuaged.

His presence in London had made it clear why Adeline hadn’t met a man who captured her notice beyond a mere glance. No man of her acquaintance held a candle to Jasper. None were as loyal, devoted, capable, courageous, and confident as the man who presently walked at her side. He stood—tall and proud—though she knew his every instinct told him he didn’t belong in London and among society; that his place was in Kent, hiding the burns that had nearly taken his life.

Yet, Adeline was confident in one thing: society would benefit by knowing Jasper. He would make London a better place, if only for her. The ton could learn much from a man who gave up finding his own happiness to serve those who’d dedicated generations to his family.

Adeline released his arm and walked to the railing separating them from the gardens below. Though she heard nothing, she knew he followed. She sensed him behind her as she placed her hands on the railing. The cold soaked through her thin gloves, sending a shiver down her back. The chilly evening air would not drive her back inside, however.

No.

The terrace was deserted, it being too early in the evening for others to seek the outdoors yet.

It was only she and Jasper and the strings of a light melody drifting out from the ballroom at their backs.

“Adeline,” he whispered close to her ear. The single word was enough to banish any doubt she had about how he felt about her. “I do hope you are enjoying your celebration.”

She glanced up at the clear, night sky. The moon overhead shone down on the gardens, creating shadows and darkening alcoves of privacy. Even the stars twinkled brighter than she’d ever noticed before. “Now that you are here, I am enjoying myself immensely, my lord.”

“I am certain it is not my presence that makes a difference,” he countered.

“You are correct.” She turned to find he was scant inches from her. “It is you who makes all the difference…to me,” she added, making certain there was no question as to her meaning.

Adeline held his stare, losing herself in his moss green depths. It was much like entering the woods at Faversham, the hue of his eyes matching the foliage as if the surrounding countryside had laid claim to him—and would soon demand his return.

Tentatively, she set her fingers on his cheek, allowing them to caress lower until they met his damaged skin. She could feel the warmth of him through her glove, more powerful than the cold of the railing from a moment before.

It was Jasper who broke their connection first, his eyes closing as her touch slid lower to his neck. She longed to remove his cravat, unbutton his shirt, and explore further what he kept hidden.

His scars did not reveal weakness, not in the least.

They proved his strength.

He’d lost his parents and cherished servants in that fire.

The people who should have been there to catch him had only labeled him a beast.

Adeline would not allow that to continue. Never would she allow another to force Jasper into the shadows; a forgotten man and something to be feared.

“I do not fear you, Jasper,” she confessed in a whisper. “Since the moment we met, I have become a different person, a better woman. I am far more patient and do not see the worst in every person upon first inspection. I owe that to you.”

“It is not only you who has noted a change within themselves,” he confided, his remaining closed. Could he not look at her when he spoke? “I have lived many years alone, and now I wonder what I have gained from any of it.”

Adeline could not let him stand before her with his emotions so bare. “It is because of you I can think of understanding a situation as opposed to judging others for their choices before I know their reasoning.”

His eyes sprang open, and he searched her expression as if he thought to find she was misleading him in some way. He pulled away from her, his exhale labored, and her hand fell to her side.

But she could not allow him the distance, and so she followed him.

“Adeline…I—“

She gave him no opportunity to speak, to offer an excuse to flee or put more distance between them—either physically or emotionally. If this were to be the last night they had together, she would not let it pass without giving him some hope for his future, even if that future did not include her.

Jasper needed to know he was loved, that his years of caring for others had come full circle.

Standing on her tiptoes, Adeline pressed her lips to his. At first, neither of them moved, and Adeline lost herself in the warmth of his mouth.