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He bowed. “Very good, sir. Thank you.”
Gareth took his leave.
16
Evie’s eyes flew open.
Her chamber was dark; the only light came from dying embers in the fire that had long ago gone out. She had no window in this inner bedchamber, and while it was safe enough, it did not allow sun or moonlight inside either.
She sat up, listening.
A knock at her door had Evie scrambling from her bed. She ran to it, certain something was wrong, as none should be awake at such an hour.
“Evie,” Amalia whispered frantically from the other side. “Open the door.”
She did.
“What in the heavens—”
Amalia flew into her room and, putting the candle she held onto Evie’s nightstand, she grabbed her mantle. “Put this on. You will need slippers as well.”
As Amalia shoved her into the velvet mantle, she asked, “Why, precisely, will I need slippers?”
“To meet Sir Gareth.”
Evie caught Amalia’s gaze. “Pardon?”
“He waits for you in the stables. Quickly.”
How had Gareth come to be in Ashcroft’s stables? And how did Amalia know he was there? Ducking into dark corners and using a servant’s exit from the manor, they eventually made their way down the hill to the stables, where Gareth was, indeed, waiting for her.
The moment Evelina entered, her mare neighed in greeting. Gareth’s hand shot out, calming her. Something few could do, so it was somewhat of a surprise. Though not more so than Gareth being in Ashcroft’s stables.
“She is usually not calmed by strange men.”
“Mayhap she knows I am not a strange man to you,” Gareth said, his hand dropping as he came to her.
Their stable hands would be asleep now. Yet if the horses made too much noise . . .
“How did you come to be here?” she asked, hanging her lantern next to Gareth’s on a post beside them.
“A bribe, a squire from Knight School and your maid,” he said, pulling her toward him.
“I missed you,” she said, just before Gareth lowered his head to hers.
The kiss quickly spiraled out of control. With only a shift between them, the mantle now open at her front, his desire for her was evident. Evie wanted to be closer and tried to become so.
When Gareth’s hands moved to her hips, guiding them in a circular motion as his were doing now, something burned inside of her. Desire, most likely, but so much stronger than ever before.
“I want . . .” What words could she use?
“For me to be inside you.” Gareth lips were still wet from their kiss. She wished for him to do that again.
“Though I’ve been curious what it was like, making love to a man, this is the first time I wished to do so.” She could not resist asking, “Do you wish to make love to me?”
“You have no idea how much I want that, Evie.”
“But you would never do it,” she asked, hardly able to believe what she was saying. “You are too chivalric to take a woman’s maidenhood.”
