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Covering her nose with two handkerchiefs, she tried to hold her breath as the train passed over the river. The smell didn’t help the nervous rolling of her stomach, and when the train finally pulled to a stop in the station, she breathed a shaky sigh of relief.
After a quick descent with the one satchel she’d brought, Kate scanned the station. Aidan had written that a carriage would be here to meet her. There were plenty of elegantly attired coachmen milling about; no doubt one of them waited for her. She stepped quickly down the walk, not daring to glance at the people around her.
“Mrs. Hamilton?”
A young man in gray livery approached, his face friendly and trustworthy and completely unremarkable except that he had one blue eye and one brown.
“Oh. Um, yes, I’m Mrs. Hamilton.”
He caught her stare and winked. “I know it’s a bit startling at first, ma’am. I’m John Dunn. Mr. York sent me to fetch you. May I take you to the carriage?”
Kate swallowed hard and clutched her bag tighter.
“No need to worry, ma’am. I’ll fetch your luggage.”
“Oh, no. I’ve nothing else.” The chaos around her threw her completely off kilter. Unable to do anything but follow John Dunn, she hurried behind him, marveling at the way he forcefully parted the crowds. The mad jumble of voices thinned as they walked a small distance to the line of coaches awaiting their passengers, but her nerves still jangled.
“There we are, ma’am.” She glanced with some alarm at the coach he indicated and wondered, as he opened the door, how he could know it was the right one. They were all black and very few showed any sort of arms on the door. He handed her up as she said a quick, irrational prayer that this coach was headed to Aidan’s home and not to some other Mr. York.
Just as she scrambled into a seat, a hand emerged from the opposite side of the coach to squeeze her knee.
“Eee!”
Aidan’s deep laugh sounded in the dark. “That’s not quite the welcome I hoped for.”
“My word,” she gasped, pressing a hand hard to her closed throat. “You scared the devil out of me!”
“That’s unfortunate. I was planning for a rather devilish woman this evening.”
“Now you’ll have to settle for a jumpy one.” Her voice was tart, but she couldn’t help melting into him when he pulled her onto his lap. Immediately forgetting her irritation, she nestled her cheek against the smooth lapel of his jacket. “I thought perhaps you were too busy to fetch me.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.” His hand traced a smooth path down her skirt. “But I thought it unwise to march out and collect you myself—potential for scandal and all.” His last words were spoken against her mouth as they both turned to taste each other.
Kate kissed him with happy eagerness, matching each thrust of his tongue with a passion more than equal to his. She’d had the past weeks to think about him. To think about what he meant to her and what she might mean to him. He wanted her, she didn’t doubt that, and she wanted him too. If only it could be that simple.
In a tender motion that brought tears to her eyes, he held her head between his hands and covered her face with sweet, small kisses. “I’ve missed you, Kate.”
She captured his mouth again and kissed him deeply, trying to convey how very much she’d missed him too. She was afraid to say it, afraid he’d be able to hear that he’d been all she thought of.
Aidan pulled her closer until she pressed tight against him, his arousal against her hip a confirmation of his words. When his hand brushed her breast, the world shuddered and shifted.
“Oh my,” she whispered, and laughter rumbled up in his chest.
“That was Dunn,” he explained with a smile in his voice. “Though I’m flattered you think I’m that good.”
She heard John Dunn’s voice then and the carriage began to roll forward, settling into its motion. Happiness bubbled inside her as Aidan laughed, and she hid her embarrassed face against his neck.
He held her cuddled tight against him for the few minutes it took to reach his home, then escorted her quickly into the foyer. She was only able to steal a quick glance around at cream walls and gilt mirrors before finding herself before a rather dour butler.
“Madam,” he intoned. “A maid will take you to your room directly.”
“Thank you, Whitestone,” Aidan interrupted, “but I’ll give her a tour.”
“Of course, sir.”
The door closed behind them, the butler disappeared, and they were alone.
Kate wanted to look around, to take in the whole of his home, but when Aidan took her hand and tugged her toward the stairs, she had no urge to resist. All she could think was: This is Aidan, holding my hand, drawing me up the staircase to a bedchamber. This is Aidan, smiling back at me with all the joy of a young boy.
