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By eight o’clock that evening, he was walking to the door of Number One Chipping Way, not at all surprised to find Hyacinth standing beside their butler, her smile enormous as she greeted him. “Innes, you look so handsome in your Royal Navy uniform. Papa has worn his, as well. I knew you both would because you’re determined to show off to each other. I suppose you’ll compare medals next.”
“I’m sure your father has more.”
“But yours are newer and quite blinding in their shine.”
She had him grinning again. Then he remembered he needed to lecture her. A blistering lecture she would never forget. He held her back a moment before they entered the parlor to greet her parents. “Hyacinth,” he said, trying to appear stern and not falter as she continued to smile at him.
She regarded him with her big, gorgeous eyes. “Yes, Innes?”
He cleared his throat and frowned at her. “What you did in coming to my house on your own was the height of folly.”
He struggled to hold that frown. She looked so beautiful in her lilac gown, the soft color bringing out the violet of her eyes.Blessed saints. He could stare at her for hours and not grow tired of looking at her face.
“I was hardly alone. My friend dropped me off in front of your house, and I was only standing there a few minutes before your butler came out to me.”
“The point is, in those few minutes, someone might have come along and abducted you.”
“In Belgravia? On your street? With your private neighborhood guards patrolling?”
“Yes, even so. You are an heiress. Anyone—”
She laughed. “Who told you I was an heiress? I won’t deny that we are quite comfortable, but an heiress? I should hardly think so.”
“You’re not?” He was not about to admit his butler had told him. “But it changes nothing. You should not have come to me on your own. Your beauty alone would have caught the eye of every man. You were defenseless. What if someone had grabbed you?”
“But no one did.” Her eyes were aglow, and she was smirking. “Do you think I’m beautiful?”
“Gad, you are irritating. Stop making a jest of it. I’m serious, Hyacinth. You were alone. Someone could have stolen you off the street. Your father will lock you in your room for a month if he learns of it.”
She put her arm in his, her irritating smirk now gone. “You’re right, Innes. It is no jesting matter, and you are understandably angry with me. I’ve never done anything so rash before. I won’t ever do it again. I promise you.”
“Do you mean it?”
She nodded. “I give you my sacred, unbreakable vow. I know it was foolish. But I simply had to see you. I was afraid if I merely wrote you a note, you’d ignore it.”
He would have, for he was used to being alone and had grown comfortable with it…or perhaps he was merely resigned to it. Keeping one’s distance was a much easier proposition than learning to trust and risking one’s heart. “Well, so long as you’ve given me your promise. Don’t go out alone again, Hyacinth. You are Romulus and Violet’s only child. It would destroy them if anything were to happen to you.”
“And you, Innes? What would it do to you?”
“Don’t ask me that.”
She held him back another moment when he attempted to escort her into the parlor. “But I did just ask. Why won’t you tell me?”
“Because my heart is not in a good place right now, and my answer would likely hurt you.”
“I see.” She pursed her lips, now giving thought to his statement. “Well, there’s no help for it. Aunt Sophie and Uncle John host a party at this time every year. After supper, we all gather in the parlor and write down our Christmas wishes. I now know what my Christmas wish must be this year.”
He arched an eyebrow. “And that is?”
“I shouldn’t tell you, but I suppose there’s no harm in it since you’d never play along, and you obviously don’t know what I am talking about.” She regarded him as though he were dense as a rock. “My wish will be to heal your damaged heart, of course. You don’t think I’d waste such a wish on a new pair of shoes, do you?”
