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Eva and Daniel. Andshewould be there, a silent and triumphant witness to another match successfully made.
She had never wanted to succeed less in her life. Not even as a young girl learning embroidery and fumbling the stitches while nursing pricked fingers.
The knowledge that she did not want the match to succeed was so strong in her that she had not even been able to meet with Eva at all for the past few days. Guilt churned in her stomach to the point that she had requested a soothing tisane from Sarah for the last two nights in order to rest.
She had promised to secure Eva her happiness and her match of choice. She had never broken a promise of such magnitude, nor forfeited a wager of such stakes, in her life, and had no wish to do so now.
But neither did she want to give up Daniel. For all that she had no claim to him, for all that she was unknown to him in her own title and position, the thought of giving him over to another made her feel ill.
Yet another reason for avoiding Eva. She did not want her friend to see her distress and inquire after the cause, for Eva would most certainly recognize any lie or half-truth she could offer.
“Hetty?”
She looked up, realizing she had become lost in thought and had not yet finished her meal, though Daniel’s plate held naught but crumbs and neatly arranged silverware.
“My apologies. I was only thinking…”
“Quite hard, it seems. This has by far been the quietest meal we have shared, I believe.” There was a slight tone of amusement threaded through his words. “Dare I ask what preoccupies you?”
“It is only a conversation I had with a friend, some time back.” She shook her head. “In truth, I believe I shall miss our session tomorrow. I rather wish we did not have to set the work aside, even if it is only for one day.”
“You will have no argument from me on that. Though I should have thought that your modesty might appreciate such a break.”
Rather, my modesty would like to be dismissed entirely in favor of something quite different.
She blushed as the thought crossed her mind and hoped he would attribute it to his gentle quip. “I shall confess I was a little...unnerved the first day. But I find I no longer mind quite so much. It is, that is to say, there is a curious sort of freedom in the whole thing, is there not? A chance to release some of the structures of proper behavior for a more…” She trailed off, uncertain how to frame the thought without sounding shameless.
“Indeed.” Daniel sipped his drink, and she watched the muscles of his throat and jaw work as he swallowed.
Curiosity nipped at her. She moved her gaze to just over his shoulder, aware of his eyes focused on her, and took a swallow of her own, and fancied she saw interest in his eyes.
Was it possible he might be as interested in her as she was fascinated by him? His words had hinted at appreciation and desire.
Guilt burned within her, and she looked away and turned her attention to finishing her food.
Attraction there might be on both sides, but nothing could come of it, she was certain.
Once she was finished, Daniel rose and offered her his hand to help her to her feet. Their steps were slower than usual as they made the now familiar journey to the front door. He helped her into her cloak and offered her his arm to escort her down the drive, as had become the habit between them.
When they arrived at their usual parting point, he stopped. So did she. She knew she should release his arm and take her leave. She simply did not wish to.
“It is getting late.” His soft observation made her stomach clench. She looked up and found him looking back at her, his expression reserved, but his eyes glittered a deep green over some emotion she could not put a proper name to.
“It is.” She said nothing more, not wanting to leave, not wanting the interlude to end.
Silence hung in the air between them, and she drank in his austere expression, wondering if she dared lean up and kiss his cheek. It would be quite a forward thing to do, she knew, but the temptation remained. She even found herself leaning closer, close enough to feel the warmth of his tall, lean frame, and the brush of his breath against the skin of her cheek.
* * *
He had intended to say farewell to Hetty and send her on her way, then retire to finish his preparations for the masquerade, as he would be traveling into town quite early to settle at Jackson’s estate before the evening began.
But she wasn’t leaving in the hasty manner that was usually her behavior upon departure—as though she had some pressing engagement she was in danger of being late for. In fact, she had been staring at his face for what felt like a full minute.
He felt her lean just a little closer, a little more weight on the hand resting on his forearm. Her breath ghosted against his chin, for she was nearly as tall as he was. Against his will, his breath hitched a bit, his heartbeat increasing noticeably.
Her eyes were soft, ocean blue with a sense of...was that wistfulness?
Uncertain, he raised his free hand to her cheek, caressing back an errant curl. Her breath exhaled in a rush, and he felt her lean into his touch, eyes wide with a swirling mix of emotions he could not quite read.
