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Chapter Twenty-One
Kenneth sat in his study brooding over the draft of his bill. He was trying to revise his bill so he could take it back into the House.
That was the deal he’d brokered with the instigators at their meeting and they’d said they were going to put their planned protest on hold in order to give him time to make changes through parliament.
Even though he was trying so hard to concentrate, his mind kept drifting to Rose.
He had been back from Lord Rockgonie’s manor for about an hour and still hadn’t been able to get his mind to settle on the task at hand.
Back at the manor, they’d been well on their way to an epic finale. He’d been poised to finish what they had started when a knock had sounded on the door.
They tried to stay silent and pretend they weren’t in the room when Elsa had spoken up.
“My Lady, something of utmost importance has come up,” Elsa announced through the door, her voice laden with fear.
He answered Rose’s lady’s maid, as Rose was still silent.
“What is the matter, Elsa?” Kenneth asked, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.
“Richard Norton, The Marquess of Wisham, Lord Rockgonie’s father, has just arrived at the mansion with a flurry of servants trailing him,” Elsa announced through the door.
“I beg your pardon!” Kenneth and Rose exclaimed at the exact same time.
Elsa hadn’t needed to repeat herself before they were both jumping out of bed and dressing with lightning speed.
“Where is Lord Rockgonie?” he asked Elsa, while trying to get dressed.
“He has gone to receive his father and delay him for as long as possible to give you and me the chance to slip out unnoticed, My Lord.” This time, it was Leonard who had answered, thus cuing him to the fact that both their servants where at the door.
Lord Wisham was definitely aware that Rose had been visiting his son at the manor. Her coming out from the room and running into the old gentleman wouldn’t have taken anyone by surprise.
Kenneth, on the other hand, couldn’t be discovered there for any reason whatsoever. There was no explanation that would have sufficed, had his presence been made known to Lord Wisham. Obviously, Rose would have been in trouble when the news had gotten back to the Earl of Somerholm that they were both at the manor at the same time.
“Good Lord!” Rose swore under her breath as she struggled with her undergarments.
He looked at her and knew that she needed help. He couldn’t help as he and Leonard needed to slip out before the opportunity Lord Rockgonie was currently creating for them, closed.
He reached out and pulled her close to him, trying to get her attention.
“You need help and I need to get out of here. Elsa is going to come in now and help you while I make a run for it. All right?”
Rose nodded distractedly as she continued struggling with her clothes.
He pulled her even closer then and kissed her.
“I love you,” he whispered into her lips before turning and heading for the door.
She responded, but he continued walking without looking back. It was the only way he could continue making his exit and resist the temptation to stay.
“Go in and help her,” he said to Elsa once he opened the door. “Leonard? Let’s make a run for it,” he said to his valet as they began to make their exit.
He chuckled as he remembered this wasn’t the first time he had to run in order not to risk discovery where Rose was concerned.
They both crept through the house and onto the grounds, avoiding any and every one as they made their way to the wall and over it.
They were nearly discovered when they got to the wall. A servant was loitering within that area. As the servant was about to turn and face them, however, he was summoned by someone else, thus taking his attention away from them.
They used that opportunity to slip out and head away from danger.
