“There’s nothing to forgive. I just need you to get yourself back to me as soon as possible.” She lifted on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly on the lips. He responded by sweeping her into his arms and stealing her breath with a not-so-gentle, devouring kiss.
“I won’t cry. I promise. But I’m going to miss you,” she said in a whisper.
“I’ll miss you, too.” He drew her against his body and held her to him as though he never wished to let her go. But he hadn’t said he loved her. Why wouldn’t he say it to her? He’d made love to her, exquisite, magical love, but that was merely an act of the body. Would she ever claim his heart?
She heard a light knock at the door, recognizing Major Brandt’s raspy voice and the more refined tones of the Duke of Edgeware as they called to Gabriel.
“Keep me in your dreams.” Gabriel kissed her one last time... and then he was gone.
CHAPTER 21
To reform a rake, a lady must follow her heart above all rules.
“A PACKAGE HAS ARRIVED for you, Lady Daisy,” Pruitt said, intercepting her as she strolled out of the dining room of the Farthingale townhouse on a beautifully crisp afternoon in late June. The house was unusually quiet. The children and governesses were in the park, and most of the Farthingale horde were visiting Laurel, who had safely given birth to a strapping Dayne male she and Graelem had decided to name Ragnor.
Ragnor!
Well, the babe was almost four months old now and already had the sturdy look of a Viking.
Most of the Farthingale men had disappeared hours ago, headed for their clubs to do whatever men did at such places, though her father and Uncle George had disappeared earlier in the day on mysterious and urgent business from which they had yet to return.
“I’ll open the package later, Pruitt. We’re on our way to visit Lady Eloise.” She, her mother, and the twins were invited to tea with Gabriel’s grandmother.
Pruitt blocked the door and plunked the small, rectangular packet in her hands. “The messenger was very keen that you open it at once.”
“Messenger?” She shrugged. “Curious.”
“It looks like a book,” Lily said, following her out of the dining room and now hovering at her shoulder, her eyes alight with curiosity.
“I asked to borrow one from Eloise’s library,” Daisy explained, “but she needn’t have wrapped it for me. And why send it over when I could have picked it up myself this afternoon?”
Pruitt arched an eyebrow. “All excellent questions, m’lady. Why don’t you open it and find out?”
She laughed. “What’s going on? And why are you grinning at me? You never grin. What do you know that I don’t?” She drew the string off the wrapper.
“Good heavens, it really is a book,” her mother said, joining them in the entry hall and looking on with obvious confusion.
Daisy found herself staring at the cover of one of those mathematical books written by Isaac Newton. Of course, Lily had mastered it by the age of twelve, but she... “Newton? Newton!” Daisy’s heart shot into her throat. The last letter she’d received from Gabriel was two weeks ago, assuring her that he was alive and well and would return to England sometime in July. He’d made it home earlier than expected. She couldn’t bear it. She ached to see him. “Where is he?”
“Sir Isaac—”
“You know who I mean, Pruitt!” She darted into the parlor, only to find Julia entertaining Lord Lumley... him again, coming around quite often lately... and Julia was beaming. “I beg your pardon, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
The pair looked as pleased to see her as a virulent attack of gout.
She backed out of the room, once more calling for the Farthingale butler. “Where have you put Lord Gabriel? The family shall find you dead at the door, this book embedded in your skull, if you don’t tell me where he is right now!”
“Gabriel?” Dillie’s eyes lit up. “It’s about time that handsome wart-hero showed up.”
“Honestly, child! This is no time to tease your sister,” her mother chided. “Pruitt, spill it.”
“I haven’t put him anywhere. I believe he might be visiting his grandmother.”
“Oh, I love you! Oh, dear! How do I look?” Daisy peered in the mirror, but saw little through the shimmer in her eyes. Her pale rose tea gown and its white lace collar were all a blur. “I’m sure I’m a mess!”
“You look beautiful,” her sisters said in unison. Her mother was crying and couldn’t speak.
Daisy ran out of the house, clutching the book to her bosom.