“Oh, Daniel,” she breathed, stepping back as she accepted the handkerchief he proffered and dabbed at her face. “Why didn’t you tell me? I might have said yes sooner.”
“Well, as I always say, ladies should go first.”
She hit him playfully.
He sobered. “I planned to, but maybe I am not as brave as you.” He shook his head. She deserved the truth. “I wanted to wait until matters with Edmund were resolved. Until our happily ever after did not come with a caveat, that being my surviving—”
“Stop, please, I cannot bear it. We will resolve this.”
“You are right, forgive me. You ask me to trust you, Julia. I need for you to trust me to go to London and finish this. I will be careful. I give you my word. I have much to live for.” He drew her back into his arms, liking the feel of her there, for it was where she belonged.
“I have no choice. Silly rules forbidding respectable women,” she muttered.
“They had not met you when they made them.”
“True,” she sniffed. “And you will stay in England? Can we live in Lakeview Manor?”
“I will live where you are. It is the advantage of having a partner, and a transatlantic company. We have offices in both Boston and London. Besides, I added a nursery to the plans. We do need to fill it, which will be difficult if I am an ocean away from you.”
She snuggled closer. “Good,” she whispered. “I would hate for you to abandon Jonathan after promising him to ride Black Angel once he gains a few more stone. He has decided Black Angel will make a good cavalry horse.”
“Heaven help us.” He laughed. He held her, silent for a long moment, savoring her comfort. The distant bird cries and occasional squawks drifted their way.
“I refuse to leave you mottle faced and sad—”
She pulled back and slapped at him. “Mottle faced. How you flatter.”
“Much better, the colors are already evening out in your cheeks.” He lowered his voice and untied her bonnet, pulling it out of her reach and tossing it to the ground.
“What are you doing?”
“We are going to make a happier memory for me to leave with. We have our own songbirds serenading us, which my cousin Theo, the birdman—”
“The ornithologist,” Julia corrected with mock severity.
“Right. Well, Theo says songbirds bring good fortune.” He unbuttoned his jacket and shrugged it off.
“And what else did your cousin tell you?” she pressed, her lips twitching.
“Well, he did natter on a lot about spottings of goldcrests, stonechats, and yellow-winged wagtails.”
“You are making that up.” She laughed, then gave him a chastising look. “You have no appreciation for the ornithological field.”
He caught her hand and yanked her close. “Maybe not, but I understand an all-consuming passion.” He dipped his head and kissed her.
Smiling against his lips, she leaned into him, slipping her arms around his waist.
He paused, looking up. “Wait, I think I heard something.”
“What is it?” She followed his gaze.
“Here, it’s over here.” He towed her over to a patch of grass a short distance away. He knelt and spread his jacket over the ground, grabbing her hand to tug her down beside him. “It’s a better vantage point from down here.”
Grinning, she started to reply, but he pressed his finger to her lips.
“Shh, I think it’s a rare gray-winged wagtail wormer.” He whispered, unbuttoning his waistcoat and discarding it as well.
“I believe it is a simple grey wagtail.”
“Exactly. The point is, you thought I made it up.” He shook his head as if in disappointment. At her snort, he raised a brow. “You dare to doubt me? I will show you.” Putting his hand on her shoulder, he pushed her back onto his jacket. “Flat on your back is the best vantage point to appreciate this.”
He pressed his body to hers, loving her soft warmth, the intimacy as her breath quickened. “Look into the trees, he must be up there somewhere.”
She tipped her head back and as if given a succulent treat, his lips fastened on her neck and he quickly dispensed with her jacket’s buttons.
“Daniel, I do not think this is a good idea,” she whispered against his mouth. “We ought to go inside.”
“Oh no, then we might miss this rare opportunity.” He stripped her jacket from her.
“Daniel,” she gasped as his hand sneaked beneath the neckline of her gown, and cupped her breast.
“Julia,” he returned in a husky murmur. He knew he had triumphed when she tugged his shirt free from his trousers and her hands slid up his back. He groaned at the feel of her soft fingers stroking his bare skin, shivered as her nails raked over his back, her touch a healing balm against old scars.