A deep, warm, and familiar voice whispered in her ear, “You caught me.”
“Rupert!”
He hadn’t even changed out of his travel clothes. Nor had he searched out his host first. Rupert had gone directly to the schoolroom, only to find a cross Miss Felton seated at a table sipping at tea.
“I suppose you are after Miss Sharpe,” the woman said, nose wrinkled. “I am told she is in the gardens.”
Although that was hardly more helpful than saying “she is out in the world somewhere,” given the size of the estate, Rupert thanked the woman and rushed from the house.
An undergardener pointed him to the area with the sunken pool, where several discarded bonnets and sketchbooks gave him a hint that the governess had led the children to more wild climes.
He had come to the edge of the meadow, watching as children ran and shrieked in a game of blind man’s bluff.
He had started to approach when they stilled, obviously discussing their game. He had aimed for Alice, her tall, lithe figure at the center of the play.
Excitement climbed through his entire body, making his heart sing like a cricket and his stomach leap.
Then they blindfolded Alice, and Rupert nearly stopped.
Until a grinning Lady Isabelle waved him forward.
Bless her little matchmaker’s heart.
When the children scampered away, back to the sunken pond garden, Rupert approached Alice more slowly. She was stunning, poised for her run, wearing the same beautiful peach colored gown he had seen her in before.
When her hands landed upon his chest, he instinctively pulled her closer.
“You caught me.” Those words held a world of meaning he would have to think upon later.
“Rupert!”
She ripped away the bit of cloth covering her eyes, sending her spectacles tumbling from her face as she stared up at him.
He laughed, catching them before they could fall to the ground, keeping one arm securely around her. Then he settled them on the bridge of his own nose, hooking one of the ends behind his ear. “These are useful. Look at that—I can see every one of your beautiful freckles on your nose.”
She wrinkled that nose and narrowed her eyes at him. “Rupert, where have you been? And you oughtn’t to notice a lady’s freckles. Oh, and unhand me before the children see!” She suddenly looked about, her shoulders tensing until she realized they were quite alone.
“I think they have given up your game in favor of another.” He bent closer, unable to resist drawing nearer to her. “Why shouldn’t I notice your freckles? They are adorable.”
Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink, and her body relaxed in his hold. “Rupert.” She glowered at him, but there was no real heat in the glare. “Why did you leave?”
“You didn’t receive my note? I know it was somewhat impersonal, I explained my father called me home. His letter sounded like an emergency, but it wasn’t—”
“I never had a note. Only the flowers and sketches.”
“Oh.” Rupert sucked in a breath. “Alice, you must have thought I abandoned you without word. I put the note in the flowers. I thought for certain you would see it there. I am sorry.”
Her smile returned, slowly like a sunrise, until her countenance had brightened. “You were so sincere before. I will admit, there was a moment when I thought you had left because you regretted what you said.” She moved closer and tucked her head beneath his chin. “I hoped you would come back. At the very least because I hold several of your sketches hostage.”
A laugh escaped him at her unexpected quip. Rupert kissed the top of her forehead while a golden curl stirred against his cheek. “I will prove myself to you, Alice. One day at a time. I will never abandon you.”
“Even if we do not suit one another?” she asked, voice soft as the brush of a butterfly wing.
How could he ever reassure her? Too many people had ignored her, cast her aside, put her at the edges of their lives and affection. Alice deserved so much more.
Rupert meant to give it to her.
“I have never met a woman who suits me as you do. It will be me, not you, Alice, who may be found wanting.” He closed his eyes, noting the rightness of how it felt to hold her. “I am a man of few interests, I obsess over ants and dandelion puffs, and I discard the conventions of Society whenever it is convenient to me. How could anyone put up with such a man?”
“Quite easily when he notices things like freckles and calls them adorable.” She lifted her head and placed a kiss at the corner of his jaw. How the subtle touch could make his heart thrum with the intensity of thunder, Rupert did not know. Perhaps there were some things science could not explain.
He placed a hand to her cheek, tilting her gently into the perfect position to bestow a kiss upon her that left him both satiated and wanting much, much more.
Alice sighed against his lips as he withdrew.
“Alice, I have given it some thought. With your permission, I should like to ask His Grace if it might be possible to bend the rules which govern your position. I do not want to court you in secret. I want everything to be above reproach.”
To his great relief, she smiled rather than withdraw. Her eyes gleamed up at him before she raised both hands to carefully remove her spectacles from his face. She settled them on her nose, adjusting the hooks behind her ears.
“I have seen the duke’s kindness for myself. If you promise I can be present when you inform him of your intentions to a woman in his employment, I give my consent. But Rupert.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I am fairly certain kissing a woman to whom you are not betrothed is already skirting a great many rules.”
He laughed and kissed her again.
Chapter 23
Alice returned to the sunken pond, where the children had started skipping stones across the little pool to see if anyone’s rock might make it to the other side. On Rupert’s arm, she blushed at the knowing grins of Lady Isabelle and Lady Rosalind. Rupert took his leave of their party.
“It would be terribly rude of me if I did not inform the duke of my return.” He gave Alice’s hand a last squeeze before leaving.
She watched him go, feeling all was right with the world for the first time since she had lost her parents. She turned to her charges. “Lady Isabelle, Lady Rosalind.” They approached, their smiles turning more hesitant. Alice relieved their doubt with a laugh. “Thank you for looking after the children in my absence.”
“Of course, Miss Sharpe,” Lady Isabelle said, tucking her hands behind her back most demurely. “Did you enjoy the end of the game?”
Lady Rosalind giggled and slapped a hand over her mouth.
“Perhaps I will answer that question later. When you are both much older.” Alice waved them back to their friends, then settled with her sketchbook in hand again.
She herded all the children back to the schoolroom for their small dinner, but everyone except Lady Isabelle and Lady Rosalind asked to go outside again to enjoy the cool of the evening before darkness settled on them.
“The baron and his family are invited to join the duke for dinner,” Miss Felton said, shaking her head over the disturbance in her routine. “I suppose we are to stay until nightfall. Perhaps if the children tire themselves adequately, we will have some peace in the carriage when we return to the Addington estate.”