“She knows?” Luke offered. He was not in much doubt of it. The anger that was on Lady Maybury’s face when he had asked to speak to Annie had been plain enough.
“She does.” Annie nodded. “I have been reprimanded most heartily this week, I can tell you.”
“I am sorry,” Luke said, stepping forward. “This was never how I hoped for things to go.”
“I know.” Annie offered a small smile, but it did not last long. “Part of me thought you might come to the house again. That we could sneak into the garden as we did before.”
Luke realised it was time to confess something of his own.
“I wished to, but I wasn’t certain if I would be welcome.” His words made her frown a little. “Annie, what happened between you and Mr Knight at the ball?”
“What? What do you mean?”
“The Duchess of Bannerman. She told me that you and he shared an intimate moment.” Luke fidgeted, knowing how weak he might now look. “I am sorry. I know I am being jealous, but I cannot help it. When I think of you and Mr Knight, it makes my heart thud so hard I think it will burst out of my chest!”
“Luke, calm yourself.” Annie smiled as she stepped toward him and placed her hands on his chest. That touch made him freeze, loving that shared moment. “What the Duchess saw was Mr Knight and I arguing.”
“You argued?” Luke asked, holding onto his hope.
“Mr Knight has guessed at what is passing between you and I. He was admonishing me as a teacher would a child.Thatis what happened. There was no intimate moment.” She shook her head emphatically.
“Thank goodness.” Luke took one of her hands off his chest and lifted it to his fingers, kissing the back as gently as he could. The smile that lit up her face made him breathless.
This is as we should always be.
“The Duchess has no wish to abandon her endeavour to have you again, does she?” Annie asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean....” Annie paused and swallowed quite loudly, looking down at the way Luke was gripping her hand. “She seems a good match for you, Luke. She has told me repeatedly how alike you are.”
“Are we?” he scoffed at the idea. “We have a similar humour, that is all. She does not know the real me. Not at all.”
“She doesn’t?” Annie asked, her eyes lifting to meet his. Luke began to realise what was afoot. He drew Annie closer to him, smiling a little more until she rested in his arms.
“Do you think this last week we have both been wallowing in envy, when we need not be?”
“Go on,” Annie said quietly, tilting her head up toward him.
“I have been fearing what you and Mr Knight might share, and you have been afraid of me returning to the Duchess. Let me put your mind at rest, Annie. The only woman I care about, the only lady I wish to be anywhere near at this time, is you.” Luke’s words made her smile instantly, with her eyes glistening as if holding back happy tears.
“Truly?” she asked, breathless.
“Truly. I’ll prove it to you.” He closed the distance between them. With his hands gently resting on the curve of her waist, he drew her to him and placed his lips to hers. It may have been a chaste kiss, with just the press of their lips together, but there was an intensity to it. It made Luke hold onto her all the more, so lost in that kiss that he didn’t notice the sound of the door, nor did he notice the footsteps of people walking into the room, not until Annie pushed him in the chest, shoving him off her.
“What is happening here!?”