Chapter 28

By the time they returned to Greystone, Siena was fast asleep beside him. Levi gripped the potion that the medicine woman had given him. She had refused payment, telling him that a lovely young woman under such traumatic circumstances deserved to be healed, regardless of payment. Levi had still ensured that she had not walked away without some coin, and now he continued to bring the scented herbs to Siena's nose to help her breathe.

She didn't stir, but her breathing deepened and she stayed asleep as he carried her up to the front entrance.

"Your Grace!" Thornbury nearly immediately appeared, looking no less askew than he had before. He had one hand on his heart as he took in Levi with Siena safely in his arms, although Levi could only imagine how the two of them must appear. "You found Her Grace. Is she… is she?—"

"She will be fine, Thornbury," he said, convincing himself as much as the butler. "She's had a scare and is exhausted, but she will recover."

"Thank goodness," the butler said just as the housekeeper appeared behind him. It seemed that she had heard everything that Levi had imparted, and she quickly began to bustle around, arranging all that she felt was required – food, drink, bath, Siena's maid – when all Levi really wanted was time alone with his wife, the opportunity to hold her and remind himself that she was no longer in any danger.

But he realized from the efforts of his staff just how much they had all come to love Siena, and so he allowed them all to do what they required to show their affection for her. It seemed far too long afterward that he was finally alone with her, on what, he realized belatedly, was their wedding night.

Siena had briefly awoken for her bath, but her eyes had remained closed nearly the entire time. Levi refused to leave the room, sending her maid out before he gently washed Siena's hair and her body, then lifted her from the bathtub, drying her and dressing her, with help from her sleepy movements, before tucking her into bed.

"What a day," he murmured as he reached out and drew her close to him. She still didn't wake, although she did nuzzle her body closer against his. He wrapped his arms around her, closed his eyes, and, for the first time in what felt like forever, easily fell asleep.

Siena wokethe next morning stiff and sore, yet also complete and desperately happy. It took her a moment to remember why.

Then she recalled all that had occurred the previous day, from the wedding to the abduction to her father to McGregor, and she nearly became sick.

What had started as a beautiful morning had quickly turned to disaster, all due to the selfish actions of two men who couldn't see beyond their own circumstances.

Although it had ended as it began with Levi by her side – and really, what else mattered?

She opened her eyes to find him drowsily watching her, and she determined, then, to never let anyone and or anything interfere with what the two of them had found in one another.

"Levi?"

"Yes?"

She gripped his hands tightly. "I love you. So much."

The smile that broke out on his face – such a rare occurrence – warmed her right through.

"I love you too. More than you could ever know." He ran his hands over her cheeks. "How do you feel?"

"A bit stiff and sore, but better than I would have thought."

"When you were in that building, I…" He seemed at a loss for words, but Siena understood, for she had felt the exact same when she had seen him lying on the ground outside.

"I know," she said. "But all ended well, thank goodness."

"And now? Are you happy remaining here with me, knowing that your parents don't approve of us, that society will have questions?"

"Must you truly ask that?" she said, raising her eyebrows. "Do you forget that I ran away from the wedding that society was expecting? I don't care what anyone thinks, Levi. I'm here with you, and I will stay with you." She paused. "Thank you for coming for me. And for coming into the fire after me. I can only imagine how torturous that must have been."

"Yesterday made me realize that it is not the fire itself that scares me. It is the thought of losing someone to it. Yet now that we have overcome it, somehow it doesn't hold such power over me anymore."

"It is interesting, is it not, that the tragedy of losing your brother to fire only furthered McGregor's need for more fire, while it convinced you to avoid it completely?"

"I suppose that is the difference between setting the fire and being trapped within it."

"I suppose." She paused for a moment. "I do feel sorry for him."

Levi shook his head. "You are too kind. I cannot find it within myself to overcome what he did to you. What he did to my brother. Even through the circumstances."

"He is a troubled man, that is for certain."

Levi nodded before leaning in and kissing her gently, not wanting to injure her any further but needing the closeness.

Siena surprised him by reaching up and gripping his shirt, pulling him down toward her.

"Siena—"

"Make love to me," she whispered, needing him close to her, within her, but he was already leaning back away from her.

"It is too soon," he said. "I do not want to cause you any further harm."

She laughed lightly. "Trust me, what I have in mind will only make me feel better."

"Yes, but?—"

"Please?" she said softly, her lips parting open as she was already nearly suffering with her need for him.

"Well, when you ask me like that…"

She laughed gleefully as she pulled him back toward her, fusing their lips together as she moved restlessly against him. They moved together slowly at first, as he treated her like porcelain, moving gently around her, not allowing any of his weight upon her.

She both appreciated it and longed for more, and finally she pushed against his chest until he rolled over and she swung her leg overtop of him to straddle him, then slowly sunk down upon him and set the pace herself.

He threw his head back, his open and vulnerable position sending a surge of power through her as they surrendered to one another and her fingers bit into his shoulders.

He pulsed within her as he found his release, sending her over the edge herself.

She finally rolled off him, and he stood from the bed, walking over to the washbasin and retrieving a piece of linen to gently clean her.

He had just returned to the bed to lay with her, giving her time to rest, when there was a knock on the door.

"Your Grace, you have a visitor," came the voice of Mrs. Porter.

"A visitor?" Siena called back. "Who is it?"

"Lady Eliza has returned."

"Oh dear," Siena said to Levi. "She must have heard about the abduction. Or the fire. Or both. I'm sorry, I know we were just married yesterday but?—"

"Go put her mind at ease," he said. "I am not going anywhere."

Siena put herself together as best she could, seeing the bathtub but barely remembering her soak, before meeting Eliza in the drawing room, where her friend practically flung herself at her.

"Siena! My goodness, what happened to you? One moment I was leaving you a newly married woman and the next I hear that you were abducted and trapped in a fire? I cannot leave you for a moment before trouble finds you!"

Siena couldn't help but laugh as she returned Eliza's embrace and then led her over to the sofa.

"You are usually the one who puts me into trouble."

"Perhaps, but not this kind of trouble."

"You have a point," Siena said. "Sit down, for this is quite the story."

She told Eliza as much as she could, leaving out some of the details of Levi's own trauma, as well as McGregor's. She felt that wasn't for her to tell, even though she knew that Eliza would never share such secrets.

"And what of your father? How could he be involved in such a thing?"

Siena shrugged. "I suppose he only cared about his own reputation. He never meant for me to be hurt, I'm sure, but he certainly didn't care about Levi."

"My mother heard that your parents packed their London house and left for the country this morning, as though they were fleeing."

"They very likely were. I cannot see them wanting to stay and face any criticism."

"The good news is that likely means they have given up fighting your marriage. My mother also heard that Lord Mulberry has already set his intentions on a new bride."

"Oh, the poor thing," Siena said, but Eliza leaned in and placed a hand on her knee.

"That's just it," she said conspiratorially. "She is not young at all but a widow his own age."

"Is she really?"

"If my mother is correct," Eliza said.

"Your mother is always correct."

"This is true. She collects gossip better than anyone I have ever met."

They laughed slightly at that before Eliza leaned back and cast her eyes over Siena,

"I know you have been through an ordeal, but I must say, I have never seen you so happy."

"I have never been so happy," Siena said. "Thank you, Eliza, for everything. If you hadn't helped me escape from my wedding, I can't even think about what I would be doing right now."

Eliza shuddered.

"You would not be with a man you love, that is for certain," she said, before holding Siena out at arm's length. "I should let you return to your new husband. Thank goodness you are so close to London. I don't think I could bear to have you live too far away."

"I completely understand," Siena returned. "Thank you for showing me what it means to have a voice. I shall see you soon, I hope."

"Of course. You will never be rid of me."

After a quick cup of tea, Eliza was about to leave when Levi appeared. Eliza curtseyed to him, but both women were surprised when Levi walked over and took her hands in his.

"You have been a very good friend to my wife," he said. "I will always appreciate that."

"You are a lucky man," she said before leaning in and quietly saying, "take good care of her."

"Always," he responded.

As Eliza's carriage disappeared, Siena walked forward and laid her head on Levi's chest. He wrapped an arm around her, and as Siena kissed the scarred side of his face, she realized that he no longer pulled back when she paid attention to that side of his body, not like he used to do.

"I'm so glad you saved me," she said, but he shook his head against her, the scruff on his chin lightly brushing against her forehead. She leaned in and inhaled the scent that was so uniquely him, which caused pleasure to shoot out to every limb of her body.

"You were the one who saved me," he said. "I could never have imagined that the decision to rescue you from those highwaymen would have changed the rest of my life."

"We saved each other then," she said. "I love you, Levi."

"And I love you."

He kissed her then, a searing promise of happiness.

Now, until forever.