Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

D iana’s first thought upon waking was of the little girl, how she’d been so cold, shivering and full of terror. She changed into the clean gown that someone had left for her on the foot of the bed and rushed into the hall, grasping a footman’s arm as he passed by.

“How is Isla?” she demanded, her heart pounding with dread. The house was far too quiet. In her experience, a quiet house meant death had paid a call.

“She’s fine, Miss Fox,” the young man assured her. “She slept through the night and ate a hearty breakfast this morning. She is still in bed. The doctor visited this morning and said she was much recovered. He believes it was more the shock from the storm rather than the rain that made her ill.”

“Thank you.” Diana sagged against the wall, her legs wobbly. A thought occurred to her. “Heavens,” she muttered as she felt the world starting to spin. “My staff must be frantic. I didn’t mean to stay the night here.”

The footman smiled. “Rest easy, Miss Fox. Word was sent yesterday that you were to remain as a guest after you saved Miss Isla’s life. Your butler replied with a thank-you and said to tell you that you should rest. He also sent over a selection of gowns and other necessary things for you to wear.”

Peele wanted her to rest? Impossible. They had so much to do. There was another robbery to plan because they had mouths to feed and a house still to run. Paying off their current debts didn’t save them from future debts. Her head ached with the sudden rush of anxiety. Diana pressed a hand to her chest as it tightened, and she shut her eyes tight, forcing herself to breathe, praying it would clear her head.

The footman placed a careful hand on her arm. “Miss Fox? Are you unwell?”

A deep, smooth voice cut straight through her sudden panic. “What’s the matter?”

Diana lifted her head and saw Mr. Lennox— Rafe —standing in the corridor, his eyes focused on her in clear concern. It was a wild relief to see him there, despite the embarrassment she felt at having such a display of weakness in front of him.

“She appears to be unwell, Mr. Lennox,” the footman said, which only deepened the flush of shame in Diana’s cheeks. She didn’t feel unwell, ever . She couldn’t afford to.

“Thank you, Sampson. I will escort her to somewhere she can sit down.” Rafe dismissed the footman and took his place at Diana’s elbow. He took her arm, tucking it around his, and she leaned into his body to absorb the heat that emanated from him. He wore no coat, and she could feel his firm muscles through the cloth of his billowing sleeves. He continued to watch her with those fathomless blue eyes. The scent of rain and a faint masculine cologne teased her nose, making her want to lean in closer and inhale deeply.

They stood together until she regained her equilibrium, and he continued to hold her by the waist and let her hold on to his arm. The heat in her face subsided, and the anxiety in her chest eased.

“You look much recovered now, sweetheart. Would you care to join me for breakfast?” He said the word sweetheart so sweetly that it brought a tremble to her lips, which she bit to hide before she was able to respond. She gazed into his face, enraptured by those bright-blue eyes, eyes she secretly wished belonged to someone else... Yet at the same time, she wanted that man to be this man.

But it was impossible for a man of Rafe Lennox’s station to resort to robbing coaches. He was of the landed gentry, gifted with all the creature comforts a man could need, and he had a warm and loving family. There was no need for him to become a highwayman, and that reality pinched at her heart.

But she had to admit that this man was just as enticing to her, just as fascinating and engaging, albeit in a far different way than the mysterious Tyburn. Rafe possessed a wild intensity even as he played the role of a courtly gentleman. In the last several years, she’d forgotten how exciting such feelings could be. She’d had her head down, her body overworked, her mind plagued with fear and anxiety about the future. But whenever Rafe was near, she seemed to come back to the self she wanted to be again.

“Breakfast would be lovely. I believe that should put me to rights.”

Rafe’s eyes twinkled. “Very well, but you will deprive me of the pleasure of seeing to your every need if you are no longer unwell.”

See to her every need? No one had done that in years... no one had offered except that wicked highwayman. The thought was so tempting, to let herself be cared for, but she couldn’t.

As if the gentleman could read her mind, Rafe chuckled. “That is twice this morning that the women in my life have indicated I was not needed. Isla was most insistent that she was a lady, and ladies do not need cuddling from their fathers. I think she was a bit embarrassed after all the fuss we made yesterday. I cuddled her anyway, and it is a great pity I cannot offer you the same treatment. Unless you wish it, of course. In which case, I shall place myself fully at your disposal for any and all cuddling you desire.”

The man was teasing her most scandalously, and yet the thought of him holding her, kissing her, whispering comforting thoughts... It made her chest clench with desperate longing.

They were halfway down the stairs when she suddenly halted.

“Diana?” Rafe said in concern. “What is it?”

She looked once more into Rafe’s face as she realized that she had not thought of Tyburn last night or this morning. She’d been thinking of this man, Rafe, kissing her.

What a fickle heart she must have to let it wander between two men. Still, a little voice whispered in her head that Mr. Lennox was a man she could marry, a man who could offer her a future and security, even friendship. The same could not be said of the mysterious Tyburn. It would be wise to let the fantasy of Tyburn go and think of a possible real future with this man, assuming Rafe would even look at her as a prospective wife. But they’d only just met. It wasn’t as if he would propose, or that she would accept such a proposal. She was letting her mind get ahead of itself, as it often did.

“I... I’m all right,” she said, and he led her the rest of the way to the dining room.

“Would you allow me to prepare you a plate?” Rafe asked. “Is there anything you particularly dislike?”

“Kippers. No kippers, please.” She sat in a chair as Rafe removed each lid from the chafing dishes and spooned food onto a plate, then brought it to her. A footman poured her a cup of tea and then stepped into the corridor to speak to the butler, and Rafe joined her once he’d served his own plate. He sat across from her at the table. She was suddenly very aware that it was just the two of them here.

“I want to thank you,” Rafe said. “You saved my child’s life yesterday.”

Goosebumps broke out on her skin as the events of the day before replayed in her mind. The fierce rain, the assault of lightning, and the barrage of thunder. It was a miracle none of them had been hurt.

“You cannot possibly know what that little girl means to me. She is...” Rafe’s voice grew thick with emotion. “She is my world. She’d saved me when I stood on the precipice of darkness. She pulled me back into the light. The world underestimates the value of a child’s love. It is unconditional, held back by no limits. Such a love can save any lost soul.”

Diana was moved by his frankness. “You are quite right. When we grow up, we begin to limit everything in our lives, even our love.” She stared down at her plate. “I was more than glad to help you yesterday. There is something about Isla that...” She couldn’t find the words to say what she wished to. “Heavens, I don’t know what it is I mean to say, but I feel a connection to her.”

Some of the worry and concern in Rafe’s eyes vanished beneath his natural charm.

“That is the magic of adorable orphans,” Rafe said. “One cannot deny the urge to love them and feel connected to them. I never had much time or interest in children before, but the moment I met Isla, she simply stole away any reservations I might have had.”

Diana smiled back, remembering how she’d instantly wanted to hug Isla and listen to her chatter on about Mrs. Crumpet. “She’s impossible not to adore.”

“I was thinking perhaps I could escort you home?” Rafe offered. “When you feel up to it, of course.”

Any protest she might have had died upon her lips as their gazes locked across the table and she found herself saying, “Yes.”

“Good.” Rafe then engaged her in conversation, lifting her somewhat down spirits. He peppered her with questions, everything from her favorite flower to the book she’d been reading lately. She confessed that she had not had much time to read as of late, but she adored novels, and when it came to flowers, she was rather bewitched by the amaranth. Their reddish stems often had spines protecting themselves from being plucked, but they were a wild, exotic-looking bloom that, when planted well, could grow in colorful bracts and dazzle one’s senses with showering inflorescences.

“And you?” she asked as they dined.

“Well, my favorite flower... How to choose? I mean, there are so many! I’m rather obsessed with flowers, as all serious men must be. It’s all we can think of, and you ask me to choose?” Rafe began, making her burst into sudden giggles.

“No, I meant your favorite book ,” she corrected, then giggled again when he gave her a look of mock effrontery.

“You mean to say you do not care what my favorite flower is? You wound me, my dear Diana.” He caressed her name with a friendly intimacy she hadn’t heard anyone use in a long time. It made her feel like she was no longer on the outside looking in upon a warm, intimate world. That single use of her name had taken her in and rescued her from the cold.

“Well, what is it?” she asked, desperately trying not to laugh.

“ The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon , by that Irving fellow. Particularly his story ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’—magical story. Frightening too... What?” He halted when she burst into giggles again.

“Now I meant your favorite flower .” Diana had to wipe tears from her eyes because she was laughing too hard, probably partly in relief from the stress of the last few days, but also because he was so amusing.

“You change your mind rather quickly. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“I do not!” she insisted. “I suppose I do... no, not really.”

Rafe chuckled. “Well, ’tis your woman’s prerogative.”

“Yes, it is. Now about those flowers...,” she said, unable to resist teasing him.

“Oh, that... well, I like daffodils. The little ones. They are so strong, given their size,” he answered quite seriously. “They remind me of Isla.”

“I rather agree,” she said with a smile. “She is a most darling child.”

She finished her tea and ate the last bit of her toast, then licked the marmalade from her fingertips. Rafe’s blue eyes grew hot with interest, and Diana self-consciously cleared her throat, which made his gaze lift to meet her own.

“I must thank your brother and his wife, and you for your hospitality and care, but I believe I’m feeling well enough to go home now. Do you still wish to escort me?”

“Of course.” He rose from his chair at the same moment she did. “Let me call for my phaeton to be brought around. After I see to Isla, we shall depart.”

Rafe had his phaeton and Diana’s horse brought around while he went up to the nursery to see Isla before he departed. His daughter was sitting up in bed, the color having returned to her cherubic cheeks. She was talking to her doll, Mrs. Crumpet, while her nanny watched, a book abandoned in her lap. Isla saw that he was wearing his coat, hat, and gloves, and her eyes filled with tears.

“You’re leaving , Papa?”

“What? No, of course not.” He rushed over to sit on the edge of her bed. “I am simply escorting Miss Fox home, that is all.”

Isla started to push at the coverlet that was tucked up against her little lap. “May I come?”

“Next time, kitten. You’re supposed to be resting today.” Damnation, it was hard to say no to this child when she sniffled and clutched her doll to her chest.

Isla managed a brave little nod.

“But I will tell Miss Fox that you and I shall call upon her for tea soon, if she is available.”

Isla brightened at this, and Rafe leaned forward to kiss her forehead. Then he reached above her to retrieve the portraits of her parents from a little bookshelf by the bed and placed them on her lap. He’d gotten them out earlier this morning when he’d checked on her for the hundredth time.

“Now, they will keep you company until I return.” He showed her the portraits and then tucked them into her lap so she could look at them.

He sent a silent prayer to the two people who’d brought this child into the world and thanked them for letting him have Isla in his life. Mrs. Chesterfield assured him she wouldn’t take her eyes off the girl, and Rafe left the nursery to meet Diana downstairs.

It was strange to be with Diana as himself, not hiding behind a black domino and disguising his voice. But as strange as it was, it was also easy to be with her. She was quiet, it was true, but once he got her talking, she opened up like a blossom after a much-needed rain. She laughed often, the sound delightful and addictive to his ears. Without the danger of his secret identity, she seemed more relaxed.

“Ready?” he asked as they came down the steps to his phaeton. He grasped her by the waist and lifted her into the vehicle. It was certainly forward to touch her so, but after all they’d been through, he simply touched her without thinking. She blushed but said nothing as he climbed into the other side of the carriage. Her horse was tied to the back of the phaeton so it could trail behind them.

“I suppose one of us should comment on the impropriety of the two of us unmarried, unrelated persons traveling together,” she said, a hint of amusement in her tone.

“I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.” Rafe flashed her another grin. “It’s far from the most scandalous thing I’ve done,” he admitted. “It’s actually rather tame compared to some of my past exploits.”

Diana shot a glance at him. “I’ve heard you were quite the rake.”

“Has Rosalind been spilling my deep, dark secrets?” Rafe asked with a chuckle.

“More like singing your praises. I think she secretly adores you.”

“Truly?” He guided the pair of horses down the road, loosely adjusting the ribbons of leather in his gloved hands. “I never thought she’d... Well, we had a bit of a rough start, she and I. Neither of us liked the other upon first meeting.”

“Whatever she thought of you before, it has changed,” Diana assured him.

“I suppose I’ve gotten used to others thinking ill of me. It comes with the territory, being the ne’er-do-well brother.” Blast, the truth always spilled out of his lips whenever this woman was near him.

“Ne’er-do-well? I see no ne’er-do-well here. We can change who we are, you know,” Diana said sagely.

He held her gaze a moment before turning back to the road. “You believe that?”

“I do. Sometimes fate forces us to become someone out of necessity; other times we find the strength within ourselves to do it on our own. I was a silly young creature when I was little, but I changed for the better.”

Rafe’s mind turned back to the past. “Aren’t we all supposed to be silly when we’re young? Isn’t that the gift of youth? To live without fear of consequences?”

“I suppose it is, but one cannot be young or innocent forever.” There was a hint of sorrow in that voice, reminding him of all she had been through.

“I heard about your family. I am sorry,” he said after a moment of silence.

“Thank you. It hasn’t been easy. I’m just grateful the estate was not entailed to some distant male relative who would swoop in and take my home. My father was wise enough to leave it to me as part of my inheritance.”

Diana was ever surprising him, leaving him guessing in the most fascinated sort of way what she was truly capable of. He’d learned much about her over the last day. She’d lived on her own with no family and had earned the fierce loyalty of her servants who had become her new family. She was a brave woman, a clever thief, a woman who would risk her life for a child she barely knew, and she was simply... magnificent . Ashton had once said that when he looked at Rosalind, she seemed to glow like the sun. He’d thought his brother mad at the time, but now he understood that a woman could glow. Even a woman who thought the world had turned its back on her, and she was weary enough to give in, but hadn’t. That sort of woman glowed, even if she could not see her own shine.

Rafe vowed in that moment to find a way to show her how simply incredible she truly was. But beyond that, he wanted to be there for her, to help her, to give her shelter in his arms. To cover her face with kisses when she wanted to weep and coax smiles out of her instead. He was puzzled at this sudden change in himself, but he couldn’t deny the truth of it. He wanted to think about a future with someone. And not just anyone, but this woman.

“Would you consider marrying someday?” Rafe felt his tongue thicken. This was a question he’d never thought he’d ask, even in a roundabout way, of any woman.

“I...” She paused, her eyes roving over the countryside. “If I was certain I could trust the man I married. He would have to be willing to help me take care of my home, my lands, and my servants who have been my family. I would need him to understand that marriage does not make him my master, no matter what the law says. He would be my partner, my equal.” She dared to meet his gaze, and he saw a flutter of hope in her eyes, but it was quickly snuffed out by resignation. No doubt because of his reputation she expected him to be like every other man she’d met.

“That, I fear, is a tall order to ask of most gentlemen,” she continued. “They believe they are entitled to settle down into my home and my world without proving they deserve to be there. It is a hubris I cannot abide.” She smoothed her skirts nervously. “And you? Would you ever consider marriage?”

He knew they were both dancing around a very important question that carried the weight of their fates, so his answer had to be carefully given.

“I would. If I found a woman I could trust with myself and with Isla. I know my reputation is questionable, but...” He hesitated.

“The right woman will not care about your reputation. Reputation is what others think of you. The right woman would only care about your character, about who you are.” Diana’s words slid directly into the center of his chest, curling up there in a warm ball that made him feel... light in a way he hadn’t in a long time.

The night his father died, he’d lost his way, but the night Isla had chosen him as her father, he’d stumbled back onto the path that would lead him home. And the night he had taken Diana to bed in the hunting lodge, it was as though his home was finally in view. He was so close to finding himself, to being the man he should have been all those years ago. Yet he also feared how much this woman mattered to him. She had slept with him when he’d been Tyburn, and now she was alone with him as Rafe. He knew his little thief’s secret, but she did not know his. What if he asked her to choose Rafe and she secretly wanted Tyburn? It was a damned hard thing to find himself jealous of himself. Perhaps he should do what he’d always done and leap into the unknown, trusting to fate, or at least luck.

“Diana... I know we’ve only just met, but I would like to see you more often.”

“What are you asking?” she replied, a little breathless.

“I suppose I’m asking, in a frightfully awkward way... if I would be allowed to... court you?”

Her eyes looked deep into his, and he wished he knew what she was searching for there.

“You wish to court me?”

“Is it too soon? I can pretend to wait.” He tried to tease her with his words, but he sounded far too earnest.

“Um . . . I . . .” Her hesitation felt like the sword of Damocles above his head.

“Do not answer now. Please take some time to think upon it. For now, let us simply enjoy our ride together. It is a splendid day, and sometimes it’s best to just soak in the sunshine and remember to breathe.”

They rode in companionable silence to her home, and he had a chance to take it in with new eyes. He’d only ever seen it at night and in the early dawn.

Foxglove was magnificent . The old stone manor house was covered with lush ivy on one side, and gardens ran wild on the opposite. It was steeped in character, with its beautiful gables and wild, ancient sort of beauty that only some old homes could manage. The windows winked in the sunlight, as if to welcome him. No wonder Diana was fighting to keep this place. It was a home.

Rafe halted the phaeton in front of the steps as an elderly groom came out to meet them.

“Good afternoon, Nelson,” Diana said with a smile.

“Glad to see you back, Miss Diana.” The old groom gave Rafe an appraising look as he took charge of the horses.

“Will you be staying here, sir?” he asked Rafe.

Rafe looked to Diana. It was her choice, but he hoped she would ask him to.

“Yes. That is, if you would like to?” Diana looked at Rafe, her face flushing a little. “I can offer tea.”

“Tea would be marvelous.” Even though they just had breakfast an hour ago, he would not turn down any chance to know Diana better and see her world.

“Nelson, would you please see to Mr. Lennox’s horses and mine?” She pointed at her own horse, which was tied up to the back of the phaeton.

“Yes, Miss Diana.”

A butler greeted them at the door, and again Rafe had the sense that this man was measuring him. Rather than take it personally, Rafe was glad the servants were so protective of his little fire drake.

“Mr. Lennox, this is my butler, Mr. Peele. Mr. Peele, this is Mr. Rafe Lennox, Lord Lennox’s younger brother. He was kind enough to escort me home, and I have invited him to stay for tea.”

“Mr. Lennox,” Peele said gravely and took Rafe’s hat and gloves.

“A pleasure, Mr. Peele,” Rafe replied. Diana guided him to the sitting room. His keen eyes took in the state of the interior of the house. It was well cared for, but he did notice that repairs were needed. Walls needed repainting, doors needed sanding and re-lacquering. New fabrics were required for furniture. He knew that Diana likely didn’t wish for him to see any of this, so he pretended not to. It seemed that even with the debts paid there wasn’t enough left over to renovate this home, which made him wonder whether she’d end up in debt again all too soon. The cost of maintaining a house like this in good condition was certainly expensive. He knew that all too well because Ashton so often reminded him of the expenses of their own estate.

It seemed he and Diana had more in common than he realized.

She gestured to a settee. “Please, sit.” She pulled a bell cord by the door to summon for the tea service, then sat down in a chair facing him. She adjusted the skirts of her gown, clearly nervous.

“Diana, you need not worry,” he said. “I fear I put you in a difficult spot by bringing up the matter of courtship so soon. It’s just that... after what happened in the field, and how you stayed with me and Isla, I feel as though I’ve known you for years.” Rafe knew he sounded desperate, perhaps even a little mad. But when she spoke, she stunned him.

“I feel the same, as though I’ve always known you, yet I barely know you. I think that is what makes me rather uneasy. I know nothing of your life, nor you of mine.”

Rafe took a chance and stood. He grasped her hand and then gently pulled her toward him so that she would sit down beside him on the settee. “Then tell me about yourself, Diana. Let me peer into your heart and you into mine, so that our souls will be satisfied.” He clasped her trembling hand in his own.

I am your wicked highwayman. Your Tyburn. You can trust me . He wanted to say those words, but it was too dangerous for her to know the truth, and the last thing he wanted to do was put her in danger. Diana’s brown eyes met his, and that flash of lightning zinged from her into him. She searched his face, seeking answers he wished he could give.

“Fate gave me Isla,” said Rafe. “And yesterday, I believe fate brought you to me. I am willing to trust in fate again.”

She licked her lips, her soft breath escaping in a rush. Her knees bumped his as she angled to face him.

“You would tell me everything? No secrets?” she asked.

“No secrets...” The lie was bittersweet and softened only by the fact that someday, when it was safe, he would tell her the full truth.

“Tell me everything, from the beginning. Tell me the story of your life.” She squeezed his hands, and something like a wave deep beneath the sea moved through him, filling every part of him with her essence, and all she had done was let him bare his own soul without fear.

He told Diana about his childhood, about the night his father died and how everything in his family had changed as a result. He told her about Caddington and Phelps, and how his father had sent him home, but he’d left the coach and gotten hurt and watched his father get struck by a passing carriage. He’d never told anyone else about it. Even though Ashton had been there that night, they’d never spoken of what had transpired. She kept silent until he drew in a breath.

“Did you say Lord Caddington ?” she asked, her honey-brown eyes swirling with turbulent storms.

“Yes, a man who is both foul and dangerous. I’ve kept my distance from him ever since that night.”

“I believe that is wise,” she agreed. “He isn’t to be trusted.”

Fear spiked in him. “You know him?”

“I’ve had the displeasure of meeting him once, about a month ago. He interrogated me after I was a victim of a highway coach robbery.”

Rafe tensed. “What did you tell him?”

“Nothing. I despised the man so much upon first meeting him that I purposely misled him. Unfortunately, two of the men who were riding in my coach when I was robbed remembered some details that I had withheld. But for my part, I hope those thieves never get caught.”

The tension in Rafe’s shoulders eased. So that was how Caddington knew their names. That fact had been on his mind since Ashton had shown him the article in the newspaper. Of course, any of their other victims could have shared such information, but now he knew it hadn’t been Diana. She had kept her promise to Tyburn.

“Caddington is set on catching them,” Diana continued, her voice still quiet. “They’ve robbed several coaches of his, ones that had money belonging to him.”

Rafe’s brows rose. He’d had a few lucky nights with Will and Caspian in the last few months where casks of money had been on the coaches they’d robbed, but he’d had no idea they were connected to Caddington. He had to hide the surge of grim pride at knowing he’d wounded the bastard’s pocketbook more than once.

“We should speak no more of him,” Diana said.

“Agreed. And now it’s your turn.” He stood and she rose as well. “Shall we walk and you can tell me about yourself?” he offered.

“All right.” The door to the sitting room opened, and a middle-aged woman carried in a tea tray.

“Oh, Mrs. Ripley, I’m so sorry,” said Diana. “But I think we are going to walk for a bit. We shall drink it when we return.”

The housekeeper nodded. “Yes, of course, Miss Fox. So sorry for the delay. I’ll reheat it for when you return.”

Rafe realized that no footman or maid had brought the tea earlier, and they’d talked quite a long time. It made him wonder how understaffed Diana’s house was that even a simple tea service was so delayed.

“This way...” Diana led Rafe into the corridor, and when she apologized again about the missed tea, he pulled her to a stop and smiled, leaning down to whisper to her.

“I don’t give a fig about the tea, darling. I’m here for you . And it’s your turn. Tell me everything, and you simply must start at the beginning.”

The smile that spread across her face shone with an inner starlight he adored beyond measure.

He could hear the mix of love and pain in her voice as she shared her childhood with him. They entered a gallery of paintings, and she stopped before one of two small girls.

Diana nodded at the portrait. “That is me and my sister, Eleanor.”

The dark-haired one he recognized was Diana. She had been an adorable child, with pink cheeks and a bright-green dress. She was perhaps four years old. His gaze moved to the older girl, and his chest tightened. She reminded him of Isla, or rather what Isla might look like when she was a few years older, when her face turned from a small child to that of a young girl. He was both excited for and dreading that day.

His daughter was going to grow up so fast, and he feared he would miss it every time he closed his eyes. Many parents longed for their children to be children forever, but Rafe’s mother had told him when he was young that the joy of children was not keeping them as children, but watching them become the people they were meant to be. It was the journey, not the beginning, that mattered. A parent’s true joy was seeing their child at every stage of life.

“She reminds me of Isla a little,” Rafe mused as he studied the older girl’s features. There was something about the shape of her eyes and her mouth that he found fascinating.

Diana stared at her sister’s portrait, smiling sadly. “They both have that same look of mischief, don’t they? Eleanor was certainly mischievous when we were young. But as we got older and Mother grew unwell, Eleanor withdrew from everyone. Even though Mother was unwell, Papa still had her. But when Eleanor pulled away... I was lost. In some ways, I suppose I still am.”

Rafe caught Diana’s chin and turned her face toward his. “You aren’t lost. You’ve made a life here. And I daresay you still have a family.” He nodded at the footmen watching her with concern on their faces.

Tears suddenly filled her eyes, and she lifted a hand to brush them away.

“Allow me.” With gentle fingers, Rafe brushed the tears from her cheeks.

“I rather feel as though I am but one moment away from failing at everything,” Diana confessed. Rafe’s heart was pierced with the sharp echo of her pain.

“I know that feeling all too well. My brother and I were close once, but my mother blamed me for my father’s death, just as I blamed myself. In the end, I lost her, Thomasina, Ashton, and even little Joanna. I was never good enough. I made no money, only trouble. I never proved my worth, not the way Ashton does.”

Diana drew in a breath as he wrapped his arms around her.

“Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing to simply be enough for those we love?” she asked.

He rubbed her back, feeling the stares of the footmen behind him, knowing he was taking too damned many liberties with her. But he had held Diana before, had kissed her tears away before. He had made love to her and known with clear conviction that she wasn’t simply enough—she was everything . She was a cosmos unto herself, wrapped in mystery and majesty.

He wanted to woo her with words, with flowers, with walks in the gardens, but something inside him warned him that he didn’t have the luxury of time. So he courted her with a kiss.

Rafe bent his head, his lips caressing hers, and sweet agony rippled through him, so hard that he trembled. He’d never thought a kiss could contain the power to save a life, but in that moment she saved his. Diana held every gentle promise of love and passion’s fire in her kiss. He tasted an unspoken vow of understanding and acceptance and returned it with his own.

We are the same, my little star. Shine upon me so that I may not fear the darkness within me.

When their lips parted, she gazed at him with wide brown eyes that held the night sky and all the stars within them. She wet her lips and spoke.

“Are you certain we’ve never met before?”