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“Where are you headed, Mrs. Gerard, looking like a winter fairy?”
Hope spun about at the sound of the innkeeper’s voice as she stood by the door before moving outside. Though she’d donned the pelisse from her traveling outfit, she’d also pulled out a cloak of bright red. It was one of the most cheerful garments she owned, and it seemed festive enough for the occasion.
“Ah, Mr. Addams. Hello.” Giving him a smile she hoped conveyed confidence, she shrugged. “I’m going outside to tramp through the snow. Don’t you think it looks so inviting with sunlight sparkling upon it like a thousand diamonds?”
“It is pretty, I’ll give you that.” He glanced about the room. “Is Mr. Gerard going out with you?”
“He is.”
They both turned as Brook approached. She sent him a grin, and when he returned the gesture, flutters filled her belly. “As my husband said, he has promised to accompany me, so there is no risk I’ll be lost or stuck.” While it was perfectly lovely to find herself stranded in an inn with the duke, being lost outside in the snow for several hours did not sound like an enjoyable adventure.
The innkeeper bounced his gaze between them both. “When you come back, sit near the fire. You’ll probably be frozen to the bone.” He shook his head. “Why anyone would want to be out there in the cold is beyond me.”
“We won’t be long but thank you for the concern. It is all so novel, this much snow.” Brook slipped a hand around her upper arm and guided her over the floor toward the front door. Once they’d exited the common room and were away from a few curious looks, the duke grinned again, and this time the delicate skin at the corners of his eyes crinkled. “You are quite fetching in that cloak, Mrs. Gerard.”
Heat sneaked into her cheeks. “It is warmer than the pelisse, and I figured if I did become lost, the red was striking enough against the snow that you could easily find me.”
His fingers tightened slightly on her arm. “I would never allow you to wander that far from me in any event.”
A path had been carved out from the door that ran around the side of the building toward the stables and another that branched in the rear so that firewood and other supplies could be taken inside... and no doubt refuse put out. She wasn’t quite certain of the inner workings of an inn, but such things would have to be considered. Gauging by the wall of the shoveled snow, there must be at least eight inches on the ground. Stable hands were out using whatever tools they could find that would lift or push the snow from various areas of the ground.
“The world looks so pretty and incredible just now,” Hope breathed with a fair amount of awe in her voice. “Doesn’t it seem peaceful?”
“Indeed, almost like a hymn.” He glanced at her with one eyebrow cocked beneath the brim of his beaver felt top hat. “Are you ready to leave the path? The snow might dampen your skirts and sneak over your boots.”
“I am willing to risk that, for how often are we treated to such a magical world?” Forgetting everything except the need to experience what that large amount of snow felt like, she tugged on his hand and urged him off the path.
The going was slow, for the snow was heavy and it sucked at her feet a bit, much as if she were walking through mud. Each time she stumbled, Hope squealed and clung to his hand. It helped that he met with a bit of resistance in walking through the snow as well. Her skirts hampered movement, so throwing caution to the wind, she released his hand in order to hike that fabric up and out of the way. Cold snow crept into her boots, and that made her squeal too.
Soon enough, they passed into the wooded area. In spots, the snow wasn’t as deep, and in others, it had drifted due to the winds from the storm. There was an ethereal hush through the barren trees and shrubberies. Here and there, bright red berries that clung heroically to the brambles provided a pretty pop of color. Wintertime birds flitted to and fro in the desperate search for food that wasn’t buried. She explored as best she could, and only when the duke called her name did Hope turnabout.
That’s when a ball of snow splattered against her chest. Cold flakes of the packed precipitation flew into her face and clung to her lips. Brook’s laughter rang out in the silence.
“What was that for?” She brushed at the snow and then readjusted the hood of the cloak upon her head.
“No reason other than it was fun.” Mischief twinkled in his eyes. “Do you wish to receive another?”
“Only if you want me to retaliate. It’s no good teasing if you cannot have some of the same, Your Grace.”
“Oh, we shall see about that.” Already, he bent, scooped up more snow, and was forming a tidy ball.
She squealed when he lobbed his makeshift artillery, but she quickly threw one of her own that caught him on the shoulder and exploded upon impact. His expression of sheer astonishment made her laugh as if she hadn’t a care in the world, and all too soon they threw snowballs back and forth until her hands were cold and she could no longer feel her toes.
“Are you declaring defeat, Mrs. Gerard?” he shouted with his hands propped on his hips. With his greatcoat and top hot, he seemed for all the world like a man lost in Hyde Park instead of a secretive duke snowbound at an inn.
“Only if you can catch me,” she hollered back and then turned tail and ran as best she could through the snow, deeper into the woods.
“Minx!” The crunch of snow told her he’d given chase.
Giggling, Hope continued forward, but the toe of her boot caught in a root hidden beneath the snow. She stumbled and then fell into the soft whiteness, landing first on her side. It felt so good and so lovely that she flopped onto her back if only to luxuriate in it.
“Hope, are you harmed?” Concern sound in the duke’s voice as he dropped to his knees beside her.
“I have never been so well!” Wanting him to experience the same thing, she sprang at him, but her skirts impeded movement. She tumbled headlong into his body, knocking him askew and when he flounced onto his back, she sprawled over his chest. That pulled another giggle from her throat. “This has been such a lovely morning.” Scrambling into a sitting position, she straddled his waist. Thank goodness they were far enough into the tree line that they wouldn’t be readily seen from the inn... unless someone peered out an upstairs window.
He ran his gloved hands up her legs to rest on either side of her waist. “Yes, it has.” Gone was the mischief from his sapphire eyes, replaced by a certain wicked promise that had the power to steal her breath.
“Thank you for accompanying me.” As she gazed down at him, noted his top hat a few feet from him, admired the contrast of his somber coat against the brilliant whiteness of the snow, realized the solid hardness of his body beneath hers, awareness tingled over her. “For that matter, thank you for the past few days. I have wildly enjoyed this experience.”
“So have I.” The duke tugged at the side of her cloak, brushed snow from her cheek with equally snow-encrusted fingers of his gloves. “Never will I forget how you look right now in this moment, with that red cloak and the blush of cold in your cheeks and with delight in your eyes.” He shook his head. “Your former fiancé was a damned fool,” he whispered seconds before he yanked her down over him and he crushed his lips to hers.
Oh, such heaven on Earth! The warmth of his lips coupled with the possessive slide of his hand down her spine to the curve of her bottom had tiny fires igniting through her blood. Where she’d thought tramping through the snow and throwing balls at him had been the height of fun, there was simply nothing in the world as wonderful as kissing a duke in a world glittering with cold diamonds.
Only now, she wanted so much more from him, to be in this same exact position only without so many clothes between them.
“Hope...” He dragged his lips beneath the underside of her jaw.
“Hmm?” If she died right now, she would be so happy.
“We should go back to the inn. It is quite cold out here...” But he nipped and nibbled a line of kisses down the side of her throat. “You are shivering.”
She met his gaze. The feeling of falling assailed her. Would he catch her? “Perhaps it is not just the cold that is affecting me.”
A groan mixed with a growl escaped him, and he again kissed her with such intensity the connection touched her soul. Eventually, he let her up. “Regardless, we need to return. I won’t have you catching a head cold merely because we’re lingering here.”
In a daze, for her head was in the clouds and she floated on the wonderful sensations he’d imparted, Hope nodded. The cold slowly began to seep into her being through the layers of clothing. “The snow is lovely, but this temperature is quite bracing.” With a bit of awkwardness, she scrambled off the duke and stood on shaky feet, for her knees had the strength of cooked porridge. You are quite potent, Your Grace. She offered a hand to assist him into a standing position. “Regardless, this had been one of the best days of my life.”
“That is good to know, but the day is still young.” Still grasping her hand, he threaded their fingers together and tugged her through the snow toward the inn once he retrieved his hat. “Who knows what other scandal we can find by the time night falls.”
Was there wicked promise in his voice or was her mind playing tricks on her? Perhaps it didn’t matter, for the mere suggestion sent heat curling through her insides. “For the moment, we should start with a fire and tea. Once my limbs thaw, we can decide what to do after that.” But she smiled. He was proving to be quite a surprising companion.
Too bad they were living on borrowed time at this point.
An hour later, she’d been given a chair by the cheerful crackling fire. Her cloak, gloves, and pelisse had been whisked away by the duke, and when he returned from upstairs, he’d also shed his outerwear, and he’d ordered a pot of tea for them both. He joined her in a comfortable chair of worn leather, and now that she had a cup of tea coursing through her veins to warm her, a certain level of relaxation and drowsiness had come over her.
“Tell me about your family. I would like to know you better,” Brook encouraged, and the timbre of his voice was so pleasant that she nodded. The common room wasn’t overly full; only half the tables were occupied, and there was a hushed buzz of conversation filling the air. Largely, they were alone and ignored tucked away near the fire.
“Must I?” It would cause her pain to speak of it.
“I would like it above half to learn how you became the woman you are today.” Earnestness shone in his eyes, and that slight smile curving his lips enchanted her.
“Very well.” As soon as she drained her teacup, he was there to refresh it. Being pampered was rather lovely. “My parents were some of the nicest people I ever knew. With my father being a baronet, I lived a large portion of my life in the country. That was the only life I ever knew.”
“He never brought the family to London?”
“Rarely, but then, there was no need.” She shrugged. “I was an only child and hadn’t come of age.”
“Not even when you turned nineteen and finished schooling?”
“We did not, but my mother was making plans for such. A Season is rather expensive what with the clothing, the balls and invitations, renting a house, paying for staff.” She fixed her gaze on some of the patrons utilizing the common room, for she didn’t wish to spy pity in Brook’s eyes. “I didn’t have one until after I came out of mourning when I lived with my uncle in London for a time.”
“You went there after your parents died?” he asked in a soft voice as he touched a hand to her arm. “I’m sure that was a terrible time in your life.”
“It was.” When her fingers went lax and her teacup flagged, the duke was there to gently take it from her hand. “Three years ago, a fire started in the kitchens. There was no way to determine the exact cause. If it weren’t for one of the footmen who woke me, I wouldn’t be here today.”
“Were your parents the only ones to perish in that fire?”
“No. Most of the staff did too. The footman who saved me went back in for my parents but never returned. One of the maids also was able to get free.” Tears filled her eyes. “Even still, I was burned in the escape and permanently scarred, as I have told you before.” She shrugged and wiped at the moisture on her cheeks. “I have become accustomed to my appearance, but it is something that will always ensure I am alone.”
“I rather think that won’t always be true.” He took her hand and squeezed her fingers.
“You are too kind.” Hope forced a hard swallow to encourage moisture into her tight throat. “That is why this time with you has been so unique and special,” she added in a whisper while meeting his gaze. “Thank you.”
“It has been my pleasure. I am sorry for the loss of your family as well as your family home. No one should have to experience something like that.” Warmth reflected in his eyes, and once more she was in danger of falling into those blue pools. “Would you like more tea?”
“Yes, please.” What a darling man he was, so patient and sympathetic as he waited on her hand and foot. When he gave her the teacup with a grin, flutters danced through her belly. Heightened awareness rippled over her skin and tingled down her spine. “Thank you.”
He nodded and then held up a tiny seed cake. “Hungry?”
Yes, but not for food. Aloud, she said, “I hadn’t anticipated how much of an appetite I’ve worked up by playing in the snow.” As he brought the cake to her lips, she bit into the sweet and took half. Seconds later, he popped the rest into his own mouth, and they again shared a smile.
“If you don’t mind me saying so, seeing such devotion between the two of you warms my heart,” the magistrate said as he drifted close to their location.
Hope glanced up at him and blinked, for she’d completely forgotten there were other people in the vicinity. The portly gentleman beamed at her while tugging on the hem of his tweed waistcoat. His thinning brown-gray hair only added to the picture of bucolic living. “I beg your pardon?” She quickly took refuge in her tea to cover the confusion and heat suddenly in her cheeks.
“It is quite obvious you are one of those couples who share the joy of simply being together. All the best marriages have that in them.”
Brook chuckled. “I don’t know about that, but Mrs. Gerard and I are content.”
“Oh, come now. It is more than that. Even a blind man can see the same.” The magistrate beamed, and he had the look of Father Christmas. “I was the same way with my wife, God rest her soul. I loved her to distraction.”
“I’m sorry to hear you’ve lost her,” Hope murmured and gave him a sympathetic smile. “It seems everyone has someone they’ve lost, and the missing is more acute during this time of the year.”
“Indeed, Mrs. Gerard.” The magistrate nodded. “I miss my Sarah every day, but I am heartened when I look about and see her beauty and hear her laughter in many things around me.” He winked. “That is how I know she is still with me, always urging me onward, supporting me until we can meet again.”
“Oh, that is so sweet and romantic,” Hope breathed with a glance to Brook.
He nodded. “I quite agree. Though I miss my, er, ah, certain other people in my life who have gone before, they are always there in our hearts, perhaps guiding us onto a different path we might not have thought to tread before,” he finished with a frown and a look of confusion.
“I apologize for interrupting your time.” As a string of giggling reached their location, he gestured toward a young couple in the opposite corner. “Do you see them? They have that special something as well.” His eyes twinkled as he landed his attention back onto her and Brook. “It is the same as what you two share. Love is the one thing we all search for and when we find it, we cling to that magic with all our strength. Enjoy it while you can.”
“Thank you.” Hope smiled. “I appreciate your words of insight. Perhaps we can talk to you later this evening.”
“Of course, Mrs. Gerard. The snow has given me an unprecedented opportunity to know my fellow travelers better, and perhaps we all need that during this time of year.”
Once he left them to speak with the young couple, she glanced at the duke. “I suppose our play acting has convinced everyone here.”
“We are ready to tread the boards on Drury Lane indeed.” When he caught her gaze, the two of them shared a laugh. “Truth to tell, though, this has been the best of all distractions. I’d suffered from melancholy before coming here, but thanks to you, I feel as if I am ready to take on the world, to perhaps try my hand at living again.” That warmth in his eyes glowed stronger. “I cannot fathom being stranded with anyone else quite as lovely.”
“I am glad.” Unexpectedly, a piece of her heart went into his keeping. This would be a Christmas gift to herself, and she would hug it to her heart for the remainder of her days to keep her company once she’d consigned herself to being a companion and meeting her lonely life.
Without him. She covered the urge to cry by taking a sip of tea. What a ninny I’ve become. For the remainder of their time together, she would need to make a concentrated effort to keep her attachment to him in check. Otherwise, their imminent parting would tear her apart.
