Page 31 (1/2)

Chapter 1

Chathaland

Sancrest Manor

Miss Pri rooripped between thuled to pretend that nothing was amiss When in truth, her entire world had been upended, and e waves—relief, joy, uncertainty Every sense within her centered on the man seated on the sofa, his repose casual, yet imbued with a command that had not customarily been present Her awareness had been narrowed to one spot, and he—the honorable Captain Gabriel Silas Northcote, second son of the Earl of Fairclough—was the center of that awareness

An icy droplet slid along her cheek as the last of the snowflakes on her bonnetin the rooh Pri a walk in the snow outside, maybe the man seated on the sofa was not present at Sancrest Manor, and the co presence dressed in fawn-colored trousers, white shirt, blue waistcoat, and a jacket was a figination She had spent an inordinate a that he would return to his family’s home in time for Christmas

In anticipation of hiroup of servants and had worked long into the night hanging s of holly on the mantles and across the fireplaces Fresh-cut red and white roses frohout the manor, and the air was redolent with the scent of lemons, pine, and mistletoe

And noas truly home

I’ve missed you so It had been two years since she had last seen him, since they last kissed, since they had last whispered heated and frantic words of love She’d often i for his return from the Crimean war As if he sensed her arrested stare, Gabriel took his regard away frolanced in her direction

He went remarkably still Myriad e

xpressions chased across his face in rapid flicks of eht her gone from the manor? His chest rose on a deep inhalation, he released his mother’s hand, and slowly came to his feet That reaction had the others present in the rooh, his sister Lady Annabelle, and sister-in-law Viscountess Wellesley, snapping their heads around

How Primrose wanted to rush into his embrace, but no one in his family knew of their tendre Moreover, she feared they would never approve of her engage to recommend her to his estimable family

“Miss Markha a thousand es she did not understand, but so desperately wanted to

The countess frowned, displeasure rich on her lovely face as if she did not believe her son should have greeted a woman considered little above the class of a servant

Primrose stared into the unfathomable eyes of the man that held her heart “Captain Northcote,” she whispered, far too breathlessly

He stepped forward a few paces, his gaze intent on her “How pleasant to see that you are well It’s been several months since we last saw each other”

How terribly casual he sounded—as if what they had shared had only been a passing fancy Her place in the world was defined and understood She was the daughter of a country gentleoverness in a well-connected household It was beyond silly that she had fallen in love with Gabriel Northcote She feared nothing would come of their attachled

How she’d gotten to this point, she could hardly tell She’d been an eoverness to her youngest daughter, Lady Annabelle Sancrest Manor and its inhabitants had stolen into Primrose ’s heart, and she dreaded the ti the family's closeness, how they loved and supported each other had alwayshad extended to her wanting to be a part of this family somehow

It had been a secret longing for so long until one day the possibility of it being a reality had eed Mr Northcote who’d been three and twenty to Primrose’s nineteen at the time had come upon her while she reposed beneath the talltree on the eastern section of the estate He hadn’t turned up his nose in the air as if she’d intruded upon his privacy despite her being at the spot first

"Miss Markhaain; may I enquire what you read?"

They'd spoken, and he'd complimented her on the prettiness of her name and how unusual it was How she had blushed and sta him the fanciful tale of the primrose flower and how her mother had loved their delicate colors She'd been flustered and so aware of hiently amused He hadn't allowed a distinction of rank to hout the years, she had come to rely on the comfort of their friendship for she had felt so alone in her world A sense of intimacy and familiarity had slowly perh the grottoes of the estate and across the open lawns How char, attentive, and kind he'd been

She had often berated herself for being too fanciful, and foolish, for he was above her in circumstance and wealth and surely her admiration could not be returned Then a couple of weeks before he’d left to war everything had changed He’d confessed his love, and every day they’d escaped the confines of the manor to be with each other They hadn’t just spoken of the heralding war, the great poets, the skies, and the mysterious wonders of the universe There had been touch… Such beautiful casual touches—an accidental brush of his fingers atop hers, the fixing of her hair behind her ears, the way he would offer his ar walks as if she were a lady