Page 67 of Hooked

My hero.

I smiled, overcome with gratitude for him. I wrapped my arms around his barrel chest, resting my head over his heart. He melted at my touch, returning my embrace as his chin settled into my hair. “Are you well?” he asked after a moment.

I let out a deep sigh. “I am now.”

“I haven’t known how much to pry. I want to watch over you like a hawk, but it seems like the women in this house are doing enough of that.”

I smiled at his astute observation. “Yes. Please don’t turn into a hawk. I’ve had enough hovering. Tell me about you.”

He pulled back and I tilted my face up to look at him.

“I,” he said, circling my ears with his fingers, “am grateful every time I see you in these halls.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to my mouth. “Every time I hear your voice.” Another kiss. “And every time I have a chance to make you smile, which has not been nearly enough lately.”

I smiled wide then, easing into the comfort of his presence.

“Is it strange?” he asked after a moment. “Not having to hide or run?”

I nodded. “I’m still adjusting—to many things.” Huckley no longer being a threat. The possibility of my father not being the man I’d come to believe. My willingness to trust Falstone and my desire to build something more with him. My desire—however small—to finally grow up.

“I’m here for anything you need,” he assured me. “But for now, I should probably let you get back to work.”

“Very well,” I agreed before stealing one more kiss and going on my way.

***

I needed to do more mending, but I couldn’t find a thimble. I had two, but one had disappeared the day Falstone came to speak with me in Marilee’s dressing room (and I suspected he still had it). The other seemed to have been misplaced sometime during my dark adventure at Huckley’s residence.

Mending without one certainly wasn’t the end of the world, but it went so much quicker when I wasn’t worried about stabbing my finger constantly. I could borrow one from the housekeeper or any number of other servants, but I decided to use it as an excuse to track down Falstone.

I found Marilee in the study with Sir James, but they were alone. I checked the kitchen and found Marcus eating and flirting with one of the chambermaids. I decided to let them alone and turned to ask Emeline if she knew where Falstone was, but Emeline was nowhere in sight.

Odd. Emeline was always in the kitchen. She loved it here. Only Diana stood in the kitchen, going through a basket of vegetables.

I turned back to the table. “Marcus?”

He looked up. “Yes?”

“Do you know where I might find Falstone?”

He tipped his head toward the back door. “Out back training.”

I grinned. “Are the children back again?”

“Not today.”

“Oh.” Well then, what kind of training was he doing?

I left the kitchen through the back door, but Falstone wasn’t in the patch of yard he usually occupied when training his small recruits. I set my hands on my hips, twisting my lips to one side in consternation. Where was he?

I walked past the vegetable garden, prepared to circle the house. As I neared the corner of the house, the familiar sound of wooden swords clashing met my ears. Marcus must have been mistaken. I smiled and hurried forward, anxious to see how the young soldiers had improved since last I’d seen them.

My smile dropped and my eyes widened in surprise when I saw Falstone facing off not with any children, but with Emeline.

Emeline?

She had the corner of her skirt tied up enough to give her feet free movement. She held a practice sword in one hand and had a small arm shield strapped to the opposite forearm. The set of her jaw was firm, her eyes focused. I’d never seen her look so fierce. She didn’t defend meekly. She was the one attacking, driving him back, using her arm shield to great effect.

No doubt Falstone could have beaten her handily, but it was clear that she had gained significant skill.