Page 51 of Holly & Folly

Nell shut her eyes. For the past year, she had been exerting all her effort to be proper. To punish herself for her mistakes.

The moment his lips touched hers, all of that was swept away, like flurries on the wind, replaced with warmth and fervor.

His mouth took hers again and again and again.

She let his hand slip around her waist and her body press against his, let herself return his kisses without reservation, let her hands find his chest and her mind settle into the passion and pleasure of being held by him.

Her body pressed to his, her mind filled with him, and her heart beat against his.

A throat cleared.

Fourteen

ARCHIE

Archie felt as though he had been wakened from a dream.

He blinked until the footman, whose gaze was politely averted, came into focus.

“My lord,” the footman said, “the countess requests your presence to greet a new guest.”

“Of course,” Archie said, his voice betraying what he had been doing with its breathlessness. “I shall come directly.”

Never had he agreed so quickly to a summons from his mother.

He looked at Miss Prescott, whose head was turned away, the back of her hand pressed to her mouth.

The footman shifted, and Archie looked at him. “I shall come directly,” he repeated.

The footman’s cheeks reddened. “Forgive me, my lord. The countess insisted I personally escort you. She seemed to fear you would not otherwise come.”

Archie grimaced, then looked at Miss Prescott again. He had no desire to leave her here. To leave her at all.

“Miss Prescott,” he said.

She finally looked at him, letting her hand drop from her mouth. It settled at her side.

The door to the conservatory opened, and footsteps followed. Whoever it was stopped—ostensibly at the sight of the footman—but was obscured from Archie’s view by the plants.

“I am looking for Miss Prescott,” the man’s voice said. “Have you seen her, by chance?”

Miss Prescott straightened, then strode toward him. “I am here, Wesley.”

Archie watched her, his chest tight, wanting to know precisely what was going through her mind. With a sliver of hesitation and a quick glance back at him, she disappeared with her brother.

Archie let out a breath, then nodded at the footman and followed him to answer Mother’s summons.

His breath was still coming quickly as he strode through the corridor, and he gripped his hands to keep them from trembling.

What had he done?

Too much. And yet somehow not enough.

He was not sure when he would have stopped if the footman had not come.

They reached the entry hall, the sound of Mother’s voice echoing in its expanse.

Her mouth spread into her widest smile at the sight of Archie. “My dear Lord Dalmeer. You will be positively delighted to see who has managed to join us.”