Page 39 of Once Upon a Midnight Dream

He burst out laughing.

“For you, Lilly, I would try. Even if it meant the death of me.”

By God, Zander meant it, and that knowledge shook him to the soles of his borrowed shoes.

“Now you mock me.” Hurt leeched into Lilly’s voice.

“Never, sweet, Lilly.”

Zander lifted her hand and brushed his lips across the knuckles. “Never.”

Her face crumpled, and before she yanked her hand from his and turned and ran into the house, tears slipped from her eyes.

Why?

Fourteen

In the estate orchard

A sunny autumn afternoon six days later

A month.

An entire month.

Zander had been at Kelston Hall Children’s Home for an entire month. Lilly could scarcely remember what life had been like before his arrival.

How could that be?

He fit in so well; it was as if he had always been here.

She really ought to sketch his image, now that he had completely healed from the brutal beating. Except, once the likenesses were passed around, someone would likely recognize him, and then he would go.

Out of her life forever.

That thought eviscerated her.

Things at Kelston Hall would return to the way they had been before Zander disrupted her orderly existence. Only, life would never be completely the same.

She had changed.

Zander meant much more to her than a mere stranger rescued from certain death or another capable instructor at the home.

More fool her for not promptly crushing the tender sentiments when they first sprouted, which she would have done forthwith, had she recognized her feelings for what they were.

That was the trouble with never having been infatuated, enamored, or in love before.

One did not know what had overcome one until it was too deuced late.

Still, she had determined to better control her emotions in the future. The night she had fled from him in tears still mortified her.

Stupid ninny.

When he had vowed that he would never mock her, something inside Lilly unfurled, and longings she had suppressed for years burst forth with such angst and yearning, she could not hold back her tears.

And she detested waterworks.

Useless, exasperating histrionics that until a week ago, she believed herself immune from.