Page 53 of A Devious Secret

Stephen took a step closer to her and she had to tilt her head to look up at him. “I would be irate if my father had done something so despicable.”

“My father didn’t see it that way. He was upset that I missed their nuptials,” Lady Hawkinge said. “He sent me a scathing letter after he returned home from their wedding tour.”

“That must have been hard to read.”

“It was,” Lady Hawkinge murmured. “But nothing beat his audacity until this evening when he accused me of forgetting about Baldwin since I danced the waltz with you.”

Stephen noticed that her eyes had grown moist with tears and felt a surge of protectiveness wash over him. “You did nothing wrong. It was just a dance.”

Her eyes met his, and for a moment, her face was open and vulnerable in the moonlight. “It was more than just a dance for me,” she said softly.

He felt elated by her words. It meant that he was making more progress with her than he realized. Maybe, just maybe, she could begin to start caring for him, as he did for her.

Stephen reached for her hand and brought her gloved hand up to his lips. “It was more than a dance for me, too.”

Gemma smiled shyly at him. “I’m glad.”

As he held her gaze, he said, “Whatever happens between us, I do not want you to shy away from speaking to me about Baldwin.”

“No?”

“Baldwin is a part of you, and I want to know the true you,” Stephen said. “I don’t want you to hide a part of yourself away.”

Stephen almost breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the light return to Lady Hawkinge’s eyes. For they were brighter than any star in the night sky.

“I feel the same way,” she murmured.

While he held her hand close to his mouth, he realized that he had no intention of letting her go. He would do whatever it took to fight to win her affections.

“Gemma.” He breathed her name with all the reverence it deserved. “I apologize if I am being too familiar.”

“I will allow it.”

“I do hope that means you will call me Stephen.”

“I would like that,” she said as her eyes briefly dropped to his lips.

It took everything that Stephen possessed not to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless. He desperately wanted to kiss her, but not here, not now.

A clearing of a throat came from next to them.

Stephen dropped her hand and stepped back to create more distance between them. He turned his head and saw Lord and Lady Hawthorne were watching them with guarded expressions.

Hawthorne met his gaze and said in a firm voice, “I do believe you have taken enough of my cousin’s attention for the evening.” He offered his other arm to Gemma. “I will escort you back into the ballroom.”

Gemma lifted her eyebrow. “Thank you, but I do believe I can find my own way back.”

Hawthorne looked displeased by her response. “I’m afraid I must insist since it isn’t proper for you to be alone in the gardens.”

“Very well, but you must first allow me to say my goodbyes to Mr. Wycomb,” Gemma said.

Hawthorne gave a reluctant nod. “Make it quick, then.”

Gemma smiled up at Stephen. “Thank you for cheering me up this evening.”

“You are welcome,” he said, returning her smile. “Would you care to join me for a trip to the museum tomorrow?”

“I would very much like to do so.”