Confronting a Rake by G.L. Snodgrass

Author:G.L. Snodgrass
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2016-06-10T21:00:00+00:00

Chapter Sixteen

Devlin felt his world shift. Miss Jones had almost been killed. The thought of losing her sent a cold shiver down his spine. Instinctively, he returned her embrace.

It was as if they were holding onto each other to keep the world at bay. Just the two of them, alone in the universe. This was not a mere amorous embrace. This wasn’t two people sharing a fleeting moment. This was two people sharing an experience. Realizing how close they had come to death, and seizing the other, to protect and preserve.

A quietness invaded the coach. A silence that surrounded them. Dirt and grass had piled up underneath him as he lay against the carriage wall. But, he didn’t move, didn’t try to scramble away. Instead, he rested there with Miss Jones in his arms. Feeling her warm, soft body pressed against him. It was a feeling to hold forever. A prize to be treasured.

The carriage door above them flew open. James, the footman, stuck his head through the opening. His eyes large with fright.

“Your Grace? Miss Jones?” he said. “Are you injured?”

His eyes searched through the dark, fearing the answer.

“We are perfectly well,” Devlin said with a regretful sigh. “Isn’t that right, Miss Jones?”

He gave her a slight squeeze to bring her back to this world. She lifted her head and slowly nodded. “Yes, I am fine.”

“Here, help her up, James,” Devlin said as they both scrambled to stand upright in the sideways carriage.

James reached into the coach, Miss Jones reached up and grabbed both of his hands. He began to lift, but she couldn’t find a purchase for her feet.

Seeing her distress, Devlin did the only thing he could think of and placed both hands on her bottom and pushed her up through the door.

Miss Jones squealed at his liberties, but she quickly made her way through the door and out of his range of sight. Devlin felt a slight loss at her absence as he scanned the carriage to ensure nothing had been left behind.

He retrieved Miss Jones’ reticule, she’d obviously lost it in the disaster. Brushing it free of twigs and dirt, he slid it into the pocket of his coat.

Reaching up, he gripped the outside of the carriage and pulled himself through the door. His sore shoulder twinging with the effort.

The outside air tasted of freshness and freedom. He took a deep breath and reset himself before jumping down off the carriage to join the others.

“I’m sorry, Your Grace,” Tomas said with a sheepish, hound dog look.

“Do not worry, Tomas, these things happen,” Devlin said as he wiped the dirt from his shoulder. He wasn’t hurt, not seriously, but he knew his shoulder would ache for the next few days. He was much more worried about Miss Jones. She had been thrown quite a distance. Luckily into his arms. In many ways, he couldn’t have planned it better.

Hiding a smile, he turned to look at her. The woman was rearranging her garments without being seen as rearranging her garments.

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