Page 82 of Second Chance Prince
They both turned, as if they had forgotten where they were, and found Tomas on his horse, watching them and looking uncomfortable with so much emotion.
“Mr. Hart says you are to return to the castle now,” he said in a rush. “He has taken the prisoners with him. He said he knows where Count Becker is being held too—the chamberlain had the decency to tell him, so he will send someone to release him. Mr. Hart was here a minute ago, but he could see you were both busy. He left me here to tell you.”
Niki took Roberta’s hand tightly in his. “Tomas, you have my undying gratitude.”
The boy looked surprised, and then proud. “Mr. Hart told me I was very brave,” he said, as if that was the final word on the matter.
Roberta gave him her widest smile. “Thank you, Tomas. I owe you my life.”
This outpouring of emotion was a little too much for the boy.He mumbled something and then turned his horse and rode off.
“Tomas has told me that he now approves of you, but that he will not allow us to continue our sinful affair. You must marry me.”
Matilda glanced up from beneath her lashes at the man in the bed beside her.
Freddie folded his muscular arms beneath his head and pretended to ponder the question. Matilda wondered if he knew how much she loved his muscles but restrained herself from touching him. Besides, she wanted to hear his answer.
“Marry you? It depends,” Freddie said.
“Depends on what?” Her voice was sharp but only because she thought he was about to touch on a subject she did not like to discuss. She forced herself to voice her concerns. “I know I am older than you, Freddie. That can’t be changed. So if it is something you find distasteful then—”
“I don’t find it distasteful.” He sounded surprised. “You are the most beautiful and wonderful woman I have ever met. I don’t give a toss whether our birthdays fall in the same year.”
“Oh.” She felt her breath catch. Was she going to cry? She blinked back the tears and leaned down to kiss that powerful arm. “What did you mean then?”
He gently wiped away the tear that had escaped and now dangled on her lashes. “I mean, would you be willing to marry a man without a title?”
Freddie looked very serious, and the expression in his eyes as he looked at her…As if she really was the most beautiful and wonderful woman he had ever met. Another tear joined the first.
“I would marry you whatever you were called,” she admitted. “I love you, Freddie.”
He leaned in and kissed her thoroughly, and that led to other pleasurable things.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said at last, “because I love you too.”
“We should marry here in Holtswig,” she spoke sleepily. “I would like that.”
“We could be like Niki and Roberta and have another wedding when we get to England.”
Matilda smiled happily and allowed herself to become lost in that thought, already planning what she would wear and the food they would serve. Just as her eyes were closing, she felt Freddie’s breath against her ear.
“By the way,” he whispered, “I do have a title. Or I will. Niki is going to make me a sir.”
Matilda opened one eye. “Nonsense. You deserve to be a lord at least.”
Roberta was very tired. The terror she had felt when she realized the chamberlain’s intentions, the concentration she had needed to apply to traverse the ledge, and then the wild surge of emotion when she saw Niki waiting, had all combined to drain her of her last bit of energy. Niki held her in his arms all the way down through the forest. When they reached the castle, the servants came out, their faces creased with worry before changing in an instant, when they saw she was safe, to stupendous joy. Cheers and cries of happiness rang out. Roberta wanted to cry herself.
If anything could have convinced her that she was now athome in this country, that she belonged, then this was it.
Niki handed her off to Antonia, who insisted a bath be brought up to the room so that Roberta could wash away all traces of her travail. When she was clean and in bed, her sister leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
“Don’t do that again,” she said. “Ernest has been telling me terrible tales about the High Wire.”
Roberta wanted to explain to her that she had had no choice, that if she had not taken her chance, she would certainly be dead. But just then, Niki opened the door and Antonia smiled and left her.
He had changed and washed too. He was wearing one of the swan robes, and his hair was damp and slicked down to his head, which brought the bones of his face into sharp focus. She loved every inch of that face. She wanted to kiss every inch of him, and suddenly, she wasn’t tired anymore.
“I thought I had lost you,” Niki said, wrapping his arms around her. “I was a fool to ever leave your side.”
