A tiny gasp escaped from Selena’s lips, and she looked heavenward. “Your restraint hints at your being a gentleman, but a gentleman would not allude to such a delicate matter as a wayward kiss,” she said severely.

He laughed.

“Lucius.” Selena turned to him in all seriousness. "I am sensible of the honor you do me in asking me to become your wife. My faith is not lacking in the sincerity of your offer. It is rather that I do not think you know what you are asking. The incident that happened at the ball was just one example of what I'm to expect if I reenter Society. And…”

She paused, and he waited, wondering what else was in her adorable mind. She bit her lip. “I know you expressed regret for not having come to my aid, but I assure you, I bear you no ill will. I just believe that this is one small incident of many that will await us if I become your wife. What I am afraid of is seeing the affection you may now hold for me turn into regret when you must share everywhere in the scorn that will fall on me.”

Lucius’s burst of optimism took an abrupt dive, and he grabbed her hand. “Ah, now we’ve come to the heart of it. When Downing dared to humiliate you in front of everyone, you had no protectors. I should have been one, but I had not yet decided to take up that role. I was wrong, and I heartily regret it. At first, I thought it was only my conscience that troubled me for not having taken up your defense, but I quickly learned that my feelings had grown deeper than I suspected. It is not affection I feel for you, Selena—affection has such shallow roots that it can be ripped out. What I feel for you is love.”

She turned to him, her serious gray eyes studying him.

“And I will not let this happen again,” he said. “You will not face whispers when I am your protector. Society will know that they must answer to me for any ill-treatment they dare to heap upon you. I will not press you for an answer now, but I want you to know that once decided, I am not the fickle man you think me to be."

Lucius squeezed her hand, then pulled his away and turned to look through the window at the rolling countryside. He was smart enough to know that silence and time would do more to add strength to his argument than an influx of words could ever do. Nevertheless, his body seemed to urge the carriage forward—not to find Rebecca—but to bring Selena closer to the answer he knew they both desired.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Selena was swayed by the jolting carriage as they went over the remaining distance to Graveley, which she had been told was not much farther, although they’d stopped briefly at several inns on the road to inquire after the runaways.