Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of him as always. He hesitated before sitting back down again, deciding against taking her hands in greeting, and as usual she tried not to be disappointed. They settled down into their letter-writing routine, but today neither of them seemed able to concentrate. Looking up from the sentence she was composing for about the fourth time, she found Sebastian’s gaze fixed on her, a frown furrowing his normally untroubled countenance.

Margaret set down her pen. “Is something wrong?”

“No. Yes.” Sebastian jumped to his feet and seized her hand. “I have tried, Margaret, but I cannot stop thinking about our kiss. It changed everything for me, but if you don’t feel the same, say the word and I swear I will never mention it again.”

Taken aback, it didn’t occur to her to prevaricate. “I can’t forget it either, though heaven knows I have tried.”

His fingers tightened around hers. “As have I, but to no avail. Surely it cannot be wrong to give voice to what is in my heart. I love you so much, Margaret.”

The words which she had secretly, guiltily longed to hear made her forget everything else. A wild, soaring joy ripped through her. “I love you, too, Sebastian, so very much.”

“Margaret!” He pulled her to her feet and into his arms. “Oh, my darling.”

Their lips met in the sweetest kiss that was just as she had remembered, and yet utterly different. As he pulled her closer, she twined her arms around his neck, and he fastened his lips to hers again, coaxing her mouth open into a very different kiss. The intimacy shocked her; her reaction shocked her even more. His tongue touched hers and she broke away, breathless and utterly confused. Was this what passion felt like? It was overwhelming and slightly terrifying, and yet at the same time, she wanted more.

Sebastian looked unfamiliar, his eyes dark, heavy-lidded, colour slashing his cheeks. “I apologise,” he said, his voice gruff. “I did not mean to— I allowed my feelings to get the better of me. Forgive me.” He raked a hand through his hair, smiling raggedly. “It will be difficult, but I will try to exercise more restraint until we are in a position to marry.”

“Marry!” Margaret plummeted abruptly back down to earth. “We can’t get married.”

“Of course we will marry.” Sebastian clasped her hand to his chest. “My dear Margaret, you cannot have imagined I would have kissed you in such a manner unless my intentions were honourable.”

She had never properly considered the situation from his perspective at all, being so preoccupied with her own. “I am so very sorry, Sebastian, but I can’t marry you.”

“Why on earth not, if you love me, as you say? Is it because our stations in life are so radically different?”

“It’s not that. I don’t give a fig about that.”