Chapter Six
T he night air whispered cool against Sebastian’s face as he climbed. Each creak of the trellis sent a jolt of alarm through him. If he fell—or worse, if he were seen—it would all be over. Yet no thought of failure could deter him, not when Juliana awaited him above.
His muscles burned with exertion, but he paid no heed, his focus fixed solely on the balcony above. The moon bathed Wyndham Manor in silver light, its glow illuminating his path and casting Juliana in an ethereal glow.
At last, he reached the balustrade, his breath steadying as he vaulted over the edge. And there she was—Juliana. Her hair glinted in the moonlight. Her eyes, wide and alight with anticipation, met his with a longing that mirrored his own.
“You are here.” She trembled with relief as she stepped closer.
“Always.” He pulled her into his arms. The warmth of her body against his steadied him, soothing the chaos in his heart. When their lips met, it was a collision of love and longing—A silent promise defying the centuries-old grudge that sought to divide them.
Juliana’s fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as the kiss deepened. When at last they broke apart, their foreheads rested together, their breath mingling in the cool night air.
“I thought I would go mad waiting for you,” she confessed, her words a breathless rush. “Father discovered a letter. He forbade me from seeing you and locked me in my chamber.”
Sebastian captured her chin in his fingers and gazed into her eyes. “I would scale every wall in England if it meant being with you.”
Juliana chuckled, a sound both joyous and bittersweet. “Come.” She took his hand and led him into the dimly lit sanctuary of her bedchamber.
He stroked his thumb over her warm skin as they stepped into her chamber, then closed the door quietly behind him, the click of the latch sealing them in a world where nothing else existed but their love.
His gaze roamed over her, lingering on the way her nightdress hugged her form. Her silken hair fell loosely over her shoulders. She was a vision of beauty, strength, and vulnerability. The idea of anyone trying to keep her from him filled him with both determination and despair.
“Juliana.” He stroked her back. “You are my heart. My very purpose.”
She smiled, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “And you are mine, Sebastian. In this life and the next.”
Sebastian kissed her again, slower this time, his movements deliberate. His lips trailed along her jaw and down the delicate curve of her neck, savoring the warmth of her skin. She sighed, her body melting into his as her hands roamed his back, pulling him closer still.
“I cannot bear to be parted from you any longer,” she choked. “The thought of a life without you…”
“Shh,” Sebastian soothed, framing her face. He pressed a kiss to her brow, his lips lingering there as though to seal his promise. “We will not be parted. No force on this earth could keep me from you.”
Juliana searched his gaze. The unwavering certainty she found in his eyes gave her courage. “Then let us leave, Sebastian.” She wrapped her fingers around his hand. “Tonight. We will flee to Gretna Green and exchange our vows before anyone can stop us. It is less than half a day’s ride. By the time our families wake and discover us gone, we will be married.”
His breath hitched. “Are you certain?” he asked, his blue eyes searching hers.
“More certain than I have ever been of anything. I choose you, Sebastian—now and forever.”
His lips met hers in a kiss laden with gratitude, love, and unshakable resolve. When they finally parted, his hand found hers, their fingers intertwining as he spoke. “Tomorrow night, I shall come for you.”
Juliana nodded, her smile radiant despite the gravity of their decision. “I will be here. Nothing shall keep me from your side.”
Though his heart swelled with the prospect of making Juliana his wife, a shadow of doubt flickered in his mind. Could love truly conquer the maelstrom they were about to unleash?
Footsteps echoed in the hall. Sebastian stepped back. “I must go.”
Juliana nodded as she wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself close.
Sebastian took her lips in a lingering kiss, then turned toward the balcony, his hand trailing from hers until their fingers slipped apart. As he climbed over the balustrade, Juliana caught his hand one last time.
“Until tomorrow,” she called, her voice laced with both hope and resolve.
“Until tomorrow.” He gazed at her, his eyes alight with the promise of their future.
As Sebastian descended into the shadows, Juliana remained rooted to the balcony, her hand pressed against her racing heart. She watched his silhouette disappear into the night. The gravity of their plan cloaked her shoulders, heavy yet certain.
But at that moment, as the cool breeze brushed her skin and the scent of garden roses filled the air, she felt no fear—only the heady certainty of a love that defied every barrier.
Turning from the balcony, Juliana moved with purpose toward her bed. Her mind raced with preparations for the journey ahead—the road to Gretna Green, the vows they would exchange, and the life they would build together.
As she extinguished the candles and slipped beneath the covers, her thoughts lingered on Sebastian. For the first time in her life, she felt the weight of her choices—not as a burden, but as the price of freedom. And for him, for their love, she would pay it gladly.