Chapter 15
Fifteen
The darkened hallways of Easton Abbey felt even more isolated in the dead of night.
The firelight that had once crackled merrily in the hearth now cast only faint shadows on the walls, and the silence that hung in the air felt unnervingly heavy.
Kingston, the Duke of Amberwood, stood at the foot of the stairs, adjusting his coat with precision, making sure not to make a sound.
He had learned long ago how to move through places unnoticed, to be a shadow when necessary. Tonight, that skill was crucial.
His plan was simple. He would leave in the dead of night, using the cover of darkness to slip away without anyone noticing.
Jaclyn’s brother, Oakley could not be allowed to take her home.
Not if he had any hopes of keeping her with him.
.. Kingston’s intention was to help Jaclyn escape—they had promised her that much.
She was safe now at the hunting lodge, hidden away from any prying eyes of those who would think to aid Oakley, but he had no intention of letting her stay there long.
Tonight, the plan was to take her away, somewhere far from this place—somewhere her brother would never think to look.
Jaclyn had made it clear she did not want to go home—to her father— and Kingston intended to honor that wish.
He had arranged for a maid to gather Jaclyn’s few belongings—mostly gowns and some essential clothing that had been sent over from Havenwood Academy while she convalesced.
She had been too ill to return to the academy, and she should not be dealing with any of this nonsense now.
At the very least she should have been allowed to return to Havenwood.
There was no reason to make her return home.
It had been all Oakley’s doing that had led to that decision.
Jaclyn was capable of making her own decisions.
And tonight, Kingston would help her do just that.
But first he had to gather everything and prepare to join her at the hunting lodge.
The maid had also prepared a small basket of food for their journey, something to sustain them on the road.
Kingston knew that they could not waste any time.
Every moment spent near Easton Abbey could be another moment for Oakley to discover their plan.
It did not help that Charlotte’s brother, Finley, was still in residence.
Finley was Oakley’s closest friend and if he discovered Jaclyn’s location he would not hesitate to share that with Oakley.
He could not tarry a moment longer. Kingston took everything and left the room.
He could saddle his horse on his own. It would be better than waking up a stable hand to do it.
The less that was known about his actions the better.
Fewer people with any information would ensure Jaclyn remained safe. Remained with him…
He left the warmth of the house, stepping into the chill of the night air.
The darkness embraced him, as he made his way toward the stable.
He quickly prepared his horse and ensured everything was stored properly for his ride, then mounted the stallion.
Kingston flicked the reins and began his journey to Jaclyn.
The steady sound of hooves on gravel seemed to match the beat of his heart as he rode through the night.
Each step brought him closer to Jaclyn, closer to the life she deserved away from her family’s suffocating control.
When he arrived at the hunting lodge, he dismounted quickly, his feet hitting the ground with urgency.
The faint glow of light from the cabin window was all that separated him from the woman he thought of as his.
Something he had yet to share with her. To tell her how much she meant to him.
.. He only wished that he had not let his pride stand in his way before this.
That duel had soured him in so many different ways.
It wasn’t long before he entered the lodge, the fire still crackling in the hearth, offering warmth against the evening cold.
Inside, Jaclyn was sitting by the fire, her face half-lit by the flickering flames.
For a moment, Kingston froze, just watching her, as if she were something delicate, something fragile he was afraid to touch.
She rose when she saw him, a soft smile spreading across her face, but her eyes—those deep, searching eyes—told him she had already guessed his intention.
“Are you ready?” he asked, keeping his voice low, but the urgency was clear.
Jaclyn nodded, though she didn’t move right away.
She seemed lost in thought, her gaze lingering on him as if she were weighing something in her mind.
Kingston swallowed his frustration. Time was precious.
They couldn’t linger here for long. “Jaclyn, we must leave immediately,” he pressed, his voice insistent.
But she only shook her head slightly. “Not yet,” she replied, her voice soft but firm.
She was still wearing that same gown from earlier that day.
Not that she could have changed into something else.
He had all of her belongings at Easton Abbey stored in a bag on his horse.
But something was different now. Kingston had difficulty pinpointing what…
He shook that thought away and sighed. He did not have time for this. They did not have time for this.
A little exasperated, Kingston stepped forward. “What is it?” he asked, concern edging his tone. He hadn’t anticipated any resistance from her, and it caught him off guard.
Jaclyn finally stepped closer, her hands clasped together, her gaze intense. “I just need a moment,” she said quietly. “I need to breathe. I need to think. Is that too much to ask? You want me to leave here and not consider what that might mean. I cannot do that so easily as you might think.”
He stared at her for a moment, his chest tightening as he understood the depth of her words. She wasn’t just scared of her family or of leaving; she was scared of freedom. “I understand,” he said quietly, his voice full of concern.
She stepped closer toward him then, her gaze steady. “You’ve made me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt, Kingston. And I think... I think that’s what terrifies me most.” She closed the distance between them and placed a hand on his chest. “Do we really need to leave immediately?”
His heart thundered in his chest as she trailed her fingers over him. He swallowed hard. “We really should,” he said, his voice husky with a need he knew he should not give into. “Your brother could return at any moment.”
“You’re right,” she said. “He could.” She slid her hand up to cup his cheek.
“Isn’t that enough of a reason to take a moment?
Something we might never have again.” Her breath hitched, and before he could say another word, she closed the distance between them, her lips meeting his in a kiss that was filled with everything they hadn’t said.
He understood her meaning then. She did not want to wait another moment to explore what was between them.
He could appreciate that even as he knew he should not give into the impulse.
The moment was intoxicating. Her touch, her warmth, the fire between them—it was all too much, and yet, it felt like the only thing that mattered.
But even in the midst of their kiss, Kingston knew that time was against them.
His desire for her was undeniable, but he couldn’t let that cloud the bigger picture.
When they pulled away, their breaths ragged, he whispered, “We have to go. We can’t wait any longer.
” He said the words because he knew he should.
It wasn’t what he wanted though. He wanted to pull her closer and press his lips to hers again.
Kingston wanted to do so much more than that.
She looked at him then, her eyes filled with a mixture of emotions. “I don’t want to go yet,” she said, her voice steady and resolute. “I want to stay.” Jaclyn boldly met his gaze. “I want you to stay here with me.”
And just like that, the plans that had been set in motion, the journey they had begun together, fell apart.
Nothing else mattered but her, and for the first time in his life, Kingston felt truly at peace with his decision.
If she wanted him to stay, then that was what they would do.
He would stay in that hunting lodge with her as long as she wished.
He was a slave to her, and he would gladly remain such for the rest of his life.
He only hoped they would not grow to regret that decision later.
“Are you certain?” he asked. “It would be best if we left immediately.”
“I have never been more certain of anything in my life,” she said huskily. “I want you, Kingston. I think, perhaps, I always have.” Her light-green eyes swam with desire that matched his own.
He closed his eyes and groaned at that admission.
It was so close to his own truth it undid him completely.
He unraveled under her confession, and she did not have to ask twice.
He pulled her against him and crushed his lips to hers.
There was no denying anything between them any longer.
Not that he had intended to. All he wanted at that moment was her and he fully intended to have her. In every way imaginable…
Jaclyn's breath caught as Kingston’s lips hovered just above hers, the weight of the moment thick with anticipation.
His presence, the warmth of his body so close to hers, was intoxicating.
The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the dim room, and for a brief second, she wondered if she had lost her mind to want this, to want him, in this way.
But the heat in her chest—the fierce, undeniable ache—told her that it was precisely what she wanted.