Chapter Twenty-One #2
This was ridiculous. He seemed determined to talk himself down.
On an impulse, she rose onto her toes, put a hand to the back of his neck to draw his face towards her, and planted her lips against his.
It was an awkward kiss, as she’d never kissed anyone in passion of any sort before, only her parents and Aunt Fanny and Mattie on the cheek.
She had no real idea what to do, so her lips were closed and it was over in a brief instant.
She settled back onto her heels again, aware of yet another tell-tale blush, but very glad she’d obeyed her instinct.
If she were going to be classed as a forward hoyden, then she might as well keep going.
For a long moment Gabriel stared down at her, his eyes unreadable, as she watched him for a reaction. When it came, it came swiftly. His left arm went around her waist, and he drew her back into the shadows, where the curtain completely hid them from view.
Her heart performed a wild leap of pure excitement at his touch, and she let herself go with him, acutely aware of his strong body pressed up against hers.
The novelty was intoxicating to the point of making her head whirl with sudden, quite delectable dizziness.
What was he doing? Was he about to kiss her back? What would it be like?
She soon found out.
He bent his head and his mouth came down on hers, strong yet soft, demanding yet wary. Did he think she wouldn’t like it?
Silly man. She closed her eyes in ecstasy and her arms reached up and around him.
His lips opened against hers, demanding she open her own, the heady sensation of such intimate closeness to another person kindling a fire within her she’d never imagined she could possess.
A fire that streamed down every limb, up to the top of her head, down into her toes, and back into her burning core.
This was a whole new and far better thing than her own dry kiss had been.
The warmth of his mouth on hers and the tip of his tongue coming exploring sent delightful shivers cascading through her body.
Her knees buckled but he had firm hold of her and she had to lean into him to stay upright.
None of which she cared about. She would have melted into him if she could have.
Oh, how good this felt. She never wanted it to end.
But of course, it had to. He released her mouth but not her waist, his face still close to hers, his breath warm on her cheek, his eyes bright with emotion, but his face serious.
She swallowed. “Could you please do that again?”
He shook his head, but he still didn’t let her go. “I should never have done it in the first place.”
“But you did.”
“I couldn’t resist you.”
“And I can’t resist you.”
He shook his head again and now he did release her waist. Taking half a step back, he shook his head yet again. “You should, and so should I. This can go nowhere.”
He couldn’t kiss her like that and then say it could go nowhere. She wouldn’t let him. “Gabriel.” How she loved the music of his name on her lips. “I’ll be twenty-one in just over a year. You said it yourself.”
“And you said your aunt intends you to be married before the end of this Season.”
“I shall refuse to marry anyone but you.”
“You’ll tell her that?”
She frowned. “She thinks you the son of a duke. She need never know the truth. Have you not thought of that?”
“But I would know. And so would you.”
She frowned. “But the thing is, we really don’t, do we? Neither of us know the truth.”
He shrugged. “Does that matter? I know in my heart my mother was from the gutter. She could have been from nowhere else.”
She was cross with his pessimism. “No. You don’t. She might have been a French aristo for all you know.” She put up a daring hand and touched his cheek. “You have the look of nobility about you. I’m certain.”
A grin, charming and boyish, flashed across his face. “And you would still marry me if we found out I was French?”
She nodded. “I would marry you if you were from Timbuktu or Cathay.”
And now he did grin. “I think you probably wouldn’t, as you would never have met me if I hailed from either of those remote places.”
She caught his hand. “But what we have to do, before anything, is find your real mother. That will put your mind at rest, whoever she is, or was. If she’s dead, we must find out her history and how she came to such a terrible point in her life that she had to give her child away.
If she lives, she must have missed you every day of your life.
We should do it for her as well as you.”
He nodded slowly. “I don’t know. I’ve tried and never found out anything. I can’t see how another search would produce anything more. I’ve already asked Abner to keep an eye out, but he’s done that before with no result. I’ve heard nothing from him, and it’s been a week now since we saw him.”
“He’s got the real description now, though.”
“But finding anyone in that warren is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. Like looking for a needle in a stack of needles. There must be countless women who might fit the bill. I have no faith that he’ll find anything of value.”
“The difference is you now have me helping you.”
He sighed. “I suppose you might be right. Who knows, but he might discover something. I don’t think I’ll hold my breath.”
She’d been expecting such resignation on his part.
Twenty-three years was a long time. If they ever found his mother, or anything about her, she’d be most surprised.
But it was worth trying. “In that case, I think rather than rely upon your friend Abner, we should do what your father did all those years ago. Hire a specialist to search for your mother. Only we, like Abner, shall have the advantage of having the correct description.”
“But the disadvantage of twenty-three years having passed.”
She nodded. “Stop being such a pessimist. I’m hoping that won’t matter too much. In fact, I have a good feeling about this. Together, we’re going to find her for you, I know we will.” And she clapped her hands together as though they’d already succeeded.