“I shouldn't like to share you.”
“My lord! We have only just met!”
Robert turned to her, the levity leaving his eyes with astounding swiftness. “I know. I know in my brain that I only just laid eyes on you ten minutes ago, but my heart has known you all my life. And my soul even longer.”
“I-I don't know what to say.”
“Don't say anything. Just sit here beside me and enjoy the sunshine.”
And so they sat on the grassy bank, staring at the clouds and the water and each other. They were silent for several minutes until Robert's eyes focused on something in the distance, and he suddenly jumped to his feet.
“Don't move,” he ordered, a silly grin stealing the sternness from his voice. “Don't move an inch.”
“But—”
“Not an inch!” he called over his shoulder, dashing across the clearing.
“Robert!” Victoria protested, completely forgetting that she should be calling him “my lord.”
“I'm almost done!”
Victoria craned her neck, trying to make out what he was doing. He'd run off to a spot behind the trees, and all she could see was that he was bending down. She looked at her wrist, almost surprised to see that it wasn't burning red where he had kissed her.
She had felt that kiss throughout her entire body.
“Here we are.” Robert emerged from the forest and swept into a courtly bow, a small bouquet of wild violets in his right hand. “For my lady.”
“Thank you,” Victoria whispered, feeling tears sting her eyes. She felt unbelievably moved, as if this man had the power to carry her across the world—across the universe.
He released all but one of the violets into her hand. “This is the real reason I picked them,” he murmured, tucking the last flower behind her ear. “There. Now you are perfect.”
Victoria stared at the bouquet in her hand. “I've never seen anything so lovely.”
Robert stared at Victoria. “Neither have I.”
“They smell heavenly.” She leaned down and took another sniff. “I adore the smell of flowers. There is honeysuckle growing just outside my window at home.”
“Is there?” he said absently, reaching out to touch her face, but catching himself just in time. She was an innocent, and he didn't want to scare her.
“Thank you,” Victoria said, suddenly looking up.
Robert jumped to his feet. “Don't move! Not an inch.”
“Again?” she burst out, her face erupting into the widest of smiles. “Where are you going?”
He grinned. “To find a portrait artist.”
“A what?”
“I want this moment captured for eternity.”
“Oh, my lord,” said Victoria. Her body shook with laughter as she rose to her feet.
“Robert,” he corrected.
“Robert.” She was being dreadfully informal, but his given name fell so naturally from her lips. “You are so amusing. I cannot remember the last time I laughed so much.”
He leaned down and laid another kiss upon her hand.
“Oh dear,” Victoria said, glancing up at the sky. “It's grown so late. Papa might come looking for me, and if he found me alone with you—”
“All he could do is force us to marry,” Robert interrupted with a lazy grin.
She stared at him. “And that isn't enough to send you scurrying off to the next county?”
He leaned forward and brushed the softest of kisses against her lips. “Shhhh. I've already decided that I'm going to marry you.”
Her mouth fell open. “Are you mad?”
He drew back, regarding her with an expression that hovered somewhere between amusement and amazement. “Actually, Victoria, I don't think I have ever been saner than I am at this very moment.”
Victoria pushed open the door to the cottage she shared with her father and younger sister. “Papa!” she called out. “I'm sorry I'm late. I was out exploring. There is still so much of the area I have not seen.” She poked her head into his study. Her father was seated behind his desk, hard at work on his next sermon. He waved his hand in the air, presumably signaling to her that all was well and he did not wish to be disturbed. She tiptoed from the room.
Victoria made her way to the kitchen to prepare the evening meal. She and her sister Eleanor took turns making supper, and Victoria was on duty that night. She tasted the beef stew she had put on the stove earlier that day, added a bit of salt, then sank down into a chair.