room, attempting a brave front. Graham pulled her close and held her firmly. “I am trying to memorize your shape, to take in your scent, to remember how you feel against me, for it will have to do for a good while,” he whispered.
Imogene felt tears rising to the surface and remembered his handkerchief. She pulled it out and blurted, “I do not want to give this back to you.”
Graham pressed his lips to the cloth and kissed it, then pushed it back into her hand and said, “Keep it.”
“You should have one of mine so you have something from me. I’ll run up and choose one—a plain one.”
Graham grasped her hand as she turned to go. “Not a plain one, please.”
She smiled at him, understanding that he wanted something decorative. Imogene chose a handkerchief of white linen with an elegant crochet lace ruffle all around. She had embroidered her initials in lavender thread into one corner: I. A. B. C. to represent her full name: Imogene Amelia Byron-Cole.
When she pushed the cloth into his hand, Graham unfolded it reverently. Seeing her initials, his head snapped up immediately. “Your initials.” He put his other hand to her cheek. “So perfect. A perfect token I shall cherish and keep close to me every minute.” He thought it read like a prophecy, too. Falling in love with Imogene had been as easy as…A-B-C.
Graham kissed her sweetly, lingering over her lips and then lastly on the forehead. Gentle kisses that would have to hold her until they could be together again. Her chest stung as he pulled away.
Graham cleared his throat and said the words she did not care to hear. “Farewell, Imogene, do not come outside please, it will be too hard to leave if you do.”
“Goodbye, Graham, until Christmas Eve then.” She could not resist one more question to hold him there for just a moment longer. “Do you ride Triton?”
“I do. He is fast and can convey me quickly.” His eyes down, he spoke, “Imogene, you remind me of something. I wish to ask a favour. I think you will not like it, but I ask it of you selfishly, for me.” He looked up and hit her with that solemn, green stare.
“I know what you wish. You do not want me to ride solitary.”
“It would be easing my heart to know you are not alone when you ride. So, if you can agree to do it while I am away, I would be very relieved.”
“For you, Graham, I promise to do as you ask. I’ll drag Cari along with me I suppose.”
“Thank you, my darling. Now I can leave you a little easier. I love you so much, chérie .” He kissed her again, caressed her face once more, and then he was gone.
Imogene stayed in the drawing room, frozen where she stood. She heard the sound of Triton’s retreating hoof beats until they faded and there was nothing but empty silence.
GRAHAM rode hard to London, managing it in less than two hours. He entered his house and went straight to the study where he wrote out an announcement of their engagement, sending the missive off immediately.
Sitting at his desk, he removed her letter from his waistcoat, touched it lovingly for a moment and then broke the seal. Inside was a curl of her hair and he laughed out loud as he set it aside. I needed this. Imogene, how did you know? He opened her letter.
My Dearest Graham,
You have just asked me to marry you tonight and I wish to share my deepest feelings with you. I trust you as I have never trusted another person. You are honest and good. You are kind and gentle. You are wise and steadfast. I know you will love me and that alone will make me happy. I vow to spend my days in the pursuit of loving you in hopes of making you as happy as I will be. For the first time, in many months, tonight I go to sleep without a great sadness pushing against my heart. The pain of it is nearly gone. Your love heals it and it is fading away. Here is my kiss to seal my words to you. I
Imogene felt tears rising to the surface and remembered his handkerchief. She pulled it out and blurted, “I do not want to give this back to you.”
Graham pressed his lips to the cloth and kissed it, then pushed it back into her hand and said, “Keep it.”
“You should have one of mine so you have something from me. I’ll run up and choose one—a plain one.”
Graham grasped her hand as she turned to go. “Not a plain one, please.”
She smiled at him, understanding that he wanted something decorative. Imogene chose a handkerchief of white linen with an elegant crochet lace ruffle all around. She had embroidered her initials in lavender thread into one corner: I. A. B. C. to represent her full name: Imogene Amelia Byron-Cole.
When she pushed the cloth into his hand, Graham unfolded it reverently. Seeing her initials, his head snapped up immediately. “Your initials.” He put his other hand to her cheek. “So perfect. A perfect token I shall cherish and keep close to me every minute.” He thought it read like a prophecy, too. Falling in love with Imogene had been as easy as…A-B-C.
Graham kissed her sweetly, lingering over her lips and then lastly on the forehead. Gentle kisses that would have to hold her until they could be together again. Her chest stung as he pulled away.
Graham cleared his throat and said the words she did not care to hear. “Farewell, Imogene, do not come outside please, it will be too hard to leave if you do.”
“Goodbye, Graham, until Christmas Eve then.” She could not resist one more question to hold him there for just a moment longer. “Do you ride Triton?”
“I do. He is fast and can convey me quickly.” His eyes down, he spoke, “Imogene, you remind me of something. I wish to ask a favour. I think you will not like it, but I ask it of you selfishly, for me.” He looked up and hit her with that solemn, green stare.
“I know what you wish. You do not want me to ride solitary.”
“It would be easing my heart to know you are not alone when you ride. So, if you can agree to do it while I am away, I would be very relieved.”
“For you, Graham, I promise to do as you ask. I’ll drag Cari along with me I suppose.”
“Thank you, my darling. Now I can leave you a little easier. I love you so much, chérie .” He kissed her again, caressed her face once more, and then he was gone.
Imogene stayed in the drawing room, frozen where she stood. She heard the sound of Triton’s retreating hoof beats until they faded and there was nothing but empty silence.
GRAHAM rode hard to London, managing it in less than two hours. He entered his house and went straight to the study where he wrote out an announcement of their engagement, sending the missive off immediately.
Sitting at his desk, he removed her letter from his waistcoat, touched it lovingly for a moment and then broke the seal. Inside was a curl of her hair and he laughed out loud as he set it aside. I needed this. Imogene, how did you know? He opened her letter.
My Dearest Graham,
You have just asked me to marry you tonight and I wish to share my deepest feelings with you. I trust you as I have never trusted another person. You are honest and good. You are kind and gentle. You are wise and steadfast. I know you will love me and that alone will make me happy. I vow to spend my days in the pursuit of loving you in hopes of making you as happy as I will be. For the first time, in many months, tonight I go to sleep without a great sadness pushing against my heart. The pain of it is nearly gone. Your love heals it and it is fading away. Here is my kiss to seal my words to you. I
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