Adoration

Sissy’s cheeks flooded with colour.

‘I won’t apologise for that,’ Morgan informed her.

‘I didn’t ask you to,’ she countered.

‘I suppose I am going to have to get you home or Norma will send someone out to come and find you,’ Morgan sighed reluctantly. It was the last thing he wanted to do but he had no idea how long they had been out. Time had disappeared completely over the last few moments. He remained quiet while the river barge passed. The captain touched his forehead in acknowledgement of Morgan and looked at Sissy curiously but promptly lost interest in them the second he passed them.

‘See? He doesn’t care about us,’ Morgan offered.

Sissy sighed. ‘I don’t understand what happened.’

‘Would you come to the house and dine with me tomorrow evening?’ Morgan asked.

Sissy opened her mouth to reject his offer but something compelled her to stop.

‘Please?’

‘Norma would love it,’ Sissy whispered a little shyly.

Morgan mentally cursed because he knew that Norma would, naturally, have to be invited as well. He wished he could just invite Sissy for just one evening, though.

I will have to invite mother as well. Hopefully, they will create a way for me to get a moment or two alone with Sissy. That is all we need. Just a few dinners, a few moments alone, and a little time to come to terms with this new change in our acquaintance. She will come around, I am sure of it.

Morgan had to make it happen. After the kisses they had just shared he knew that nobody else would be able to make him contemplate marriage. Not now.

‘We have to get back,’ he urged gently, although with an air of reluctance that made Sissy want to cry again but only because she didn’t want her time with him to end either.

‘You haven’t answered me,’ he prompted as they began to retrace their steps.

Sissy wanted to refuse but wanted to be with him again too much. ‘It would be wonderful to dine with you tomorrow, thank you.’

Morgan placed her hand on his arm again and began to walk her home. Their amble was considerably slower than it had been on the outward journey because they both wanted to prolong the time they had together. Neither spoke much but then didn’t need to. There was an air of togetherness between them now that was too fragile for either of them to risk damaging with banal conversation, or anything which would ruin the tentative bond they had started to forge. It was too precious; too rare. While neither of them knew where it was going to lead them, or understood what it meant for their future, they both knew that what they had just shared was special. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for everlasting happiness.

What Sissy couldn’t understand was why Morgan had chosen now to kiss her. Was it something that he would regret when he returned home? Did he want something from her? Did he truly see her as marriageable? She wanted to ask him so badly but then didn’t want to sound as if she expected something from him.

I need time to think about this. He must want to see me again or else he wouldn’t have invited us to dinner tomorrow evening.

‘I shall send a carriage to collect you about seven tomorrow,’ Morgan murmured quietly once they were on her doorstep.

Sissy turned to look at him. The second she did she felt something in t

he centre of her chest begin to melt. She knew what it was. It was the same feeling she experienced each time she saw him; that strange ache, the yearning, the need, all created a wealth of emotion she struggled contain. It was love.

Adoration.

‘Are you not coming in? I am sure Norma will be back by now,’ Sissy offered.

Morgan shook his head. ‘I have business at the estate to attend to. I am already late. If I leave it too long they are likely to send a search party out for me.’

Sissy matched his smile. Her cheeks flooded with colour again when he picked her hand up and pressed a loving kiss onto the back of it. His eyes twinkled teasingly and promised her all sorts of scandalous things.

‘Tomorrow,’ he whispered.

Sissy’s smile remained in place as she watched him stalk through the gate and mount his horse. He winked boldly at her before he trotted out of her life leaving her to stare after him with all the adoration that was in her heart. It was only when he had disappeared that Sissy realised where she was and what she was doing. Warily, she slid a worried look up and down the street. There were few people out and about but she was sure she had just seen several curtains and shutters twitch.

‘Well you can think what you like,’ Sissy snorted dismissively before letting herself into her home. It was then that she realised that Morgan hadn’t told her what he had wanted to discuss with her. ‘Well, we shall find out tomorrow evening no doubt.’

‘Is that you, dear? Where have you been? I have been getting worried about you,’ Norma called as she shuffled into the sitting room.