Adoration

Given what has happened, and that I am still here this morning, he cannot avoid it.

‘You love me,’ he said firmly, hi

s eyes daring her to deny it.

‘I do. I have already told you that, and I meant it,’ she replied firmly.

‘Good, and I adore you,’ he announced, his eyes softening as his smile grew.

‘You do?’ she asked.

‘I positively, absolutely, do,’ he assured her.

‘Morgan,’ she whispered lovingly.

‘The staff know you are still here,’ he continued.

‘I suppose they do.’

‘Your aunt is going to be worried about you. I confess, I forgot to send word to her that you were safe and here,’ Morgan admitted a little ruefully. ‘While I am sure she will be pleased that you were found and are safe, she is going to think you have been ruined.’

Sissy’s brows lifted. ‘I suppose I have been,’ she murmured thoughtfully but without any hint of regret.

Morgan grinned wolfishly. ‘I suppose you have been.’

‘Don’t you dare say it,’ she said abruptly.

‘What?’

Sissy tried to ease away from him but Morgan was having none of it. ‘What? What shouldn’t I say?’

Sissy eyed him warily. ‘You were going to suggest that we have to get married.’

‘But we do,’ he protested. ‘We love each other.’

‘But we hardly know each other,’ Sissy cried.

Morgan snorted. ‘Well, I could hardly agree to that given what happened last night, or have you forgotten already?’

Sissy rolled her eyes. ‘Of course not. But, well, I mean-’

‘You want a formal courtship,’ he finished for her.

‘God no,’ she moaned.

‘You are worried about what my mother will think? Whether anyone will be happy for us?’ Morgan continued.

‘No. One thing last night taught me is that I shouldn’t give a damn about what anybody else likes. When I was out in the middle of nowhere nobody knew I was there. I could have died out there, Morgan, and nobody would have bothered except for Norma. If she had gone to Maud’s like she usually does when she is alone, I could have died before she even realised that I was missing.’

Morgan pursed his lips. He frowned a little because he did think it odd that Norma hadn’t sent word to the house that Sissy had still not returned. He had told Norma that he would go and find her, but when he hadn’t returned, surely Norma had worried – hadn’t she?

‘I think your aunt might already suspect that I found you and brought you here,’ Morgan suggested.

‘But she hasn’t called by,’ Sissy protested.

‘No, because she knows I will look after you,’ Morgan reasoned. ‘Maybe, just maybe, she knows that we need some time alone together to sort out our problems and decide on our future. It must be together, Sissy, our future. We will be together. I want to wake up like this with you every day of our lives. I am not going to countenance you having your own suite of rooms. I want you in my room beside me where you belong.’

Sissy couldn’t think of anything she would like more. Her heart melted a little. This time, when Morgan pressed her deeper into the covers and looked lovingly at her she smiled up at him and welcomed him.