went to the balcony to retrieve the tray.
The garden looked glorious in the morning sunlight. Blooms of every color imaginable burst forth from green leaves. The hedges were perfectly manicured. But her gaze fell on a familiar form. Andy stood with his hands in his pockets, an achingly familiar stance. It felt strange to see him dressed in such a stylish morning coat instead of work clothes.
She stepped away when he turned. Her heart couldn’t bear to look in his eyes.
FOUR
D rew mopped his brow and stared at the patio door. Butterflies swarmed the bushes in the garden that surrounded the stone patio. The sweet scent of some kind of flower filled the air. His eyes were gritty from lack of sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Lily’s face. What was she doing here? Had she found him somehow? But no, he’d seen the shock in her beautiful blue eyes when she’d seen him.
He pulled out his pocket watch. Nearly eight. Maybe he could slip into the house and find her.
The door opened and Emily, one of the kitchen maids, stepped out of the large French doors onto the patio. She carried a tray. Her hazel eyes sparkled under her cap. “Good morning, Mr. Hawkes. I’ve brought your breakfast.”
He waited until she set the tray on the table. “Thank you. I was wondering about the young woman I knocked down last night. Is she up? I’d like to make sure she suffered no ill effects.”
Emily nodded. “Oh yes, she’s been up for hours. Shall I fetch her?”
“Please do.” He spread the white napkin on his lap, but his stomach clenched at the thought of swallowing anything. He’d been ready to blurt out everything last night, but in the bright light of day, he realized how disastrous that would be.
“I’ll send her right out. She’s fine though, sir.” Emily stepped back through the French doors into the dining room.
Drew put down his fork and waited. What should he say to her? He couldn’t tell Lily why he’d left her. Better to let her think he didn’t care than to put her in more danger. Seeing her had knocked the props out from under him.
When Lily stepped into the sunshine, his heart nearly stopped in his chest. She was even more beautiful than he’d remembered from last night. The sun illuminated the planes and angles of her cheekbones and deep-set eyes. Her smooth skin looked soft and touchable. A hint of a blush ran up her neck. How was it possible she was still single—and that she was here and not in Larson?
“I like your hair down better,” he blurted when the silence grew between them.
Her color deepened. “I’m a grown woman now, Andy. Not a callow girl to be taken in by your deceit.”
Her words stung, but he couldn’t let her see him flinch. He rose and thrust his hands into his pockets. “What are you doing here, Lily? Why aren’t you home with your mother?”
“She’s dead, and I have to earn my living.”
A band of grief choked his voice. Her mother had been one of the sweetest women he’d ever met, and he loved her instead of the mother who had deserted him at the age of one.
Lily’s eyes widened as she stared at him. The defiance on her face eased, and she touched his hand. “I know you cared about her.” When he started to take her hand, she snatched it away. “At least you appeared to, though I now question how you could leave us without a word.”
He would have to ask her not to betray his identity. “Please remember to call me Drew here.”
She lifted a perfectly formed brow. “I hardly think so. I’m aservant here. If I were presumptuous enough to use your first name, I would be sacked. I shall call you Mr. Hawkins.”
“Hawkes. I’ve shortened my name.”
She clasped her hands together at the front of her oh-so-proper black skirt. “What’s happened to you, Andy? The man I knew would not condone falsehood.”
“The man you knew is dead.” When she flinched, he softened his tone. “There are things you don’t understand, Lily. I hope to explain
The garden looked glorious in the morning sunlight. Blooms of every color imaginable burst forth from green leaves. The hedges were perfectly manicured. But her gaze fell on a familiar form. Andy stood with his hands in his pockets, an achingly familiar stance. It felt strange to see him dressed in such a stylish morning coat instead of work clothes.
She stepped away when he turned. Her heart couldn’t bear to look in his eyes.
FOUR
D rew mopped his brow and stared at the patio door. Butterflies swarmed the bushes in the garden that surrounded the stone patio. The sweet scent of some kind of flower filled the air. His eyes were gritty from lack of sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Lily’s face. What was she doing here? Had she found him somehow? But no, he’d seen the shock in her beautiful blue eyes when she’d seen him.
He pulled out his pocket watch. Nearly eight. Maybe he could slip into the house and find her.
The door opened and Emily, one of the kitchen maids, stepped out of the large French doors onto the patio. She carried a tray. Her hazel eyes sparkled under her cap. “Good morning, Mr. Hawkes. I’ve brought your breakfast.”
He waited until she set the tray on the table. “Thank you. I was wondering about the young woman I knocked down last night. Is she up? I’d like to make sure she suffered no ill effects.”
Emily nodded. “Oh yes, she’s been up for hours. Shall I fetch her?”
“Please do.” He spread the white napkin on his lap, but his stomach clenched at the thought of swallowing anything. He’d been ready to blurt out everything last night, but in the bright light of day, he realized how disastrous that would be.
“I’ll send her right out. She’s fine though, sir.” Emily stepped back through the French doors into the dining room.
Drew put down his fork and waited. What should he say to her? He couldn’t tell Lily why he’d left her. Better to let her think he didn’t care than to put her in more danger. Seeing her had knocked the props out from under him.
When Lily stepped into the sunshine, his heart nearly stopped in his chest. She was even more beautiful than he’d remembered from last night. The sun illuminated the planes and angles of her cheekbones and deep-set eyes. Her smooth skin looked soft and touchable. A hint of a blush ran up her neck. How was it possible she was still single—and that she was here and not in Larson?
“I like your hair down better,” he blurted when the silence grew between them.
Her color deepened. “I’m a grown woman now, Andy. Not a callow girl to be taken in by your deceit.”
Her words stung, but he couldn’t let her see him flinch. He rose and thrust his hands into his pockets. “What are you doing here, Lily? Why aren’t you home with your mother?”
“She’s dead, and I have to earn my living.”
A band of grief choked his voice. Her mother had been one of the sweetest women he’d ever met, and he loved her instead of the mother who had deserted him at the age of one.
Lily’s eyes widened as she stared at him. The defiance on her face eased, and she touched his hand. “I know you cared about her.” When he started to take her hand, she snatched it away. “At least you appeared to, though I now question how you could leave us without a word.”
He would have to ask her not to betray his identity. “Please remember to call me Drew here.”
She lifted a perfectly formed brow. “I hardly think so. I’m aservant here. If I were presumptuous enough to use your first name, I would be sacked. I shall call you Mr. Hawkins.”
“Hawkes. I’ve shortened my name.”
She clasped her hands together at the front of her oh-so-proper black skirt. “What’s happened to you, Andy? The man I knew would not condone falsehood.”
“The man you knew is dead.” When she flinched, he softened his tone. “There are things you don’t understand, Lily. I hope to explain
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