Emilia heard the front door creak open just moments after Lord Trevor had left. At first, she wondered if he'd come back. She did not exactly want to see him again but did wish to convey, somehow, that she wasn't precisely looking for any gentlemen callers.

But as soon as the door had opened, it slammed shut again, and Emilia jumped.

She supposed that was not Lord Trevor and bit her lip nervously.

Will spun into the room, slamming the parlor door behind him as well. Then he leaned back against it, allowing himself to catch his breath. His face had gone rather white, and Emilia began to worry that something had gone terribly wrong with...well, any number of people. Adelaide or Theo or King Ernest.

When he straightened, Will assessed her carefully. "What the hell was Lord Trevor doing here, Emilia?" he asked with a strained voice and bright eyes.

Emilia straightened too, not one to wither beneath an accusing stare.

"It isn't as though I invited him, Will. It was just as much a shock to me as to you, I am sure."

Will simply rose his brows in response before pushing himself off the door, approaching her with tightly measured movements.

"Are you alright?" he asked carefully. "Did he bother you?"

"I'm quite fine. His lordship simply came by to check on me, for whatever reason. If you do not trust my word, ask Lloyd. He refused to leave the room during our visitor's stay."

"Good man," Will muttered. "Remind me to give him a raise."

Will sat down next to her, glancing at the needlework in her hands questionably.

"I needed something idle to do, for once. I could barely handle the wait for you to return home," Emilia explained.

In response to that, Will tilted his head up toward the ceiling and closed his eyes. Emilia wouldn't have thought that needlework would evoke such a reaction, but it had been a very trying day, after all. Slowly, Will blinked and addressed her gently.

"Your brother is fine. Addie is fine. The king is fine," he reassured her. Reaching up, he brushed the loose strands of hair away from her face. "It is over now, Emilia. Theo wishes to have you back at Kingfield House immediately. I am certain he's counting the seconds since I've left." He held out his hand to her. "Are you ready?"

Emilia thought about that question, finding it difficult to answer. Was she ready to return to Kingfield House? Did she wish to go back to the life she had led for the last two years?

She supposed she would have to find a new book to read. Or perhaps find new card partners, but those were in short supply. Of course, her horses would welcome her back, granted she came with apples and carrots in tow. Emilia looked down at her needlework. Dear God, it was awful. Maybe it was time that she improved at that, as well.

Emilia would need all those hobbies and more to distract her from thoughts of the man before her. Emilia surveyed Will's face, tracing his jaw's sharp lines with her eyes before sweeping up to meet his gaze.

She searched for clues in the depths of his gorgeous, soulful eyes. She looked for anything that would help her understand how he was feeling.

But they were unreadable.

"Are we not going to talk about it first?" she hedged.

Will dropped his hand, realizing that she was not, in fact, ready.

"About what Emilia?" he asked softly.

"About...everything." Emilia did not know how to adequately sum up all that had happened between them.

"Emilia," Will said, leaning in. He gently brushed his fingers over her cheek. "I should not have kissed you."

She blinked up at him beneath her lashes. He was awfully close, his breath wafting over her skin. Over her lips. Perhaps he should not have kissed her, but Emilia dreadfully hoped he would do it again.

She could not help it. Will drove her mad. But it was only because she simply wished he would let go of everything else so they could both live again. Emilia wished that the push and pull of their hearts would end.

"But you did kiss me, Will," she breathed, giving into the desire to be close to him. He cupped her cheek, and she leaned into it. "And now what? I am to return to Kingfield House like nothing has happened?"

Will's already tortured expression twisted further. He let his hand slide back, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Emilia, I do not know what to tell you—"

"Tell me the truth," she cut in. "I must know."

Sighing, Will said, "I—I cannot."

Tears burned behind her eyelids, threatening to escape. She jerked away from his touch. "And I cannot live with the number of times you have denied me."

"Emilia, simply trust me," he begged.

She shook her head, glancing away before he should see the wetness in her gaze.

"Is there anything you believe about me anymore. Is there anything that you trust?" Will asked. His desperation was apparent, but Emilia did not understand what he had to be desperate about. He had caused this situation, after all.

"I—" she began, but he cut her off.

"Do you even believe that I loved you?" he persisted.

"I do not know," she replied after swallowing hard.

Will's eyes flashed. It was an odd, determined look.

"Why not?"

"Leo told me that you never wanted love with me," Emilia replied with a sniff. "You picked me to be your wife because you thought I'd be a good companion and breed your children for you."

His face drained of all color.

"He said what?"

"I am not repeating it, Will."

"I wouldn't be here with you right now if all I wanted was a good companion and someone to breed my children," he scoffed. "Our relationship might have started that way, but that wasn't how I felt in the end. That certainly isn't how I feel now."

"How do you feel now?" Emilia whispered.

"I cannot—"

She began to shake her head, recovering herself now that he was further away. "If you say you cannot tell me one more time, I swear to God, I will never speak to you again," Emilia said through tightly clenched teeth.

"Fine." Will threw his hands up in the air, flying to his feet. His stance was casual, but his eyes were direct and intense as he gazed down at Emilia. "You want to know how I feel? I feel like I cannot breathe when I look at you. Because you are everything to me. God, you are everything. And it isn't enough to merely tell you this."

Will rocked forward as if he were going to touch her again, but then he stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I want to make you feel it, Emilia," he said lowly. "I wish I could make you see."

Emilia's heart pounded wildly in her chest as Will's eyes bore into her. She had begun to believe his remorse. It did not mean that she could forgive him for what he did, but it was something. It was something she could trust in him.

If only he could trust her with his truth. The whole truth of it.

"Make me see, Will," she whispered.

He dragged his hand through his black locks, sighing. And then, to her surprise, he sat beside her again. "I will tell you this," he said. His fingers reached out, curling around hers. Emilia tried to ignore the heat of their skin as it touched. "I am tangled up in something that I cannot have you be close to, Emilia. That is why I left you. It had nothing to do with your respectability or your suitability. It had everything to do with the mess that I am in. I cannot go on pretending otherwise any longer."

Emilia blinked at him. She tried to control her breathing, but it was hard to control anything after Will's confession—a confession she had waited two years to hear. Her fingers wrapped tightly around his.

"But you're not going to tell me more," she managed to say. "Because you are still trying to protect me. You intend to keep me blind."

It was a statement, not a question.

"Yes, I am trying to protect you. And no, I will not say more," Will admitted. His mouth flattened into a thin line.

Disappointment washed through her as Will added, "I know it is too soon to beg for your forgiveness, Emilia. But one day, I will earn it. I promise you."

Will slowly leaned in several more inches and whispered a kiss across her forehead. Emilia's eyes fluttered closed in response. And when she opened them again, Will's expression was shuttered and withdrawn.

"Why do you have this look on your face like I shall not see you again?" Emilia asked.

"You'll see me," he assured her. But his eyes were evasive, and Emilia was not convinced. This was to be another push away.

Will gave her a tight smile and stood. "Let me escort you home, my lady."

There was little for her to do but to follow him. But Emilia couldn't resist the feeling as she walked out of Will's home that she was walking out of his life.

Theo greeted them when they returned to the Mayfair mansion that was Kingfield House. After the events of the day, Emilia could not help but run to him. He wrapped his massive arms around her in a firm grip, but she soon broke away, realizing he had bloodstains on his shirt and cravat. There was a distinct stench of gunpowder, though Emilia was confident that she smelled equally insidious.

"Are you alright?" she asked immediately, but Theo turned to gleam down at her.

Emilia could not remember the last time she had seen him looking so happy. She gave him a queer look; something did not add up, given the day they had just had.

"What has put you in such a splendid mood, brother?"

"Well," Theo said, dragging the word out. "We do not have to disappear to the continent, or America, or anywhere else. And no one is trying to kill us anymore."

"That was true the last time I saw you, hardly a half an hour ago, and you were not this content then," Will pointed out.

Theo ruffled his hands through his hair and gave them a sheepish smile. "Adelaide said she believes that she can convince the king to allow us to marry."

Emilia gasped. "But how?"

Theo grimaced then, his smile falling slightly. "She does not intend to tell him that George is not the father of her baby." He threw his hands up in a show of defeat. "All Ernest cares about is his bloodlines. And she's carrying his bloodlines, or so he thinks. Just as we convinced him to give Adelaide a chance to prove that she wasn't George's killer today."

Will nodded slowly. "She is not wrong. That child will allow her some control over him. He will hope to breed him or her as his legacy." Will stuffed his hands in his pockets and gave Theo a look of concern. "I believe it will work, but are you certain that this is something that you can live with?"

Theo gave a resigned shrug. "What are my alternatives? If she admits the child is mine, then the King will never allow our marriage. He will resent me until the day he dies. Or I die, whichever comes first. I would fear it would be me, and very quickly, too." He sighed deeply. "My concern is simply for the safety of Adelaide and the safety of my child."

Theo draped his arm around Emilia's shoulder and gave her a squeeze. "I am happy for you, Theo," Emilia said softly, knowing it was as close to a happy ending as her brother and the princess were going to get.

Theo smiled in return and then gave his attention to Will, raising a brow. "Well?"

Will merely shook his head. Her brother frowned.

"Here she is, safe and sound," Will said, motioning toward Emilia as if he was a footman delivering on a task—as if she was simply a parcel for delivery.

Then Will added, "Congratulations on your betrothal, Your Grace. And to the most powerful woman in England, I might add." Will gave a little wink and mock bow before adding, "I will leave you all to celebrate."

Theo's frown deepened. "Trotten, why don't we talk in my study before you go."

"Oh, I do not think—"

"I insist," Theo said. "Like I said earlier, we could not have done this without you. Let us have a drink. Are you more a port man or a scotch drinker?"

"I suppose scotch," Will replied uneasily. He glanced at Emilia and then said, "I will meet you there in one moment, Your Grace."

Theo gave him a warning look but eventually shrugged and strode to his office, distinctly closing the door behind him.

The second Theo was out of sight, Will turned to Emilia. "If you ever need anything, my lady, do not ever hesitate to send word."

"What do you suppose I should need?" Emilia asked curiously.

"Anything," Will said, giving her a hand a quick squeeze. "Anything at all."

He drew away then, following in her brother's direction. Emilia remained in her spot in the foyer, staring blankly after him, wondering why he did not realize that she would always feel as though she needed something from him.

When he was about three paces away, Will turned back. With one look at Emilia's face, he cursed and stepped toward her again. He reached out to grab her hand, the one he had just squeezed, using it to drag Emilia to him. She hit him square in the chest, their bodies pressed together. Will's head bent next to hers.

"Do not look at me like that," he whispered in her ear before softly kissing the hollow below it. Emilia melted further into him as he brushed his lips down her jawline. She tilted her head, giving him better access, but then he ripped his mouth away to breath, "I am sorry, Emilia."

"Why do I get the feeling that was a good-bye kiss, Will?" Emilia gasped, reeling from the delight of his lips on her again. She wanted to hate him for walking away from her, but Emilia was struggling to hate him enough to push him away when he made her feel like this.

Everything would be so much easier if she could simply train her heart to stay mad at him. It would be much easier than being mad for him.

A corner of his mouth lifted up, and he said, "I already told you this wasn't good-bye. You'll see me. That was merely a...friendly see-you-later kiss, Emilia."

"Friends do not have see-you-later kisses," she replied with a raise of her brow.

Instead of giving her a cheeky reply, Will's face grew solemn and dispiriting.

"You are right, of course. I suppose that is why I am sorry."

And then he disappeared down the hallway, and the door clicked closed behind him.