“Better now.”
“I shall most likely regret asking you this after such a wonderful night, but what changed?”
Elizabeth thought back to her conversation with Lady Burnham. “I made a decision.”
Colin looked at her with narrowed eyes, not understanding the context behind her words, but she was too distracted by the thin silver chain around his neck.
“What is this?” She asked as she reached for it. “I didn’t notice the locket last night.”
“Well, you had other things on your mind.” The devil smiled. “It’s a locket with a lock of your hair inside it,” he explained as he opened it.
Elizabeth’s hand instinctively flew to her head. “But how…?”
“I cut it off while you were sick,” Colin said sheepishly.
“Wait. We kept you shirtless most of the time when you were recuperating and you weren’t wearing it,” Elizabeth said almost accusingly, while simultaneously reprimanding herself for getting angry over the wrong thing.
“I had given it to Pratt for safekeeping on the morning of the duel. I didn’t want to risk a bullet damaging it.”
“Yes, God forbid, can you imagine if the bullet had damaged your locket?” Elizabeth said while pointedly staring at his bandaged arm and shaking her head.
He shrugged with his left shoulder. “I have my priorities.”
Almost everyone was already in the dining room by the time the Talbots came downstairs for breakfast. Lizzie insisted on helping Colin with his plate, and could tell he greatly enjoyed the attention.
Silly man,she thought affectionately as she observed him. His complexion was better than it had been in months, his shoulders were relaxed, and his eyes lively and bright.
“I’m only helping you because I’m worried I might have hurt your arm last night,” she whispered to him as they sat down.
He raised an eyebrow at her as he drank from his cup. She looked away, trying to distract herself from the memory.
Her gaze fell on Lady Genevieve, who was sipping hot chocolate and licking her lips suggestively between sips.
“I had the most wonderful rest last night,” she was telling someone with a smirk.
Something about her was different. Elizabeth’s eyes widened in realisation.
“I think she had as good a night as I did,” she whispered to Colin.
“What makes you say that?”
“She looks… content. Like the cat who got the cream, just look at her!” Lizzie hissed, then lifted her hand to keep his face from turning. “I mean, don’tlookat her, oh forget it,” she exclaimed angrily since Colin had started laughing.
“I’m… sorry,” he managed to wheeze out between bouts of laughter. “I just love you so much,” he said, and they both froze.
“Talbot!” Sinclair greeted him loudly, and they both seemed grateful for the interruption. “Are you ready for our hunt today?”
“Good morning, Sinclair. I’m afraid I am still not well enough to participate, but I shall join you for the sake of exercise,” Talbot said, still visibly awkward from their interaction.
Luckily, Sinclair interpreted it as regret. “Don’t worry, you must come stay with us once you’re completely mended, and we shall have a second go at it.”
Other guests kept approaching them and talking to them, and before they knew it, it was time for Talbot and the other men to leave.
“What shall you be doing today?” he asked her when he came by her room to say goodbye.
“Charlotte said she wants to play shuttlecock and show us around the estate,” Lizzie said shyly, not really meeting his eyes.
“Will you go for a walk with me when we come back? I… I will bring Thunder with me after the hunt,” he added as if worried that Elizabeth would not agree to the walk for his sake alone.
