this the natural reaction to walking away from such violence? He was simply too tired to bait her, wanting only the moment of comfort she seemed willing to provide. The rest could wait.
“I’ve hired Mr. Kato,” he said by way of neutral conversation.
“Without consulting me?”
“He stood over me, armed, while I saved Chloe’s life. I hardly thought you’d mind.”
“No, I shouldn’t think so.”
“Besides, he used to work for the Barnaby Mine until they were bought out. His worth is hard to overestimate. Brawn, obviously, but also a potential link to local habits and enterprises—languages and the like. He says the men who attacked were renegade Boers who have yet to accept the terms of surrender. They harass English travelers for revenge. Maybe for profit. But either way, Mr. Kato seems a good man to have on our side.”
“You spoke with him?”
“I didn’t read his mind, if that’s what you mean.” His stomach flipped, hard , when she smiled softly. Miles soaked it up. To see Viv happy and smiling. God, how long had it been? And how long had it been since he’d been the cause?
“I suppose,” she said steadily, “that entering an unknown situation with a ready ally cannot be a mistake.”
He enjoyed her acquiescence. However, if Viv started to agree with him and think him a dependable, prudent partner,he might need to remain as such. He found the Cape appealing but not so dearly as to become a responsible human being.
She had returned to washing the blood and grime from his collarbone. Miles bit his back teeth together. The stinging pain was bad enough to distract him from her soft, soothing touch. For that alone he resented the injury, even if it had brought her this close. She bent low to inadvertently reveal the back of her neck. Pink skin. Slightly sunburned. Stray whorls of silken gold curled there, taunting, teasing him with the need to sink greedy fingers into her hair and pull her mouth to his once again.
Bloody hell. He was a viscount and a married man. He shouldn’t need to suffer grievous harm to earn the privilege of his wife’s hands on his skin. But that’s what it felt like—a privilege after all this time.
“And you managed these negotiations while I tended Chloe?”
What was it about her tone of voice that shamed his past behavior as much as it inspired him to keep doing good? He grabbed at levity to keep such thoughts at bay. “Just making myself useful.”
“That was quite a feat you managed, Miles.” Her voice was rough and soft, as if she’d recently recovered from an illness. “Gathering those men as you did.”
“A perfectly good resource going to waste. I hadn’t thought to do the right thing. Or any thing at all, really. But dying here had been the only other option, one I absolutely refuse to entertain. Think of the indignity, Vivie.”
He feigned a shudder to cover a deeper dread. Seeing her hurt was simply . . . unthinkable—even though he knew he’d caused his fair share over the years.
“But who knows how many lives you saved today.”
He chuckled. “Is that a thank you?”
She lifted her eyes—those magnificent hazel eyes that concealed so much. How did she keep it all locked away? He’d been born to title and knew less about dignity than she managed with that simple sweep of her gaze.
Sweet Lord, he wanted to taste her again. To feel her surrender.
“No,” she said softly. “This is. Thank you, Miles.”
He searched his mind for a crude, leveling comment to counter her earnestness, but none came. His brain was a blank. All he could do was stare into eyes made to glow by the fire of a sinking sun.
Viv blinked and ducked. Still gentle, she patted his wound dry. “Chloe isn’t going to fare well here,” she said, almost a confession. “I shouldn’t have brought her.”
“She’ll adjust.”
“She shouldn’t have to. This was my endeavor, but now . . .”
He couldn’t help but touch her then, just under the chin. Viv
“I’ve hired Mr. Kato,” he said by way of neutral conversation.
“Without consulting me?”
“He stood over me, armed, while I saved Chloe’s life. I hardly thought you’d mind.”
“No, I shouldn’t think so.”
“Besides, he used to work for the Barnaby Mine until they were bought out. His worth is hard to overestimate. Brawn, obviously, but also a potential link to local habits and enterprises—languages and the like. He says the men who attacked were renegade Boers who have yet to accept the terms of surrender. They harass English travelers for revenge. Maybe for profit. But either way, Mr. Kato seems a good man to have on our side.”
“You spoke with him?”
“I didn’t read his mind, if that’s what you mean.” His stomach flipped, hard , when she smiled softly. Miles soaked it up. To see Viv happy and smiling. God, how long had it been? And how long had it been since he’d been the cause?
“I suppose,” she said steadily, “that entering an unknown situation with a ready ally cannot be a mistake.”
He enjoyed her acquiescence. However, if Viv started to agree with him and think him a dependable, prudent partner,he might need to remain as such. He found the Cape appealing but not so dearly as to become a responsible human being.
She had returned to washing the blood and grime from his collarbone. Miles bit his back teeth together. The stinging pain was bad enough to distract him from her soft, soothing touch. For that alone he resented the injury, even if it had brought her this close. She bent low to inadvertently reveal the back of her neck. Pink skin. Slightly sunburned. Stray whorls of silken gold curled there, taunting, teasing him with the need to sink greedy fingers into her hair and pull her mouth to his once again.
Bloody hell. He was a viscount and a married man. He shouldn’t need to suffer grievous harm to earn the privilege of his wife’s hands on his skin. But that’s what it felt like—a privilege after all this time.
“And you managed these negotiations while I tended Chloe?”
What was it about her tone of voice that shamed his past behavior as much as it inspired him to keep doing good? He grabbed at levity to keep such thoughts at bay. “Just making myself useful.”
“That was quite a feat you managed, Miles.” Her voice was rough and soft, as if she’d recently recovered from an illness. “Gathering those men as you did.”
“A perfectly good resource going to waste. I hadn’t thought to do the right thing. Or any thing at all, really. But dying here had been the only other option, one I absolutely refuse to entertain. Think of the indignity, Vivie.”
He feigned a shudder to cover a deeper dread. Seeing her hurt was simply . . . unthinkable—even though he knew he’d caused his fair share over the years.
“But who knows how many lives you saved today.”
He chuckled. “Is that a thank you?”
She lifted her eyes—those magnificent hazel eyes that concealed so much. How did she keep it all locked away? He’d been born to title and knew less about dignity than she managed with that simple sweep of her gaze.
Sweet Lord, he wanted to taste her again. To feel her surrender.
“No,” she said softly. “This is. Thank you, Miles.”
He searched his mind for a crude, leveling comment to counter her earnestness, but none came. His brain was a blank. All he could do was stare into eyes made to glow by the fire of a sinking sun.
Viv blinked and ducked. Still gentle, she patted his wound dry. “Chloe isn’t going to fare well here,” she said, almost a confession. “I shouldn’t have brought her.”
“She’ll adjust.”
“She shouldn’t have to. This was my endeavor, but now . . .”
He couldn’t help but touch her then, just under the chin. Viv
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