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Chapter 2
A little later, Lara emerged from her room. Hillary, who was pretending to occupy himself by shifting ornaments in the Great Hall, looked up when he heard her bedroom door open. His heart skipped a beat as he saw her, looking unusually fragile, hovering at the top of the stairs. She was dressed simply in a pair of cropped jeans and one of his own white shirts, and her hair was loosely braided.
"I thought I may as well get up," Lara gave a small smile. "It was getting a little cold in there without you, anyway!" She padded down the staircase and stood by his side. Taking his hand, she looked up into his eyes.
"I know I've been difficult since we got back," Lara murmured.
"Under the circumstances-" Hillary began to utter his dissent.
"No, don't try to make me feel better," Lara replied. "I know you and Bryce have been worried sick about me, but really, there's no need. I'm fine." She gave a more convincing smile.
Hillary wished he could believe her, but some instinct told him that this was far from over. Although his heart told him that Lara loved him, elements of fear and doubt kept nagging him during his quieter moments about just what his position actually was in Lara's life.
He knew that the last thing Lara needed was to have more emotional demands placed on her, but he didn't know how long he could keep up the façade that everything was fine. He needed to hear, from her, that he was the only man she wanted. It was all well and good for Lara to say that the thought of he, Hillary, had stopped her from sleeping with Sheridan, but was it just guilt and a sense of duty that had stayed her hand, or did she truly feel something deeper for him?
Cursing inwardly his own selfish thoughts at a time when Lara so obviously needed him, Hillary tried to ignore his questions for the moment. He drew her close for a moment, resting his lips briefly on the top of her head. "Just remember that I'm here," he said quietly. "Now and always, for as long as you need me." He felt a tingle down his spine as Lara wrapped her long, elegant arms around him.
"I know you are, Hilly," she said, holding on to him tightly. "That's one of the things that I love about you."
A discreet cough brought both of them abruptly back to earth.
"Don't mind me," Bryce Turing said with a trace of embarrassment. "I was just after some breakfast." As he passed the embracing couple, he caught Hillary's eye. The look was pure I knew it!
Hillary turned to Lara once more and cleared his throat. "Well, it seems there's little need to tell Bryce now-it looks like we've given ourselves away." He smiled down at her. "Unless you can think of a convincing explanation that has somehow eluded me?"
Lara giggled, a sound that filled Hillary with optimism. "Oh well, it's about time he found out anyway." She ran a warm hand over Hillary's jawline. "I mean, everyone'll find out sooner or later." She looked relieved, and happy, and for a moment, Hillary forgot his worries about her.
"How do you fancy a ride over the estate?" Lara asked. "Midnight could definitely do with a bit of exercise and I know Arrow's just been re-shod and needs riding out."
"Well, I've got one or two things to attend to, but give me an hour or so and you're on," Hillary replied. He looked concerned for a moment. "That's if you're up to it?"
"Oh, don't start all that again," Lara said quickly. "I think I'm about overdue for a bit of fresh air, and I know for a fact that no-one's checked the fences on the estate for a little while now." She rose up on tiptoes and kissed him briefly. "I'll see you at the stables at about twelve-ish." With that, she wandered off to her own drawing room.
Chapter 3