‘No! Never pitiful.’ She wanted to touch his arm, a gesture of reassurance, but he held her at bay with a raised hand.

‘It’s alright, Grace. I know you protected Amelia because she was the more vulnerable of us all. I understand that now . . . because I’ve lied for the same reason.’

Grace waited for him to explain. He needed no prompting, only time.

Talek thrust his hands in his pockets again. ‘Her death was reported as a tragic accident, but it wasn’t.’ He breathed in deeply, as if preparing himself for what was to follow. ‘Amelia drove the trap off the cliff intentionally with the aim of killing Henry. She believed it would solve all my problems and be a fitting revenge for her.’

It sounded outlandish. Sweet, fragile Amelia a murderer? Yet Talek had sounded so sure.

‘How do you know this?’

Talek met her gaze. ‘She left me a letter which explained her intentions and why she was doing it. I found it on the day she died and immediately went out to look for them, but by then it was too late.’ He returned his attention to the horizon. ‘I have read her letter a thousand times since, but re-reading it does not change the fact that she killed a man. I’ve burnt it now. I could not risk the truth coming out.’

‘Oh, Talek, I am so sorry.’

‘I’m telling you this in confidence, Grace. I would rather it was believed to be a tragic accident.’ His lips curved in an ironic smile. ‘Suicide and murder have a certain stigma attached to them and I want to protect her reputation, even in death. As I watched her letter burn in the grate, I realised I was lying to the world in my attempt to hide the truth and protect Amelia. And I finally understood why you did what you did. You wanted to protect her just as I was doing even if it meant living the rest of your life with the burden of a lie.’ He smiled at her. ‘We are like two peas in a pod, you and I.’

His attempt at humour only showed her the depth of his sadness. It was so unlike him to repeat such a phrase, plucked out from the ether to cover his pain. Her heart went out to him.

‘Thank you,’ she said, softly.

His gaze momentarily dropped to her lips. ‘For what?’

‘For trusting me with the truth.’

His gaze returned to her eyes. ‘You made a promise to be truthful to me. I thought I would do you the same courtesy. I know I can trust you with protecting Amelia’s reputation, after all you have done so in the past.’

‘I will not tell a soul.’

He smiled. ‘I know.’

They fell silent as they watched each other. Not for the first time, Grace wondered what he was thinking. He was so near yet he gave no sign of how he was feeling. She fought the urge to step nearer and lean her head against his shoulder. Would he welcome her closeness and embrace her or would the invisible barrier remain between them.

‘Roseland is missing you.’

Her heart leapt at his attempt to pull the barrier down.

‘I miss Roseland.’

Talek took a casual step towards her. ‘The miners and their families are missing you too.’

She found herself moving towards him, as if his words were pulling her by an invisible thread. She tried to remain calm, but her voice betrayed her.

‘I miss them too.’

He reached for her hand and threaded his fingers through hers. ‘Only them?’

She could see hope in his eyes as she had not pulled away. Seeing his thoughts gave her the courage to go on. She had promised to always tell him the truth and would do so now.

‘Not just them. I miss you too.’

He drew her closer with the slightest of pressure. It was all that was needed.

‘These past few months have been hell without you.’ His voice was no more than a softly spoken thought, low, broken, full of past anguish.

‘They have for me too.’

‘I wanted to get my house in order, so I could come to you without troubles.’

‘There was no need to wait.’

‘There was every need. You have suffered enough.’

‘I have suffered more for the waiting . . .’ Grace lifted his hand to her lips and grazed them against it ‘. . . as I wanted to be near to comfort you in your grief. You must miss Amelia so much.’

‘Yes, I miss her. I always knew Amelia’s life would be short . . . but that knowledge does not make it easier.’ He looked at her hand in his, tracing her fingers with that of his own. ‘The house is empty without you, Grace.’

‘It needn’t be.’

He cradled the line of her jaw with his hand as he tilted her face upwards to his. ‘I’ve missed seeing this face scowling at me across the breakfast table.’

Grace smiled. ‘Was I so unfriendly towards you?’

‘No more than I deserved.’

‘And now we are friends again.’

Talek’s hazel eyes darkened with their liquid black centres. ‘I want us to be more than friends.’ A heartbeat later, Talek was wrapping his arms about her. ‘I want what we had. I want what no other man can.’

Grace closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder, savouring the moment so she could remember it for the rest of her life — the warmth of his body, the spice and oak moss notes from his morning shave, his heart beating wildly against her own. She wanted to remember it all.

‘I’ve missed you so much it hurts,’ he whispered into her hair.

‘And I you.’ Suddenly they were kissing. Both seeking the others lips in mutual desire, their kisses were well matched and demanding, born from pent-up passion and an appetite for more. Both determined not to let this moment be snatched away. But soon that fear lessened, turning their passion to a less hurried, sweet pleasure — a dance of two lovers with promises for more.

They broke away, their heads bowed and a languid smile on their sensitive lips. They rested their foreheads against one another’s as their rapid breaths fanned each other’s heated skin. Talek’s voice was hoarse with relief when he finally spoke.

‘I was a fool to send you away.’

She touched his cheek with trembling fingers and smiled through her tears. ‘And I was a fool to give you cause to.’

‘I meant it when I said my home is empty without you. My life is too.’

‘You wish to employ me again?’ Grace teased.

‘No . . . I wish to have you as my wife.’

Grace turned in the circle of his arms to look at the sprawling countryside below them. ‘I want that too.’