"The snow has finally stopped," Elijah said as he looked out of the window.

Katherine had just put on her shift before she grabbed her corset and walked up behind him. Elijah spent the night showing her the joys of passion and pleasure. As promised, he did not take things too far. How I wished he did, she thought. It didn't seem possible that she could feel this way about someone besides him.

She reached out and laid her hand gently on his shoulder. He turned to her and lightly stroked the wound on her head.

"Does it still hurt you?" He asked.

"Not when you do that," she replied. He smiled at her statement and her cheeks heated. She cleared her throat. "It appears I need help with my corset. Do you mind assisting?"

He got a heated look in his eyes. "It would be my pleasure."

He went to work with the laces, taking his time. She knew he was trying to prolong this as much as possible. "And the dress? Do you need help with that as well?"

Katherine smiled at his eagerness. She was going to miss this. "Yes, please."

He went to retrieve her dress and she watched him closely. She thought about how she got here and wouldn't change a thing. She would have willingly been attacked by highwaymen if it meant she had this time with this man. Elijah. He started back towards her and she met his stare. She would never forget what he looked like. She would never forget what his touch did to her. It would probably haunt her dreams forever.

He got inches from her and met her stare with concern. She didn't even know a tear fell from her eye until he brushed it away.

"What troubles you, Kitten? Do you have regrets about what happened?"

She gave him a sad smile. "No, never."

He let out a long breath. "Then I fear it is the same thing that troubles me." He placed a gentle kiss to her lips, and she sighed against him. "It seems unfair, does it not? That two people like us are being ruled by things we cannot control?"

"Life is unfair, Elijah." How true that was.

"I want you to know, I will be thinking of you. Always."

"And I you." Katherine grabbed her dress and walked past him. "We better hurry. The snowstorm has stopped, and someone might stumble upon us."

Elijah watched her as she put her dress on. He thought about the man who would be doing this every day with her. Kissing her, touching her, or watching her dress. The man that would bicker with her sharp tongue. It made him feel ill inside. Needing some air, he walked out of the front of the cabin. Even though he was in the great open space of the forest, he felt like he was trapped and couldn't breathe.

The sound of a horse neighing drew his attention and he walked towards it. He was worried about another highwayman and Katherine's safety. He saw the man on a horse drawing closer and he let out a sigh of relief when he recognized William.

"Elijah!" William exclaimed as he approached him. He jumped off his horse and hugged his best friend.

"Your mother has been so worried. You have no idea what I have gone through these past days."

"Elijah?" Katherine called from the cabin.

"Who is that?" William asked with curiosity.

Panic struck him and he looked desperately at William. "William, you can't tell her who I am. Please, I beg of you. She can't know that I'm the duke."

"What's happened, Elijah?"

When Katherine came out of the house, Elijah lowered his voice. "Please, William."

He turned and gave Katherine a smile. "Katherine, this is William. He is my oldest and closest friend."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Katherine said with a smile.

"And you," William answered before casting a look at Elijah. William wasn't stupid. He knew that something transpired between them.

"Well," Elijah said, "we should get our things and make way to town."

"Yes, of course," Katherine said.

"Wait here, William."

Elijah followed Katherine into the cabin, and he shut the door behind them. She started collecting her things with her back to him. "Katherine..." he pleaded.

When she didn't answer or turn towards him, he walked over to her. "Katherine, please look at me."

It felt like an hour passed before she turned to him. Her eyes said everything she was feeling, but she spoke anyway. "Elijah, this time has been nothing but magical. You saved my life. Twice. You helped keep me warm and showed me affection like no one ever has." He felt overwhelmed as she clasped his hands. "Our time has ended. We must go back to our lives now. You are betrothed to another, and I am a maid. We have our obligations."

Unable to stand it, he pulled her to him and kissed her. After all, he wouldn't have this chance again. He deepened the kiss and she returned it fully. But, all too soon, she pulled away and walked to the back of the cabin.

Elijah didn't follow her this time. Instead, he went back outside where a confused William was standing. "Come along, William. Best we get the horses ready."

Once they had the horses all ready, they waited patiently for Katherine. Elijah was dreading the return to his estate. He was surely going to get an earful from his mother. Especially when she found out he got wounded. He didn't even want to think about his upcoming wedding.

"I must apologize for the position I put you in, William."

William laughed. "It wasn't too bad. Your betrothed showed up early and, might I say, your mother can think surprisingly quickly on her feet."

Elijah could only imagine. "Oh? Do tell."

"Well, we couldn't hide me in your room all day, so she decided to throw a ball."

Elijah looked at him with a baffled expression. "How would that help?"

William's smile only grew. "It was a masquerade ball."

Elijah couldn't hold back his laugh. "Well, I must say, she is a clever one. I believe everything went well?"

William let out a long sigh. "Very well."

Elijah knew his friend all too well. "Meet a woman you fancy then?"

William lost his smile and looked away. "How did you get wounded?"

Elijah frowned at the change of subject. "Oh, when I was riding, I heard a woman scream. It turned out to be Katherine. Her carriage was overrun by highwaymen."

Alarm covered William's face. "I'm surprised you made it out of that."

Elijah glanced at the cabin with longing. "She saved my life."

"In more ways than one, I'm guessing?"

Before Elijah could answer, the cabin door opened, and Katherine came out with her trunk. William rushed over to take it from her and Elijah cursed himself. He should have helped her. He was too overwhelmed with the fact that he may never see her again.

"I saw a carriage not far from here. Once we get back there, we can have the driver take you where you need to go," William said with a smile.

"Thank you," Katherine said.

"My pleasure. We have your horse ready."

Alarm covered her face. "My-- My horse?"

Elijah knew instantly what the problem was. She didn't know how to ride. "William, strap her trunk on the back of her horse. She will ride with me."

"Elijah, I'm sure I can manage--"

"Katherine," he said as he gave her a pointed look. "You will ride with me. Please."

"All right."

Elijah got on his horse and William helped lift her up and helped her get comfortable. She wrapped her arms around Elijah, and he couldn't resist the urge to sigh at the pleasure of her touch. Once William got everything set, they were on their way.

William kept his distance during the ride and Elijah was grateful for it. "Are you all right, Kitten?" The nickname slipped past his lips before he could stop it.

He was surprised when she squeezed him a little tighter as she sighed, "Yes."

They arrived at the carriage faster than they anticipated. William took care of paying the driver and loading her trunk into the carriage. Elijah helped her off his horse and kept his hands on her waist longer than he should have.

"It has been a pleasure, Katherine."

She gave him a wicked smile when she whispered, "I assure you, the pleasure was all mine."

He returned her smile and he watched as she got into the carriage. "Travel safe." He couldn't stop the my love that whispered through his mind.

"You as well," she replied as her carriage left.

Elijah watched as her carriage got further and further away and his heart ached. He had wanted to find someone who knew him as Elijah, and he had. Now, he had to go back home with a broken heart.

"You fell for her, didn't you?" William asked.

"It wouldn't matter one way or the other would it? I'm the Duke of Kent." He got on his horse and started in the direction of home.