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“Where in the devil have you been?” Rhys roared over the sound of the rain.

“I-I…”

Rhys did not let her finish. Instead, he crushed her against his body, relief coursing through his veins. She was here. She was in his arms.

Her tiny body nestled against his, her bonnet jabbing into his neck. Rhys untied the ribbons under her chin and threw the bonnet into the dirt.

Isabel blinked up at him.

“It was getting in the way,” Rhys croaked. “I shall buy a new one. But let us get home now.”

Isabel nodded but didn’t make a move.

“Do you hear me?” Rhys’s concern grew as she didn’t answer.

“I am sorry,” she finally said.

“Not to worry, darling. We shall get home, and everything will be well.”

“No.” She shook her head. “I am sorry for failing your trust, failing Millicent.” Her lips trembled as she spoke, and he wasn’t certain if she was crying or simply freezing cold.

It didn’t matter. None of it mattered.

He bent down and hauled her into his arms. “How about we talk about all of it when we get home?”

She pressed her face against his cheek like a cat looking for more contact and warmth. Rhys turned his head and kissed her forehead.

He hoisted Isabel up onto the saddle and mounted the horse behind her. Isabel trembled in his arms, and Rhys cursed. He urged the horse into a canter as he didn’t want the animal to throw them too.

Rhys took off his hat and covered Isabel’s head with it.

“What happened?” he asked as they started up toward the house.

Isabel burrowed herself closer to his chest. “I went to visit my friend, Lilian. She was g-giving birth and time got away from me. But I couldn’t stay there the night, so I left.”

“In the storm?” Rhys growled. How did those people let Isabel leave?

Isabel nodded. “They didn’t want to let me go, but I insisted. Her husband gave me his cloak, so I wouldn’t freeze.”

“You should have stayed inside.”

“I didn’t want to miss Millie’s bedtime… Did I miss her bedtime?”

“No, darling,” Rhys lied.

“But then my horse got scared by the thunder and threw me,” she continued, her voice trembling.

Rhys nodded. “How long have you been out in the rain?”

“Not long.”

Rhys tightened his arms around her and prayed that she was not lying.

* * *

The relief that spread through Isabel’s body when she saw the rider on the road and realized it was Rhys was a living, breathing entity. Her entire body lit with fire, and she wanted to run to him, embrace him, kiss him, and beg for forgiveness.

However, her limbs were weighted down by wet, heavy clothing, and her face had gone numb from the cold. So the most she could do was say she was sorry.