by Amelia Grey
Her fear dissolved.
He gently placed two fingers on her lips, bent closer, and said, “Shhh.”
She nodded, still shaking from the fright he’d given her.
“I didn’t mean to scare you,” he whispered, the pads of his fingers outlining her lips as he talked. “Are you all right?”
She nodded again. His light touch sent shivers of awareness shooting through her.
He smiled. “Good.”
She couldn’t imagine why he was in her room. He had done a fine job of avoiding her for the past few days, even opting out of the afternoon picnic up at the cottage with her and Constance yesterday. He had sent Post with them instead.
“What’s wrong?” she asked quietly, her words whistling through his fingertips.
“Nothing, except that you’ll be leaving in a few hours, and there’s something I want you to see before you go. Are you willing to come with me?”
Willing? Absolutely!
Anticipation rippled through her.
“Yes,” she whispered, knowing she would follow him to the moon if he asked.
“Then there’s no time to talk or to dress. We must hurry. Throw on a cloak and shoes, slip quietly from your room, and meet me by the back door.”
“Are we—?”
“Shh.” He rose from the bed. “Don’t say anything, just quietly follow me.”
Arianna pushed the covers aside, and he walked soundlessly from her room, leaving the door ajar for her easy exit. She looked down at the thin, short-sleeved shift she wore for her night garment and contemplated throwing a dress on over it but, instead, she took Morgan at his word that time was of the essence.
She rushed barefoot to her wardrobe and quietly opened it. With hasty movements, she hunted through her clothing until she found her black velvet cape and a pair of low-heeled slippers. She would wait until she was below to put them on.
Excitement built inside her as she hurried out of her room, carefully closing the door behind her. She rushed down the stairs.
What could he want to show her?
She picked her way through the spacious, dark front hall to avoid stumbling over furniture, and down the wide, dim corridor that lead to the back door of the house. Morgan was there waiting for her. He helped settle the cape on her shoulders as she stepped into her shoes, and as easily as if they’d done it a thousand times, they slipped quietly out the door and into the night.
Morgan took her hand in his, and they made their way down the steps. She had no idea where they were going, and she didn’t care. She was eager to see whatever he wanted to show her.
They continued to walk fast, and Morgan led her away from the house to where he had tethered Redmond, far enough so that no one would hear the horse if he whinnied. Morgan let go of her hand and pulled on gloves he took from his coat pocket.
The leather creaked, and as Morgan climbed on the saddle, Redmond snorted and shifted. Just as Arianna had the last time she’d ridden with him, she turned her back to Morgan, and he placed his hands under her arms, only this time she knew how to hold her cape so that it wouldn’t get twisted under her. On his count of three, she jumped, and he hoisted her sideways onto the saddle in front of him. She felt his powerful warmth at once and sighed contentedly, immediately slipping one arm around the back of his waist and leaning into him.
Morgan kicked Redmond in the flanks, and he took off at a canter. Muggy air blew in her face and whipped her hair around her shoulders. The night was clear, tepid, and a bright hunter’s moon lit the way as the horse kept up a steady pace. After having been to the coast twice, Arianna knew that the smooth gait of the horse beneath them was taking them there.
Anticipation rippled and curled inside her. It thrilled her that Morgan was willing to steal her away in the middle of the night because there was something he wanted her to see before she left Valleydale.
But what could it be?
He had avoided her like the plague since the evening of that debacle with his cousins seeing her dance, and then later when he came to her room. Arianna had not given up hope of seeing the earl glance her way with longing in his eyes or a special smile just for her. But she hadn’t seen a glimmer of the man who had held her and kissed her so thoroughly that she knew she would never be the same. And she would always yearn to once again feel the way he had made her feel when he’d held her so close their bodies seemed to melt into each other.
Arianna tightened her hold on Morgan. It was mere hours before she would have to leave Valleydale with Mrs. Pepperfield and travel to London. But until then, she had this time alone with him, and she intended to enjoy it.
Their journey remained silent. Redmond slowed his pace. As the horse climbed the rise that led to the craggy coast, he had to pick his way around stone and rocks. Within minutes, Morgan pulled the bay to a stop at the edge of a peak.
When Arianna looked out over the calm sea, she gasped. A round, luminous Dorset summer moon shone down from a black, starry night to illuminate the channel with a wide, shimmery streak. The peaceful sound of water rushing to shore cut through the silence of the night. A noiseless, salty breeze shuddered the stillness of the mild air. Lights from a lone ship twinkled in the distance as it made its way across the channel.
“It’s seldom this clear on the coast at night, Arianna,” Morgan said. “And it’s even rarer for it to be this way when the moon is full and there’s not a hint of fog, mist, or chill in the air.”
Arianna was filled with wonder. “It’s the most beautiful night I have ever seen. And I know I have never seen the moon glisten on water like that.”
“Not even when you were on the ship?”
“Beabe and I seldom left my room, and never at night.”
“That was probably best,” he answered.
“It’s so clear and still; it makes me think that I can see forever.”
Morgan chuckled softly. “I’ve thought the same thing at times myself.”
For a moment Arianna found herself wishing she would never have to leave this place. But she knew she must. She had to convince Mr. Warburton to help her recover her father’s formula and get it to the Academy. Besides, Lord Morgandale certainly hadn’t said or done anything to make her think he wanted her to stay with him.
She leaned against his chest and sighed. “This view is something I will never forget, my lord. It will stay with me always. Thank you for showing it to me.”
“I thought you would appreciate its beauty.”
“I do.”
“When we were much younger, my cousins and I would watch and wait for nights such as this.”
“I can understand why. Beauty like this should never be missed.”
Morgan laughed again, and Redmond shifted underneath them. “We didn’t watch and wait for the beauty of the night, Arianna. When it was this warm, clear, and bright, which wasn’t often, we would climb down the cliff to the beach and swim if the water was calm enough. If it was too rough, we would walk along the shore to see what urchins might have been left on the shore. Even with the path we made, it’s much too treacherous to make it down unless it’s a night like this.”
“Can we do that, Morgan?”
“What?”
She turned and looked up at him. “Climb down the cliff right now and walk the shore.”
He stared down into her eyes and smiled. “No, it is much too dangerous for you.”
She moistened her lips and thought for a moment. “Did you and your cousins ever have an accident?”
“No, but remember, we were agile youths and, at the time, we had no fear of anything. You are not capable of such a climb.”
Arianna tried to hide her disappointment by turning her face away from his and looking out over the water again. “Nonsense, Morgan, I am more than capable. I am very agile and light on my feet.” She turned back to him and scrutinized his face. “You can hold my hand. I promise I will be careful going down the cliff.”
“It’s perilous even under such favor
able conditions,” he argued. “The rocks can be slippery or shift under your weight. And besides that, you are not properly dressed or shod for climbing down or up a ten-meter cliff.”
Arianna folded her arms across her chest and said, “Perhaps you are the one who is old and not able to make the climb anymore.”
His gaze swept across her face. “Do you really believe that?”
“No, but you do have that injury to your hip. Perhaps that is what is making you reluctant.”
“The bottle you gave me is empty, and there’s no pain in my hip.”
“I’m glad the remedy worked.” Arianna placed her hand on his chest over his heart. “You awakened me in the middle of the night and brought me here. It would be unforgivable of you to make me leave until I have walked on the shore.”
He sighed in agreement before saying, “All right, but you must do exactly as I say.”
Excitement soared inside her. Her lips widened into a heartfelt smile. “I promise.”
Morgan helped her slide down the horse, and then he dismounted. Arianna took off her shoes while Morgan tethered Redmond to a low-lying bush. The ground was cool and scratchy to her feet.
“You must stay right behind me,” Morgan said and sat down on the mossy ground and took off his riding boots and gloves.
“Of course I will. You need not fear, Morgan. I do not want to fall. I will do everything you say.”
He took the time to roll his riding breeches farther up his legs to just below his knees. He then he stood up and shrugged out of his coat and threw it over Redmond’s saddle.
“I’m not sure I believe you about that,” he grumbled good-naturedly. “And something tells me I will probably regret doing this.”
She reached out for his hand. “I will make sure you don’t.”
“Going down can sometimes be harder than coming up. Watch where you put your feet.”
“I will follow you, my lord.”
“The night is dry, so the rocks shouldn’t be slippery, but there’s one other thing. You’d best take off your cape. It drags on the ground and could very easily trip you on the slope. The night is warm enough you shouldn’t get chilled.”
She instantly wondered if he remembered she had on nothing but her nightshift. But she wasn’t going to say anything and let a little thing like modesty keep her from climbing down to the shore and wading in the cool water.
“Oh, yes, I suppose you are right.” She took off the cape without hesitation and handed it to him.
He seemed to take no notice of what she was wearing, and took the cape and threw it over the saddle, too. She supposed most women would be mortified to have a man see them in their plain white night rail, but Morgan had already seen her in far less clothing than what the shift covered.
“Follow me. The path is not too far from here.”
They quietly made their way along the edge of the cliff to the clearing Morgan had mentioned. When he started down, he looked back over his shoulder to Arianna and said, “Stay behind me, and don’t let go of my hand. Step exactly where I have stepped.”
“You are worrying far too much about me, Morgan. I will be fine.”
The narrow path down the rocky hillside was steeper than it looked in the moonlight. She watched Morgan carefully and did as he’d said, putting her foot on the exact spot his vacated. They remained quiet and concentrated until they reached the bottom, and her feet hit the wet, rocky shore. She immediately glanced up to where she’d come from. The craggy cliff stood like a huge chunk of rock jutting out over the shore. She turned around and looked at the dark, crashing water, not far from her, and suddenly shivered, memories of her weeks onboard the pitching ship washing over her. She knew how violent the water could be, but she was no longer threatened by its power.
The longer she stared at the rushing blue, the stronger she felt. She had a lot to be thankful for. She had finally made it to England, where all she had to do was see to it that her father’s formula was found and delivered to the Royal Apothecary Scientific Academy before Mr. Rajaratnum sold it to the highest bidder. And she had faith that Mr. Warburton would help her get that done.
Morgan stepped close to her and touched her arm. “Are you cold?”
“No, it’s the water.” She turned and settled her gaze on his face. “I was just thinking that it is so different from this level than it is looking from the bow of the ship. It even sounds different. I know that it’s powerful, destructive, and menacing at times, especially to a small ship, but here from the shore it almost looks peaceful.”
He smiled, and his eyes questioned her. “Menacing? I’ve never thought of it like that, but I supposed it can be at times. If not treated with respect, the water can be dangerous. We can’t stay down here long or walk very far, but come, let your feet get wet.”
Arianna followed Morgan to the edge of the water. It washed over her feet, lapped at her ankles, and the sand shifted beneath her toes. As they started down the shore, a breezy wind tossed her hair away from her face and fluttered her clothing against her skin.
In her wildest dreams she never could have believed she was walking barefoot on a wet, sandy shore with a handsome earl beside her, the moonlight shining down on them. If only she could stay a little longer. If only she didn’t have responsibilities that must be attended to.
A rogue wave splashed up to her knees, wetting the hem of her night rail and cascading down her legs, but Arianna didn’t mind the cold water. She found it invigorating and kept walking. She looked over at Morgan. The wave hadn’t bothered him either.
Morgan broke the silence by asking, “Are you smiling at me?”
She’d been caught. “Me? What? Was I smiling?” she answered playfully.
He seemed amused. “Yes. What were you thinking about that made you smile?”
You.
“Oh, several different things.”
“Hmm. Like what?”
Like what am I going to do now that you have awakened feelings and desires inside me that have never been brought to life before? Like how wonderful and safe it is here. Like how right it feels to be here with you on the shore at Valleydale.
But she couldn’t say any of that. Instead she offered, “One of the things I was thinking is that this will probably be the last time I see you alone. Thank you for allowing me to stay here. In a lot of ways it has reminded me of my early years in the Cotswolds. Not the landscape, of course. It’s the feeling of safety and contentment that I feel here that is the same.”
“Safety? Why do I still, at times, get the feeling there are things about your life that you haven’t told me.”
She averted her eyes from his gaze. “There are always things about our lives that we don’t share with others, are there not?”
“Perhaps. Probably. Yes.”
She laughed. “There’s one other thing I want to say. I’m sorry if I caused you embarrassment when your cousins were here. I fear I must have, yet you denied it.”
Morgan stopped and stared at her. The moonlight was so bright she had no trouble seeing his eyes sparkling with a teasing light.
“Embarrassment?” He chuckled lightly. “Never. What makes you say that?”
“They saw me dancing in my costume. I’m sure you didn’t wish that.”
“No, I didn’t wish it, but embarrassment is not what I felt, Arianna, and I can assure you, neither did my cousins.”
“We haven’t had the opportunity to talk since they left. What did they say about me?”
“They asked, who is that beautiful lady with her light auburn hair shimmering around her shoulders? What does she have on, and how does she move her body like that?”
Her eyes widened. “Truly?”
He chuckled again and started walking. “Maybe not in those exact words, but close. It doesn’t matter what they said, Arianna; believe me, they will never forget they saw you, and neither will I.”
“And you swear I didn’t embarrass you.”
He glanced over at her
and grinned. “I swear.”
“Good. Do you mind if I ask you a personal question, my lord?”
“Of course not.”
“Is Mrs. Pepperfield your mistress?”
He frowned. “What? That’s rather a bold and awkward question for you to ask.”
“You gave me permission to ask you,” she said innocently.
“I didn’t know what you were going to ask,” he argued in a tone that let her know he wasn’t miffed by what she asked, just stunned.
“I said I wanted to ask you something personal,” she reminded.
“Arianna, have I ever told you that it is times like this that I want to change your name from Miss Sweet to Miss Tart?”
She tried not to smile. “Maybe more than once.”
“Oh, well, to answer your question, no, Constance is not my mistress. She has been a good friend to my family for a long time.”
“She is very beautiful, commanding, and she is a widow.”
“Yes, I agree. She is all those things and more, but she is not and never has been my mistress.”
“And what about Miss Goodbody?”
He continued to look straight ahead and never missed a step. “What about her?” he returned.
“She is the lady you were expecting the night I arrived.”
He nodded, but said nothing.
“Is she your lover?”
He laughed low in his throat, and he shook his head. “No, I can truthfully say that she has never been my lover, either.” He looked toward Arianna again and said, “You know I take back what I said.”
“What? You know you can’t take anything back once it has been said.”
“That sounds like more wise words from Lord Chesterfield, but this time I can. You can no longer ask me personal questions. I’ve said all I’m going to say about personal matters.”
They walked on quietly for a few moments, Arianna feeling very pleased to know that neither lady had been his lover.
Morgan stopped and bent down. “Look, here is a crab.”
He picked up a crab about the size of his hand and extended it toward her. The crustacean’s legs and pinchers moved frantically.
Arianna squealed with surprise and backed away from him.