Magic In The Storm

by Meredith Bond

  “What other kind of healing is there?” he said, keeping his faced turned away while sprinkling in more herbs.

  Adriana swallowed hard. “The other day, you—you touched my leg.”

  Morgan abruptly stopped what he was doing and stood up to his full height before her. Looking deeply into her eyes, he said intensely, “You imagined that.”

  Adriana looked back, not able to break eye contact. His black eyes glittered with something indefinable that sent chills down her spine. He didn’t look angry. He stared into her eyes so hard that his gaze seemed to penetrate her mind.

  He said once again, “You imagined I touched you, Adriana. I did not do so.”

  His voice was deep and resonant, but Adriana somehow knew he was not speaking the truth. Having him this close to her, feeling the warmth of his body at arms’ distance, she knew she had not imagined the experience. No matter what, nothing he nor Lady Vallentyn said would convince her that he had not healed her leg.

  Slowly she shook her head. “No. I know what I saw. What I felt.”

  Morgan looked away quickly. “You are wrong. How could I have healed your leg? It’s impossible, Adriana, you know that.”

  “I do, but...”

  “It must have been your imagination,” he said, sitting back down on the ground and tending to his pot again.

  That’s what Lady Vallentyn had said, Adriana thought to herself, or was it what she had thought? She couldn’t remember. She just remembered beginning to doubt her memories after she had met with her hostess to try to find out more about Morgan.

  “Who are you, really? Why do you live here? Are you Lord Vallentyn’s gamekeeper?” The words tumbled out of her before she could stop them.

  He looked up at her, uncertainty wrinkling his forehead.

  Adriana knelt down on the grass next to him. Gently placing a hand on his forearm, she said, “I simply want to get to know you.”

  Morgan softened at her touch, and she saw the tension leaving his shoulders. He gave a little shrug. “I am no one you should know. No one you should care to know.”

  “But I do care.” And indeed she did, too much, for someone she didn’t even know. But they shared something.

  Morgan turned his head to look at her hand still resting on his arm. Looking into her eyes, he asked, “Who are you? What brought you here to Vallentyn?”

  Adriana removed her hand, but settled herself next to him on the ground. She wanted to be close to him. Perhaps if she told him about herself, he would open up to her as well.

  She gave a little shrug. “My guardian, Lord Devaux, brought me here. He and Lady Vallentyn are trying to arrange a match between me and Lord Vallentyn.”

  “You’re going to marry Vallentyn?”

  Once again she shrugged. “I haven’t made up my mind yet.”

  “But that’s why you’re here,” he said, sitting back.

  Adriana gave a nod.

  “You don’t want to marry him,” he said, more as a statement than as a question.

  Adriana almost felt as if he could read her mind, or her feelings—it unnerved her. She stood up and took a step away from him, looking blindly at the trees that closely surrounded his home.

  “No. But I may not have a choice. My guardian is trying to force my hand. So far, though, I haven’t given in. I’m going to find a way to convince either him or Lady Vallentyn that Lord Vallentyn and I shouldn’t marry. I’ve got to.”

  “You can’t just tell your guardian that you don’t wish to marry?”

  Adriana gave a little laugh at that. “Oh, no. He could care less about what I want. He’s only concerned with what’s best for himself, and somehow he’s become convinced that this marriage would be to his advantage.”

  Morgan stared at the ground, deep in thought for a moment. “I know what it’s like to have no one care for you or what you want,” he said, almost in a whisper.

  Adriana’s breath caught in her throat; her eyes stung with tears. The emotion, the sadness with which he said this—it touched her deep inside.

  Without a thought, she moved back and sat down on the ground next to him, wishing she could take him into her arms. In his deep, black eyes, he looked so sad and lost. His long hair hung loose about his shoulders—one side tucked behind his ear, the other brushing his cheek, the length of it grazing his collar bone. Somehow it just added to his beauty, and his sorrow.

  Once again, she found her hand in his as she looked deeply into his eyes. “You’re all alone here,” she said quietly, knowing that this was true.

  He nodded, “And you?”

  She tilted her head slightly without breaking their eye contact, to indicate that she was.

  She gave a little shrug. “But I have my painting.”

  “I take care of the animals,” he said, giving her a little smile. And just like that, she didn’t feel so lonely anymore.

  Moving away from the fire, he positioned himself so close to her their knees touched, but she didn’t move away—she didn’t want to.

  Gently, he brushed his rough fingers down her cheek. “You are so beautiful.”

  Adriana felt her face heat with embarrassment. No one had ever called her beautiful before, and never with such softness and truth in his voice. Her cheek burned at the spot where his fingers had grazed it.

  “You make me feel beautiful,” she whispered.

  He smiled. “You make me feel good.”

  “Why is it that, with you, I’m happy?”

  He laughed quietly. “I don’t know. I wish I understood how or why this is, but I can’t explain it any more than you.”

  I only know this is right,” he added, leaning forward. Very slowly, with a touch as light as the wings of a butterfly, Morgan brushed his lips against hers, sending shocks throughout her body.

  He withdrew for a moment, and then slowly he pressed his lips more firmly to hers. Warmth, connection, completeness: they all flooded through Adriana. She closed her eyes, and for the first time, allowed all of her other senses and feelings to explore this wonderful new sensation. It was as if something deep within the two of them was holding them together—and would keep them there for all eternity.

  Too soon, he sat back. Adriana opened her eyes. She wished she hadn’t, because her gaze was immediately caught by the lengthening of the shadows.

  She jumped up. “It’s so late! I must get back to the abbey before I’m missed.”

  Morgan stood too, all softness and joy abruptly gone from his face. “Adriana, no one is allowed to speak of me. You must not either,” he said quietly, but in a voice that resonated in her mind. His eyes bore into hers for a moment as he ran his fingers down her cheek, giving her a sad smile.

  Slowly, Adriana nodded, her mind feeling as if it were in a fog.

  Then she watched as Morgan turned away from her and lifted the pot off the fire. He carried it into the barn, disappearing inside. She, too, turned away and slowly headed back to the abbey—still feeling the heat of his lips upon hers and hoping the happiness she had felt with him would not be leaving her too soon.

  Ten

  Adriana ignored the clatter behind her as the tea tray arrived after dinner that night. Pushing aside the deep red drawing–room drapes, she sat down on the window seat and looked out at the black night, but saw only reflections in the glass. Shadows moved behind her in the flickering candlelight, but she kept her face turned toward the window as if she could see outside.

  Odd events from the day kept replaying in her mind like the shadows in the glass: Morgan trying to start a fire by pointing at a pile of wood, and his sweet kiss that made her feel so connected to him; Lord Vallentyn’s blank stare after she told him at dinner to finally stand up to his mother, after they had discussed that he was only marrying her because his mother had told him to do so.

  Lord Vallentyn seemed to have no mind of his own, except when it came to his estate. Then he truly shone—and almost literally shone too, she thought with amusement. His eyes sparkled and his w
hole face lit up when he spoke of his estates.

  But in everything else, his mother’s rule was law. Adriana wondered if he would ever find the courage to stand up to her. And if he didn’t, what would she do? Perhaps when Lord Devaux found out that Lord Vallentyn really had no interest in Parliament, he would no longer be interested in this marriage.

  She rather doubted that getting out of marrying Lord Vallentyn would be that easy, but it was worth a try. And it was better than being married to a man she didn’t even know. The alternative was unthinkable—when Lord Devaux said he would destroy all of her work if she didn’t agree to the match, she knew he would not hesitate to carry out his threat.

  No, she could not sit idly by while her life was destroyed.

  A hand gently placed on her shoulder made her jump. Adriana hadn’t even noticed the shadow coming closer to her. She looked up into Miss Havelock’s kind face.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “Oh, no, it’s all right. I was just woolgathering, I’m afraid.” Adriana tried her best to sound lighthearted.

  Miss Havelock sat down next to her. “I was sent to ask if you would you care for some tea, but perhaps a friendly ear would be more welcome.”

  Adriana gave a little laugh, but seriously began to think that Miss Havelock was right—a friend was exactly what she needed right now. They had spent a bit of time getting to know each other already, so Adriana was very pleased to have Miss Havelock’s company, and her friendship.

  “Did you have a pleasant dinner with my cousin?” Miss Havelock asked. Her pretty hazel eyes smiled at Adriana, and Adriana knew that she could trust her completely.

  “It was certainly enlightening,” Adriana admitted.

  “In what way?”

  “Well, I learned your cousin wants to marry me as little as I want to marry him. Only he is much more willing to fall in line with his mother’s wishes than I.”

  Miss Havelock’s face lost its smile. Putting her hand on Adriana’s arm, she said earnestly, “You must not think less of Vallentyn just because he won’t stand up to his mother in this. It... it is difficult. Aunt Vallentyn is...”

  “Used to getting her way?”

  Miss Havelock stole a scared glance in the direction of her aunt. “Well, let’s just say, no one dares to go against her. It would not be wise.”

  “That is very much like what Lord Vallentyn said to me at dinner,” Adriana said, suppressing the slight shiver that came over her. What silliness! There was surely a rational explanation for this. It was clear that everyone did as Lady Vallentyn said, but there had to be something reason why Lord Vallentyn, not only a man, but a viscount, still listened to his mother. Adriana couldn’t help but think of her own situation. “I presume she is holding something over him to force him to marry me?” Adriana asked.

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Well, he clearly doesn’t take orders from anyone when it comes to his estates,” Adriana said, watching Lord Vallentyn idly play a tune on the pianoforte on the other side of the room.

  “No, but my aunt has no interest in the estate. Vallentyn may do as he pleases with it—and he does so love his land.”

  “That much is clear,” Adriana laughed.

  “Vallentyn,” Lady Vallentyn called out above the sound of the piano. Her son immediately jumped up and was at her side in three long strides.

  “But when it comes to his mother...” Adriana said, not taking her eyes off of him.

  “Exactly,” Miss Havelock said, not even waiting for Adriana to finish her sentence.

  How odd that she knew just what she was thinking, Adriana mused. It was lovely in a way. It made her feel close to Miss Havelock, even though they had only known each other about a week.

  “But she holds nothing over him. She has no need to, I assure you,” Miss Havelock finished. She paused for a moment and then asked gently, “Do you ask that from experience? Are you being forced into marriage with my cousin?”

  Adriana dropped her gaze to her own hands clasped tightly in her lap. “My guardian has told me if I don’t marry Lord Vallentyn, he will destroy all of my paintings and never allow me to paint again.” A tightness began to well up in the base of her throat, but she swallowed it and went on, “Painting is my one joy in life, it is the only thing that makes me happy. He knows this and uses it to control me. He always has.” She was unable to keep her mind from straying to the only other thing that had ever made her truly happy—Morgan. “I thought perhaps your aunt had some sort of similar hold over Lord Vallentyn,” she finished.

  Miss Havelock’s grip on Adriana’s arm tightened consolingly and Adriana was surprised to see tears well up in her new friend’s eyes. She blinked them away. “No, Aunt Vallentyn does not need to resort to such tactics. I am so sorry your guardian threatens you in this way.”

  Adriana could only nod. Her throat was beginning to constrict, even as she held her own tears in check.

  Miss Havelock sat in quiet sympathy while Adriana gathered her emotions together. Then she asked, “Were you successful yesterday afternoon with your search?”

  A rush of heat and good feelings suffused Adriana as she allowed her mind to dwell on Morgan and remember their encounter earlier that day.

  Adriana had built up the courage to ask Miss Havelock about Morgan the day before, but all she had said was that Adriana must find out for herself. Now she was very glad she had followed that advice. She smiled and opened her mouth to tell Miss Havelock that she had, in fact, met Morgan when suddenly she found she could not call forth her voice. She did not know what was wrong.

  She tried again, and then thought to move her hand to her throat.

  She could not move! She couldn’t even nod her head to indicate she had found him. She couldn’t do anything.

  Her heart began to pound in her chest and she thought her head would explode from the tension building up. She was frozen with fear and... and she did not know what.

  Help! She screamed out in her mind. Oh God, help me!

  Her eyes must have shown her distress, for immediately Miss Havelock grasped tightly on to her hands. “It is all right, Adriana. Do not fight it. Be calm. Just take a deep breath and relax.” Miss Havelock’s hazel eyes looked directly into Adriana’s as she said the words again more softly.

  Adriana did not break the eye contact. She was not sure she could if she wanted to, but she did not want to because what she saw in Miss Havelock’s eyes was kindness and concern. Like someone who was drowning, Adriana held on to Miss Havelock’s gaze as a life support. A calming heat from her hands slipped up Adriana’s arms and filled her chest and throat. She could feel her heartbeat slow, and the pain in her head reduced to a dull throb.

  Adriana felt the invisible force fade away. Tentatively, she opened her mouth. “What...what happened?” she whispered, but couldn’t keep the tremors from it. “I couldn’t move, I couldn’t speak!”

  “It is all right. Did someone, my aunt perhaps, tell you not to speak of him?”

  Adriana’s throat tightened again as if it were about to make it so she couldn’t speak again. But before she lost her voice altogether, she quickly whispered, “Not Lady Vallentyn.”

  Miss Havelock’s eyes went wide. “Was it Morgan then?”

  Adriana tried to nod, but her muscles had formed knots in her neck and again she couldn’t move. She tried hard not to panic a second time, forcing herself to take deep breaths and pushing down her fear.

  Miss Havelock smiled and gave her hands a reassuring squeeze. “I will take that for a yes. It is all right, I understand. Do not even try to speak of him. And I promise not to ask you any more questions.” She paused and drew her eyebrows down, a look of worry coming into her eyes. “How did he manage to put a suggestion into your mind? I shall have to ask him how he did it.”

  “Do you know...?” Adriana couldn’t believe that Miss Havelock knew Morgan. Why hadn’t she said anything when Adriana had asked?

  “I am
so sorry that I couldn’t say anything yesterday,” Miss Havelock said quickly. “I did so want to, but it is forbidden to tell anyone about him who doesn’t know him. The same thing would have happened to me that just happened to you. But the two of you have met now, so I can...” She stopped, her eyes darting over to Lady Vallentyn, who had now moved over to the table and was helping Lord Devaux and Lord Vallentyn to more tea.

  “It is still unwise to speak of him within my aunt’s hearing,” she said, her voice barely audible . She let go of Adriana’s hands just as Lady Vallentyn looked over toward them.

  “Would you care for some tea, Miss Hayden?” Lady Vallentyn asked in her overly sweet, unctuous voice.

  Adriana took another deep calming breath before she could trust her voice not to give away any of her inner turmoil of just a moment ago. Oh, how she would love a cup to quiet her nerves! “No, thank you very much, ma’am,” She replied, not trusting her hands not to shake and spill it.

  “Katrina?”

  “No, thank you, Aunt Vallentyn.”

  As Lady Vallentyn turned back to the gentlemen, each sitting straight–backed in one of the matching chairs formally arranged around the tea table, Miss Havelock gave Adriana’s hands one more quick, reassuring squeeze. But Adriana’s mind could not be soothed so easily. Something had happened, something Miss Havelock knew about and understood, but Adriana did not.

  And that frightened her nearly as much.

  <><><>

  Adriana sat on a pretty wooden bench at the edge of the formal garden the following morning with a small box of water color paints on the bench next to her. She had secretly brought them with her, and when she had learned Lord Devaux would be out all morning with Lord Vallentyn, she could not resist taking them out. In her lap was her sketchbook.

  Very carefully, she added the final touches to the painting she had been working on—a single pink rose, glistening with moisture and hope.

  The person for whom the painting had been intended slowly walked up the path toward her. Miss Havelock looked particularly pretty this morning, wearing a peach–colored dress that brought out the natural pink of her cheeks and accented the beauty of her chestnut colored hair.