The village opened to a small beach and Eliza began walking down the path toward the shore. When they arrived, she searched about the sand looking for smooth pebbles. Delia began to collect shells.
Finally, Eliza found the two she was looking for. “In my valise, I have a rock that my mother and I had found on a walk. When I miss her, I rub its smooth surface and think of all of our times together.” She dropped the two rocks she’d found in the sand into Delia’s hand, her little fingers wrapping around them. One was nearly white and the other a charcoal grey. “I know you didn’t find these with your mother and father but, perhaps, when you wish to speak with them you can rub them in your hand to feel closer to them.”
She opened her fingers again and inspected the stones, her eyebrows drawing together. “What if the stones don’t make me feel closer to them?”
“We will find something that does. I only picked rocks first because your father’s title, and now your brother’s, is Alban.”
Delia’s eyebrows crinkled together. “True, we are a family of stone. We made a promise on their stone too that we’d keep each other safe and love each other always.”
Eliza’s heart came up in her throat. What a touching gesture. It made her wish she had a sibling of her own. It was more difficult to share her grief with her father; their loss was different. “That’s wonderful.”
“I’ll bring these stones to their grave and see if they approve.” Delia’s brows lifted and the corners of her mouth turned up.
“What a splendid idea.” She reached down to stroke the girl’s cheek. “And come talk to me any time. I will always understand.”
Delia nodded and then began skipping up the path again.
Stone looked out of his office window to see Eliza and Delia standing about his parents’ grave stone. At least he thought it was them. It was difficult to tell from this distance. It was possible that it was another woman and child. One of the widows, perhaps, but he didn’t think so. Something in the way the girl moved looked like his sister.
He rose from his desk and stepped closer to the window. He didn’t want to speak to Eliza again. After he’d rescued her, he’d noticed the tug of attraction but the kiss? The feel of her lips, soft and warm against his, had nearly undone his will.
And that will was as ironclad as his nickname, Fire and Brimstone. He never allowed himself to give in to his desires—ever.
He nearly had once. He’d met a beautiful red-haired woman in the village. She’d given him a coquettish smile and a wink as she’d walked past and he’d followed. Before he’d known it, he’d found himself in an alley with her, his breeches undone, her skirts about her waist. She ravaged him with kisses, their panting breaths mingling until he could think of little else other than satisfaction.
He’d pressed against her warmth and he’d been frantic for more, for all of it.
“I want to feel ye inside me,” she’d said in a breathy whisper that made him even hotter. Her next words however, had stopped him cold. “I want to know what it’s like to lie with the devil.”
He’d jerked his head back and looked deep into her green eyes. He’d seen nothing but confusion in them. She’d had little understanding of how much those words had crushed him. “Ye’ll have to find another,” he’d growled. “I won’t be yer sinful delight.” Then he’d pulled up his breeches and yanked down her skirt before he’d walked away.
Over the years, other women had tried to bed him. But in the back of his mind, he’d questioned each of their motives. And so, always, he kept his distance. Blair was the only of his brothers who was really aware of how little he dallied with women, though he didn’t think Blair understood the full extent of his abstinence. “Why not just lie with a woman?” he’d asked on more than one occasion. “It might help erase that scowl,” he’d jested.
That only made Stone’s scowl sharpen. The truth was, his hurt ran deeper than he’d ever let anyone see. And he’d never be able to forgive of himself if the woman he was with thought him evil.
He pushed back from the window and headed for the door. He didn’t know why. Every instinct told him to stay away from Eliza. Her dislike for him was thinly veiled. He’d only receive more of the same treatment from her as he had from the woman whom he’d dallied with in the past.
He argued, however, that her kiss said otherwise. Her lips had spoken of passion and longing.
Perhaps that was why he sought her out now. He wanted to know why she had done it, a question he most certainly couldn’t ask in front of her father. He didn’t want to admit to himself that part of him simply wanted to see her. To be close to her. He could not have these feelings. It would only wound him in the end.
He moved out of the house and started climbing the steep hill to where the Kirkyard sat. Now that he was closer, he could see that is was Delia and Eliza and he watched as Eliza swung his sister up into her arms. Delia’s arms wrapped about Eliza’s neck as she snuggled her face into the woman’s neck.
He swallowed a lump in his throat. She’d been correct in his office. He did need to marry. Not only for the title, but more so for Delia. But he’d never even trusted a woman enough to share his bed with her, how could he share his life? His family?
Eliza set down Delia and his sister spotted him. She came bounding over. “Stone,” she called waving her fist in the air. “Look what Eliza gave me.” She opened her hand to reveal a dark and light pebble. “Eliza says I can touch them to feel closer to Mama and Papa.”
Stone looked up to Eliza who gave a small shrug her eyes casting to the ground. “I have to confess to having an object like that as well. It helps me when I’m verra sad.”
He stared at her. Her honest admission stunned him into silence. He opened his mouth several times to speak. “I hadn’t thought of something like that.” Looking down at his sister again, he touched the stones in her hands. Giving his sister a physical comfort had been a good idea. “They’re beautiful.”
Delia smiled at him. “I think so too. I’m going to show Blair.” Then she skipped off toward the house.
Stone turned to Eliza. Gratitude made his words rougher than normal. “Thank ye, fer that, lass.”
She watched Delia rather than looking at him. “Ye’re welcome.”
Even Stone understood that she regretted her earlier behavior. Or perhaps she was just embarrassed because she’d kissed him. A pang reverberated through his chest. Did women normally feel remorse for simple kisses? There was only one way to find out. In just a few strides he reached her side. “I want tae talk to ye about what happened in the carriage.”