Breathless (The House of Rohan 3)

She would have dressed in her old pelisse but Lucien had given word, high-handed creature that he was, that all her clothes were to be burned, as if she were a victim of the plague, so she had no choice but to take the fur-trimmed one and the thoroughly enchanting bonnet that went with it.

She’d been circumspect with her bonnets since the incident, when before she’d indulged in the most outrageous confections. This was much more to her style than the subdued hats she’d grown accustomed to, and she set it atop her head with real pleasure.

Which was nothing compared to what she felt when she stepped out onto the front portico and looked around her.

The air was warm, too warm for the pelisse, and she unfastened it, draping it over her arm. The ground was still wet beneath her feet, but as she walked past the tangled growth that surrounded the old house and got her first glimpse of blue, blue sky she suddenly felt as if she could breathe again.

There was a broad expanse of overgrown lawn in front of the house, with the driveway twining around it and beyond, to her astonishment, was the vast stillness of a lake, quiet and empty, with mountains looming behind it. She shouldn’t be surprised. After all, it was the Lake District, was it not? But Lucien seemed to have his own private body of water. Of course he would—he had more money than God, he’d told her, blasphemous as always. The field leading down to it was a mass of yellow, thousands upon thousands of daffodils, their familiar scent a perfume in the air. Everything sparkled from the brightness of the sun, and when she looked back at Pawlfrey House she realized it was even larger than she’d thought. She was pleased to see the roof looked in decent shape, as did the windows, and as for the wretched condition of the front of the house, it was nothing a small army of gardeners couldn’t whip into shape in no time.

Mrs. Humber would scream, she thought placidly. She’d fought hiring the maids, insisting there was no one available, until she discovered that Miranda planned to make her do the hard work alone. Eleven strong and healthy young women were immediately produced.

She looked at the house. Her house. She could be happy here, which would drive Lucien mad. She would be happy if he were there, to joust with, to sleep with. At the oddest moments she would remember those moments in her bed, and her body would react in the strangest ways, tightening, blossoming.

If he stayed away it would be even better. Sleeping with him upset her. It threw her mind into disarray, it made her want to laugh and cry and dance and scream. It was disturbing, and she preferred calm. She didn’t want to long for his kiss, his touch, his mouth on her body. The very thought made her start to tremble again, and she pushed it out of her mind. There must be a rose garden somewhere. She could put some of her energies into that.

She walked down to the lake, an easy hike with the overhead sun bright above her. The water was clear and cold to the touch, and there was an old dock leading far out into the lake.

She dropped her pelisse onto a large stone and headed for it. She could hear the cry of the birds overhead, wheatear and mountain blackbirds and ravens as they wheeled and darted, and she smiled up at them, before she began to climb up onto the dock.

It was slippery from being in the water so long, and there was no railing, but she couldn’t see the contours of the lake from the shore, and from her vantage point there wasn’t even a farm in sight. She wanted to see how far the lake extended, and whether there were any neighbors. Just in case she had the need for a midnight escape.

She started down the wooden dock, showing a reasonable amount of care, when the voice she dreaded most, longed for most, broke her concentration.

“What the bloody hell are you doing?” he shouted, startling her so that she whipped around, and promptly slipped on the slimy wood decking.

She went down on one knee, catching herself before she tumbled into the icy cold waters, and then she brought her other knee down, staying there, motionless, trying to regain her breath.

Her pounding heart was beyond her control. The combination of the fright he’d given her and her inevitable reaction to his return made calm just about impossible.

She looked up at him, and froze.

She’d never seen him in sunlight before. He was dressed in black, as always, his black hair tied back, and she could see the scarring quite clearly. He had his cane with him, but apart from that his body was tall, lean, and yes, she must admit it, beautiful. She found everything about him beautiful, even more so in the bright sunlight, with him glowering at her.

“You nearly scared me to death!” she called back. “Must you sneak up on one?”

“Must you risk your life on a slimy, rotting piece of dock? Come back here at once. No, on second thought, don’t move. I’ll have someone bring a boat out to get you. ”

“I fancy the water is only waist deep if I happened to take a tumble, and while I wouldn’t like it I doubt I’d be in much danger. ”

“It’s well over your head. Don’t look!” he added impatiently. “You might fall. ”

“I’m not that poor a creature,” she replied, leaning over the dock to peer into the clear water. And pulled back, immediately, feeling dizzy. “You’re right, it’s very deep. ”

“Of course I’m right!” he said crossly. “Why would I lie about it?”

“You have a habit of lying to me, and you’re very good at it. I have every reason to doubt your veracity. ” Bloody hell, she suddenly thought. She wasn’t going to show her annoyance. She let out a trill of laughter. “Ah, but listen to me! How silly I’m being. Welcome home, my most adored … what shall I call you? My lover? Future husband? If I’m a kept woman does that make you my keeper? Like something in a zoo?”

His expression was sardonic. “That sounds accurate. ”

“You’re very droll. ” She rose to her feet and started toward him.

“Stay right there!” he said again.

“I know it would devastate you if I happened to fall and drown myself, but I’m hardly going to wait here until you fetch someone with a boat. I dispensed with my pelisse and the wind is cool off the water. I’m ready to come in and welcome my darling … keeper properly. ”

“I’m coming out to get you. ”

She arched her brow. “Why? Won’t two be more dangerous than one on this wretched thing?”