“Tess?” He picked up her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I need you.”
She turned to look at him. “No, you don’t.” She attempted a smile. “Anyone can do what I did.” She forced a yawn. “I think I need a nap. You don’t mind do you?”
Confusion marred his brow. “No. I don’t. Rest easy.” He bent down and kissed her brow.
“Lord Atwood,” she called when he reached the door.
He turned to look at her.
“I am very sorry for your loss.”
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it. He opened the door and stepped out, then turned back to her. “Ring if you need anything.”
Once the door closed, Tess let her tears fall. Perhaps she needed to reconsider traveling. How long could she remain here, or at the school, with him so near, knowing she could never have him? No, she could have him, just not his love. Without that, she would rather have nothing.
--again did she present herself to his ardent fancy in all the glow
of her bridal charms, and he began to draw a parallel
between the past and the present;
Wake Not the Dead
Johann Ludwig Tieck
Chapter 29
“He still could have brought Lady Atwood back from the dead. Just because she wasn’t in the cellar doesn’t mean she doesn’t exist,” Eliza broached the subject once again.
“Enough!” Sophia threw her arms up and stomped across the gazebo before she flopped onto a cushioned seat. “Lady Atwood is deceased and will remain that way. Her grave wasn’t even disturbed. Wake Not the Dead is a fictional novel. There is no such thing as vampires.”
Eliza stared at Sophia for a good long minute as if she wished to argue the possibility. Finally she sighed and let her hands fall to her lap.
“And Miss Crawford is not a murderess either,” Rosemary chimed in.
“Thank goodness,” Eliza sighed. “Though it is rather tragic how she killed her uncle. I wouldn’t want to live with the knowledge of having taken another’s life.”
“Nor will we ever mention it to her,” Sophia insisted. “She was willing to kill Percer to save me and I will be forever grateful.”
The girls sat in silence for a few more moments. Wind blew the last remaining leaves from the now naked trees, and a deep blue sky peeked through the limbs. Sophia pulled her cloak tight. It would soon be too cold to be outside for any length of time.
“There is still one more mystery to solve,” Eliza interrupted the silence.
Both Sophia and Eliza looked at her with expectation.
“The map! All we need are the remaining pieces and we can put it together to find out where the treasure has been hidden.”
Rosemary’s eyes lit with excitement.
“I don’t think that is a good idea,” Sophia cautioned. “Too many lives have been lost due to that map.”
Eliza dismissed her with a wave of her hand. “It isn’t like we are going to murder someone for it. I’m just curious.”
“As am I,” Rosemary agreed.
“Fine, I will speak to my father. Perhaps he knows where the rest of the pieces are.”
* * *
Vincent tapped on her door. When she didn’t answer he tapped a second and third time. He knew she was in there because she still did not have the strength to move about. He pushed the door open and looked toward the bed. Tess lay sound asleep. For a moment he stood in the doorway simply watching her. He should leave her in peace, but his feet took him to the side of the bed.
Midnight hair fanned out on the pillow, velvet lashes brushed her cheeks, now with a rosy tint. Her health was returning, but he placed the back of his hand against her face to assure himself the pink hue was not from a fever. No, her skin was warm, but not overly so.
Instead of leaving her, as he should, Vincent settled into the chair beside the bed. He could watch her for hours. Just the sight of her made his heart ache. He could not remember feeling such strong emotion for another person before. There was no doubt in his mind that he had loved Veronica, but they were so young back then. Though it had been just two years, with all that had happened, it might as well be twenty. He was a different man now. Had Veronica not died, he was sure they would have still been happy, but she was gone and he needed to move forward. She would have wanted him to.
Until Tess came into his life he had never realized that he’d stopped living the day Veronica died. Oh, he had gone about doing what was necessary for the estate and employees, but had not thought much of the future. How could he? The pain that plagued him was constant and it was all he could do to get through correspondence, let alone once look for a new wife.
Then there was revenge. Nobody knew which bullet finally took Percer’s life and it could have been a combination of all three guns. Regardless, he had the satisfaction of avenging Veronica. The book to his past was now closed and for the first time, he looked toward the future. He wanted a future. He wanted a life with Tess.
He didn’t even mind his house being overrun with students and teachers. There was life here once more. But they would be gone in the spring. Would Tess go with them? No, he wouldn’t allow it. He needed her. He wanted her. He loved her. He just needed to make her understand that her place was with him.
* * *
Tess yawned and tried to stretch, but the pull in her shoulder stopped all physical movement. She had forgotten. The discomfort had all but disappeared, except when she attempted any movement. She opened her eyes to look around the room and was brought up short by the sight of Vincent in the chair. Was something wrong? “Why are you here?”
“I came to check on you.”
With her good arm she pushed herself to a sitting position. Vincent moved to stack the pillows behind her head and back once more. “Surely there is something that requires your attention.” It was rather disconcerting to wake and find him staring at her, each and every time she awoke. Had she drooled in her sleep, snored, talked? Her face heated with all of the possible ways she could have embarrassed herself.
“I find it difficult to be away from you for any length of time.”
Tess laughed and looked away. His smile was warm, kind, his eyes held love. No, that is silly.
The warmth of his hand surrounded hers and she glanced back to him. What was he about?
“I thought my own heart would stop when you collapsed.”
“As you can see, I am on the mend,” she assured him.
“Then, you lay here for two days, not waking. I thought I would lose my mind.”
“Have you been spending time with Eliza?” She grinned. “It isn’t like you to exaggerate.” And it made her very uncomfortable. It was hard enough to be in love with him, she didn’t need encouragement when his former wife would always hold his heart.
He chuckled. “I suppose I did sound a bit dramatic. But you have no idea what it was like to be the one waiting for you to awaken.” He squeezed her hand again.
“As I said, I am fine now and you can cease worrying.”
“That isn’t all.” He leaned forward. “I learned something else.”
“What?” she asked, almost afraid of the answer.
“It is no secret that I care for you, offered you marriage, desire you.”
Her heart picked up its pace. Where was this conversation going? “You only felt the need to protect me. I am no longer in danger.”
“I also fell in love with you.”
Her heart ceased, as did her breath. No, he didn’t mean it.
“Say something.” His brow creased with concern.
“I think you are confusing the excitement of the past week with love. It is not possible that you could be in love with me.”
A smiled pulled at his lips. “Why not?”
Tess swallowed and looked away. “You loved your wife too deeply to fall in love with me.” There, she had said it. As soon as he acknowledged that he would always love her more, then she would make a break.
Vincent sat back and studied her. He did not speak for a few moments. “It is true. I did love Veronica very much. And, because of that, she will always hold a piece of my heart.”
It was the confirmation she had been waiting for.
“But, who says a man can’t love two women in one life time?”
Her eyes shot up at him. He couldn’t mean what he was saying, it was too much to hope for.
“I love you in a way I never thought possible. I don’t want to live without you. I need you to be my wife. I want to fill this house with children, if that is your wish. I want to start living again and I can only do that with you.”
His face blurred through her tears. He loved her.
He lifted his hand and brushed away her tears. “Tess, you make me whole. If you leave me, I will be nothing but an empty shell once more.”
The tears streamed down and she didn’t bother to try and wipe them away. Her brain was too busy trying to accept his words while her heart raced.
“Would you please say something?” he asked after a moment.
She opened her mouth twice, to try and form words. How could she explain the depth of her feelings? Finally, she simply blurted out, “I love you so much,” followed by a sob.
Vincent was next to her on the bed in a heartbeat and cradled her against his chest, careful not to disturb her shoulder.
“This should make you happy. I don’t understand why this distresses you so.”
She cleared her throat and looked up at him. “I am not sure when I fell in love with you but I never dreamed, that you, that we, that . . .”
Vincent laughed and gently hugged her.
She sniffed and wiped her face on his shirt. “I was afraid that if you felt anything for me, regardless, I would always be second,” she whispered, not sure if he heard her.
Vincent sat back and looked down at her. His face serious, his eyes full of love. “Second wife, perhaps, but never second in my heart.”
A fresh wave of tears formed and he lowered his lips to hers.
* * *
“You wanted to see us, Miss Crawford,” Sophia asked as she entered the chamber, followed by Eliza and Rosemary.
“Yes, please retrieve the books on China from Lord Atwood’s library and bring them to me.”
Rosemary groaned.
Miss Crawford grinned. “It is not for a lesson, but something much more important.”
Hopkins passed by the door and stopped for a moment. “You are looking well, Miss Crawford.”
“Thank you, Lord Hopkins.” The smile never left her face. In fact, she almost glowed and Sophia wanted to know why. However, it would probably be impolite to ask and she should just be happy to know her teacher was going to survive that horrible ordeal. She turned and focused on her father.
“Papa, do you know what happened to all of the map pieces?”
The smile fell from his face. “Why?”
Her chin dropped a notch. She had never feared her father, but sometimes when he became serious she thought it best not to pursue the subject.
“Go on,” Eliza nudged her.
“We were just curious what it looked like, put together, and to see if we could figure out where the treasure is.”
He lifted an eyebrow and stared down at her and waited a moment before he answered. “I have them all. I’ve already discussed this with Atwood. When Miss Crawford is up to it, we will all put the pieces together.”
“Where were they?” Eliza blurted out.
“In Percer’s pocket. He probably kept them with him all the time.”
Sophia shivered at the thought of her father going through a dead man’s pockets, but decided it was probably necessary.
“Girls,” Miss Crawford called from her bed.
They turned to look at her.
“The books.”
With quick curtseys, the three darted from the room and giggled down the hall.
* * *
They gathered around the small dining room table. Vincent kept a close eye on Tess. It had been two weeks since the shooting, but he still was not convinced she should be up and about. The doctor had put her arm in a sling and without the obvious reminder of her injury, she appeared to be the picture of health. Still, he wished they would have waited. But, Hopkins intended to leave in the morning and the man had the same right as any of them to figure the puzzle out.
A large calico jumped on the table from nowhere.
Rosemary screeched and jumped back.
Vincent chuckled and picked up the cat. “Darling, where have you been? You know you are not supposed to be on the table.”
“Darling?” Tess asked.
Vincent grinned over at her. “Yes, my cat. I’ve had her for years. She usually stays in the cellar, hunting mice.” He scratched the underside of her chin with his index finger. The purring could be heard throughout the room. “She usually doesn’t take to people either and has been known to bite and scratch strangers.” He looked up at the three girls. “She is probably what frightened you that night.”
A blushed formed on all of their faces.
“She was trapped behind the door and was scratching at it to get out when I went down there.”
He watched all three. Their faces were now bright red and they redirected their focus to the table. He didn’t expect them to admit where they had been, and he didn’t really mind. As long as they didn’t help themselves to the wine.
“Sophia, why don’t you and your friends put the pieces together,” Hopkins suggested. The three went about their task. Vincent looked back at Tess again. Their eyes met. A small smile came to her lips. They had yet to share their plans with anyone. Tess felt there had been enough excitement and wanted to ponder the future in peace before she was assaulted with questions from the teachers and students. Vincent agreed. He enjoyed sharing this secret with her.
Vincent turned back to the map.
“It does look familiar, but I can’t place it.” Mrs. Wiggons leaned closer.
“I know this place and it isn’t far. I wasn’t sure where the map would lead, but I certainly didn’t expect it to be so close to home.”
“Can we do now?” Eliza fairly jumped with excitement.
“I am not sure it is safe at the moment.”
He no longer felt either apprehension or awe,
as he gazed upon her in the sunny light of day
Wake Not the Dead
Johann Ludwig Tieck
Chapter 30
“When will it be safe?” Tess hoped it was soon, for she doubted the girls would wait long before they attempted to explore on their own and someone got hurt.
“I think if you leave at eleven that should be sufficient enough time to get there, explore and return.”
How very odd. “And why isn’t this place safer any other time?”
Mrs. Wiggons rubbed her hands together and grinned. “Because it is under water.”
Tess’ clenched. “I am not so sure it is safe for the girls then.”
“Of course it is, if they don’t linger overlong.” Vincent insisted, much to Tess’ surprise.
“Please, Miss. Crawford,” Eliza begged. “We promise to do as Lord Atwood tells us and leave while it’s still safe.”
“Me too,” Rosemary bounced with excitement. “I have no wish to drown, even for a treasure.”
Tess looked over at Sophia, who shrugged. She wondered if the child would ever recover from her experience. Perhaps it was just too soon.
Vincent glanced out the window. “I won’t be going, but I am sure Wesley can lead the way.”
The day was clear, a beautiful blue sky. It would be a perfect day for a stroll, if the winds weren’t too strong along the cliff. She gazed back at him and met his eyes.
“But, I will anxiously await your discovery.” He smiled down at her.
“What about after dinner? If tides are a concern, there should be ample time in the evening as well,” Hopkins suggested.
“It will
be too dark and the path down the cliff is precarious in the light of day. I would even suggest the students stay behind but know I waste my breath.” Vincent shook his head. “I wouldn’t want anyone injured on my account.”
“Then you must come with us now,” Sophia grinned.
Vincent stared at her dumbfounded.
“Yes, you must join us,” Tess chimed in.
He whipped his head around to look at her. She chuckled. He must think they had all gone mad or wished to punish him for some reason. “Rosemary, go get the box.”
The girl did as she was told and returned a few moments later, with a small box in her hands.
“Before you open it,” Tess slapped at his right hand, “the girls need to give a history lesson.”
She watched the curiosity in his eyes as he turned toward her students.
Eliza cleared her throat and stepped forward. “In the fifteenth century, the judges in China wore smoke-tinted glass so people could not read their eyes.”
Rosemary went next. “In the eighteenth century, blue and green tinted glass from Italy was taken to China. But these were used to help correct the vision, not hide the eyes.”
Last, Sophia stepped forward. “So, given how you need to keep the sun off of your eyes, Miss Crawford had us go into town and order a pair of spectacles, with the darkest colored glass, but not to correct how you see, just to block the light.”
A smile pulled at Vincent’s lips.
“You may open the box now,” Tess instructed. Her hands shook and she clutched them together. While she loved him, she was not certain of his acceptance of something that would make his life easier. He tore at the wrapping and her heartbeat increased. Vincent was a proud man, but hopefully not too proud to accept assistance.
To Walk in the Sun (Wiggons' School for Elegant Young Ladies - Book 1) Page 27
