Thornbrook and Louisa had already mounted and were letting their horses amble around the lawn while they waited for Isa. At long last, Edward spotted her on the path to the stables and waved to the grooms to bring out their horses.
After a quick stop to speak with Louisa, she finally made her way over to him, looking radiant in her dark blue riding habit and a hat that resembled a man’s top hat, except that it was made feminine by virtue of its soft velvet fabric. Her eyes reflected the color of the cloudless sky, and his breath caught when she turned her radiant smile on him.
“My apologies for delaying our departure. Biscuit was very insistent about joining us. Her Grace finally closeted him in her sitting room, where he will hopefully remain for the duration of our ride.”
Waving away the groom, Edward helped her mount and made certain his hand slid over the curve of her hip and along the length of her thigh. For one wild moment, he considered galloping off with her into the woods where he could take her to one of the lesser-known outbuildings at Walsley and spend the rest of the day exploring every last bit of her.
Instead, he said, “You are so captivating, I’m willing to forgive your tardiness.”
After mounting his own horse, he threw a scowl toward Thornbrook. The man had been spending far too much time chasing after Louisa. When the ladies moved away, Edward decided it was time to warn him off, since he was ignoring the unwritten gentlemen’s code that should have kept him away from a friend’s sister.
Edward squeezed his horse into a trot and rode up next to him. “Why are you here?”
“In England?”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why are you here, on a horse, instead of inside memorizing your part for the play?”
“Because it is a beautiful day to be outside enjoying fine weather and equally fine company. Well, aside from you.”
“Thornbrook, what are you doing sniffing around my sister?”
“I enjoy her company.”
“You enjoy the hunt. She’s the first woman who has not only bested you, but turned you down.”
Thornbrook shrugged. “I admit she has proved to be more of a challenge than most ladies, but—”
“There are no buts. She is my sister, and you need to stay away from her.”
“I have no intention of dishonoring your sister. I just enjoy her company. It’s refreshing to be around a woman who has no interest in my title or inheritance. Or me, for that matter.”
Good lord. Thornbrook sounded just like him when he tried to convince himself that he had suggested a false engagement to Isa for the same reasons. He was in trouble on both counts.
“If I catch you so much as looking at her the wrong way—”
Thornbrook held up a hand. “I know.”
For now, Edward needed to focus on finding the bloody tiara. There would be time later to sort out everything else. He loosened the reins, and his stallion soon caught up with the ladies.
“So what, exactly, are we looking for out here?” Louisa asked.
“A place that fits this description, ‘Where the green cloak grows, light permeates the dark and deep’,” Isa said. “We assumed it had to refer to vegetation of some sort.”
Louisa sighed. “This is going to be a challenge. There are many, many places at Walsley that were allowed to become overgrown prior to Papa purchasing the property.”
Thornbrook used his hand to shade his eyes and looked at Edward. “It would probably be best if we started at the far corner of the property and worked our way back toward the house.”
Edward nodded and gestured for the ladies to take the lead.
“How old was your great-great-grandmother when she hid the tiara?” Isa asked.
That was a non sequitur. Edward narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m not certain. Probably in her fifties. Why?”
“It seems to me that a lady would not traverse the wild areas of the estate in order to hide the tiara, and it seems equally likely that she would leave it in at least a somewhat sheltered space to protect it.”
“Perhaps, though there was no reason for her to suspect that it would remain hidden for so long. She had no way of knowing that the property would ever pass from the family.” He glanced down the line where the manicured lawn met the edge of the woods. “So you’re saying that we should narrow our search to places closer to the house where there may have been a sheltered hiding place.”
“And, we can rule out all of the manicured areas we’re familiar with,” Louisa said. “So it seems that we’ve limited ourselves to the space outside of the gardens, formal areas, and the planted fields, but not into the places that have always been wild.”
Edward waved a hand to his left. “Then let’s traverse the border behind the gardens and see what we find.” Clucking to his stallion, he took off at a brisk canter toward the edge of the woods. Thornbrook came up beside him, and Edward gave his horse his head. Both horses surged forward and they raced to the tree line. After pulling up his horse and giving him a pat on the neck, he glanced around and found that Isa and his sister were walking along the edge of the forest, occasionally pushing or pulling vines and branches out to view what lay behind them.
Edward pulled out his handkerchief to wipe his brow, then rode up alongside Isa. “Have you spotted anything interesting yet?”
“I’ve discovered the true meaning of ‘green cloak’.” She sighed. “The vines make it difficult to see much. It doesn’t seem likely that there’s anything to be found back here. I don’t suppose you have an old map of the property somewhere?”
“I’m afraid not. I already spoke with my father. He had the land surveyed after he purchased the estate, but there aren’t any maps or diagrams that would tell us how it looked before it fell into disrepair, and of course, any paintings that might have been of use were either taken from the house or sold.” He reached over and pulled a bit of vine off Isa’s hat and allowed his fingers to trail down her neck. Her shiver pleased him more than it ought to. He couldn’t seem to keep his hands away from her, but he needed to back off before he scared her. He could also use a reminder that they had agreed only to a temporary arrangement, which meant that he could not allow things to go any further, no matter how much he wanted them to.
Louisa and Thornbrook had fallen behind them. Her laugh punctuated the air, and Edward turned back to give Thornbrook a warning look.
“Do you really think the tiara is still here? Could it survive outside for all of these years?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe the tiara isn’t out here, and the clues will just lead us to yet another clue.”
They continued following the edge of the forest until they reached the halfway point where they were parallel to the house. It was already late afternoon, and Edward feared they would fail to make any progress before it became too dark to continue. The sky had darkened with cloud cover, and rain couldn’t be too far off.
“Edward, look.” Isa unhooked her leg from between the pommels of her sidesaddle and jumped off her horse, exhibiting skills that seemed advanced for an impoverished country squire’s daughter who now worked as a companion.
“I thought you said Lady Concord no longer rides.”
“She doesn’t, but when I first began working for her, we rode every day.” Without further conversation, Isa tossed the reins of her horse to Edward and plunged through the brush into the woods.
“Isa, wait.” He scrambled from his horse and whistled loudly. Louisa heard him and turned her mare toward them. It seemed to take an interminably long time for her to get there. All of their horses were trained to ground tie, but a stray clap of thunder could leave them with a long, wet walk back to the house, and he didn’t quite trust his stallion with the mare he had given Isa, who happened to belong to his mother.
Louisa arrived with Thornbrook on her heels. “Have you found something?”
“I’m not sure, but Isa is already scavenging through the woods. I need you two to stay with the horses.” Without waiting
for them to dismount, he turned and plunged after Isa.
After a frantic search that seemed to take forever, but probably lasted only seconds, he spotted Isa about a hundred meters away.
“Isa, you mustn’t run off like that. Do you have any idea how quickly you can become lost out here?”
“Not that quickly,” she replied over her shoulder. “Look. Boxwood.”
“There’s boxwood growing wild all over England.”
She lifted a hand and waved him forward. “They’re planted in a specific pattern. They’re not wild.” With her glove brushing against the leaves, she followed the line of the bushes.
“Those were planted a long time ago. There must have been a garden here at one time.” He followed behind her as the line of remarkably tall boxwood—they had to have been at least twenty-five feet high—curved to the right. A huge gust of cold air rattled the branches of the trees above them, reminding him that rain was imminent.
He opened his mouth to suggest that they come back tomorrow when they had more time to explore, but Isa was nowhere to be found. He charged forward and spotted her through an overgrown opening in the bushes.
She grinned at him. “I think it’s a maze. See how it continues to curve around, and there’s another opening.”
“It’s a huge maze.” He glanced up at the dark sky just as the first raindrop hit his cheek. “Isa, we shouldn’t go any farther. We need to get back before we are soaked by the rain, and it isn’t safe to explore the maze without letting my mother and father know what we’re doing. If we became lost, no one would know where to look for us.” And he would once again be labeled irresponsible.
She frowned and moved to stand in front of him. “I know. It would be all too easy to get lost in any maze, let alone one as unkempt as this.” She made some sort of growling sound and stomped her foot. “But we’re so close.”
Maddeningly close. “We’ll come back tomorrow morning, armed with sustenance and hedge clippers.”
She laughed and placed her glove against his cheek. It was all the invitation he needed. He pulled her to him and kissed her. When he ran his tongue across the seam of her lips, her mouth opened in an invitation he didn’t waste any time accepting.
“Ahem.”
Edward registered the sound of someone clearing his throat. He placed one last kiss against Isa’s lips and glanced over his shoulder.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Thornbrook said, “but all hell is about to break loose over our heads.”
Edward and Isa both looked up just as the first boom of thunder rumbled over them. He took her hand and dashed back with her through the opening in the boxwood, heading for the tiny bit of light that signaled the edge of the field.
“Had I known you were merely looking for some privacy, I would have come to fetch you sooner,” Thornbrook quipped.
Louisa sighed with relief when they emerged. “Thank goodness. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it back to the house leading four horses.”
“My apologies, Louisa. But I think we found it,” Isa said.
Louisa’s brows drew together. “Found what?”
“The hiding place. The place the clue referenced. There’s an old, overgrown maze back there.”
Louisa grinned. “I can’t believe this is happening. After all this time. Mother will be ecstatic.”
“Yes, well, if you’d like to survive to tell her about it, we need to get going right now.” Thornbrook tossed Louisa onto her mare and quickly pulled himself onto his gelding.
Edward glanced over his shoulder at the sheet of rain that was heading straight for them. Grabbing Isa around her middle, he placed her in the saddle and handed her the reins then mounted his stallion. They took off at a gallop but were too slow to avoid the rain. By the time they reached the house, Edward was soaked through. He rode straight into the covered area of the lower courtyard, and the others followed him. Once a groom arrived to take the horses, they entered through the kitchens.
“Mrs. West. Can you please arrange for baths to be prepared immediately for both Lady Louisa and Miss Winthrop?”
“Of course, my lord. You poor dears.” She turned and rushed off to find the housekeeper, muttering on her way out, “You’ll all catch your death if you don’t get out of those wet clothes.”
One of the maids rushed over and handed them lengths of toweling to dry off.
“Thank you,” Edward said. After turning toward Isa and noting her shiver, he wrapped his toweling around her and lifted her into his arms. ”Your lips are tinged blue. Let’s get you up to your chamber.”
“Edward, put me down. I can walk myself.”
“I’ll get you there faster.” Taking the steps two at a time, he rushed up the servants’ staircase, taking care to hold her tight so he didn’t jostle her too much. He slowed slightly going down the corridor, then shoved in through her door, where the maids were busy filling a tub with hot water.
He gently dropped her to her feet and placed a kiss against her forehead. “Go get those wet clothes off immediately. You can wrap yourself in a blanket until your bath is ready.”
“I’m not a child. I’ll be fine.”
“Then do as I say or I’ll undress you myself.” He crossed his arms.
She giggled and pushed him toward the door. “I will as soon as you leave.”
“I’m not leaving until I know—”
“Get out!”
With more strength than he would have expected from her, she shoved him through the door and slammed it closed behind him.
“I’ll be back soon to make sure you followed my orders.”
A large, heavy object slammed into the door, rattling it against the frame.
He whistled as he moved down the corridor.
Chapter Thirteen
Isa read the same line of Oliver Twist for the fifth time. Biscuit, who was trying to sleep next to her, sighed. After her bath she didn’t have the energy to dress for dinner, let alone stay awake through several removes, so she had asked for a light repast to be brought to her room. Whenever the slightest sound slipped under her door, her stomach jumped. A part of her feared the implications of a return visit from Edward, but the rest of her, the much larger part, waited in anticipation. Over the last few days, their relationship had grown and changed from friendship into something more, but whether that meant anything with respect to their arrangement was still to be determined. It seemed impossible that he would ever be able to forgive her for deceiving him about who she was. If there was to be any chance that they could make their engagement real, she had to find a way to make him understand why she hadn’t told him sooner.
A knock sounded on the door and she leaped out of the bed, straightening her dressing gown as she moved toward the door. After taking a deep breath, she pulled the door open. Apparently determining that Edward was not a threat, Biscuit positioned himself back in the middle of her bed.
He glanced up and down the corridor before slipping in and leaning against the door. His eyes widened as they swept over her dressing gown and up to her loose hair. “I shouldn’t be in here,” he said in soft tones, “but I had to make sure myself that you’re all right.”
“A little summer rain never hurt anyone.” Suddenly feeling shy, she added, “And this dressing gown covers more of me than any of my gowns you’ve already seen me in.”
He swallowed audibly. “I wanted to thank you for your help with our treasure hunt. My mother is so excited I doubt she’ll sleep at all tonight.” He took a step closer and cradled her cheek. “None of this would have happened without you.”
“I assure you it was simply a matter of luck that turned out to be fortuitous for all of us.”
He smoothed her hair, then took her hand and placed a kiss on her palm. “I should go before someone catches me in here.”
“I can assure you I don’t have any regular nighttime visitors.”
“I should hope not. Nevertheless, it isn’t proper for me to be here, as much as I’d like t
o stay.”
A sudden fear that she would never have another chance like this with him sent shards of ice through her veins, and an involuntary shiver overtook her. He was the only one who had been able to see past her position as a companion and accept her as she was. She had become closer to him than she was to any other person, and she would not squander the opportunity to be with him. He was worth the risk, worth taking a chance that their relationship might turn into something more. “Will you stay?”
“I shouldn’t, and yet, I can’t resist you.”
Isa didn’t know exactly what she was asking of him, but she knew she needed him with her, holding her, comforting her. His mere touch soothed her, assuaged her fears, made her believe in a future she had never imagined possible until she met him.
She took his hand and led him toward her bed.
“Isa. I can’t…I won’t…”
“Shh.” She pressed a finger to his lips. “Right now, I just need you to hold me.”
Pulling him toward the bed, she shoved Biscuit to the far side, tossed the covers back, and slipped in, dragging him along with her.
“Isa.”
She couldn’t bear to meet his eyes. “If this isn’t what you want, just go. Now, before I die of shame.”
He put two fingers under her chin and forced her to look at him. “Isa, what I want, and what I should do, are two very different things.”
His eyes held hers.
“Do what you want with me.”
His breath ragged, he pulled her to him. Her head fit perfectly under his chin, and his warmth surrounded her. It had been so long since anyone had held her she had forgotten what it felt like to feel safe, feel wanted.
She held her breath as he nuzzled her hair, then placed her palm flat against his chest, comforted by the strength of his steady heartbeat. The faint scent of lime tickled her nose, awaking desire in her. She slid herself up his body and loosened the buttons at the top of his shirt so she could explore the planes of his chest.
He groaned and grabbed her hand. “Isa, I can’t… If you keep touching me, I won’t be able to stop myself. I want you, but—”
How to Bewitch an Earl Page 11
