“So, how are we going to do this?” She tried to sound nonchalant in an attempt to pretend the searing moment between them had not happened.
“You drive your machine and follow me. I will lead the way on my horse,” he replied, tacitly agreeing to the pretension.
“I imagine I should not turn on the lights.”
“Yes, keep all the lights off. There’s a bit of light from the moon. That should be enough to see the road. We will go slowly.”
“Sounds like a plan. Lead the way!”
The ride back to the tool shed was uneventful. She did not think they had been observed. After parking the car and retrieving the rest of her luggage, they entered the sleeping house through the same back door they had exited and climbed the staircase in silence. They did not touch or even got close again.
At the door to her bedroom, he deposited the suitcase on the floor. Evidently, this was as far as he would go.
“If you require anything, please don’t hesitate to ring for it. My servants are at your service. So am I, for that matter. If you need my help, you may call me anytime. My bedroom is through that door.” He pointed to the set of ornate double doors on the wall opposite.
“I will be fine. Thank you. That is... There is one thing,” she said hesitantly.
“Yes?”
“Could I have access to a bathroom? I know that in these times they are considered a luxury, but in my time they are a necessity. I don’t know how to manage without it.”
“But of course. I’m afraid we would have to share mine, though. There’s only one bathroom in the house at this moment. I am having another one constructed on the other wing, but it’s not ready yet. The bathroom is through that door on the left.” He bowed and left to enter his room.
And she was left alone. Her fears and anxieties rushed in to take up the empty spaces in her. Oh God, but the nights were going to be difficult. During the days, she could distract herself by exploring this new world and interacting with her fascinating host. In fact, he made everything feel fine. His presence kept the fear at bay.
She was more than a little ashamed of her need for him. It wasn’t healthy. She despised being so needy and clingy, but she never thought to find herself in these straits. Feeling desolate, she dug her pajamas out of her luggage and started preparing for bed, grateful for the warmth of the fire and the comfort of the bedchamber. She could have done much worse. Just imagine if Dale had not found her and had taken her under his care. She shuddered to think about what could have happened to her.
Pulling the gloom around her with the covers, she crawled into the big, empty, unfamiliar bed and curled up. Her tears fell, and she didn't even try to contain them. Maybe if she cried enough, she could exorcize all her fears and melancholy and homesickness.
CHAPTER 15 - A matter of temptation
IN HIS BEDCHAMBER,Dale fought his own demons. Despite the few hours of sleep he'd managed to win the previous night and the exhaustion of the day's activities, sleep eluded him.
It was not a novel experience. He was familiar with sleepless nights and troubled dreams. They resulted from a less than clear conscience, but what was different this time was the cause of the insomnia. The shadows of the past did not haunt him this night, but the reality of the present.
The inescapable, vivid, vibrant reality of the woman sleeping just across the hall. She intrigued, scared, and excited him. He felt as if he was waking from a long sleep, and just as muscles felt uncomfortable when first exercised after being in disuse for a while, his emotional muscles felt distinctly unequal to the challenge she presented.
