“You, too.”
With a wry grin, he left the house. It would be hours before he sought his own rest.
Leyton Barrett stared at his son. “Are you sure it was Bryony?”
“I know my sister when I see her,” Eli replied, bristling. “It was Bryony, all right, with some man I’ve never seen before. A big guy, well-dressed, dark hair, looks foreign.”
“Why didn’t you approach her?”
“I tried. I followed them out of the theater and they…they just vanished from sight.”
“What? Vanished?” Barrett snorted. “That’s impossible.”For ordinary men. What had Audley said? The villagers never saw him by day and knew nothing about him.
Eli shrugged. “I saw it with my own eyes. One minute they were there and before I could get through the crowd, they were gone.” Eli laughed humorlessly. “Maybe he’s a magician, like Prospero.”
Barrett muttered a crude oath. “People don’t just disappear,” he muttered under his breath.But monsters do.
Chapter Fifteen
Bryony smiled as she fed Daisy a bright red apple. The mare was her only link to home. She had stopped asking Stefan when he was going to take her back. The last time she’d asked, he had said ‘a few days’ but that had been weeks ago. In a way, she was reluctant to leave him. He treated her well and granted her every wish. Plus, he needed her, though that was hard to believe. He was strong and self-assured to the point of arrogance. A law unto himself. In spite of everything, she cared for him a great deal, might even be falling in love with him. It would certainly be easy to do. There was no doubt that she craved his touch and yearned for his kisses. She loved the sound of his voice, the husky way he said her name. When she was in his arms, there was nowhere else she would rather be. In his embrace, she felt cherished, desired. Needed.
If only he would tell her what he was hiding. Why did he never share a meal with her? She found it hard to believe he had some rare skin disease that kept him out of the sun. But what other reason could there be? He lived in a big, beautiful house that rivaled her father’s, yet he didn’t seem to have any visible means of support. The servants respected him, but none of them appeared to know very much about him.
And then there was the fact that he was a witch, a fact that didn’t bother her as much as it should have. She found it fascinating that he could light a fire with a thought andtransport the two of them from one place to another in mere moments. It amazed her that he could walk in the rain without getting wet. And read her mind. That was one thing she did find troubling. Another thing she found curious was that he didn’t sleep in the house. Where was his bed? Where did he bathe? Where did he keep his clothes?
Sighing, she scratched Daisy’s ears. Dinner would be ready soon. Maybe Stefan would take her riding again tonight. With that thought in mind, she closed the door on her questions and hurried back to the house.
As usual, Stefan arrived shortly after sunset. He joined her at the table while she ate, accepted a crystal goblet of red wine from one of the maids.
“How was your day?” he asked, his nose wrinkling at the scent of brisket and potatoes.
Bryony shrugged. “The same as usual. How was yours?”
“The same as usual,” he said, with a smile. “Is there anything you would like to do this evening?”
“Yes,” she said eagerly. “Could we go riding again?”
“Have you come to love the night?” he asked.
“Not really. But it’s the only time we can ride together.”
Her words touched him deeply. She did care for him, he thought, else she would ride during the day with one of the grooms. “I will go tell James to ready the horses while you finish your supper and change your clothes.”
Her smile was warmer than the sun. “I am finished!” she exclaimed. Pushing her plate away, she stood and kissed him on the cheek before running up the stairs to her bedchamber.
Stefan lifted his hand to his cheek. He felt the warmth of her touch in every fiber of his being.
How could he ever let her go?
It was full dark when they rode out of the yard. The sky was midnight blue, the moon and stars so bright, it seemed earlier than it was. They rode side-by-side, close enough that Stefan could reach out and touch her arm, which he did from time to time. Her scent was all around him—the fragrance of her hair, her soap, her perfume, and her own unique womanly scent that was like no other. The beating of her heart was like the sweetest symphony. The bouquet of her blood, warmed by her excitement, tempted him like the finest wine.
He felt her gaze on his face. What was she thinking? The need to know would not be denied. He smiled inwardly as his mind brushed hers. She was wondering if he would kiss her before the night was over. Oh, yes, he mused. There was no doubt of that.
Bryony couldn’t stop stealing glances at Stefan. He sat the horse like a knight of old, his profile clean and sharp in the moonlight. Just looking at him took her breath away. He was so very handsome, so very…male. Everything female within her responded to his nearness.
A short time later, Stefan drew the grey to a halt and she drew rein beside him. He dismounted, then put his hands at her waist and lifted her from the saddle, her body sliding intimately against his as he lowered her feet to the ground.
She stared up at him, waiting, hoping, her eyelids fluttering down as his lips brushed hers. He groaned her name as he kissed her again and yet again.
