Julian nodded. “Yes, Evie. I believe she is. And I’m glad you like her.”
For a short while they traveled in silence, Julian already immersed in his memories of the past two days. Then Clara, with the puppy sleeping in her arms, squirmed in her seat.
“Um, we have a question, Julian.”
Pulled from his contemplation, he regarded her. “What is it?”
“Would you be upset if someone kidnapped us?”
Julian frowned. “What kind of question is that? Are you planning on being kidnapped?”
“No.” She wrinkled her nose. “But we can’t stop thinking of Mr. Darcy all alone in that stable, wondering where his little sister has gone.”
“Ah, yes, of course, I should have realized where this was going. How short-sighted of me.” He gave her a thin smile. “And my answer is ‘no’.”
Evie gasped. “You wouldn’t be upset if we were kidnapped?”
“As in ‘no’, we are not going back to get Mr. Darcy.” He held up a hand as Clara opened her mouth. “Don’t bother arguing, either of you. You’ll be wasting your time.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The atmosphere atFerndale Grange had been cautiously calm since Julian Northcott bid Annie farewell. Hattie and Janet had plied her with questions about her stay at Myddleton House, as well as the outings with Julian and the twins. They had not, however, voiced any opinions, a notable lapse which Annie found odd. Certainly uncharacteristic in Hattie’s case. They were, she finally decided, simply trying to restore the harmony that had existed prior to Annie’s surprise reunion with Julian.
In any case, she was seriously considering changing her mind about returning to London. Perhaps, though, her motivation had less to do with the peaceful atmosphere at Ferndale Grange and more to do with being closer to Yorkshire.
Closer to Julian.
Since he’d left, Annie had been waiting for an opportunity to return to Freya’s Farewell, but had been impeded by the weather. She longed to climb the hill again, to gaze at the distant gables of Myddleton House and relive the wonder of her time there. Most of all, though, she wanted to stand in the place where she’d experienced her first kiss. Her firstproperkiss. She could not think of it, of him, without stirring the familiar sense of longing and desire. It was both exquisite and frustrating at the same time. She missed him. Felt empty without him.
The rain had continued, on and off, till midday on Friday, trappingAnnie in the house. Saturday blew in on a south-west wind that drove a thin scattering of clouds across the sky. But no rain.
“I’m going for a walk after these are done,” Annie announced, getting ready to dry the dishes after a late breakfast.
Hattie, who had been clearing the table, glanced at the window. “Yes, you should. You’ve been cooped up for the past few days. Where are you going?”
“Freya’s Farewell, I think.”
“It’ll be very windy up there, so be careful.” Janet, standing at the sink, exchanged a brief glance with Hattie. “And wear good shoes. The ground will still be wet.”
“I’ll see to the dishes,” Hattie said. “Go and get yourself ready.”
Annie hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Off you go.”
Barely a half-hour later, Annie, with Ruffy at her heels, stepped out into the wind and headed for the stile. As usual, they followed the path along the edge of the woods. Part way along, Ruffy, who had been zigzagging here and there, came to a sudden halt, pointed his little nose toward the woods, and growled. Annie, who’d been lost in thought, halted as well, a shiver trickling down her spine as she followed the dog’s gaze. “What is it, Ruffy?”
The terrier, whose hackles had lifted, answered with a throaty growl, and backed up a couple of steps, his attention still fixed on the woods. Annie held her breath and squinted into the shadowed undergrowth that rippled and danced on the forest floor, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. The only sounds to be heard were the rush of the wind through the trees and the raucous cries of the crows, the latter a little more boisterous than usual.
The hair on Annie’s neck lifted. “What is it, Ruffy?” she asked again, still peering into the trees. “What do you see?’
Tongue lolling from the side of his mouth, the dog looked up at her and wagged his tail. Then he scooted off across the meadow oncemore, following his nose as he usually did. Whatever had caught his attention had apparently gone. Annie heaved a sigh of relief and continued on her way, her mind once again wandering back over the past few incredible days. As for moving back to London, she’d decided to wait till she heard back from Archibald Mason.
The thought of the city brought her father to mind. “I wish you could have known Julian, Papa,” she muttered. “You would have approved. You were right to doubt Leo. Oh!”
Annie grabbed at her bonnet as a sudden gust of wind threatened to snatch it from her head. Drawing near to the hill, her gaze wandered upward. There would be no shelter from the wind up there. Nevertheless, driven by a need to see Myddleton House, to stand in the spot where Julian had kissed her, she continued on. She fancied the wind was challenging her, playing with her skirts, tugging at her bonnet, and mocking any attempt to keep her curls tucked away. At last she reached the top, breathless, but exhilarated, as if she’d met the challenge of nature and beaten it. In a moment of sheer euphoria, she tore the bonnet from her head and lifted her face to the sky, barely staving off a temptation to howl in delight. As if acknowledging her success, the wind howled instead, and then seemed to warn her by wrapping her skirts around her legs as she stepped out onto the ledge. One step only. It was enough that she could see Myddleton House.
“I miss you,” she said, thinking of Julian. “I cannot wait to see you again.”
