My father would have cursed me for a coward.
Henry Burgess had been a man of unbending principle, never flinching before duty. Compared to him, Winston was a shadow, faltering under burdens he ought to carry without complaint. The tall, clipped hedges of the garden maze caught his eye. Surely, the lush greenery was planted for amusement. But to Winston, it looked like escape. He hesitated for only a moment before turning away from Cordelia’s watchful gaze and stepping into the cool shade of the maze.
At first, he followed the winding path with purpose, striding along as though he could lose himself by speed alone. But the deeper he went, the more the noise of the party faded, until all he heard was the rustle of leaves in the breeze and the crunch of gravel beneath his boots.
It was then that the memories returned as they always did when silence left space for them. He saw her. Not as she had been at the end, but as she was in those fleeting, tender moments at the beginning. Pale hair catching the light, laughter on her lips, always just ahead of him. The ghost that haunted him. She flitted through his mind’s eye, graceful and elusive, as though the maze itself conjured her.
She deserved a man who truly loved her. That she could truly love.
A man who did not see marriage as an obligation. He had failed her, failed in ways no one else could ever know. He bore that guilt alone, and it weighed heavier than any Dukedom. He turned a corner sharply, blind to what lay beyond as he fought to force the memory away. And there, sudden as a striking hawk, stood Adeline. His first thought was of Louisa. Her voice carried faintly from somewhere beyond the hedges, calling for her governess. Winston’s chest tightened.
“Where is Louisa?” His tone was harsher than intended.
Adeline startled slightly at his sudden appearance, then recovered herself.
“She ran ahead. We became separated, but I shall find her soon enough.”
Winston seized on the opportunity to stoke the annoyance that simmered always near the surface when she was near.
“You let her run off alone? You are responsible for her, Miss Wilkinson.”
Her chin lifted, defiance sparking in her eyes.
“I take that responsibility very seriously, Your Grace. She is safe within the maze, and her laughter proves she is not afraid. Children must be allowed some freedom.”
Her reply was respectful, but only just. Winston’s jaw tightened. She looked beautiful in her new gown. It revealed the pale, perfect feminine skin of her arms, neck, and chest. Revealed and suggested. Entirely respectable and utterly beguiling when she was the one wearing it. Winston recognized his danger and saw the desire to just look at her. Or to be close to her. A danger to be avoided at all costs.
She is angry at my disrespect. Perhaps if I provoke her, she will break the bounds of propriety and give me cause to dismiss her before the end of this damnable trial.
Better that, he told himself, than allow the pull he felt toward her to deepen. They walked side by side, Louisa’s voice growing more distant with every turn.
“We appear to be losing my child,” Winston noted as they backtracked from another dead end.
“It is a diversion, not a trial of endurance,” Adeline said calmly. “She cannot come to harm.”
“That is hardly the point. She is alone, and her governess is separated from her. That should not occur.”
The narrow passageways of the maze forced them to either walk single file or so close alongside each other that their shoulders brushed. Winston felt a thrill at such contact. The scent of the hedges could not disguise the fragrance that came from Adeline. That heady female mix of flowers with a hint of exotic citrus tang. Suddenly, she stopped, tossing her head. Winston also stopped, frowning.
“What is it?”
“I believe there is an insect in my hair,” Adeline said, her voice tight with control.
She shook her head again, more forcefully.
“I felt something drop onto my head and I believe that I can still feel it…”
Winston could see that the idea was distressing her. Each moment that passed saw her brows furrow and her head tossed vehemently. Adeline raised her hands as though to shake it free, and Winston stepped close. He took her hands, gently but firmly.
“Do not do that, or when we emerge it will look as though you climbed through these damned hedges backwards.”
“It is quite…exasperating. I have something of a…weakness…” The effort of avoiding panic was clear.
“Let me see if I can find the little fellow and rid you of it,” Winston said gently.
Adeline was actually trembling as he lowered her hands and leaned close to peer into her hair. The scent of it flooded his senses. He wanted to breathe in deeply, to press his face into her silky tresses. This close, the soft perfection of her skin was intoxicating. It demanded to be kissed. To be caressed. The thought of his breath touching her throat felt like a tantalizing intimacy.
He forced himself to concentrate on the task at hand, gently moving her hair aside until he found a tiny green insect clinging to a lock of hair just behind her ear. He cupped his hands around it and softly blew. Adeline shifted, her body pressing momentarily against Winston’s. He felt the shudder run through her. It might have been revulsion at his closeness, but the flush of her cheeks, the parting of her lips said it was not. The creature took wing and flew away.
