The light took more form, a lantern with a low-burning wick. A blanket was spread out on top of the long grass, flattening it. And the lantern was at the center of the blanket with a person—a woman—stretched out beside it. She was lying on her stomach, her long white nightgown tangled in her legs. Propped up on her elbows, she held a book close to the lantern and was reading.
Was this Zaira? His youngest sister was an avid reader and free-spirited enough to escape the heat of the house to do something like this.
As he drew closer, his foot landed in a patch of dried leaves, and a crackling broke through the soft trilling of the crickets.
The woman on the blanket glanced his way. With a startled intake, she scrambled to sit up.
The lantern light glistened now upon her hair, revealing blond waves falling all around her, nearly reaching her waist. Her face was also fully visible, her beautiful features creased with apprehension.
“Alannah?” He halted. “What are you doing?”
“Mr. Shanahan.” She didn’t move, except to close her book. “I’m getting a breath of air.”
He frowned and surveyed the property. “It’s not wise to be out here by yourself.”
She followed his gaze. “I’m alone, or I was until you scared me.”
“What if I’d been someone else? Someone less honorable?” His sights dropped to her nightgown. Even though a part of him knew he shouldn’t look at her state of undress, he took her in anyway. By the glow of the lantern, it was all too easy to see the way the light cotton material clung to her curves and the bare patch of her ankles and calves where the gown had crept up.
As though realizing her indecency, she hurriedly tugged at the hem of her nightgown, trying to cover her feet. In her haste, she yanked too hard, and the garment slid off her shoulder on one side, drawing his attention to the bare stretch of her collarbone and the elegant curve of her shoulder visible beneath her hair.
Her fingers flew to the neckline, and she slid it back up. At the same time, she was taking him in, her gaze widening with obvious embarrassment.
He peered down at himself and then remembered that he’d hastily donned his trousers and suspenders before leaving his room, but otherwise he was bare chested and had bare feet. He wasn’t decently attired either—not for an encounter with a woman.
He took a step back. “You should go inside.” His voice came out rougher than he intended.
She dropped her gaze to the blanket in front of her and held herself stiffly. “’Tis a pleasant night, and no one knows I’m here. If you don’t mind, I’d like to stay a wee bit longer.”
“Not out here by yourself.” He released a low scoff. “No.”
“I’ve been fine every single time I’ve come out here—”
“You’ve done this before?”
She hesitated.
That was all the answer he needed. “No more coming out at night.”
Even in the dark, he could see a flash of stubbornness in her expression. “While I’m not on duty, I’d like to be deciding for myself—”
“I’m deciding it for you.” He cocked his head in the direction of the house. “Now come on with you.”
Lifting her chin, she sat up straighter. “You might own me during the day, but my time belongs to me at night.”
“Own you?” He couldn’t keep his tone from rising at the absurdity of her declaration.
“Aye. I’m not a slave.”
“Nobody said you are.” He blew out a tense breath. The conversation wasn’t going well, not at all how he’d envisioned it. Not that he’d envisioned talking with her. ... Well, maybe he had imagined it a time or two, primarily finding her at work someplace in the house and then conversing for a few minutes.
“It wasn’t my intention to make you feel like you have no freedom.” He gentled his voice. “But I would have said the same thing to Zaira if she’d been the one out here. It’s simply not decent—or safe—for you to be out here alone.”
Alannah held his gaze for a moment before looking away. “I thank you for your concern, Mr. Shanahan. But I’ve sensed no danger here.”
“Even though you might feel safe, we can never forget that Shaw could still be searching for you and might trace you here.”
She examined the landscape shrouded in moonlight, and her features gentled. “I understand the concern, so I do. AndI promise from now on I won’t stay long, and I’ll be more watchful.”
