She pictured Austin again, unbidden: him kneeling before her in his room, breath hot on her skin, whispering sweet nothings to her.
But as she rose to begin her day, the loneliness returned along with her reality.
Six
Austin held Deena’s blackmailer’s letter in his hand as he strode to the garden. The paper felt oddly familiar. It slightly matched the one he received, but the handwriting was different. He had hoped that it would be similar, so they could rule out that they were dealing with the same blackmailer. Austin stared at the two pieces of paper and tried to decipher them like a hidden code. He rubbed his thumb across the ink, and it left an imprint.
“Interesting,” he muttered under his breath.
He folded the letters and placed both into his pocket.
If Deena can be trusted, I will show her the letter I received.
Whoever the blackmailers were, they were not a nobleman or noblewoman. Or perhaps the blackmailer was trying to mislead them into thinking they were low-class. Austin decided withoutdelay that he would involve his solicitor. In the meantime, his thoughts drifted to Deena in an ungentlemanly way.
He was bewitched by her.
He stopped and stood in the beautifully lit garden of Greystone Park, lanterns were strung through the trees like captured stars, and the night air was cool and scented with late roses. Austin leaned against a stone balustrade, arms folded, waiting for Deena.
He could not shake her. The freckles across her nose, her sharp green eyes that saw straight through his charm, and the way her skin had felt under his palm, warm and yielding. She believed he had not noticed the subtle press of her thighs together whenever he drew near, the way her breath caught and quickened, shallow and betraying, each time his body invaded her space. She thought those small, secret surrenders were hers alone.
It was amusing that he suffered the same torment in her presence. He longed to know her more, and he looked forward to their time together.
Finally, Deena appeared beneath an arch of lanterns. The soft light formed a halo around her head.
“Thought you’d be hiding in the library again,” he called out to her.
“That sounds like Deena.”
Austin was taken aback when he saw Dominic walking beside her. He felt a sharp, unfamiliar twist in his chest, something perilously close to disappointment. And he was never disappointed to see Dominic.
Never.
“Windemere,” Dominic called warmly.
“Greystone.” Austin pushed off the balustrade, forcing his usual grin. “Couldn’t miss Grandmother’s firefly hunt. Though I expected you’d still be unpacking the nursery.”
Dominic laughed. “We arrived this afternoon. Someone had to keep Grandmother from declaring martial law.”
Deena’s eyes met Austin’s briefly.
“You might not have known,” Austin said to her, keeping his tone light, “but your brother was once cold as marble, and twice as hard. He terrified half theton.”
Deena’s lips curved. “I know, I was on the receiving end of his terror. Although it’s hard to believe, looking at him now.”
Dominic snorted. “Flattery will get you nowhere. Though Selina managed it.”
“Where is Selina?” Austin asked.
“Putting Mary down. Percy’s already asleep after terrorizing all the horses in the stables.” Dominic glanced around, then lowered his voice. “Quick word…thank you for looking out for Deena the last few days. I wasn’t here, and I appreciate it.”
Austin inclined his head. “Always. You and she are like family.”
His gaze flicked to her, but her expression was unreadable. When they reached the crowd of onlookers, the dowager’s voice rang out across the lawn.
“Gather, gather! Time for the next delight!”
Guests clustered near a table laden with glass jars and ribbon, and Deena’s grandmother beamed.
