“No you weren’t,” she muttered, and of course she was right. He’d been about to tell her he wouldn’t take the books. Instead he tucked them under his arm and watched the children leave the room while he waited for her to finish tidying the books away.
“Go. I will follow.”
“There is a single lamp left alight. We will walk down together or one of us will fall, and on these floors it will not be pleasant.”
“I think I liked you better when you said nothing,” she muttered.
“Strange how I doubt I would ever say those words to you.”
She stopped before him and stared. “I do believe that was a joke.”
What surprised him was that she was right.
“Can I ask you something,” he said. She nodded.
“Why is everyone in your immediate family named after a place?”
Her smile was small and tilted the corners of her sweet mouth. He shouldn’t be alone up here with her. She should leave, or him. Both of them stood still, a foot apart.
“My parents named us after where we were conceived. They were unsure whether it was Somerset or Dorset with us; hence we are named as we are.”
“You are not serious?” He hadn’t expected that.
“Deadly. Eden is named for Oaks Knoll, as she was the only one conceived there and Mother called it her Garden of Eden, I believe.”
He had no words.
She sighed. “Most people react that way.”
She had changed into a simple peach dress. A thick wool shawl in deep blue was around her shoulders. Her hair was bundled on top of her head, and Ash had never seen a more beautiful woman.
“We need to leave now,” he said.
Instead she stepped closer and kissed him. Ash tried to keep himself still, tried not to respond, but he only had so much willpower. The books hit the floor with a loud thud, and his arms went around her. He pulled her into his body. Placing a hand on the back of her head, he angled it so their lips merged perfectly.
Her hands went to his hair, her fingers digging into his scalp. His free hand roamed her spine. Slipping beneath the shawl, he traced the low neckline at the back. Her skin was cool to the touch and smooth. Like silk.
She made a small noise that went straight to his groin. He wanted to touch her. Strip off her clothes and lose himself in her. He was seconds away from doing just that, so he gripped her arms and forced her back and away from him.
Ash then retrieved the books and walked from the room, leaving her the lamp and to follow.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Desperate to keep busy, and away from Ashford Charlton, Dorrie left the castle with Essex after she’d eaten her morning meal the following day. She’d decided to accompany Essie to Crunston Cliff and catch up with Esther for a long chat. There were a few of the elderly occupants that her sister still cared for. She sent them balms and tonics from London when they were there.
She did not want to think about that kiss anymore, or the way she’d stepped into his hard body and pressed her mouth to his. When Ash’s arms had held her, it had felt right. Dorrie knew he should be the Raven for her, based on facts, and the way she responded to him, and the fact that she’d saved him. She also knew he would never allow that to happen, and she should definitely not want it to.
Yesterday he’d laughed and seemed to relax slightly being in their company. But did he want more of that or would he leave to face this danger, and not return?
She’d dreamed of him last night. Hot, uncomfortable dreams.
“We are here for such a short time, I doubt we will find the scroll or document,” Dorrie said as they wandered down the main street of Crunston Cliff.
“That box you found looks promising, if we can ever open it. Apparently quite a few of the men have already tried. All are attempting to decipher it. Gus, I think, has the best chance,” Essie said.
And Ash.
The Sinclair and Raven families had been searching for the document that explained the origin of their heightened senses. Something written at the time Oaks Knoll was given to the Sinclairs by King Edward III, along with Dev’s title. So far, they had found a few books that stated something had happened. One book had actually observed some of the odd occurrences involving the Sinclairs from many years ago, but there was nothing to state in what form the document existed.
