Talek’s nod in acceptance was so slight, she almost missed it.
‘I have no wish to court you, Grace. What would you say if I told you that when I was kissing you, in my head I was begging you to slap my face and put an end to it?’ He smiled at the memory. ‘You didn’t. I see now that you and I are not so very different after all.’ His hazel eyes challenged her to disagree. Grace found she could not. ‘I think we are both capable of great passion and the temptation to indulge is powerful, although foolhardy. So if I cannot rely on you to keep me at arm’s length and my head clear, then I must do it myself. And it is all the more painful as I have had a glimpse of all that could be between us. It has shaken me. And I’m not ready to be shaken yet.’
‘Then we won’t speak of it again.’
He turned to face the breeze and closed his eyes for a moment. His brow furrowed, as if he was constructing and deconstructing what had just happened to make sense of it all. He opened his eyes but did not look at her.
‘I apologise for my behaviour. The fault is mine. I have let my passion get the better of me and kissed you with no intention to court you.’ He braced his shoulders. ‘It will not happen again. A woman’s reputation is everything and if we had been seen my behaviour would have damaged yours.’
‘Is reputation everything?’
He looked at her, puzzled. ‘Of course it is. You must see that.’
Grace felt a lump rise in her throat. ‘Yes, of course.’
‘I am going away for a few days.’
His plans surprised her. ‘When?’
‘Tomorrow. I received a letter from Caradon Potteries this morning requesting an urgent meeting.’ The change in his tone was marked. Only a few moments ago he had spoken with passion, now his words were measured, serious and clear. Thealoof Talek Danning had returned with no wish to refer to their kiss again and she could only follow his lead.
‘You need not worry about Amelia. I will look out for her.’
‘Speaking of which, I think she is stirring and we should walk back.’
Silently, they retraced their steps in the sand and Amelia greeted them with a smile. Talek fetched the picnic hamper from their waiting carriage and Grace and Amelia set about sharing its contents in the shadow of the grey rocky cliff. As Amelia poured and passed around the glasses of cool lemonade, she remained oblivious to the exchange of furtive glances from those she was with. The only evidence that Talek had held her in his arms was the trail of his footprints drying in the sun. He spoke of his impending trip and which train he intended to catch and it was clear he was resolved to forget their moment of passion. However, Grace knew she could not. For the briefest of time she had seen the real man — and, more importantly, she had discovered who she really was — she was the passionate, sensual, confident woman who had kissed him back.
Chapter Fourteen
Amelia greeted Grace with a radiant smile. She had received another letter from Henry and was pleased he was finally improving. As the steam of the teapot rose between them, she read it to her, her eyes bright with hope and love. Amelia was entranced with Henry. How potent and all-consuming falling in love could be — and how blind it makes one, thought Grace as she listened in silence.
‘When I am well, my darling Amelia, we will announce our engagement. I cannot bear to not have you as my wife a moment longer. This injury has made me realise how much you are at the centre of my heart and how not being with you rips something inside of me.’
Amelia’s eyes glistened with joy. Grace lifted her teacup and sipped at the burning liquid.
‘Help yourself to some eggs, Grace. Please don’t starve yourself,’ Amelia added as an afterthought.
Grace remained seated. ‘Perhaps in a little while . . .’
Amelia returned her attention to the letter in her hand, her eyes eagerly flitting across the page. ‘He then goes on to talk about our future. Listen to this, Grace . . .’ Amelia cleared her throat and continued to read of Henry’s hopes and dreams. The little appetite Grace had slowly faded away. He wrote of children and growing old together. Talek had told her Henry knew of Amelia’s prognosis. Was this some cruel joke or an attempt to make Amelia’s life as normal as possible?
Amelia laughed. ‘What was I thinking? This must bore you. A love letter is only interesting to those it concerns.’ She folded her letter carefully and slipped it into her dress pocket. ‘Henry wants the ledger and all the recent paperwork that has come through since his injury. He feels well and wants to reassure himself that everything is in order. I suspect he is bored. Henryis not a man who likes to sit around. I will send one of the shift bosses to take it to him.’
‘There is no need,’ said Grace, lifting the teapot to pour a cup. ‘I will take them to him.’
Amelia immediately accepted the offer. ‘What a splendid idea. You could take him a letter from me at the same time.’
Grace sipped her tea. The burning liquid moved down through her body. Not only was she hiding things from Talek, she was now finding herself a go-between for a relationship he may not approve of.
‘On one condition — that you inform Henry in the letter that no more low-grade clay is sold under the disguise of a better one without Talek’s knowledge.’
‘Agreed. And you must keep your promise not to tell Talek about this deal and my part in it.’
Grace nodded and took another sip of steaming tea. She swallowed down the painful heat, which helped to ground her in a landscape that continued to trouble her.
* * *
Grace gently pushed open the door of the St Austell mining office. It swung easily on its well-oiled hinges, gliding over the tiles like a swan in flight. She had a right to be here, she told herself, as she ran her fingers across the Celtic Clay, Proprieters Ward Danning nameplate on the door as she stepped inside. The noise of carriages and townsfolk in the street below seeped in through the gap in the window frame, muted only by the folds of the heavy curtains. She had handed in Amelia’s letter to Henry’s housekeeper, but she had quickly left without handing over the ledgers. Talek had entrusted her with the accounts and she was unwilling to pass the guardianship back to their former owner just yet. She needed to clarify things first and she had a feeling that somewhere in this office she would find the answers.
