She hadn’t even been aware that she was nearly crying. “This too shall pass,” she said and left before her brother could question her further and made her way to her chamber where she shut the door and then fell onto the bed.
She sniffed and wiped her eyes. She would not fall into self-pity but be grateful for what she did have. She had her brother, a home, food, clothing, and she wasn’t so totally alone in the sacred grove and if not for the dryads, she would be dead.
Yes, Nina lectured herself. She should be thankful and not hope for the impossible.
Orion would be back. Of that she was certain. But she’d also need to not let her emotions and loneliness guide her response to him. She may only be a curiosity to him, and she must treat him the same, even if he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
Six
It was almost too easy, but when his mother, aunts and cousins decided to go into Bocka Morrow for a day of shopping and a light meal at the Mermaid’s Kiss, Orion knew that he’d be able to sneak away. Nina was far too intriguing to ignore or forget.
She even visited him again in his dreams last night, and as before, she was just out of reach. Orion wished he understood what it meant.
The grove was silent when he reached the other side of the boxwoods, and a slight breeze blew from the sea. Leaves fluttered and it was almost as if the trees were whispering. He shook his head at the fanciful thoughts. As a boy, he would have imagined ghosts and such. But in truth, it was a breezy day and rustling leaves could almost sound like quiet voices.
He stepped through the bluebells carefully, not wanting to crush the delicate flowers, then through another clump of trees until he reached the clearing and looked up at the temple built to honor Gaia.
As he had hoped, Nina was there. She sat on a step near the water, the sunlight brightening her red hair that curled about her shoulders. She was reading as she had been before and today she wore a skirt of green and pink stripes, a bright pink ribbon tied beneath her breasts and against a bodice of dark green. He would have rather she’d been wearing the corset with her shoulders bare, but also knew that such was not proper.
Orion paused for a moment and studied her. Yesterday she’d worn bright yellow and turquoise. She said that she fashioned her own clothing and it appeared she picked the boldest and brightest of the fabric from the gowns his mother provided.
Though not at all fashionable, Orion preferred her dressed in this manner and not what he was used to while going about in Society. It was fresh, eclectic, and original.
Nina straightened and a moment later turned her head and saw him. Her smile was hesitant as she closed the book, set it aside and slowly stood. Orion dearly hoped that she wasn’t going to disappear again. “Please, stay.”
She bit the corner of her bottom lip and grasped her skirts before nodding.
Orion kept his approach unhurried and steady, still afraid that she’d flee if he moved too quickly.
With each step, she seemed to relax until she no longer grasped her skirts and her shoulders had dropped by the time he climbed the steps to the temple.
He glanced down at the book beside her bare foot.
Did she ever wear shoes? Did it really matter?
“What are you reading?”
“Histoire critique de magnétism animal by Joseph-Philippe-François Deleuze.”
Orion had been expecting her to answer with the title of a fictional novel, not a book on the history of animal magnetism written in French. “You speak French?” he asked.
“Oui,” she answered quietly.
Perhaps Cassian had taught her, or she learned from a governess.
Orion frowned. What did Cassian have to do with the grove and why was he familiar to all who lived within? If the women had known him since he was a boy, then it was likely Nina knew him as well.
Orion shook the thoughts from his head. He was not here to discuss Cassian.
“Is this topic of special interest?” It was an odd book for a female no matter what the language.
“Not particularly. I enjoy reading and will read every book available.”
Even though she lived in the grove, she must at least leave. Otherwise, where would she get books? Though, he could not imagine her walking into the village dressed as she was. Then again, Bocka Morrow wasn’t exactly London, and very little surprised the residents.
“Who are you, Nina and where did you come from?”
Disappointment settled as Nina sighed and he feared that she would continue to hold her secrets.
