“You know I never gossip but I do love knowing it, especially when nobody else does.”
“Thank you,” he said. “In your reading, if you come across an explanation for why vines grow around ankles and legs when kissing a woman, or a dryad, please let me know, especially if there is a way to make it not happen.”
Orion quickly turned when he heard laughter only to find his recently wed cousin, Damon Norcott, Viscount Bentford, strolling out of the gardens with his wife, Cordelia on his arm. “Did I hear you correctly? You kissed someone named Nina and vines grew.”
Orion nearly groaned. “Yes, though I do not know why.”
He chuckled again, as did Cordelia.
“The strangest things do happen at Nightshade Manor,” his wife murmured.
“Yes, they do,” Damon agreed then turned to Petra. “When you learn the answer, please let me know.”
“Do not say anything,” Orion warned.
“You have my word that we will not.”
Nina anxiously awaited Orion in the temple, hopeful that he would come. She also put her mind to friendship. So long as they both accepted that was all they could ever be, she would be happy.
She would cherish him as a friend. Her first real friend outside of the grove.
“Am I allowed to visit?” he called as he stepped into the clearing beside the lake.
Nina came to her feet and smiled. “Yes. So long as you follow the rules.”
“I promise to do so.”
“What do you have today?”
“A picnic. I have a basket of foodstuffs, bottle of wine and a blanket so that we can sit in a field of wildflowers and enjoy the day.
Her heart gave a little skip, and she descended the marble steps to join him by the water.
Orion shook the blanket out and placed it upon the ground then helped her sit. He then settled beside her and removed the glasses and wine, then bread, cheeses, and cold meat.
“This is delightful,” Nina said as she accepted a glass of wine.
“Would you mind holding my glass?”
Nina took it from him then watched as he stood and removed his suitcoat. “I know this is not proper, but it is confining, and I wish to be comfortable.”
“If I do not wear shoes then I see no reason why you should wear a suitcoat.” Besides, she liked seeing his strong and defined arms beneath the shirt. Not that it was all that tight, but it revealed more than a suitcoat did.
Orion did have wide, strong shoulders and had no need of the padding that she’d read about.
“I do have some rather bad news,” he said after a moment.
Her heart sank. Did he think that providing a pleasant afternoon would lessen the disappointment to the words he was about to say? Was he leaving Nightshade Manor? Orion had already been here longer than most gentlemen remained. In fact, all three families had stayed following the wedding when she’d anticipated that they would be gone within a sennight.
“There is not a spell that can break your tie to the tree.”
She blew out a sigh. Nina thought his news would be more devastating. “I did not expect that there would be one.” She leaned closer. “I did warn you, did I not?”
“Yes,” his tone was heavy with disappointment. “I just hate that you must remain here.”
“Why is it so important to you?” she finally asked. Did he simply want her free or was it more?
“There is so much I wish I could show you.” He turned and took her hand. “First Bocka Morrow, then perhaps London, or Bath. Even travel to France so you can be reunited with your mother’s family.”
