“We could visit the caves to search for a mummy.” She grinned.
He should have realized that a change in their relationship would not alter her quest. He had already accepted that she would not stop looking until she’d searched every corner of his estate and Lucian would accompany her.
He sighed and sat forward and lifted his fork. “Very well. We will set out for a cave when we have finished breaking our fast.”
His reward was a grin. “Thank you.”
The sooner they could search the last two caves and the mine the sooner she would be done with this nonsense of believing there was a mummy hidden on his estate.
She ate quickly and quietly, an energy that was only Eliza exuding from her being. Lucian wished he could experience such excitement, but nothing had ever interested him enough, outside of bedding her, and that was an entirely different energy.
No, that was not true. When he had the opportunity to search for fossils and rocks, but only in England, he’d been eager to see what would be discovered. It must be the same for Eliza.
If he could sail somewhere fascinating and search for gems, crystals, rocks, and fossils, he would likely be filled with excited energy too. Unfortunately, that was something he would never be able to experience because he was the earl and his life revolved around the estate and Parliament, and eventually marriage and hopefully an heir and a spare.
He nearly snorted as he picked up a piece of bread. It had been last autumn that he had decided that it was unlikely he would wed and decided that it was not necessary so long as one of his brothers married and produced a male. Now that Eliza had come back into his life, he might be the one to father that heir. It wasn’t as if he had used any precautions last night. Not that there were many options for preventing a pregnancy, and withdrawing had certainly not even occurred to him when the moment arrived. Lucian wasn’t even sure it would have been possible because being in her had been perfection and beyond anything he had ever experienced or imagined.
“Woolgathering?”
He blinked at Eliza.
“I am finished and you have only eaten half of what is on your plate and are staring off. What is on your mind?”
Did he tell her?
No. Not yet, because Lucian was still not certain of where her heart layand if it was with him.
“Do you want footmen to accompany us?” he asked instead. “Would you feel safer?” Lucian wanted to be alone with Eliza but he also did not want to put her in danger.
“I would go alone, if you would let me,” she insisted. “You are the one who is afraid that the person who is writing the letters will approach me when I am convinced that he will be too afraid to face me when I am awake.”
Lucian chose not to argue with her. Even though he did not agree with her, it was likely the man, if he was even about and saw them, would remain away if he saw Lucian by her side.
“I will hurry so that we can depart.”
Eliza practically skippedas they rounded the lake instead of taking the bridge that might very well collapse on them. “We should have brought a picnic lunch,” she suggested. “If we find the mummy and valuables, we will want to stay and examine everything.”
“I am assuming you would actually have food in the basket this time,” he commented.
“Yes, well, if I hadn’t needed to sneak around.”
“It is my hope that once you have searched every place possible that I will not need to worry about you wandering off and finding yourself in danger.”
She stopped and frowned at him. “Wandering off? I am not a child Lucian.”
“Oh, I am very much aware of that fact. Especially after last night.”
Her face heated.
“I do not wander either. I explore!” she informed him and walked off.
Goodness, last night…her body heated at the memory and she could not wait until tonight, after it was dark and everyone had retired, and hoped that they would enjoy intimacy again.
“Here we are.”
Eliza stopped beside Lucian at the small opening behind rocks. Had he not been with her, she may have missed it. “Shall we go in?” She lifted her lantern.
Lucian withdrew a flint and lit her lamp and then his own.
