He had just put his shirt on, but her words made him pause and glance at her. “Will there be a next time?” he asked quietly. “I thought you had made your sentiments rather clear on the subject of intimacy.”
She gathered the counterpane in front of her, abruptly aware of her nakedness. “You’re right, of course, it would be best if we refrained.”
He walked over and kissed her gently on the lips, a mere hint of the passion they had just shared. “I am at your command any time you wish to engage my services, Miss St. Clair, but I certainly don’t want you to feel as if you are beholden to me in some way. You agreed that tonight was necessary to stop Hector from invading your mind, so if you wish to keep things as they are, I will honor your decision.” He donned the rest of his attire and then headed for the door. He stopped and said over his shoulder, “I hope you will join me for dinner in the Great Hall this evening.”
When the door shut behind him, Marlene fell back on the bed with a heavy sigh. She had been telling herself that it was best to keep her distance from Sir Gothry, but she was afraid it might be too late for that. She could tell that her emotions were already in danger of being even more intertwined with his.
She got up and dressed. The sun was still high in the sky, and she decided that she would make a trip to the orangery. With such a pleasant day, and without the threat of Hector interfering with her thoughts anymore, she was feeling courageous as she stepped outside.
She inhaled deeply, smelling the strong scent of heather coming from the moors around her. It was soothing, and she could feel a smile blossoming on her face as she made her way to the glass-enclosed structure. On another day she might not have had the wherewithal to dare attempting another stroll about inside, but when she walked through the door now, the only thing that she could sense was dirt and the various fragrances from the plants around her.
It was wonderful to actually feel normal for a change. As she neared the lemon tree, a shiver passed through her skin, but it was no more than the memory of what that particular item represented.
The key is beneath the lemon tree…
She thought of that mysterious note she’d found that seemed an eternity ago but was in truth not more than a handful of days. It was strange to think that she hadn’t been at Rosedale Heights for a month, and yet, so much had transpired. She had discovered so many things about herself, including the fact she’d survived a terrible fever by way of a witch’s spell. Or that she might find the love she had always yearned for in the wilds of Yorkshire.
As she made her way about the room, she knew the peace that was in her heart was only temporary. It would not last forever. Nothing did.
It was only a matter of time before her solace was disturbed and she would be on her own, yet again. She knew she couldn’t stay at Rosedale Heights once Alaric put an end to Hector’s threats. It wasn’t as though she could dare to live the rest of her life with a witch. She wouldn’t know where to begin to try to live the normal life she had always wanted. She just prayed that Alaric wouldn’t make it difficult for her to leave.
Marlene found she had paused by the lemon tree a second time. Her hand itched to see if the key was there, but after it had flown across the room and embedded itself near her head, she wasn’t that eager to retrieve it.
And yet…
Before she could talk herself out of it, she grabbed the pot and moved it to the side so she could see in the smudge of dirt beneath it. She wasn’t expecting to see anything there. Had told herself it would be impossible.
But she was wrong.
Alaric dressed for dinner that evening and hoped that Marlene would accept his invitation and be there. He ran a hand over his hair as he looked in the mirror. He had never been one prone to vanity, nor to care what others thought of him, but he wanted tonight to be perfect. He wanted to do something nice for Miss St. Clair since she had trusted him without hesitation earlier that day.
He had closed his eyes several times when he was in his study, replaying that alluring encounter over and over in his mind. He was enchanted by how beautiful she was, both inside and out.
When he’d caught movement out of the corner of his eye, he’d glanced outside his window and saw her walking toward the orangery. He nearly went after her to assure himself that all was well, but he forced himself to remain where he was. What he hadn’t told Marlene was that, after the spell he’d cast upon her earlier, not only did it give him the power to overrule the paltry effects from Hector, but it gave him a keen insight into her thoughts, her visions, her every fantasy.
If he closed his eyes and concentrated hard enough, he could see things through her eyes.
He wondered if she would tell him she’d reclaimed the key from beneath the lemon tree. Or if she decided to join him for the evening meal at all.
In case she did, he had donned his most fetching evening wear. Black breeches with a black and silver threaded waistcoat. Combined with a white shirt, cravat, and stockings and a black jacket to complete the attire. He ensured the queue holding back his overlong hair was firmly in place, and then he headed downstairs.
He walked into the Great Hall, and although there were two place settings—one at the head of the table, and the other to his right—the seat remained empty.
He tried not to feel the bitter taste of regret, telling himself that, as the clock chimed the hour, it was just now nine o’clock. Just because he had arrived on time didn’t mean that she wasn’t on her way.
Nevertheless, that didn’t keep him from checking the time every five minutes. When a quarter hour passed, he was certain that she wasn’t going to join him, but when he heard the light click of heels on the floor, he glanced up to see her walk through the door.
His breathing faltered for a moment, because the woman who walked into the room was absolutely stunning. Marlene was lovely at any time, but the gold and maroon striped dress she wore caught the candlelight and made her every movement glimmer with awareness. She looked like a goddess come to life, and he was the lucky recipient of her regard.
He got up and moved her chair back for her. She glanced around, apparently expecting to see a footman, but Alaric had never bothered with much staff. Not only did he not want his secrets revealed, but he’d never had the use for more than a few. And this way, he got the solitary pleasure of seating her next to him.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
When he resumed his seat, he offered her a smile. “I’m glad you accepted my invitation.”
She reached for the wine that had already been poured and said, “You have a very persuasive nature about you, Sir Gothry.”
He lifted a brow, a burst of masculine pride rising within him. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” He offered a smile, and then he waved his hand where Mrs. Bates and the chambermaid Amy appeared, each carrying a silver-covered tray.
