She moved back to the bench and sat. “What topic should we choose? Oh, or should I stand? Would that be easier? No, then we wouldn’t be repeating the same circumstances. I understand that is of the utmost importance.” She patted the stone bench beside her. “And I do believe you had your foot up here?”
For the love of Jove, she could not honestly believe that he would kiss her again to prove to her it was or wasn’t his kiss that had caused the end of her vocal wanderings?
“Dory?” His sister voice had never been so welcome. “Dory, are you still out here?”
Lady Dorothea’s shoulders slumped, proving the extent of her disappointment. “I’m here.”
He turned to see his sister in the adjacent court. “Rose, keep heading toward the lawn.”
His sister’s head snapped up, but she couldn’t see him over the hedge.
“Was I really so far from you?” Rose finally came into view. “I do apologize, Dory, for leaving you so long with my brother, but wait until I tell you what we are doing tonight.”
As his sister brushed by him to sit next to her friend, he took the opportunity to leave. “I’d best return to the house. I’m sure Sommerset is awake and I must fulfill my duties as his host.”
His sister waved him off, but Lady Dorothea looked at him with determination.
Damn, he needed to discover what else could be done for her before she caught him alone once again. Adjusting his direction, he strode past the ballroom to the terrace outside the library. There had to be something in there that would help.
Chapter Eight
Dory covertly watchedLord Harewood as he engaged Lord Sommerset in conversation after dinner. His kiss earlier in the day had been a shock, but a far from unpleasant one. She was anxious to kiss him again for two reasons. The first was that she’d been so taken by surprise that she hadn’t truly had time to observe all the nuances of the kiss. His pine scent was what she remembered the most, followed by the texture of his tongue. But just as a warm feeling started in her belly, he pulled away and her mind suddenly cleared with the utmost precision. It was this very effect that was her second reason for wishing for another kiss. She truly believed he could cure her penchant for prolonged oration.
He’d also sparked a riotous mickle of thoughts in her head as to his intentions, feelings, and suitability as a husband. No one had ever kissed her before. She’d worn more dresses than had dances, and no one had ever walked with her in the garden anywhere. To have Lord Harewood, known as a rather cool and stilted fish, be the one to kiss her was surprising. She equated him with a black lamppost in the daylight, with his dark clothes and hair. Could he actually have fire in his head like a lit streetlight? She stifled a chuckle at her own image but sobered quickly as she wished to find out. But how?
Just then, the butler entered the parlor. “My lady, the garden is ready.”
The marchioness lifted her chin. “Thank you, Haggett. We will remove ourselves to there presently.”
Rose grabbed Dory’s wrist, her eyes sparkling. “I do believe Mother’s vision will be magical.”
Having been the recipient of all the details earlier in the day, she too anticipated the spectacle Lady Enderly had planned. Tonight was to make sure all would be perfect for when the rest of the guests would see it.
Lady Enderly rose. “Come, all. I need everyone to take a portion of the gardens to ensure we have the perfect effect. If you see any area unlit, be sure to come to me at once. Lord Enderly and I will inspect the six middle courts. Lord and Lady Sommerset, if you would take the most eastern seven? And, Felton, you can take the ladies with you to inspect the western courts. We have but an hour before the lights will go out, so be thorough but expedient.” She looked pointedly at Rose, who silently nodded.
Lord Harewood walked to the settee and gestured with his arm toward the door. “May I suggest we exit by the library doors to start at the beginning of Mother’s spectacle?”
Rose grabbed her hand and forced her to rise, not that she was hesitant to go. She was quite anxious to both see the lit gardens and be in Lord Harewood’s company again.
Without answering her brother, Rose pulled her out of the room and down the corridor to the library, which had its doors open and a few lamps lit. Rose quickly led them out the French doors and across the wide but shallow terrace Dory had seen from her balcony. In no time, they were at the entrance to the gardens, which had very tall hedges and a beautiful arched bower, but in the dark of night, the bower was lit with very small lanterns, making it feel as if they’d walked into a faerie world.
“I love how Mother arranged this.” Rose let go of her and fairlyskippedinto the first gathering area, what Lady Enderly called courts.
Dory walked beneath the lit bower and stopped, in awe of the beauty of the garden. This court boasted a small fish fountain, only the water did not flow because the fish held a lantern in its mouth, lighting the detail of the sculpted figures. Lanterns of all sizes hung from the three small trees and the hedge itself had small enclosed lights seemingly embedded in them.
“It’s quite spectacular, is it not?”
At Lord Harewood’s low voice behind her, she shivered, the sound so close to her that she felt it down to her toes. She didn’t turn, though she wanted to. “It takes away my very breath.”
He stepped up next to her. “Mother is quite proud of her garden. She lights it about every three years for some fete or another.”
She wasn’t sure whether she found it hard to breathe because of the beauty before her or the man beside her, but making any response was beyond her.
Rose, who had been inspecting all the lighting, came back to her. “This area is perfect. Let’s proceed. Mother won’t have it relit until the culmination of our first week of guests.”
She nodded but couldn’t seem to move.
“May I escort you through my mother’s very own Vauxhall?” His tone made it clear he thought his mother’s creation somewhat tedious, even as he offered his arm.
