“Now sounds perfect.” Dom led her to the pony cart and she slipped out of the overcoat before climbing into the seat.
As she did each day at the dig site, she wore a pair of trousers that hugged her body, and Dom tried not to stare like a ravenous beast. Yet he felt like one around her now. He knew the sounds she made in the throes of release. He’d turned and tossed all night consumed with thoughts of it and her scent, her moans, the sweet sensual shudders as she melted in his arms.
He settled beside her, relishing the feel of her thigh against his, her arm brushing his as he took the reins.
“Your brother told me the way. I take it you’ve gone there often.”
“Not as often as we would have liked. Our father had to gain permission from the owners to visit, though I think it’s open to the public now.”
“We’ll soon see.” He kept turning this head to catch glimpses of her and couldn’t help a triumphant smile when he caught her doing the same.
The attraction he’d felt since the moment he’d met her now blazed inside him after her proposal the previous night. One rule she’d set was that any intimacy between them should remain a secret, and yet his thoughts didn’t seem to concur. He had the mad notion to pull the carriage aside and kiss her senseless.
They rode in silence for the next couple of miles, sneaking glances at each other like besotted fools.
“This is the lane that will take us there,” she said eagerly, placing a hand on his thigh a moment as if to draw his attention.
“Is that it?” he asked, his voice suddenly raspy.
That simple, brief touch of her hand shot an electric ripple of heat through his body.
She sat up straighter in her seat, craning her neck. “It is.”
Rain had dappled them off and on as they’d traveled, but it came down in a soft patter as he pulled the pony cart into the field near the fortification that had stood on this swath of Norfolk for over seven hundred and fifty years.
Dom helped her down from the cart, his hands at her waist, though both knew she was fully capable of climbing down on her own. Tess put her hands on his shoulders, and when her boots touched the ground, they held onto each other a moment longer.
“Shall we take shelter in the gatehouse?” she whispered as rain dappled her skin.
In answer, Dom took her hand and rushed up the earthen ring that enclosed the castle grounds and then down toward the remnants of what had once been an impressive forebuilding. It would have impressed visitors or likely given a gatekeeper fair notice of oncoming enemies.
She laid a hand against the stones that comprised the structure. “These stones were laid so many centuries ago and yet still hold fast.” She cast a sheepish expression over her shoulder at him. “Though you’ve likely seen the pyramids, so these must seem young to you.”
“Not at all. I can appreciate this history as fully as that of Thebes.” He approached to lay his hand near hers againstone of the light gray stones. “In many ways, it’s easier to feel connected to this history. As if it’s not so far in the past that I can’t get a vivid sense of those who built this.” He looked at the castle ruins. “Or lived inside those walls.”
“Queen Isabella lived there.”
“Before or after the death of her husband, Edward II?”
Tess smiled. “You do know your English history, don’t you?”
“I know my fair share. Knowledge of treasures requires it, but my siblings and I loved the history itself too.”
She tipped her head as if assessing him anew. “Here I thought you were only interested in valuable artifacts.”
“I’m quite fond of those too.” He offered his arm as the rain had stopped again. “Shall we?”
“Watch yourself, the pair of you.” The gruff male voice came from behind them, and both Tess and Dom turned to find a stout, older gentleman leaning on a massive walking stick as he observed them. “I’m the caretaker here,” he said by way of explanation. “Explore as you please, but the stones inside will be slick from the rain.”
“Thank you,” Tess called to the man as they proceeded toward the soaring high walls of the castle and keep.
“Do you know the treasure associated with this place?” Dom asked her as they entered through an arched doorway and climbed a set of worn stone stairs to the castle’s upper gallery.
“I can think of one.”
“A rather important one.”
She shot him an arch look. “Go on then, regale me. I sense that you want to.”
