An old fishing lean-to, which Lord Angsley kept in decent repair, greeted them a few yards along the river. He led her and the wagon into the small, three-sided structure made from planks, hoping she didn’t mind the damp, musty smell of it. There were only tree stumps for seats, but the roof didn’t leak, and he knew she would appreciate the unencumbered view.
“Perfect.” She clapped her hands, looking around the cozy interior. “And now my stomachisrumbling. I do hope this rain shower passes over, and we can find the tree again.” She settled onto one of the stumps.
“If we can’t, we could leave the wagon with the shovel and other supplies here.”
“A grand idea,” Eleanor agreed, opening the basket and bringing out a stoppered bottle of lemonade and two beakers. She poured them each a cup and handed him one.
Next, she brought out four pickled eggs, which they ate ravenously.
“What else do you have in there?” He leaned over and tried to peek.
She laughed. “I have whatever I could grab quickly and be eaten with our hands. I have scones and thinly sliced ham, which you can roll and—”
He popped some ham in his mouth and took a bite of a scone. The rest was gone in a second bite. She handed him another scone and more ham, and then ate some herself, looking a darn sight daintier than he had.
“Delicious,” he said. “Anything else?”
She laughed. “I hope we don’t get stuck here for days because you have eaten all rations except the last. Yesterday’s raspberry tarts from teatime.” She handed him two, and he devoured them.
Watching her bite into a tart and seeing the sticky jam disappear into her mouth was dangerously arousing. He should have kept looking past the rain to the river rushing by. But it was too late. When she popped in the last bite and licked her lips, he groaned before he could stop himself.
Her eyes widened. She really had no idea how artlessly lovely she was or how she could inflame his desire with a smile or a flick of her pink tongue.
He had wanted her to find the treasure first before he went any further with their lovemaking. He had wanted her to know the depths of his feelings, as well as his intentions, which she would discover with the treasure. But the plans had gone awry, and the weather had contrived to put them alone in a shelter with a dry floor and no one nearby.
What’s more, it was up to him to protect her virtue, to behave like a gentleman, and to restrain himself.
He grasped his fingers together in his lap and turned away from her.
*
Eleanor had seenthe look in Grayson’s eyes, and the answering call of her body frightened her. She yearned for him in every way, and knowing he felt it, too, and was experiencing the same intense desire made her do something extremely ill-advised.
Eleanor placed her hand on his thigh. His gaze flew to hers, and she nearly retreated. This was no timid boy she was playing with. This was a passionate, experienced man who was signaling one thing:I want you.
Moreover, he was struggling to rein in his passion. And she knew all the reasons for doing so. Their being alone even in this shelter, if discovered by certain people, maybe by anyone, would be her ruin. In London, she could never have headed out alone with him. Her reputation would be in tatters for climbing up a rock face with a man, never mind entering a lean-to and picnicking with him.
Why did the Angsleys tolerate such behavior?
Perhaps she and Grayson had hidden their attraction well. Or maybe things truly were less strict in the country. Or it could simply be the Angsleys looked upon Grayson as family, and she was the sister of John Angsley’s wife.
What did that make her?
“I…,” she trailed off.
What did she want to tell him?
“I am glad we finally got to start our adventure,” she finished.
He seemed tense and frozen. With his jaw taut, Grayson reminded her of a cat in that moment before it pounced.
Eleanor swallowed, feeling a healthy measure of trepidation. No one knew where she was. It was thrilling! She was living the life of a Gothic heroine and loving every moment of it.
“You’re smiling,” he said. “A moment ago, you were not. Tell me your thoughts.”
She opened her mouth to speak when nearby thunder shook their lean-to. She shrieked with surprise, grabbing hold of him. Instantly, his arms went around her, drawing her onto his lap.
“It’s all right,” he soothed.
