She sent him a glance and a small smile.“To be honest, I never thought of this walk in terms of distance.But another ten minutes and we should be at your creek.If I’ve guessed wrong, then we’ll have to follow the stream to where it spills out again farther north.And if your horses aren’t there, then we’ll have to pop out onto the lane so you can get your bearings.”
When she looked at him again, something in her expression made his chest tighten.“I’m sorry you had to leave them there all night,” she said.
“Better the horses spend an uncomfortable night than had I imposed upon your father without asking.It seems a great deal of bother and an imposition.”
“Gastrecht,” she said.
He frowned.“A guest’s right?”
She shook her head, without turning to him.“It means our hospitality, once given, is not withdrawn when you face trouble.”
“That’s a lot for one word,” he said.
This made her laugh, the sound of which caused strange swoopy sensations inside him.Smitten.
Falling silent again, they crossed the meadow toward a line of trees marking the edge of the forest.Acutely aware of Lise’s presence beside him, he noticed everything about her as he would the details of terrain he was mapping — the way her hair caught the light where it escaped from beneath her bonnet, the curve of her neck, the determination in her stride.
It was madness.Complete madness.He should never have come to Eutin, never have accepted her parents’ dinner invitation, never have kissed her in the garden like some lovesick fool.He had a duty to the Crown, work that mattered, intelligence that could help England maintain her trade routes despite Bonaparte’s damned Continental System.He couldn’t afford to be distracted by a woman he could never have.
Except that he was distracted.Utterly, completely, hopelessly distracted.
“I’ve explored the Dodau Forest since I was a girl,” Lise said as they entered the shade of the trees.“Henrik and I used to play here for hours, much to my mother’s dismay.She was always worried we’d get lost, but we never did.”
“Except for that one time,” he reminded her.“When your betrothed had to help find you.”
She sighed audibly.“We weren’t lost.They simply couldn’t find us.Which was the whole point of the game.”
Jonathan smiled at the image of a young Lise, fearless and free, running through these woods.“I imagine you were quite the adventuress.”
A hint of melancholy crept into her tone.“I suppose I was.”Then she shrugged.“I still am.When Henrik said he was going to England, I begged and cajoled and made wild promises to behave myself, until my parents allowed me to go with him.”
Suddenly, she stopped speaking.Obviously she heard her own words and the mention of a promise that they’d broken together.Jonathan could not regret their encounter in London, nor a few days ago.His desire for her was only growing stronger, flowing through his veins like his life’s blood.He was only sorry that it caused her any pain.
They’d skirted the deeper forest to their left, while ignoring the road that curled round the trees and gullies.Having cut off at least fifteen minutes of travel time, she said, “The stream should be directly ahead,ifyou have told me the correct way you approached from Eutin.”
“Lise,” he scoffed.“I remind you again —” He stopped speaking as a sound reached his ears, making his previously hot blood, full of yearning, run ice cold.Horses.Not his two, but many, moving at a good clip on the other side of the stand of trees, which luckily created a barrier, separating those on the road from where he and Lise now stood motionless.
Until he sprang to action.Grabbing her hand, he yanked Lise down with him into a crouching position.Her pale dress might glimmer and reflect light, if a soldier looked into the forest at just the right angle.
Thank God she’d made him avoid the road.If they’d been found together, it would be a disaster.
Her blue eyes widened with fear, her pupils dilating.She covered her mouth with one gloved hand, and then they both listened.
Voices drifted through the trees, men speaking French.
“If he’s still in the area, we’ll find him.”
“The bailiff said he was going home.”
“For both their sakes, let’s hope that wasn’t a lie.”
“The bailiff can be strung up as easily as that surveyor!”
Lise startled beside him, gasping behind her hand.
“Maybe he fled to Hamburg.The Elbe would provide easy passage back.”
“In all likelihood ...”
