“I was worried about your safety,” he said as he stepped further into the light. She’d placed her lantern on top of a large rock, the warm glow now casting him in yellow tones that shifted as he moved.
Swallowing, she gave a small nod, accepting his reply. “You saw me leave the house?”
“I did.” He stopped his progress and glanced around. “This place is quite a surprise. How on earth did you find it?”
She shrugged one shoulder. “I discovered it one day when I was out for my morning walk.”
His eyes met hers from behind his mask, their dark perusal sending a shiver down her spine. “And do you often go wandering about on your own? Without a chaperone and far away from anyone who might be able to help you in case the need should arise?”
Her breaths quickened slightly in response to his censure. “You think me foolhardy for coming here alone at night.”
“Considering what happened yesterday with Rotridge, much closer to the house than this and in the open, you cannot be surprised.” His tone was sharper than before.
“It is not the first time that I have come here,” she said, determined to show him that she knew what she was doing. “Nobody has ever followed me before.”
“Until now,” he told her gruffly. “It was difficult not to notice you, Lady Mary. Anyone keeping a lookout would have done so.” He dropped his tone to a softer one. “And if they had happened to be the malevolent sort, you might have found yourself in grave danger.”
Her breath hitched a little as he stared back at her from across the distance, aware that a man did not necessarily have to have ill intentions for him to be a threat. She swallowed the thought even as she wished for him to come closer. “This is the only place where I can sing,” she said, hoping to direct his attention away from the danger she courted by coming here.
“And considering how well you do it, I daresay that you should be allowed to continue singing, undisturbed by anyone.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
He tilted his head. “Does your aunt know about this... hobby of yours?”
She almost laughed at the idea of her singing being considered a hobby, reminded that although he’d witnessed her performance just now, he had no idea of how vital it was to her life. “Of course not. She would think it scandalous. Anyone would, thanks to the ill repute of opera singers.”
Richard grunted. “I am sure they simply do what they must in order to survive.”
Mary knew that wasn’t quite true. For some perhaps, but not for all. There were those whose salaries were high enough to allow for a comfortable life without lowering themselves to the same level as a demimondaine. But she chose not to argue, saying instead, “You are probably right, but that does not change theton’sview on the matter.”
He took a step in her direction. “Perhaps not. So I shall make a bargain with you.”
“What?” Hidden away beneath her chest, her heart thrummed away at an increasingly rapid pace.
Another couple of steps brought him closer still. “I will promise to keep your secret safe on one condition.”
He halted before her, just a few feet away, and she sucked in a breath. Panic struck her unawares at the realization of the power he now held over her. Was he aware of it? Squaring her shoulders, she tried to appear confident—unperturbed by his proposal—praying that it worked. “What are you suggesting?” Thankfully, her voice showed no signs of distress.
Closing the distance between them with two swift strides, he brought his hand to her cheek, tilting her head until she was staring up at him, her composure failing in response to his touch. Her heart quickened as the comforting warmth he provided flowed through her, contorting her stomach and weakening her knees. “You touched my soul with your voice.” He spoke with wonder, then blinked as if the words surprised him.
The sincerity in them—the importance—filled her with undeniable pleasure. “You know my secret now.” Though far from all of it. “Will you share yours with me?”
He drew away. Distance fell between them. “I doubt that either one of us is ready for that just yet.” He didn’t have to say that he wasn’t sure they ever would be for her to know that the thought was there, at the forefront of his mind. “As to my condition for keeping yours...”
Apprehension made her stiffen. “Name it,” she told him boldly.
He eyed her for a moment before saying, “You may come here as often as you like, but only with my escort.”
The idea of keeping his company on a more regular basis, whenever she required it, sent a thrill straight through her. “I accept,” she said, unable to keep from smiling. He stared at her in silence. A long drawn-out moment followed, until she had to struggle not to fidget beneath his gaze. Eventually he nodded, and she expelled a deep breath, startled not only by the fact that he was willing to accept her for who she was, but by how relieved she was by that. “Shall I sing some more?” She felt completely exposed now, as if he knew too much about her while she knew next to nothing about him. The knowledge brought a degree of awkwardness with it that she desperately wished to escape from. Singing would allow her to do precisely that.
Inclining his head, he took a step back. “Are you familiar with the Queen of the Night’s second aria fromThe Magic Flute?”
“Indeed, I know it very well.”
“Then that is what I should like to hear, if you would be willing to oblige me.” He moved toward some large rocks protruding from the ground at the base of the cavern wall, away from the light. Taking a seat, he leaned toward the shadows, cocooning himself until he blended into the background.
Mary took a few breaths, her nerves now rioting with the knowledge of his presence. Her heart was beating furiously against her chest while her hands had long since grown clammy. For the first time ever, she felt as though she might be sick from the unease roiling around inside her stomach. Which of course was silly. It wasn’t the first time that she would be singing in front of another person, though it would be the first time that she would be doing so as herself.
