“Seven?”
She nodded.
“I have to say, I am proud of us.”
“Why?”
“We didn’t give in to temptation.”
“I wouldn’t have minded if we’d given in a little,” she said. Henry wouldn’t have minded that either. He shoved his hands in his pockets now to keep from pulling her into his arms.
“The problem, fair Katie,” he said, “is that my control is at its limit. The next time I give in to temptation, I’ll ruin you. It’s best if tomorrow is our last meeting.”
She let out a soft sigh. “Last chance to elope with me, then.”
He took her hand briefly, then released it. He was more tempted than he ever would have imagined to elope with her. Marriage wasn’t quite as frightening as it had been just a day ago.
But he couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t trust himself. “You’ll be glad to be free of me.” He pushed the window open and went out into the night.
*
Katie scowled atthe dark sky as she shivered under the big tree between Carlisle Hall and the dower house. She had struggled to get out of bed in the dark, chilly bedchamber. Then she’d had to dress alone and creep out of the house without being seen. She’d been standing under this tree for a quarter of an hour wondering why the sun wasn’t yet in the sky. She spotted a dot of light moving toward them. Thankfully, Carlisle had thought to bring a lantern. He called out to her as he neared. “Looks like rain today.”
“Then we should hurry before it begins.”
“I’ll go alone.” He stopped before her and looked up. “No point in both of us getting wet.”
His suggestion was practical, but she hadn’t dragged herself up and out just to go back. “Not a chance. I want to see Walter. Besides, it will probably just drizzle. I have my heavy cloak on. I’ll stay dry beneath.”
Carlisle shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’ll try to have us both back before the ground can become muddy and impassable.” He offered his arm, and she took it. A glimpse of his face in the light showed his lips pressed together and his expression serious. As they walked, he didn’t offer any of his usual banter or nostalgic observations. His thoughts were obviously occupied, and she didn’t have to wonder what he was preoccupied about.
Now that he had the information on the land in France, he’d be leaving. Perhaps he’d return to London and try to meet with her father. Perhaps he would go to Scotland to find the witch he was convinced had cursed him.
No matter where he went, he would leave her behind.
The very thought of spending just one day not seeing him made her belly tighten and her eyes sting. She didn’t understand how he had become such an integral part of her life. She’d grown up disliking him because her father had. And then when she came to Carlisle Hall, she’d despised him because of the condition of the house and the neglect of the tenants. But somehow, over these past couple of weeks, he’d worked his way into her heart. She looked forward to seeing his smile every day, anticipated his quick retorts to her barbs, longed for his kiss and his touch.
He’d shown her what was possible between a man and a woman, and it was nothing like she’d assumed from what she’d overheard from her brothers. She wanted more of that intimacy with him, and not just because of lust, as he assumed. It had started as lust, but now it felt different.
She really had fallen in love with him.
Obviously, he didn’t feel the same. He lusted after her, but it wasn’t more than that for him. He could leave her and not look back. She wished that realization didn’t hurt so much, but it wasn’t the first time she’d felt rejected. And she knew better than to beg him to stay or try to stop him from leaving. That wouldonly make him pity her. She’d put on a brave face and wish him well.
By the time they reached the Robins’s farm, the sky had lightened enough that they didn’t need the lantern, but it was still gray and dreary. Robins was already at work at the lean-to, but when Katie went to the cottage, no one answered. She walked to the lean-to and asked about the rest of the family, and Mr. Robins said they had left early this morning for a few days’ visit with Mrs. Robins’s sister. She lived only a couple of miles away, and they wanted to get ahead of the weather.
Katie was disappointed at not seeing Walter again. Mr. Robins suggested she wait in the house, where the fire would keep her warm, but she wanted to be useful. She held nails and handed up tools, and by midafternoon, she was warm enough to remove her cloak. A few drops of rain had fallen, but she was beginning to think all their fears of bad weather were for naught.
That was until the wind began. Several gusts were so strong that she had to push all her weight against Carlisle’s ladder to keep it from toppling over.
“This will do!” Robins called over the wind. Large drops of rain began to fall, and Katie reached for her cloak. “I’ll add the last boards tomorrow. I can do that on my own, Your Grace. You should get back to Carlisle Hall before the weather turns any worse.”
Another gust of wind toppled the ladder, and Carlisle pulled Katie out of the way just in time to avoid being hit by the heavy object. Then the clouds opened up, and rain poured from the skies.
“Never mind!” Robins yelled. “Take shelter in the cottage.”
Carlisle hurried Katie toward the cottage, but when Robins didn’t follow, he left her inside and went back out. Shivering, Katie went to the fire and built it up. Then she went back to the lone window and looked out for Carlisle. She couldn’t seeanything with the driving rain, and she jumped with fright when he appeared out of the storm as though a specter. She opened the door to him, letting in the cold and a good deal of rain.
“Where is Robins?” she asked.
