“As you wish.” He nodded his head and turned his eyes back to Lady Emily, finding it almost impossible to address the riddle to anyone but her. “My second is what sails the seas and will hurry to port in a storm. My first is where criminals are tried, with their lives and punishments at stake. My whole is what lovers share.”
As Aaron finished his riddle, all the faces turned and looked at each other. Some with squinted eyes and others with screwed up brows.
“Why are all of these always so hard?” Lady Bolton asked with a sigh.
“Is it love?” Lady Grace asked from the other side of the table.
“No, it can’t be,” Lord Bolton said quickly. “That is just one syllable.”
“Perhaps it is something of the kind?” Lady Dowding asked. “Something that means something similar. Adoration or admiration, perhaps?”
“No, that does not answer the sailing part of the riddle. Not the trial of criminals.”
Aaron smiled as he looked around the table, seeing they were all equally lost. Eventually, Lady Emily sat forward, her brow creased in thought.
“Is it courtship?” she asked. Her words cut through the murmurings and each head turned in Aaron’s direction.
“Yes, it is.” He held her gaze as he said it. He did not care if he was being brazen, he wanted her to realize something of what he was thinking.
“Good lord, well done, Emily,” Lord Dowding said. “I had a feeling we were going to be here forever with that one.”
“Is it my turn again now?” Lord Bolton asked, to which the others all objected profusely.
Aaron was relieved no one else had noticed his flirtation, but Lady Emily must have done, for she was looking down at the teacup in front of her, with that perfect blush taking over her cheeks again. This was the moment now. He had hinted at his thoughts, and he could not wait any longer without telling Lady Emily how he felt.
I do not want this to simply be a friendship anymore. Please, Emily. This could be everything I ever wanted and yet so much more!
“Shall we retire to the other room?” Lady Dowding asked, standing to her feet, and ushering them all to stand. Aaron took the opportunity, moving quickly to his feet and pulling back Lady Emily’s chair, offering his hand to her to escort her to the other room.
He could not speak right away, for there was a hustle and bustle in the other room. Mrs. Hall was called to prepare brandies and ports for everyone, whereupon too much heat was complained of, and a double set of doors that led out onto the garden were thrust open.
Aaron felt Lady Emily disappear from his arm as she moved toward these doors, stepping out to breath in the clean seaside air. It was so late that it was dark out and her figure was silhouetted by the moonlight.
Aaron glanced between her and the rest of the family who were all gathering around a card table, setting up cards and beginning to bicker over what game they should play first. He took his opportunity. It might be the only chance he had to have Lady Emily sort of alone.
He hurried out of the doors, following her, glancing back to see if anyone watched the two of them together, but the family were all too distracted to take much notice.
“Lady Emily?” he called to her. She had stopped at the edge of the garden, leaning on the wall, and looking out to the ocean beyond. She turned back, facing him with such a smile on her face visible in the moonlight that he hurried forward, his feet unable to stay away.
“No chaperone?” she said with a mischievous whisper. “We will be in trouble for this!”
“The door is open,” he reasoned, gesturing back toward it. “We are hardly committing too much of an offence.” She giggled before looking up and connecting her eyes with his again. “Did you come out here to escape?”
“I merely wanted a minute to look at the sea again.” She gestured out to the ocean, turning to place both hands on the wall as she gazed upon it. “Do you not think it is a beautiful place? bewitching.”
“Very bewitching,” Aaron murmured, though he did not look out to the ocean. This was something Lady Emily seemed to notice as she glanced back to him with playfully narrowed eyes and motioned toward the ocean.
“The sea is that way, Lord Tattershall.”
He laughed and stepped closer toward her.
“Surely you realize after what I said earlier today that I would be looking at you than the sea?” he murmured softly, gazing at her with wonder. Her lips parted though she uttered nothing. She merely stared back up at him. “May I speak freely?” he whispered.
“I hope you will,” she answered hurriedly. “You never did answer my question as to why you kissed my hand in such a way this afternoon.”
“Is it so unusual for a gentleman to kiss a lady’s hand?”
“In a formal sense, not at all, but you and I both know there was nothing formal about what you did.” She stepped toward him, her eyes widening as if they spoke of a scandal. “You kissed me as if it was the thing that would keep you alive!”
