At the mention of her mother, an odd look entered Petra’s eyes. “Years of practice.”
A strand of hair pulled out of the careful bun at the base of her neck, landing just above her left breast. He could still feel the curve of that breast in his hands. The taste of her nipple in his mouth. His hunger for her came bubbling to the surface. “I want you.” He stated in a gruff tone. “I mean to have you.”
A wisp of a smile tilted one side of her mouth. “You should put on a shirt lest I am overcome with lust. You do have one, I assume?” Her eyes were soft on him. Warm.
He stood, groaning at the soreness in his arms and shoulders. Grabbing his pack, he pulled out the shirt he’d discarded earlier. “There are some things we should discuss.” Namely how in God’s name he could allow her to marry Simon.
Petra wandered over to a small pile of rocks. She stooped and picked up a stone, holding it up, ignoring his request. “Is this anything?”
A rush of longing for her filled him. She’d no idea how desirable he found her. “No. Just a rock. I thought you’d done some reading on geology. My library is filled with books on the subject.” He shook his head as if disappointed.
“I only got as far as the mining of lead before we left Somerton. I did take one from Simon’s library, and I’ve been studying fossils. What about this?” A brilliant smile crossed her lips.
“Gritstone.”Christ,he wanted her. “Nothing special.”
He turned his back on her as he donned his shirt. “Stop picking up pebbles and such. If the guests at Somerton see you out here traipsing about the rocks with me, your reputation will be in jeopardy.” Her reputation was already destined to be ruined. He was even now contemplating how best to persuade her to refuse Simon. Brendan didn’t think he could spend more than a month at a time in London without losing his mind, but he would do so for her. He’d even cease renting the town house he owned and have it redone to please her.Christ.He’d have to attend a ball or two.
“Petra, are you listening? We should go back.”
A scattering of pebbles greeted his words along with an odd, muffled sound. He turned and saw nothing but the rocks and open moors.
“Petra?”
26
The fall happened so fast Petra had little time to think, let alone yell for help. At one moment, she was picking up a rock she thought might be somewhat interesting, and the next she was coughing up copious amounts of dust.
Petra lay quietly for a moment on the hard ground, wiggling her fingers and toes. Nothing appeared to be broken. Just bruised. The air around her was filled with dust from her fall, making it difficult to see. A meager beam of sunshine struggled through the small hole in the limestone she’d fallen through.
I’m in a cave.
It wasn’t much of a cave, at least not the type Petra had imagined or read about in one of Brendan’s books. Carefully, she came to her feet, blinking and coughing. The sunlight coming through the narrow hole she’d stepped into wasn’t much, but she could make out that the cave was no bigger than her room at Brushbriar. Looking up, Petra could see she hadn’t actually fallen very far at all, maybe fifteen feet. Her fall had been broken by a small bush, struggling in the depths of the cave and growing toward the stream of light.
She’d have a few bruises and her knee hurt where she’d banged it against the side of the cave coming down, but miraculously, she’d survived. The same could not be said for the bit of shrub that broke her fall. It looked far worse for the wear.
“Petra!” A panicked Brendan was yelling for her, his voice sounding muffled and far away.
“I’m,” she choked out, waving away another cloud of dust. “I’m here!” She cleared her throat and tried again. “Morwick! Brendan! I’m down here.”
Pebbles rained down on her from his footsteps. He was stomping about above her like an enraged bull. “Petra!”
He can’t see the hole or hear me.
Petra moved to stand directly in the circle of sunlight. “Sorry,” she said to the broken bit of shrub. “Brendan! There’s a hole. I’ve fallen down a hole.” She wasn’t sure he could hear her. Picking up a rock she tried to toss it up through the hole but was only successful in having more dust rain down on her. She tried again. Maybe he wouldn’t see the rocks, but possibly the dust cloud coming out of the hole.
After tossing up nine or ten rocks, something large blocked the light. “Petra? How the hell did you…are you hurt?” The strain and worry in his voice was evident.
“I’m all right. I’ve found a cave,” she stated triumphantly.
“Bloody Hell. Are you certain you aren’t hurt? Hang on, sweetheart.”
“I’m fine.” Was it wrong under the circumstances to feel so pleased he’d called her sweetheart? “I landed on a small bush of some sort. Can you believe there was one tiny little shrub struggling to grow down here and I fell on it?”
He didn’t answer. Brendan was still stomping about, his footsteps sending the dust swirling and bits of dirt dropping on her shoulders.
“I’m coming down.” His face appeared above her.
More pebbles bounced off her head. She brushed off her shoulders and found a tear in the shoulder. “That’s a total of two day dresses and one traveling dress ruined beyond repair,” she said out loud.
