He had never known a young lady like her before, with such a thirst for knowledge and a strong desire to understand the true nature of humanity and reality itself. She was like a magnet, drawing him towards her with an inescapable pull. How could he resist?
But he knew that he must resist if he was to achieve his goals. Now was the time for focus. He promised himself that he would do better.
***
Isabella woke to see sunlight streaming in through the window of her room. She realized she had forgotten to draw the curtains when she finally fell asleep last night, and now the room was bright with light. She rubbed her eyes.
Had it really happened, her kiss with Sebastian in the library? Or was it simply a dream? It felt ethereal now, dreamlike in its intensity. She pressed her lips together and remembered the feeling of his mouth against hers, the intensity of his hands as they began to explore her body, and the look of passionate desire in his eyes as he watched her leave the room.
The memory of his hands and lips was so vivid she knew it was true. It really had happened. They had succumbed to their desires only for a few precious moments, and the danger of being caught was all too real.
What would today bring? She had no idea if Sebastian’s intentions towards her were serious, but she allowed herself to hope they might be. But her mother and father’s focus would be on the Duke of Harbridge today and his attentions towards her.
Isabella rose from her bed and rang the bell for her maid. She knew she must prepare herself for another day of socializing and entertainment. She wondered if there would be another moment when she could be alone with Sebastian. She did not know, but she felt sure he would be thinking of her, too, when he awoke this morning. Their encounter the previous night had been far too intense for either of them to forget in a hurry.
Isabella dressed and went downstairs for breakfast, sitting quietly next to Daphne while they had their meal. Sebastian was not yet present, and although she had desperately wanted to see him, in some ways, she was grateful for his absence, as she knew she would struggle to hide her feelings when she saw him.
The morning passed much as usual, with the guests relaxing together in the drawing room. Some had letters to write, while others read or played cards. It was a quiet and relaxing morning, but the afternoon was set to be quite different. After luncheon, the group of guests gathered in the hallway. Lady Evermere stood waiting to tell them about the entertainment she had planned for them that afternoon.
“We are going to have a treasure hunt!” Lady Evermere declared excitedly. “Now, you must wrap up warm, as many of the clues are outside in the garden. You will decode the clues, and the first couple to find the prize at the end will be declared the winner!”
Isabella could not help smiling at her mother’s enthusiasm. She had known that a treasure hunt was planned, but her mother had been very secretive about it and told her nothing about any of the clues. Presumably, she did not want to give Isabella any kind of unfair advantage so that the game was fair for everyone.
“Now,” Lady Evermere went on, “we shall dispense with the need for chaperones, just for today, and trust that everything will be well. The pairings are to be random. We will pull names from a hat.”
Isabella felt a flutter of excitement in her stomach. She glanced across the room at Sebastian, who was standing with Mr Sterling, and their eyes met. She saw that hint of desire in his eyes again, and something inside her melted. She knew she wanted nothing more than to be paired with him today.
“Miss Harrow, you are first,” Lady Evermere declared, looking at Felicity. “And you are to be paired with …” She reached into the hat in her hand and pulled out another name.
“The Duke of Harbridge!” A flash of disappointment crossed her face. Clearly she had hoped that the random selection of couples would have turned out a little differently and thrown Isabella and the duke together for the afternoon, but fate had intervened, it seemed
Next came Daphne and Mr Sterling. Isabella could not help smiling at her friend’s obvious delight, and Mr Sterling’s genuine look of happiness at their pairing. Her mother announced several more pairings, and the guests all gradually drifted away to go and put on their warm outdoor clothing.
Eventually, only Isabella and Sebastian were left.
“Well,” Lady Evermere said with a slight huff of disappointment in her voice. “There are only two names left, and it seems they must be yours, Lord Ashcroft, and yours, Isabella.”
Isabella glanced at Sebastian again and saw a slight smile on his face.
“I shall be delighted to accompany Lady Isabella on the treasure hunt,” he said with perfect politeness.
“Indeed.” Lady Evermere nodded. “I am sure you will have a fine time together. Now, I must go and check with the cook about the dinner; there is much to be done, and I am convinced that something will go wrong.” She stalked off towards the kitchen, leaving Isabella and Sebastian standing together in the hallway.
“Well, I shall go and fetch my cloak,” Isabella said softly, “then shall we met outside?”
Sebastian nodded. “I am glad we are paired together, Lady Isabella,” he said, holding her gaze for a moment before turning away.
Isabella’s heart leapt in her chest. They would be alone together for quite some time, and she could scarcely think about what might happen between them over the next couple of hours.
Chapter 17
Isabella was grateful for her cloak and thick fur-lined boots as they followed the track into the woods, Sebastian walking by her side. The path itself was almost hidden by snow, but Isabella knew the way to the clearing.
Isabella thought that her mother had perhaps made the early clues in the treasure hunt rather too easy, as everyone seemed to have completed the indoor portion of the activity very quickly.
She had spotted Daphne and Mr Sterling giggling together in the library when they passed the open door on the way outside, and her cheeks reddened as she thought back to the previous night and what had happened between her and Sebastian, with the door firmly closed. Just the memory of his touch made her skin tingle, and she glanced at him, walking next to her, and gave him a shy smile.
Whenever she looked at him and saw that he was already looking at her, something inside her soared. Could it really be that he was developing feelings for her to match those she was harbouring in her heart for him? It seemed too much to hope for.
