Lady Lissa's Liaison (21 page)

"I—I have not quite puzzled that out," Lissa answered truthfully. She clicked her tongue, shaking her head, unwilling to dissect what had happened between herself and Gabriel. She did not want to ruin the sweet glow set inside of her from the happenings of this day. She'd enjoyed her outing with Gabriel and Harry so very much that it seemed a shame to mar it with worries about what his lordship may or may not have intended last night.

The truth of the matter was that his bold kiss on the terrace last evening had been overshadowed by his sweet kiss at her doorstep and even more so by the lovely morning and afternoon she'd spent with him near the river.

"What matters to me most at the moment, Aunt Pru," Lissa said, "is that for the first time since ending the formal mourning for my father, I feel as if my life and my future have been returned to my own hands." Lissa reached for the very last, unopened note upon the salver. "A-ha," she exclaimed. "This final missive bears the seal of Lord Langford. Famous! I trust it is notice to me that he, for whatever reason, has found himself called back to the Metropolis. Once I open this, I shall be free to return to my old way of life."

Prudence did not appear convinced. "What about Lord Wylde? How will you extricate yourself from
his
pursuit?"

"He is not pursuing me," Lissa said, even as she broke the wax of Langford's note. "The two of us are simply playing out our own portions of a certain vow."

"One that will doubtless have an unpleasant end for you, I fear."

Lissa, though, was barely listening to her aunt's dire prediction. Instead, she was amazed to read Lord Langford's bold script detailing his pleasure of dancing with her the night before. He ended the note stating that he was now more determined than ever to win Lissa's heart given the fact that Lord Wylde had entered the picture, that he would look for her wherever she tread in the shire, and that he could not wait for their planned picnic outing to take place on Monday next. He added, too, that he was glad she had yet to return his locket.

Lissa's heart fell. "What a disaster," she whispered.

"Do not say Langford has tucked tail and returned to Town as well?"

"Quite the contrary," Lissa looked up. "Lord Langford seems all the more intent on sewing up a marriage with me. He has promised to shadow my every step."

Prudence brightened. "Good. You would do well with reconsidering the man's offer."

"No, it is
not
good, Aunt Pru! Gabriel—er, Lord Wylde, has made the very same promise!" Lissa tossed down Lord Langford's note. She sat back in her chair, overcome by a deep-seated and fearful shudder. "Only imagine what will happen should Wylde and Langford come to blows over me. Oh, Aunt Pru, what I have done? What have I
began?"

"A pretend liaison, my dear, with not one man, but two."

Lissa felt like crying.

Prudence, the bangles about her wrists tinkling, put her arms about her niece. "Just say the word, my sweet, and I shall step in and stop all this nonsense. In fact, I shall see that your bags are packed and you are soon away from here. You can come back to Mayfair with me. Or we could go exploring somewhere far, far away."

"I do not wish to go away, Aunt Pru. I love this shire, the river, these lands... And mayhap," she whispered, her voice catching, "I—I might even love Lord Wylde."

Prudence held her tighter, saying nothing.

* * *

The next two days began exactly the same, with Lissa up before the dawn and hurrying to the Dove to meet Gabriel. Though they fished for their trout in earnest, they did not catch the thing. But together they tied numerous flies, and discussed the habits of trout, the beauty of the river, and the many wonders they found alongside the Dove.

In the late mornings, with little Harry in tow, they searched for nutes and cadis flies at the river's edge, then picked forget-me-nots.

On the third day, during the mid-afternoon after Harry had gone home with his governess and Lissa and Gabriel parted company, Lissa found herself filled with a restless energy. It seemed she'd been spending so much time with Gabriel that she'd forgotten how to occupy her own self! Not wanting to face up to the implications of that fact, she put on a fresh walking gown, pinned up her hair, then placed a straw bonnet atop her head. She decided she would walk to the rectory and leave a basket of baked goods.

She thought to take her nature journal along and perhaps jot down some observations. But the journal was not in her satchel. Had she forgotten it along the riverbank? She'd been in such high emotions over the past few days that she could not remember.

Not wanting to seek out Tilly, Lissa chose to go without her journal. She would simply brand every detail into her brain, she decided.

It was a perfect June day, sunny, the air filled with the scent of flowers, and light, fluffy clouds dotting the sky. Heading down the lane, with her ladened basket in hand, she thought she might look for some moon daisies, and perhaps keep an eye out for a painted lady butterfly.

But as she walked, a breeze rustling the ribbons of her bonnet, it was not the nature surrounding her that she thought about. 'Twas Gabriel. It seemed that everywhere she looked, she saw a picture of him in her mind; his smile so handsome, his dark eyes so seductive. She could remember everything about him so clearly... the broad expanse of his cheekbones, the huge breadth of his shoulders, the feel of his muscled arms about her. Oh, the feel of those arms! So warm, protective, but frightening, too, due to his sheer strength! She recalled his kisses most of all... hot and demanding one minute, then soft and beguiling the next.

She was amazed at the wanderings of her thoughts. Here she was, only a few hours out of his presence, and she could do naught but think of him, remember him, grow warm inside at the images of him that played over and over in her mind.

Heavens, she thought, with what would she fill her days when the trout was caught and when Gabriel would have no need of her tutelage in the art of creating handmade flies? How empty her life would be then! It did not bear thinking of, she knew.

Suddenly, there came the sound of hooves on the road in front of her. She looked up, raising one hand to the rim of her bonnet and straining to make out the figure astride. Could it be Gabriel?
She hoped it was Gabriel.

Rider and mount drew closer, slowing as they approached. Lissa stood at the side of the lane, folding her arms together beneath the handle of her basket.

"Good day, my lady," said the rider, removing his tall hat and sketching what passed for a bow as he sat in his saddle.

Lissa looked up into the very blue eyes of Lord Roderick Langford. Though her heart fell, she forced a polite smile. "Good afternoon, Lord Langford."

"I've come calling for you many days in a row, but somehow you are never to be found."

"I often go off on my own to sketch, m'lord."

"I see no sketchbook in your hands now. Can I assume you will not mind my company this day since you are not about to sketch?"

Lissa wished to fob him off, but decided she need not be so rude. After all, he'd not bothered her overly much of late. "I am headed for the rectory. I've some preserves, several loaves of bread and some pudding. You may join me, if you wish."

"I do wish it, my lady." He jumped down off the saddle, reached to take the basket from her hands, then fell into step alongside her, his white mare complacently following behind at the reins.

They walked a few paces in silence. "You have not returned my locket. I am glad of that."

Lissa grew uncomfortable at mention of the locket. Here was her chance to simply own up to the fact she'd lost it, to tell the man she did not want his suit, and then be done with it all. But she couldn't bring herself to say the words. She wanted, instead, to be able to hand the locket back to him and with that deed give a final farewell to him. Somehow, just saying goodbye without returning his property did not sit well with her.

"Are—are you enjoying your summer in Derbyshire, m'lord?" she asked, deciding to let his mention of the locket pass.

"It has its moments." He tipped a grin at her, though it paled in comparison to the rare smiles she'd seen upon Gabriel's lips. "Such as when I am near you," he added. "You've a loveliness unmatched by any other."

Gabriel had said something similar to her, and his words had transported her up into the stars. Hearing Langford's statement, however, only increased Lissa's feelings of discomfort. Drat, thought she, if the man was bent on continuing in this vein, she must let the whole truth be known to him this instant. Just hearing him talk to her in such a private way made her feel as though she was sullying all the quiet moments she'd spent at Gabriel's side near the Dove.

"There is something you should know about me, Lord Langford," she said, gathering her courage. "I—I am not of the mind to marry, and I do not at all wish for your—"

"Please, say no more. I have heard that you have no interest in marriage. I'd like to be the one to change your mind, m'lady. I am a patient fellow. I can wait."

"I fear you might have a long wait, sir."

"I do not mind. I have come to be quite taken with you, Lady Lissa. I think you know that."

"I do, however, I—"

"Hush," he insisted, his voice edged with something that sounded surprisingly like a threat. In the next instant, however, that hard edge was gone, and he spoke on a softer note. "Not now. Not here, Lady Lissa. Let us just walk and enjoy the sunshine, shall we? I'd rather not have my hopes dashed on such a beautiful day."

She felt nothing for the man other than guilt that she'd not yet returned his locket. Perhaps it was this guilt that pushed her to allow him to walk with her to the rectory.

Whatever the reason, she soon rued her decision, for as they neared the church Lissa saw Gabriel. He was standing a foot away from its front entrance, seemingly caught in thought as he stared up at the place with its weathered but beautiful stone and wood. He turned his dark head toward them, hearing their approach and the soft nicker of Langford's mare.

His black gaze took in the sight of Lissa and Langford, side by side. Even from such a far-off distance, Lissa could see the thunder clouds gathering on his dark brow, could see clearly that his hands became fists at his sides.

She felt suddenly,
ridiculously,
as though she was a married woman found rendezvousing with her lover. With guilt causing her heart to hammer in her chest, she tried to wordlessly convey to Gabriel with her eyes that what he was seeing was not what he thought it to be. She'd not gone from his company at the river to Langford's company on the road without nary a thought. She was
not
playing both men for fools, was not toying with their attendance, or even hoping the two might come to blows over her.

Gabriel, however, appeared to believe just that. There came to his black eyes a wave of rioting emotions, and his countenance became stormy. With a stiffness that could not be concealed, he turned toward them, then waited as they neared his side.

Langford seemed extraordinarily pleased by the turn of events. "Ho, Wylde," called he, "who'd have thought we would meet up with the likes of you, and in front of the doors to God's house, no less. Might you be pondering journeying inside, say to offer up a prayer for your soulless self?"

Lissa was appalled. She opened her mouth, intending to give Langford a tongue-lashing for his rudeness, but Gabriel spoke first.

"If any prayer is offered this day, it should be on
your
behalf, Langford. Of the demons who walk this earth, you are of the highest order."

"Not in Polite Society, I'm not."

"Those you label your peers have no inkling about the true fiend you are, Langford."

"A fiend, am I? Let us be clear as to who of the two of us is hiding from life and haunting the Dove." He motioned with just a nod of his bright-haired head. "Go back to your river lodge, Wylde. Go back into hiding where you belong."

Gabriel appeared as though he would like nothing better than to send a fist into Langford's smug, too-angelic face. He made a motion toward the man.

Lissa, fearing Gabriel would resort to fisticuffs, took that moment to step between them. "That is more than enough!"

Langford, pleased, smiled thinly at Gabriel. "You heard the lady. Now if you'll be so kind as to step aside and excuse us, we shall be on our—"

"The devil I will," Gabriel breathed. "I won't excuse you, Langford. In fact, I don't want you anywhere near the lady."

Lissa had lost all patience. Angered and appalled beyond belief, she took her basket out of Lord Langford's hands and glared at both men. "The two of you can take yourselves and this ridiculous conversation elsewhere. I am going into the church.
Alone.
When I come out, I pray both of you will be gone."

With that, she turned abruptly away—but not before meeting Gabriel's obsidian gaze and seeing his inner tumult mirrored there.

What was happening between the two of them? Were they merely honoring some hasty pact they had made... or were they headed for something more, something that was, until the moment they had met, beyond the reach of either of them?

Lissa didn't know. She knew only that she was angry and hurt by the foul words Gabriel and Lord Langford had shared.