More Than a Stranger: A Sealed With a Kiss Novel (24 page)

So much had happened since then, Evie had forgotten completely about their tiff. “Yes, me, too. You are my sister, and I love you very much.”

“And I you, which is why I had to try again, when we both weren’t so upset.” She looked uneasy, fidgeting with the green buttons of her spencer jacket. “He’s Hastings, Evie. That was what I was trying to tell you yesterday.”

She paused, cringing a bit as if waiting for an explosion. Evie cringed, too. Beatrice knew he was Hastings as well? Of course. If her head hadn’t been so filled with the events of the evening, she would have realized that was what Beatrice had tried to warn her about before. Drat—what to say? Should Evie reveal that she already knew, or pretend ignorance? Either way, she had to be sure Beatrice wouldn’t breathe a word of it to anyone else.

She sighed and patted Beatrice’s hand. She didn’t want to lie. “Yes, I figured that out for myself yesterday.”

Her sister’s eyes widened at Evie’s revelation. “Are you all right? I thought you would have been upset.”

“I was. But then we talked, and by the end of it I could understand why he didn’t want me to know he was here.”

They walked a few paces in silence as Beatrice worried her lip. “You’re not mad that I kept his secret in the first place? Richard made me promise not to tell and threatened to stop sending me paints.”

“Then we shall have to devise the perfect punishment for our bothersome brother, won’t we?”

Beatrice grinned. “Yes, I think so.”

“And no, I’m not mad. I do have a very big favor to ask, however.” Evie hesitated before going on. “If anyone asks, you must of course always tell the truth, but if the question of Benedict’s name does not come up, could you not volunteer it?”

Beatrice stopped and looked to her in confusion. “You don’t want Mama and Papa knowing that he’s Hastings?”

“Not if they don’t ask. If I’m perfectly honest, I rather like spending time with him, and I should hate to ruin that by upsetting Mama and Papa.”

Beatrice grinned. “He is rather handsome, is he not?”

“Indeed,” Evie said, her cheeks heating at the thought of last night. “So you’ll keep mum? I mean, his name is Benedict, after all.”

“Very well. But only because I’d like to know more about what’s making you blush. Very intriguing.”

She knew she loved her sister for a reason. “Thank you, Bea. I won’t forget about this. If ever you need me, I promise to be there for you.” She gave her sister a quick hug. “I don’t imagine you want to join me in the stables, do you?”

Beatrice wrinkled her nose. “No, I’ll leave that to you. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Alone at last, Evie hurried toward the stable block, eager to get the morning started. The faster the hunt arrived, the faster she would see Benedict once more. If she could convince him to stay for another night, then after the hunt, when darkness fell and the stars lit the garden once more, things could get very interesting indeed.

Firmly suppressing the giddy grin on her face, she pushed aside the heavy stable door. Inside, a sort of organized chaos filled the building. Horses and stable hands were everywhere, in various stages of preparation. The sounds of voices, horses whinnying, and muffled dog barking echoed in the open space, making her smile. She loved hunt day. She nodded to Jasper, who was leading Epona from her stall. Nearby, Brutus flicked his freshly trimmed tail as a groom checked his hooves.

“There you are,” her father said, looking up from his inspection of Ronan’s saddle. He brushed off his hands and strode toward her. “An exceedingly fine day for a jaunt through the woods, wouldn’t you say?”

“Indeed it is. How is Ronan this morning?”

Pride shone in Papa’s eyes. “Magnificent. I’m not entirely certain which of the two of us is biting at the bit more, so to speak.”

Evie laughed. “Well, we’d best get on with the preparation so we can get you out in the field.”

Behind her, the door scraped.

Evie looked up in time to see Benedict arrive. Her breath caught when he looked up and immediately met her eyes, as if he had known exactly where she would be. Their gazes held for just a moment—barely even that—before he lifted a hand in greeting and started toward them. In that brief moment, Evie’s breath froze in her lungs and the hair on her arms stood straight out.

Oh, good gracious—she was in trouble.

“Are you all right, Evie?”

Evie jerked to attention. Papa regarded her queerly, his eyebrows drawn together. No, she was not all right. She was very, very far from being all right. She blinked at her father and tried to gather herself.

“Er, yes, fine. Why ever do you ask?” Evie replied with as much nonchalance as she could muster.

“Just that you look quite peaked. Are you too warm?”

The humid air of the stables was quite a bit warmer than outside. Yes, that excuse worked just fine with her. “A little. I was outside in the sun for a few minutes with Beatrice. Oh, look—there is Mr. Benedict.”

Her father turned to greet Benedict, and she blew out a slow breath. She most certainly did
not
want her father to suspect the direction of her thoughts just then.

Chapter Nineteen

I may not know you by your countenance, but I should like to think that I should know you by a single phrase, as such has been the nature of our correspondence. I feel as if I know you best among all.

—From Evie to Hastings

A
sucker punch to the gut.

That was the feeling that assaulted Benedict when he stepped inside and looked up to see Evie’s unguarded expression. She was watching him as if . . . as if he were something to
devour
. In that half-second space of time before he broke eye contact, her expression had instantly heated his blood to near boiling.

Bloody hell
.

With so many witnesses around, he sincerely hoped his expression wouldn’t give something away. Something, for example, such as how mere eye contact with Evie had him imagining all sorts of inappropriate things—none of which involved clothing. Good Lord, if anyone had known of the rush of desire he felt just then, he would have been thrown out on his ear—and that was the
best
-case scenario.

Pulling himself together, he greeted the marquis. “Good day to you, my lord. Are you looking forward to the day ahead?”

Lord Granville smiled warmly and replied, “There is nothing in the world I would rather be doing today. And you, sir?”

“I’m very much looking forward to it.”

And finally, he turned to Evie. “Are you eager to begin, Evie?”

Their secret burned between them, hot and delicious. The smile she gave him was slow and deliberate, as if she were imagining right then what she wanted to do with him. God knew he was imagining it. She licked those perfect lips and said, “Oh, indeed I am thrilled, Benedict. And you?”

He nodded in return, not trusting his voice to speak.

“Excellent. I do hope you won’t fall behind.” Her words were completely proper, but the hint of lust in her eyes was enough to make him regret his decision to stop things before they went too far last evening.

“For your sake, I shall try to keep up,” he said, smiling blandly.

She nodded to him, and the marquis turned the conversation to the preparations at hand. It took an act of will to keep his eyes off Evie as he nodded and pretended interest in what her father was saying.

Within the hour, the whole family and a handful of the servants were gathered in the courtyard and ready to go. Benedict studiously avoided staring at Evie, no matter how appealing she looked sitting tall on Epona. When at last everyone was mounted—or “stuffed into carriages,” depending on who was asked—Granville nodded, and they were off.

They proceeded slowly toward the lake where Lady Granville and the girls would spend the day. Ahead, the sound of giggles, laughs, and the occasional shriek could be heard from the elegant carriage as it ambled toward their destination.

With Richard chatting with his father at the head of the pack, Benedict let his mount fall back until he was even with Evie. If not for the small, knowing smile touching her lips, no one would ever guess that they had shared such passion between them last night.

He smiled at her, taking in her brilliant eyes that mirrored the sky so perfectly, and her slightly flushed cheeks, and those lips—he knew very well how soft her lips were. “You’re beautiful.”

Pleasure lit her features, and the smile she gave back was enough to make him shift his position in his saddle. “Beautiful enough to keep you here for another day?”

He blinked in surprise. Last night, she had brooked no argument to his plans to leave today. Why the change? It didn’t matter. He couldn’t risk it. The more he was in her company, the more he wanted to
be
in her company. It was best to end things now, on a positive note. He wanted to look back on this day for years and smile at the one perfect day they shared before his life went to hell.

“
Too
beautiful to keep me near you. I find I am sorely lacking in willpower when it comes to you, my dear. I wouldn’t want anything to happen that you’d regret. I couldn’t live with myself if I hurt you more.”

She bit her lip, adjusting her hold on the reins. It was clear she wished to say something. Benedict kept his peace until at last she took a breath and said, “I didn’t really want to go last night.”

He breathed in the words, savoring their meaning. She would be the death of him, he was sure. He sighed and looked to her. “I didn’t want you to, either.”

“But still you didn’t stop me.”

“I thought I was doing the right thing. I was trying to be a gentleman.”

She nodded and looked down, smoothing a hand over Epona’s neck. Pressing her lips together, Evie looked him straight in the eye. “What if I don’t want you to be a gentleman? Tonight, I mean.”

“Evie, I don’t want you to get hurt. When I leave, I won’t be returning any time soon.” He couldn’t do this. He had to move on, to leave her while she was still uninvolved with the tangles snagging his life.

“All the more reason for us to enjoy the time we have.” She paused for a moment before saying quietly, “I have a feeling the stars will be out again tonight.”

Damn it to hell, he shouldn’t be here now, let alone ten hours from now. Why couldn’t they have met when he was free to pursue her? He drew in a deep breath, settling into Brutus’s rhythm. “I’ve already made plans to depart at the conclusion of the hunt. My things have been packed, and Richard knows of my intent.”

“So?”

“So he’d wonder if I suddenly decided to extend my stay. He already knows I’m anxious to be done with the farce.”

She eyed him with a single brow raised, her head tilted to one side so that the sunshine bathed the kissable column of her neck. The slightest smile curled her lips. “We’ll see about that.”

With that, she clucked her tongue and set off ahead.

* * *

Across the field, a few paces into the tree line, Ned Barney crouched in the underbrush, watching as the straggling pair pushed forward to catch up with their party. Pushing a stringy lock of hair from his face, he sat back and grinned. With that hot piece dangling in front of his target, Barney would have no problem completing his mission. Benedict was so distracted, Barney could probably walk right up to the man, arm outstretched and pistol in hand, and he still would not notice him.

When the servant had set to the woods this morning dragging a cloth, Barney had known his chance was coming. He had waited until the man left before settling in a small clearing not far from one of the trees the man had marked. It was a good location, and he had already determined his overland escape route after the deed was done.

Chuckling, he struggled to his feet, wincing at the pain despite having favored his left leg. He retreated into the forest to retrieve his mount, which he had left tied to a tree limb. He shook his head and grinned. This was going to be like shooting hens in a pen.

* * *

Benedict tightened his grip on the reins as he watched Evie pull away. She sat tall in her saddle, a prim yet alluring silhouette. He wanted to go after the little minx, but of course he couldn’t. That would only serve to call attention to them.

Instead, he held Brutus steady and contemplated the loss of his sanity even as he watched her body move in time with her horse’s trot. The slightest hint of lemon flavored the sun-warmed air, and he found himself filling his lungs with her scent. Perhaps it was not his sanity that was the issue. Common sense—now that he
knew
had gone out the window.

Ahead of them, the carriage slowed to a gentle stop. The moment the wheels ceased turning, the door burst open, causing the footman to race around to provide his hand before the girls could jump out on their own. They spilled out of the carriage in quick succession, each brushing out their skirts and adjusting their bonnets before making a beeline for Benedict. Lady Granville appeared a few moments later, her exasperated expression suggesting she was already rethinking the wisdom of bringing the trio along for the day.

In the amount of time that it took Benedict to dismount, all three of the younger girls had swarmed him like a small flock of birds. He smiled a bit uncomfortably at them as he tried to gain his footing—and a bit of breathing room.

“Er, you ladies must be eager to spend the day in such a glorious location.” Benedict said, surreptitiously backing up a step.

“Oh yes, Benedict, it is so lovely here.” Carolyn batted her golden eyelashes at him.

“It is absolutely wonderful at the lake. As a matter of fact, it is a much better way to spend the day than hunting,” Jocelyn added.