Page 60 of The Herald's Heart
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Talon watched Larkin pick her way carefully across the rocks and lead the way into the cave that connected the keep to the sea. He had wanted to start the search at the farthest point from the keep, so they had walked the long narrow passage to the thin, rocky shoreline.
“Where do the other caves lead?” he asked.
“I’m not certain they lead anywhere. I’ve never really explored down here. I was always focused on searching the keep.”
He studied the walls, noting the discoloration. “Does that come from the tides?” He pointed to a line running where the roof and wall of the cave met. The stone below was darker than the finger’s span of stone above.
“Aye. At high tide, this cave is completely submerged. We’ll have to find caverns or passages that don’t flood. Surely the earl would not leave the marriage box where the sea could damage it.”
“There are ways to protect smaller items from water damage, but I agree the box is more likely to be somewhere dry. Still, we’d best be thorough. A man trying to hide something will often choose the most illogical place.”
“Then we’d better set to work. I would not want to get caught down here at high tide.”
“’Tis a good thing these caves connect to the keep. Otherwise we might have to cut short our search.”
“I could have wished that you placed that new door farther back toward the keep.”
“Had I done that, it would not have served its purpose. Any invader who discovered these caves could, with some effort, destroy the door or even tunnel around to get through. I wanted to make any such attempt as difficult as possible.” He gestured with the torch he carried to where two smaller passages opened off the central cave where he stood with Larkin. “There are still branches off the main cave that provide opportunity for sapping, but the work will be much harder for the extra distance. And with increased patrols, we’ve greater chance of catching anyone who tries.”
“These walls are solid rock—how could anyone tunnel through them?”
He brushed at the pale, sandy-colored stone and watched small bits crumble away. “’Tis not so hard.” He showed Larkin where tiny flecks of the stone clung to his fingers.
“I see. Then you were no doubt wise to place the door as you did.”
Talon felt an irrational glow at her small approval.
In the light of the torch, they walked a short way down the nearest of the smaller caves. The way became narrow. Talon examined an old rock fall that blocked the lower half of the passage. He saw no sign that the stone had been worked by anything except time and the sea.
“We’ll have to turn back,” he announced.
“Nonsense,” she uttered and clambered through the opening.
Talon passed the torch to Larkin. “I don’t know if I can get through.” His shoulders scraped the sides, and he bumped his head once, but he managed to follow her.
A few more steps and the passage widened to the size of a small chamber. Sunlight streamed through a large crack in the cliff face. Larkin stepped up to the hole and peered out. “Oh my. How glorious,” she whispered.
Behind her he echoed, “’Tis indeed glorious.” Waves crested around a pile of giant rocks on the far side of the cove. The keep stood visible beyond the top of the cliff, dominating the countryside and defying the relentless attack of the sea on the bluff. But the sight was ordinary compared to the sparkle of sunlight in Larkin’s hair and the unalloyed pleasure on her face. He wanted to be the cause of that pleasure almost as much as he wanted his place at Hawksedge Keep. The thought that he might lose any claim to Hawksedge because of lust for this woman soured the moment.
Knowing he should resist her lure, he joined her in looking out at the cove that separated them from Hawksedge Keep.
“I never liked the sea,” he murmured in the peace of the moment.
Larkin swept a hand at the caves behind them. “ But the sea has gained entrance here.”
“Not by its own efforts, I suspect.” And it appeared that his efforts to regain Hawksedge might fail.
“Then how?”
“Mother Clement says God’s ways are mysterious. None can know why the Father of Heaven bid the sea enter here, yet a league down, the coast turns the waters away like an unwanted child.” Like him.
Larkin fell silent.
He shifted, to watch the light play over her face.
“Do you think the earl gave any thought to the beautiful sight the keep makes on that cliff side?” she asked.
