Page 6 of Moonstone Landing
She laughed and shook her head. “Am I hearing right? You intend to behave like a gentleman now?”
He regarded her wryly. “I needn’t if you are opposed to—”
“Please do! It is quite unsettling to entertain a bare-chested man in my bedchamber. I did not expect you to volunteer to properly dress yourself.”
“It isourbedchamber,” he said, liking the soft blush that crept up her cheeks at his words. “And just to be clear, you never need dress on my account. I will never demand it of you.”
She attempted to swat his shoulder, but her hand simply pushed through him. “Why did I think you had turned into a gentleman?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, Hen. I am certainly no gentleman. Do not ever mistake me for one.”
He slapped his hands on his thighs and rose. “Well, I hear your staff arriving. It is time I left.”
He started for the balcony.
“Captain Arundel, wait.” She followed him to the double doors that opened onto the balcony. “Must you go? You’ve told me so little of yourself or this puzzle we must sort out about your haunting this cottage.”
He stared down at her, wanting to kiss her soft lips. “I’ll frighten your staff, and then you will have no one to look after you. I’ll return when they’ve gone.”
“Please do.” She began to wring her hands.
“Hen? Why are you fretting?”
“I am afraid if I let you go, you will never come back.”
Pain filled him.
He wanted to cup her face and kiss her sweetly.
When had anyone ever cared whether he lived or died? Indeed, with his parents gone years before him, his closest relations were distant cousins who had wanted nothing to do with him in life and even less so now that he was dead.
Of course, he understood Hen’s interest in him had more to do with her love of puzzles. He doubted she cared for him beyond figuring out why he was still here.
Yet, he detected warmth and sincere concern in her eyes.
Why had no one snapped up this beautiful girl during her first season out?
“I am bound here, Hen. I will always come back to you. But I have a question for you.” He ached to touch her and silently cursed his fate that he could not. “Why do you care?”
Chapter Three
As soon asCaptain Arundel had disappeared, Henleigh washed and dressed, then hurried downstairs and kept herself busy into the late morning supervising chores around the house. There was not much to do since only she occupied the house and tended to tidy up after herself as a matter of course.
“I’ve finished, Lady Henleigh. Is there anything else ye’d like me to do before I leave?” Marjorie, her young maid, asked before walking back to the village of Moonstone Landing, where she lived with her parents and six siblings.
The day was sparkling, one of those fine summer days when the sun shone brightly and the light breeze off the water kept the heat manageable. “Wait a moment, Marjorie. I’ll fetch my bonnet and walk into the village with you.”
She hurried into the kitchen to speak to the couple she had hired as cook and groundskeeper. The husband had just finished pulling up a patch of weeds by the cliff steps and repairing a few of those steps that had come loose. His wife was just removing a pot off the hearth.
“Is that lamb stew, Mrs. Hawke?” she asked, already knowing the answer, for the delicious aroma was unmistakable.
Mrs. Hawke set the pot down with athunkonto the sturdy worktable. “Yes, m’lady. It is.”
“Oh, thank you. My stomach is growling already.” She cast her a warm smile. “I’ve decided to walk into town. You and your husband may leave whenever you’ve finished today’s chores. Are there any supplies I should order while I am wandering about?”
“No, m’lady,” the friendly woman replied, her cheeks apple-red from standing close to the hearth fire. “I have all I need.”
Mr. Hawke said much the same. “I’ll let ye know if I think of anything, m’lady. But there’s nothing for this week.”
