Chapter Five

O nce Broderick and Anna had walked away, Emmie released the breath she was holding in a gust. Thankfully, neither of them had seen her. She was relieved to know that Anna had not let Broderick kiss her. Her maid played a role, and the real Lady Sarah would have not allowed a man to take liberties in stealing a kiss, no matter how handsome he was.

Then again, Emmie had really never known any man as handsome as Broderick. And blast it all, it didn't help that her mind kept picturing him in the water. Perhaps if she had been in Broderick's arms, she would have been sorely tempted to let him place his lips on hers.

Breathing slower, she relaxed against a tree. Finally, her heart beat a normal rhythm. She had experienced Anna's thrill of excitement, making her want that very thing herself.

Groaning, she rubbed at the throb starting in her forehead. She wished she knew why she felt this way. It was so unlike her. Had living as a lady's companion become so boring that she suddenly dreamed of improper things? What happened to the freedom she thought she would have in pretending to be a companion? For some reason, it wasn't all she had wanted it to be.

She pulled away from the tree and took slow steps away from her hiding area, taking great care to see if anyone was watching her. Once again, she was grateful that nobody had cared about the lady's companion. She hurried back into the house.

Just as she entered, the announcement came of the last dance for the evening. Disappointed, she watched as Broderick danced with Anna. His joyous smile while he stared into the maid's eyes nearly broke Emmie's heart.

After the dance ended, Anna left Broderick's side and made her excuses to Mr. and Mrs. Crampton. Emmie followed Anna up the stairs toward their rooms. She really didn't want to talk to her friend, since jealousy continued to eat at her gut.

"Oh, Emmie." Anna sighed dreamily. "Can you believe there is a handsome man who wants to be with me? Although I tried my best to act shy, he still continued his pursuit."

Emmie tried to be gentle as she helped Anna remove the gown to ready her for bed, but ended up yanking the material over her friend's head instead, pulling her hair in the process.

Irritably, Emmie rolled her eyes. "Of course he flirted with you. He is an untitled man, and you are supposed to be the earl's daughter. Why wouldn't he vie for your attention? Believe me, I see men like Mr. Worthington all the time, which is why I'm not married."

She refused to believe he was enamored with Anna because she was pretty. Men only wanted to court Lady Sarah because of who her father was, so it had to be the same with Anna. It just had to be.

"Oh." Anna sobered drastically.

Inwardly, Emmie cringed. Obviously, she had wounded her friend's pride. But something needed to be said to deflate Anna's enthusiasm.

"After I get you ready for bed," Emmie said, "I'm going outside to take a walk, all right?"

Anna shrugged. "Why are you asking me? You are the earl's daughter, after all."

Emmie sighed. "I was just letting you know my plans for the evening."

"Fine," Anna snapped as she sat on the chair in front of the vanity and pulled out the pins in her hair. "I don't care if you go for a walk in the dark this late at night without a proper chaperone."

"You forget," Emmie countered, picking up a brush, "everyone thinks I'm a lady's companion. They are not going to wonder why I'm by myself."

As she finished brushing Anna's hair, silence grew in the room and became insufferable. Emmie realized she shouldn't be so upset, but it was hard not to feel like this. Though she didn't want her maid to think it was her fault she was angry.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to smile. "Anna, I forgot to tell you that I think my father would have complimented you on your performance tonight." She chuckled. "You look more like my family than you think."

Suddenly, Anna's eyes widened. "Oh, I just remembered something I overheard tonight." She grasped Emmie's hands. "I heard rumors that Mr. Crampton is related to Captain Hawk."

Confusion filled Emmie's head, and she couldn't quite wrap her mind around what Anna was saying. "Captain Hawk?"

"Yes, the captain of the Avenger —the pirate ship that attacked the very ship your mother was killed on."

The shock of the news gusted out of Emmie's lips as she lost her breath. The brush fell from her hand, thudding to the floor as an icy chill ran through her blood. "That cannot be right," she whispered in disbelief. "Mr. Crampton is friends with my father. Would my father not know this?"

"I'm thinking he does not, Emmie."

"But why… why would Mr. Crampton agree to have me stay here knowing it was his relative who killed his best friend's wife?"

"I don't know—unless Mr. Crampton isn't on speaking terms with his relative now, and he must have thought you would not ever know."

Emmie's heartbeat gradually returned to normal as she tossed the idea back and forth in her mind. "What you said makes sense, Anna. After all, I have a corrupt relative, and I'm ashamed to be known as his niece."

"Exactly."

Emmie sighed and nodded. "That must be why Mr. Crampton hasn't said anything. I shall not blame him."

"You have a forgiving heart."

After Anna climbed into bed for the night, Emmie quickly left the room and made her way down the stairs. Her maid had said she had a forgiving heart, but Emmie didn't feel like she did at that moment. She wanted to know the truth. Who was this so-called relative of Mr. Crampton's? And why was her mother killed so violently? The mystery of her death was never fully explained.

Outside, the cool air stroked Emmie's face, relaxing her slightly. Breathing in deeply, she hoped it would cool her temper as well. This whole night had been an emotional ride for her. First watching Mr. Worthington woo Anna, and now hearing the news about the relative.

If they had only stayed at home instead of coming here, none of this would have happened. Her father wouldn't have had the insane notion of Emmie playing the role of lady's companion, and she wouldn't have had to discover Anna's talent for acting. Moreover, they wouldn't have met the very handsome Mr. Worthington, and she wouldn't be having these strange feelings of jealousy. Emmie always envied her friend for being pretty but had never let it get this far out of control.

In her wandering, she found herself on the back terrace. Most of the guests from the party had left, and only a few servants milled about cleaning up. Luckily, a few lamps were lit on the lawn, giving her the lighting she needed for her walk. Pausing, she leaned against the railing and looked up at the moon. It appeared so big tonight, much larger than she had ever seen, and that was something she'd peered at quite a bit in her lonely life.

"Now, why am I not surprised to find you out here this late after dark, and all alone?"

The man's deep voice from behind made her jump. She whirled around to face the intruder. When Broderick walked closer, her heart pounded faster. Automatically, her hand flew to her bosom as if to stop the wild beating beneath her chest. Being alone with him out here was certainly not proper. Yet leaving was not an option.

"Mr. Worthington, you frightened the wits out of me."

He chuckled. "Forgive me, but I thought you would have heard me coming. I made enough noise to wake the neighbors."

She grinned. "I suppose I was lost in thought and didn't hear."

He moved closer until he stood next to her, leaning his hip against the railing. "What, may I ask, were you thinking? It must have been enthralling to keep you from hearing my loud entrance."

"No. It was not that intriguing. I was just thinking of home."

"Are you homesick?"

She nodded. "I have never been this far away."

"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to help you keep your mind occupied?"

A teasing glimmer sparkled in his eyes, letting her know he wasn't serious in trying to give comfort. This look was definitely different from the way he'd looked at Anna tonight. "I thank you for your thoughtfulness, but there is nothing you can do."

He grinned then glanced over her attire. She shifted, uncomfortable under his close scrutiny, yet a heated shiver ran over her, warming her considerably.

"I have to admit," he said, "you do look different somehow."

She arched her eyebrows in question. "Is that good or bad?"

He laughed deeply. "If you don't mind my candidness, I think your dress looks slightly outdated, and it's a little large on your petite frame. This particular style of dress doesn't match your bold personality. Your outfit at the pond definitely fits you much better."

She couldn't hold back from laughing. Wouldn't he love to know why? "Well, I'm sorry you don't approve. Maybe Lady Sarah and I can travel into town tomorrow to find a dressmaker. Would that make you happy?"

He shrugged. "I would have to see what style of dress she picks for you first."

She shook her head. There was no point trying to convince him what kind of dress she would look better in. It would just waste her time. She ran her gaze over his attire, noticing he had discarded his coat, making her realize just how broad his shoulders really were. Very masculine, indeed.

She grinned. "I hope you don't think I'm forward in saying that you look just as superb in fancy clothes as you do when donned in a towel."

His eyes widened mere seconds before he tilted back his head and howled with laughter. "Oh, you are a humorous one, Miss Emmie. And although it was rather forward of you to say, I appreciate your boldness. It's not very often I find a woman who is so openly honest."

One side of her mouth lifted in half of a grin. "Now, is that good or bad?"

"That is good."

She smiled fully. "I thank you, then."

He continued to boldly scan her with his enticing gaze, wearing his all-too-cocky grin. "You probably noticed I spent a lot of time with Lady Sarah tonight."

Emmie lost her smile. "Indeed, I did."

He turned, leaning his back on the railing as he looked up into the night sky. "Lady Sarah is a very beautiful woman, but you have probably heard men say that about her before."

"I have," she mumbled.

"She doesn't talk much, though."

"She is a little demure."

He looked down at her. "She really didn't tell me that much about herself, and so I cannot understand why she is like that." He paused briefly then continued. "You must know why she is so shy. Couldn't you give me a little information about her?"

Emmie pulled herself away from the railing and slowly walked to the side of the terrace, sliding her fingers along the wooden gate as she went. "Forgive me, Mr. Worthington, but I cannot help you. Lady Sarah is always reserved around people she doesn't know."

"Why?"

She shrugged without looking his way. "That is just the way she is." Emmie didn't want to tell him it was because she couldn't trust men. Usually when they proclaimed their love, it was only to be the earl's son-in-law and receive her dowry.

"How long have you been a lady's companion?"

She stopped at the end of the railing where a rosebush was in full bloom, and gently ran the tip of her finger around one of the yellow petals. "I don't know if she told you this, but we are distant relatives. I became a lady's companion a few years ago when I needed to find employment to help provide an income for my poor family. Her father was very generous to allow me this position in his household." She looked at him over her shoulder. "Why do you ask?"

"I just wondered why some of your personality didn't rub off on her, since the two of you have been together for a while."

She shrugged, turning her attention back to the rose. "We have only been together a few short years, as I mentioned. She grew up with privileges, and I did not. Whether or not that gave me a bolder personality, I couldn't tell you."

"Do I hear resentment in your voice?"

"I don't know. Do you?" She peeked over her shoulder.

"You almost sound like you don't like that you grew up differently."

She forced a laugh. "That's preposterous."

He moved away from the railing and came to stand by her once again. "Tell me honestly, Miss Emmie. Do you ever wish you could trade places with somebody else?"

She snapped her head around so fast that she was surprised it didn't bounce off her neck. As she stared deeply into his eyes, she wondered why he'd asked her that. Oh goodness. He couldn't possibly know the truth.

"Do you ever wish people would treat you differently?" he continued. "That you could perhaps be in someone else's place for a while? Sometimes I wonder if people would treat me differently if I were… Well, say I was a wealthy man with nice lands and a large estate. Would people treat me the same as they do now?"

She couldn't believe he was saying this. Could he read her mind? "No. You would not be treated the same. People would treat you differently because you have money." His enchanting chocolate-brown eyes met hers, and she continued. "Take, for instance, Lady Sarah. All available men are after her hand in marriage, even some of the married men." Lord Richard came to mind. The arrogant fool had married her cousin two years ago, yet continued to act as if he wanted Emmie as his wife. "It would not matter to them if Lady Sarah was pretty or ugly. They would try everything to get her attention and conquer her heart."

He nodded. "I do know how it is. That is why I sometimes wish I were a wealthy man, and even though women may think I'm attractive, I will never be anything more to them than just amusement. Women don't want to marry me."

She studied him closely. From his words and tone of voice, he felt the same way she did about marriage, which made her feel closer to him. "Is that why you are after Lady Sarah?"

Confusion clouded his face. "Pardon me?"

"Are you trying to get Lady Sarah to fall in love with you because you are an ordinary man without a title?"

His blank expression finally turned into a grin. "Is that what you think I'm trying to do?"

She shrugged. "I have seen it before. A charmingly handsome man tries to sweep the earl's daughter off her feet when he knows he has no liberty to do so."

He chuckled. "Is that why you followed us out to the statue tonight?"

Emmie gasped, her heart hammering as heat shot up her face, nearly scalding her cheeks. How did he know? Could she lie herself out of this?

He arched an eyebrow. "Were you trying to keep Lady Sarah from falling in love with an untitled man?"

Words seemed to disappear from her mind, which rarely happened. How did he know she had spied on them? Apparently, she hadn't hidden herself as well as she'd thought.

Stepping closer to her, he gently grasped her shoulders, bringing her body against his. "Or did you want to watch me kiss another woman and envision yourself in my arms instead?"

Shock waves crashed over her and her mouth hung open. His words were so appalling, even though they were close to the truth. "How dare you insinuate—"

"Miss Emmie? Do you want me to hold and kiss you, instead of Lady Sarah?"

Her breathing grew faster, and although she should slap his face, this was exactly how she felt. Excitement and anticipation shot through her. Against her will, she was being lured into his charm.

He bent his head, brushing his lips softly against her mouth. "Tell me. Do you want me to kiss you? Is that the reason your gaze followed me around all evening?"

Their closeness made her head swim and her body weaken. At the same time, his actions and truthful accusations disturbed her.

She pressed her hands against his chest and shook her head. "Mr. Worthington, you have gone too far."

He grinned. "No, I haven't, but I will now."

Pulling on her shoulders to bring her closer, he lowered his head. When she fell against him, he placed his mouth over hers. His warm lips moved sensuously back and forth across her stiff ones. She should struggle and break his hold, but his determined kiss convinced her to yield. His mouth remained soft as he pecked at her lips, urging her to open for him. Once her lips parted, his tongue slipped inside. Fireworks exploded in her mind as dizziness assailed her.

One at a time, his hands moved from her shoulders as they slipped around her back, pressing her more intimately against him. Fire consumed her the longer they kissed. Helplessness washed over her, and she hated feeling that she had no control. Her body wouldn't listen to her mind, which screamed at her to stop and push away. The strength in her hands slowly disappeared, and her lips softened and relaxed to his passionate kiss. She had never been kissed like this before, and strangely enough, she didn't mind feeling so vulnerable… if even for a few seconds.

At her surrender, he growled and turned the kiss wild. She sighed and gripped his shirt, fitting herself closer to him. But as soon as the thrill began to build, he broke the kiss and stepped back.

Her strength returned just in time. Before she melted to the ground, she steadied her legs. As the shock of the situation finally hit, disgust ran rapid inside her, more so over her weakness than his actions. Anger streaked through her, and she slapped his face.

"Indeed, you have gone too far," she said, her voice deep, still laced with passion.

His blank expression didn't change as he stared at her. She didn't know if he was angry or hurt, and she wished he would say something to let her know. His chest heaved with quick breaths, the same way hers was doing.

Finally, he nodded. "I beg your forgiveness."

He continued to stare at her for several long, agonizing minutes while she tried to get her breathing regulated. Her body shook, and she cursed herself for feeling this way around him.

Emmie gained control of her senses. She lifted her skirt to her ankles and ran into the house, all the way back to her room, where she knew she would feel safe.

Her heart beat erratically. She could not stop thinking about Mr. Worthington and that earth-shattering kiss.