Chapter 13

"Your horse quite likes me."

As chat-up lines went, this was certainly one of the more inventive. Lissie had to give him that. As she settled back into the wagon, one eye on the cool June night, Lissie summoned her strength.

It was late. From the position of the stars, Lissie could understand that Annice would be furious at her for coming home so late. Heavens knew what Annice would say, and still, they had not departed!

The wagoner had had problems, firstly with the wheel, and then with the horses. The delay had caused them to be stationary for much of the night—just her and Will together in the coach.

Outside, the air was cool and clear. Overhead, the moon shone down, almost as strong as the light of the sun. Perfume filled the air as the skies danced with flowers. Looking up, a million dandelion clocks had blown out into the open air.

Lissie breathed deep. It was fresh and clear, a welcome relief from the stuffy feast. All the same, she shivered beneath her thin shawl.

"Here." Will"s hand came upon her, wrapping around her shoulders a shawl. The sensation of his hand on her flesh was unnerving—she had to do everything in her power not to jump—but she just about managed to turn to him coolly.

"Thank ye," she said, getting comfortable on the wagon. At last, the wagoner was boarding the seat, looking ready to leave. Snugly, she relaxed into the softness of the wool around her, her fingers unraveling its threads as she did. Slowly, she realized it was more a blanket than a fashioned garment, but Lissie cared not what she looked like right then.

She was more than ready to go to sleep when Will"s hand came up beside her.

"Are you alright, miss?" he asked gently as she yawned into sleep. She couldn"t help it. Too much mead and the hot room had taken their toll.

When she looked around, Lissie was surprised to discover her head lying on Will"s shoulder. This was not what she had expected. Swiftly sitting up, Lissie straightened herself together.

"Och, pardon me," she whispered, embarrassed.

"Do not bother yourself, my darling," murmured Will.

His voice was honeyed and sweet. Lissie liked the sound of it, the soft edge that caressed her ears. But even so, she was a bit surprised to hear the tenderness within.

Lissie blinked awake. "I shouldnae..." she said, primly retrieving her shawl—or blanket—and struggling to extricate herself from his grip.

It was hard. Even without touching, his eyes tapped hers, and she was forced to give him the attention he craved. Now they were moving, the dark countryside passing by in a blur. Lissie watched from the top of the wagon and sighed.

Tonight had been fun but also a lot of effort. Keeping the act up was wearing, and Lissie was exhausted. For a while, she dozed, but every time she peeked, it was to see him watching her with a curious expression on his face.

What does he see in me?she wondered, her mind cutting back to their first encounter. It was on the bridge; she was worn and spent, and Will had been the only man kind enough to help.

She had been entranced from the start; she was poor and not from his world. And he was gentle and sweet. Pulling her lips into a line, Lissie wondered, did he recognize her from then? It did not show on his face if he did.

Together, through the dark, she caught his face. There was a look, a guilty one, as he regarded her lustily. She knew what he meant.

Will placed an experimental hand on her neck, running his index finger down her shoulder. A shiver bolted through her, thumping down into her base. Something deep twitched within her, making her sigh and ache. Sheer pleasure ran through her.

Blushing profusely, Lissie sought to extricate herself from Will"s grip. Of course, it was not really a grip, and, of course, he had barely touched her. Which made Lissie"s reaction all the more surprising. Moving a little, she shook off his hand, leaving Will uncertain and alone.

"I made friends with your horse," Will continued, as if she knew what he was talking about.

Perhaps she didn"t, but it got Lissie"s attention all the same. She could not help herself from stopping and looking more closely.

Will"s sky-blue eyes chinked in the moonlight. They had an eerie quality in the silver light.

"Pardon?" said Lissie, drawn in.

A shiver ran around the air. There, in the jet black of the country, Lissie struggled to make out a single thing at all. With the manor house far behind them and the gate to London some way ahead, it was impossible to see a thing in the pitch dark. Pulling her shawl around her tightly, Lissie wondered how the wagoner could even see a thing at all.

In fact, was it even safe, she pondered, as the wagon traversed the muddy track toward the town?

"Your horse, Clementine," Will said. "I took her home."

"Florentine," Lissie automatically corrected. Their eyes connected for a moment as Will"s flickered.

"Florentine," he continued. "Well, I think she likes me. And she was very easy to ride."

"Wait, you actually rode her?" Instantly, Lissie turned around. She was speechless, staring at Will. This was the reaction he needed: immediately, a big grin was plastered across his face.

"I certainly did," said Will. "And she found the whole way home in the dark with nary a crack o" the whip from me!"

"Hmm," murmured Lissie noncommittally. She couldn"t decide whether Will was telling the truth or not. It was hard to tell. There was a twinkling in his eye, as if he were playing with her somehow.

"She missed you," remarked Will, his eyebrow arched. "And so did I!"

Now Lissie brought her eyes suspiciously to Will, who smiled.

"I missed you. The way you slipped off that evening... And I have missed you ever since. Each ruined evening, where I am waiting home on my own."

Lissie narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

"Ruined evening, ye say?" she said, with a half-hearted smile. "Well, perchance Lady Caroline or Lady Lettice could help ye get over yer loneliness."

By now, the countryside was rushing past, a haze of spinning brushland and fields. Until now, Lissie had not appreciated how far out of London they were.

"Lettie?" asked Will, his eyes widening in surprise. "What about her?" He looked intently at Lissie without blinking.

"I mean…" said Lissie, refusing to be drawn into his ceaseless gaze. "That the pair o" ye were awfu" pally, that"s all. So I dinnae really ken that ye were sitting home all on yer lonesome."

Her eyes flashed in the silver light. And deep down, Lissie felt something tight, like a ball hardening within her. But to her annoyance, Will just laughed.

"Pally!" He smirked. "Oh, that is very funny, very funny indeed!"

To Lissie"s continued annoyance, Will was still in high dudgeon.

"I"m glad ye think so," she pouted, sticking her head to the other side. Suddenly, she did not even want to look at him. She was so mad. "After all, ye seemed to get on braw together!"

"I mean, she"s well-born, connected, and rich," said Will, his eyes flashing brightly. "Highly educated and refined..."

Clearly, he was trying to draw her in, but Lissie refused to be drawn. She just felt a big knot tensing in her stomach as he complimented Lettie. Lissie hated herself. She looked at Will, who was grinning, his face tilted to one side in the hopes of catching her eye.

"And got an awful big high forehead to go with her awfully big opinion of herself," Will added, his sharp tongue trying to smooth things over. "And more to the point, just isn"t you." He smiled.

Fury clouded Lissie"s face. She wanted to slap him, although she did not know why.

Before she had a chance to speak, Will turned to her mockingly.

"Although, I could see you amusing yourself," he added, with the sliest of glances. "With my brother. Is there anything I should know there? Wedding bells, perchance?"

Lissie felt something inside her snap.

"Yer brother? Trenton?" It took just about every shred of decency in her not to laugh out loud at the prospect of Trenton, but she pulled back. It was not Trenton she was mad at.

"Yes, my brother," replied Will crisply, his eyes pressing firmly on her. "Why the surprise? Many ladies have fallen for his nebulous charms."

Will flicked his eyes, which caught in the gossamer light. They were strange and mocking, doing nothing to restore Lissie"s temper.

"Your brother is braw company," asserted Lissie. "But I cannae for the life o" me see why it matters. Ye were clearly nae interested in me, so..."

The wagon had slowed to a halt. Fearing that the wagoner was about to stop again and work endlessly on the wheel, Lissie leaped up.

"Not interested?" Will"s ears appeared to prick up. He looked confounded. "Where on Earth did you get this, I am?—"

"Well, ye picked an awfu" funny way o" showing it," said Lissie, steam building within her. Hotly, she glanced around the coach. They seemed to have come to a sudden stop. "Ye cannae complain about me an" Trenton when ye an" Lettie have?—"

The end of the sentence never came because Will leaned over and simply kissed her words away.

"Will," gasped Lissie. She wiped her face expectantly. The texture of his lips was upon her, soft and deep, sending a profound thrill through her.

Will"s face was buried deep in her own. He caressed her warm and deep, his sensuous kiss tingling deliciously. He barely gave her time to think nor space to move. But it didn"t matter. Lissie was in no hurry to let go.

Will caressed the back of her neck, sending her into shivers of ecstasy. Lissie couldn"t help it. She kissed him back, then, bringing her hands around his back, held him tight. And for a moment, she bathed in the feeling that his body held. It felt warm. And right.

Will"s eyes lightened, catching her in his light blue gaze. Softly, he ruffled her hair, bringing her headdress off in a trice. Now her long hair ruffled around her back, tempting Will"s fingers to caress it more. This was beatific. This felt right. Lissie felt her cheeks burn as everything collapsed into a warm, soft haze.

As the kiss developed, stinging her senses and giving her heat, Lissie wanted more. But she knew she could not. The wagoner had brought them to the roadside, where he had alighted to tinker with the wheel.

All this happened while he was gone, but he would not be gone long, and at any moment could reappear. Knowing that their time was short, Lissie struggled to regain control of herself. Fervently, she pulled back.

"Will, what are ye doing?" she asked, although she knew all too well what he was doing. And she did not want it to stop. All the same, she disengaged from his kiss.

Now Will stopped.

"I-I am sorry," he said, chastened. In an eye blink, he moved suddenly away, setting a firm distance between the pair of them.

From outside the coach, the wagoner repaired the wheel and was preparing to take the reins again.

To begin with, Lissie thought nothing of Will"s retreat as he sat back beside her, arms folded.

He"s just waiting for the coach to start,she thought. And she waited as he cracked the whip and drove the wagon forward. Fields passed in a haze of black-gray. Bit by bit, London inched closer. There it was, in the distance and the haze.

Night rendered it black, but there were signs of life—the flickering light of fire from the houses and occasional torchlight in the streets. They were growing nearer all this time, getting closer to her cousin"s house. Yet, Will barely looked at her. Hurt, Lissie began to realize that he was deliberately avoiding her gaze.

"Will?" she asked unhappily. She forced him to face her, her cheeks burning with pain.

Guiltily, Will looked at her.

"Lissie, I am sorry. I don"t know what came over me. I should never..."

Tears building in her head, Lissie could hardly bear to hear the words.

"It is my fault, Lissie. I am sorry that I am weak," Will told her. But she could not look him in the eye. She wanted to spit.

"Please, pray forgive me?" Will asked her.

But she could not.

"Ask a priest if ye want absolution," she said, her temper rising. Inside, she was having trouble stilling her heart, which had taken off at a pace far exceeding their poor, broken-down coach.

They had never got quite started after their ordeal with the wheel. A bit like how Lissie felt now. She was on the wrong foot with something that needed repairing. Something far more difficult than a broken wheel.

Taking advantage of the troubled wheel, Lissie cried out, "Driver, stop the wagon! I need to get out!"

"Lissie!" called Will in protest. He put his hand out to stop her. But Lissie shook her head. They were nearly home, the streets of London becoming visible through the cold mist.

"Driver, please!" shouted Lissie. She was adamant, although the wagoner was not.

"Miss, ye can"t!" the fellow said, but he had already slowed to a stop.

Before he even did, Lissie leaped out. She didn"t care that she landed in the mud, dirtying her long frock and scuffing her shoes. None of it mattered. From inside the coach, Will was preparing to follow her. But she shot him a look of pure hurt.

Dinnae ye dare, ye roaster. Go bile yer heid, her eyes said, but somehow, her lips did not. Instead, she fixed him with a formal smile.

"It"s no fash," she said breezily. "An" ye are right. We cannae be together. Ye are destined for a society lady. An", well, I am nae one. I sincerely hope ye"ll be happy wi" Lettice."

"Lissie?" he called.

Lissie skipped away before he could see the tears welling up in her eyes. As she did, a shoe came loose in the mud. In despair, she kicked it away. Unexpectedly, it flew through the air, nearly hitting him on the forehead. Never mind. At least it was enough to give her a head start.

As Lissie ran barefoot through the London streets, she cursed the day she had ever met Will Rothingham.