Chapter Four

L iddy was amazed at her nerve. But as she thought about her situation over the past several days, she could not afford to wait for Alec to make the first move. He was unfailingly polite and always the gentleman. However, Liddy needed to hasten the pace of their flirtation. Their courtship? She hoped so.

Tonight was her opportunity to find out just how serious Alec Kirkwood was. They had flirted earlier in the fall and more seriously now she was back in town. But if her father had his way, she would soon become Mrs. Iain MacGill, a fate she could not tolerate.

Alec walked beside her down the long steps at the side of the house that led to an area not so well lit as the rest of the garden. Here the oak trees wrapped their low branches around passers-by, hiding them from the sights and sounds of the party.

"There is a bench back here among the roses," Liddy told him, "with space enough for both of us."

"I will trust your knowledge. I have rarely been here."

She glanced up at him, the hooded cape and silver half-masking hiding all but the determined chin and generous mouth. "Truly? This is among the most famous homes in Wilmington. At one time, it was the site of the jail."

A deep chuckle traveled to her over the night air. "That would explain the astounding spaciousness of the basement level, I suppose."

"There are still actual cells in the back, though I doubt seriously they are ever used for anything more than storage." She paused as she spied the gleam of the stone bench. "Ah, here we are."

Alec waited politely while she seated herself. When he hesitated, Liddy patted the stone next to her. She was slightly breathless at her boldness.

"Please, won't you join me? We scarce have any uninterrupted time in which to talk."

He pushed back the hood of his cape, swept the material to one side, and seated himself next to her. Liddy inhaled deeply. While the roses were long gone, she smelled the fragrant witch hazel planted just behind them. The aroma that truly drew her attention though was the spicy citrus scent that tickled her nostrils as Alec moved his cloak to one side.

"Can we take our masks off now that we are away from the crowd?" he asked.

She answered by untying the ribbons holding hers. He did likewise, holding out his hand for hers and placing them both at the far end of the bench. When he twisted back in her direction, he took her hand in both of his.

"How are you? I feel as if weeks have passed instead of days since I last had the chance to talk with you. Have you had a chance to read the Chaucer volume?"

"Oh, yes. And after Papa has grumbled and cursed over your broadsheets, I have read those as well. You are an excellent writer, Alec."

His thumb rubbed over the back of her glove, the motion heating her skin beneath and making her stomach flutter. "I'm afraid that words eventually will not be enough. We are destined for conflict. It might be sooner rather than later."

Liddy sighed. "I know you are right. As the tensions increase, so does my father's determination to link his business and fortunes with Mr. MacGill. I suppose he sees it as securing my future."

"With you as the way to close the deal?" Alec raised her hand to his lips, pressing a kiss in her palm. "I would not see that happen."

She took a shaky breath. "Me either."

"Are your affections engaged elsewhere?" Even in the near darkness, she saw the intensity of Alec's gaze.

"You must know they are, Alec." Her breathlessness returned.

"I have hoped. Shall we test the depth of that?"

She thought he would never ask and dreamed for a kiss to test it. However, not ever having been kissed before, Liddy was not sure how to take the next step. "Yes," she whispered.

Alec bent his head as he slowly drew her glove down her arm, baring the delicate inside of her wrist. Liddy stifled a soft gasp as he pressed his lips there, the tip of his tongue tickling the sensitive skin.

"That pleases you?" he asked, raising his head and leaning toward her.

"Yes." When had her voice gotten so shaky?

He tilted his head, brushing his lips along her cheek and nuzzling the skin behind her ear.

"Alec." His touch sent a delicious shiver through her.

"More?" Was there a hint of laughter in that one word?

"Do not laugh at me," she admonished, starting to draw away. How could he tease when his lips and tongue were making her insides quiver?

"Never, my sweet. I would give you more but only with your permission."

"Then do so." Forever. She had never felt anything like this. Surely, it could not get even more pleasurable. But she could hope.

This time he scooted closer, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist bringing her tightly against his muscular frame. "Ah, Liddy. You have no idea what you do to me. How I have longed for this moment almost from the very first sight of you."

From the very first sight of her? Then it had not been as one-sided as she had feared. She traced a finger down his lean cheek. "Kiss me, then."

"Most gladly."

His lips were gentle, exploring sweetly and then more urgently. As he had done with her wrist, he teased her mouth with the tip of his tongue until she parted her lips. The feel of him kissing her was as heady as any perfume. She slid her hand up to tangle in the hair he had tied back, wanting to undo the ribbon and leather that held it so she could run her fingers through it.

As they continued to kiss, Liddy felt the heat pooling deep in her belly. She wanted him to touch her, and when his finger trailed along the edge of her bodice, she moaned. This was far more than she had anticipated, and yet not as much as she now desired.

"Alec..." she trailed off as he eased back from her.

"I hear someone approaching." He drew her glove back up along her forearm and handed her mask to her before tying on his own and flipping his hood over his head. Liddy quickly fastened the ribbons of her own mask and adjusted her bodice. Whoever was approaching was now making no secret of it.

Through the darkness, Phoebe whispered, "Your papa has arrived, Liddy."

Alec stood, taking a step back from them and bowing to Phoebe. "The two of you should return together. I'll follow in a few minutes."

Liddy knew it was the right thing to do, but she was loath to leave him. She pressed her fingers to her swollen lips and held his gaze. "I think we have discovered the answer to your earlier question."

She only hoped he understood where her affections were engaged.

"We have indeed, Miss Fennell. May I reserve a dance with you later?"

"Yes. Of course."

As Phoebe tugged her along, Liddy glanced over her shoulder. Alec stood in the shadows, but she felt his gaze still lingering on her, warming her.

"Stop staring at him and hurry. Your papa has already been looking for you." Phoebe wrapped her arm through Liddy's as they hurried up the steps to the brightly lit wraparound porch. "We are going to slip in through the French doors in the music room. There are plants next to them that will conceal our entrance."

"Is this really necessary?" Liddy asked with a half laugh.

Phoebe paused for a moment and stared at her incredulously. "Perhaps not if you had waited more than a minute before disappearing with Alec."

"It is a masked ball. No one knows who I am."

"Except your papa! Ah... here we are. Get out your fan. Pretend we have been here for some time enjoying the cooler night air."

Liddy wasn't sure any of this was at all necessary, but she would play along. Phoebe had never failed to have her back before.

*

Alec took his time returning from the garden. For one thing, sharing kisses with Liddy had left him more aroused than he would have expected. He had kissed other women before, but without such an immediate effect. Liddy was the reason. He sucked in a deep breath. He had never met anyone like her.

His gaze narrowed on where Liddy and Phoebe were ascending the steps. Phoebe was definitely bending her friend's ear. As his gaze traveled around the yard, he spotted Amos Fennell checking his surroundings, Iain MacGill at his side. It wasn't difficult to recognize either man, as poorly disguised as they were, merely holding masks on sticks in front of their faces. Fortunately, both men were looking in the exact opposite direction from Liddy and Phoebe.

Alec sighed. He would have to tread carefully. Tonight was not the time to reveal his interest in Liddy, but it would have to be soon. Fennell was making it more than obvious what his intentions were, and Iain MacGill would be a fool should he not go along with the plan. Together, the two would control a majority of the shipping business in Wilmington.

Alec worked his way around the edges of the garden, greeting a few people who he knew well, sharing conversation with them, and then moving on. His intentions were to dance with Liddy, preferably a minuet because he was almost positive that Iain MacGill would be as heavy of foot as he was heavy-handed with his servants.

His opportunity came halfway through the evening. Liddy was within sight of her father, but not so close that the man could prevent her dancing with Alec. As he bowed in front of Liddy, asking her for the next dance, she waved her fan over the lower half of her face, her eyes glowing green behind her glittering mask.

"I should like above all else to dance with you, sir."

There were no dances that allowed them to stay in constant contact with each other, but Alec took advantage of the movements of the minuet when he held her hand to gently squeeze her fingers. Their gazes held, and the emotion in hers made his heart beat heavier and his will to have her forge into steel.

Never would he let a man like Iain MacGill put his hands on her. How her father thought that was a suitable match for his only child, Alec could not conceive. The man was nearly as old as her father and portly enough that he wheezed when he walked. Then there was the manner in which he conducted his business, selling imported goods at outrageous prices while paying only a pittance for goods from fellow colonials.

As Alec escorted Liddy from the floor, he whispered low for her ears only, "If I can arrange an invitation for you to visit the Baker-Whites tomorrow afternoon, can you come?"

"I believe so. Papa usually works on his books in his office after church services."

He squeezed her hand before releasing her fingers. "Then I will see you receive an invitation."

Alec realized he had drawn her father's attention and decided it might be for the best were he to make himself scarce. Fennell was a powerful man who would no doubt be a worthy foe, especially if he suspected that Alec meant to foil his plans for Liddy.