Anna pulled back the green-velvet brocade of her bedroom curtains to look out at the dawn. The park around Staunton was shrouded in a thin layer of mist, but spring was in full flush, making the whole world look vibrant and sparkling and green. Not just one shade of green either, but at least twenty different shades all merging seamlessly together. It made her feel alive and happy and rejuvenated.
Now that she was at liberty to sleep in, she found she didn’t want to. She was eager to start the day, to see Samuel again, too. Unconsciously, she lifted a hand to her mouth, remembering the feeling of his lips against hers. Telling him about what had happened eight years ago, not to mention meeting her uncle and grandmother, had made her feel as if several weights had been lifted from her shoulders all at once. And the boat ride afterwards had been quite...enlightening. Kissing Samuel behind her parasol had felt wicked and thrilling at the same time. She’d told him she could get used to this kind of life and, surprisingly, she’d actually meant it. Not lounging around in boats all day, of course, but a life in the countryside. It was all so unexpectedly peaceful. And surely a countess would have a purpose in life, too. It wouldn’t all be entertaining neighbours and arranging dinner parties and picnics. She could do some good for the estate and the people who lived there. She could...
She let the curtain fall abruptly. She was getting ahead of herself. She’d agreed to think about marriage, but there was no hurry, especially when so much was still undecided. Samuel had implied that he wanted an answer before he knew what his future would be, but there wasn’t just his potential inheritance to consider. There was the matter of his grandfather’s health, too. She couldn’t marry him while she was keeping such a big secret. It would be disloyal, especially after he’d called her honest and loyal. Perhaps she ought to write to the Baroness and ask permission to tell him?
She started towards the writing desk in one corner and then stopped at the sound of a light tap on the door. At such an early hour of the morning she assumed it could only be her mother, opening her door and feeling a thrill of excitement at the sight of Samuel instead.
‘I thought you might be up already.’ He smiled, his gaze skimming over her nightgown in a way that made the skin beneath tingle. ‘Did you sleep well?’
‘Yes, thank you.’ She clutched the neck of her nightgown self-consciously. It was warm enough that she hadn’t felt the need for a wrap and the top ribbon must have come undone while she slept, letting the edges fall open. By contrast, Samuel was already dressed, albeit casually, in a loose-fitting shirt and trousers paired with Hessian boots. Judging by the swathe of dark stubble on his chin, he hadn’t shaved yet, either. ‘What about you?’
‘Surprisingly well, all things considered.’ He pressed one hand against the door frame. ‘I had quite lucid dreams.’
‘Oh?’
‘You might be better not knowing,’ he teased. ‘But I’m here with an invitation. I met with the estate steward last night and he told me something you might be interested in. It’s in the gardens so I thought we could go and see if it’s true together. Meet me in the hall in ten minutes?’
‘Sooner than that.’ She didn’t even pause to consider. ‘Give me five.’
Hurriedly, she closed the door, divesting herself of her nightgown and replacing it with a plain blue muslin dress and woollen shawl. Her hair was already impossible, most of it having escaped from its braid to surround her face with a mass of tight, bouncy curls, but she was in too much of a hurry now to do anything about it.
‘I’m ready.’ She hurried down to the hall where Samuel was waiting, speaking in a loud whisper so as not to disturb the rest of the household.
‘I’m impressed. I know sailors who take longer when we beat to quarters.’
He gave her a conspiratorial grin, opened the front door and they crept out together. There was still a chill in the air, accompanied by a faint smell of dampness, but as they walked around the east side of the house and out of the shadows, she was enveloped in a burst of morning sunshine.
‘Now can you tell me where we’re going?’ she asked as they hurried across the lawn.
‘You’ll see in a few minutes. According to the steward there’s a path leading through the woods.’
They found it easily, though it was less of a path than a trail, meandering lazily back and forth beneath a canopy of silver birch and oak. The trees were mostly leafless, but the ground beneath was carpeted with old leaves and branches.
‘Wait.’ Samuel came to a halt as the trees started to thin again. ‘Close your eyes.’
‘Close my eyes?’ She gave him a sceptical look. ‘That doesn’t seem like a very intelligent thing to do in a wood. What if I walk into a trunk or trip over a root?’
‘I won’t let you, I promise. Take my hand and I’ll lead the way.’
‘All right.’ She did as he asked, every nerve ending quivering as his fingers closed around hers. Neither of them were wearing any gloves and the touch of skin against skin sent a thrill of excitement racing down her spine.
‘It’s just a few more steps. Here we are.’ Samuel sounded distinctly proud of himself when they stopped walking again. ‘You can open them now.’
Anna opened her eyes and gasped. They were standing on the rim of a dip in the tree-lined hillside that contained a spectacular water garden. There was a waterfall at one end, about ten feet in height, pouring into a river that ran in a perfectly straight line down the valley. To her delight there was even a bridge and some stepping stones connecting the two banks of the river, on both sides of which were a series of circular and semi-circular pools, each with a statue in the centre.
‘It’s beautiful.’ She breathed a sigh of admiration and then laughed. ‘And I was afraid that you’d miss being close to the water! Can we go down for a closer look?’
He grinned, as if he’d been hoping for such a response, and led her down a series of small wooden steps. He was still holding on to her hand, she noticed, though she made no attempt to pull hers away, either. Somehow it felt right, as if their fingers were meant to be entwined.
‘It’s like a secret garden,’ she marvelled as they wandered slowly towards the river.
‘It’s supposed to be. The steward said that my cousin had it built about eighteen years ago. The river used to be wider, but he had it reshaped and channelled into these ponds. Apparently, he wanted it hidden away so he could surprise visitors.’
‘He succeeded in that. What are the statues?’
‘They’re mostly Grecian, I believe. This one, for example, appears to be two sirens.’
‘You really must feel at home.’
‘I’m not sure sirens are a good sign. I was fortunate enough never to meet any at sea.’ His fingers tightened subtly. ‘Only on shore.’
She gave him a chiding look. ‘I’m not a siren.’
‘No? You lure men into your shop with sugary treats.’
‘You make them sound like horses. They’re perfectly at liberty to walk past.’ She stopped halfway across the bridge and looked around. ‘This is stunning.’
‘It is...’ He kept his gaze on her as he spoke. ‘But there’s one more thing I want to show you.’
‘More than all of this?’
‘This is impractical. Beautiful, yes, but not even knee-deep by the look of it. No use at all for swimming.’
‘I can’t swim.’
‘Then you’re in good company.’ He grinned and tugged on her hand again, leading her up the side of the waterfall and back into the trees. ‘Neither can most of the men in the King’s Navy.’
‘Isn’t that dangerous?’
‘Not as long as they stay on board their ships, but it’s a good idea to learn.’
‘Not today, thank you.’
‘I had a feeling you’d say that, but you can still plunge.’
‘I can do what?’ She stared at the waterfall with trepidation. ‘Surely you don’t want me to jump off?’
‘Not the waterfall, no. In there.’ He gestured towards a small, square-shaped pool set off to one side. ‘It’s called a plunge pool. Very good for the circulation.’
‘An outdoor bath?’ She crouched down, dipping her fingers into the water and then jolting upright again. ‘It’s freezing!’
‘That’s why it’s good for the circulation.’
‘I am not jumping in there.’
‘You don’t have to literally jump. There’s a ladder.’
‘Absolutely not. A morning stroll is one thing, plunging is quite another.’
‘Suit yourself.’ He started to unbutton his coat. ‘But you’ll feel better if you do, trust me.’
‘I feel perfectly fine now.’ Her jaw dropped as his overcoat fell to the ground. ‘You mean you intend to...?’
‘I’m afraid so.’
‘Samuel!’ She spun around as he hoisted his shirt up over his head, though not before she caught a glimpse of a taut stomach and muscular chest, liberally sprinkled with dark hair. ‘Is this how you wash on board ship? You just plunge into the ocean?’
‘It depends where we are. The English Channel is generally too cold so we use barrels on deck, but a dip in the Caribbean can be quite pleasant.’
‘What about sharks?’
‘We use sails to make an enclosed pool over the side. It’s a relief to have everyone smelling fresh again, believe me.’
‘Oh.’ She closed her eyes at the sound of more rustling. ‘Please tell me you’re not taking your trousers off.’
‘Not just them.’ She could hear the laughter in his voice. ‘I can hardly go back to the house in wet clothes. People will think you pushed me into the river.’
‘Better that than them thinking you undressed in front of me!’
‘Behind you and I thought you said you weren’t bothered about being compromised.’
‘That doesn’t mean I want to see you naked!’
‘Ah, that’s where we differ, then.’ His voice turned decidedly wicked. ‘Because I’m rather curious about seeing you.’
There was an abrupt splash, followed by a spray of water on to the back of her dress.
‘Ow!’ She clutched at her skirts.
‘Ow?’ That time he laughed outright. ‘Did the water hurt?’
‘No, but you’ve got me wet.’
‘So I have. Perhaps you ought to let your dress dry in the sun and join me?’
‘I am not bathing outdoors!’ She lifted her chin pointedly. ‘How is it?’
‘Like I’m back where I belong.’ There was a taunting pause. ‘Surely you’re not scared of a little water?’
‘If you think that goading me will work then you’re mistaken. I’m not afraid, just...modest.’
‘Spoken like a true lady.’
‘A la—!’ She whirled around on the spot, putting her hands on her hips to glare at him and then blushing all the way from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. He was standing in the middle of the pool, his biceps bulging visibly as he pushed his hands through slicked-back, soaking wet hair. As he moved towards her water cascaded over his shoulders and the almost impossibly sculpted-looking muscles of his chest, making his skin seem to glisten. She couldn’t see any further down, but having grown up in close quarters with a younger brother, she knew what was there.
‘I...’ She felt at a momentary loss for words, wishing she hadn’t spun around quite so fast after all. Now she felt more than a little breathless.
‘Changed your mind?’ He lifted an eyebrow.
‘Only if you look the other way.’ Somehow she forced the words out. Having turned around simply to argue with him, it was the only way she could now think of to make him turn away since her own eyes and feet seemed incapable of moving. Not to mention the fact that a cold dip suddenly seemed like a very good, very practical idea.
He turned his back obediently and she wriggled out of her gown, hesitating briefly over her undergarments before conceding that he was right and there really was no point in getting them wet. If she didn’t remove them, they’d only make her dress damp afterwards, which someone would be bound to notice...
‘Wait.’ She paused with her chemise halfway over her hips. ‘What are we going to dry ourselves on afterwards?’
‘A few laps around the garden ought to do the trick.’ There was laughter in his voice again. ‘Or you can use my shirt if you’d rather the swans didn’t watch you.’
‘Very funny.’ She tugged off her drawers and stockings, folding them neatly on the side of the pool before dipping her toes nervously into the water, keeping her eyes fixed on his back the whole time.
‘It’s best to get it over with.’ He half turned his head, causing her to drop down into a crouching position. ‘It’ll be a shock for a moment, but you’ll get used to it soon enough.’
‘I don’t want to catch a chill.’
‘You’re more likely to if you stand there dithering on the edge. Sometimes you need to stop thinking and let go, Anna.’
Somehow those words did the trick. Before she knew what she was doing she’d placed her palms down flat on the ground beside her and pushed herself over the edge, dropping quickly into the pool and spluttering with shock as ice-cold water enveloped her body.
‘Feels good, doesn’t it?’ Samuel started to turn around again.
‘Wait!’ Instinctively, she lifted her hands to cover her breasts. ‘Don’t look!
‘Why not?’ He kept turning, though he slowed his pace. ‘You’re under the water. I can barely see anything.’
‘Barely?’ Despite the cold, she dipped lower under the surface, wondering how she could still be blushing when all her extremities felt as if they were about to fall off.
‘I wasn’t sure that you’d do it.’ He grinned, looking boyish and genuinely pleased. ‘You should dip your head under, too. Now that you’ve come this far...’
‘I don’t want...’
‘Just take a deep breath like this.’ He puffed his cheeks out, making a deliberately comical expression as he ducked under the surface and then sprang up again, shaking his head like a dog.
‘Well, I might as well now.’ She covered her face with her hands as water flew in every direction. ‘Since you’ve made me wet enough already. Oh, bother, I’d better untie my hair or it’ll end up in more knots.’ She reached for the ribbon at the end of her braid, pulling it away and running her fingers through the lengths so that it unravelled in a mass of ringlets. As usual, they seemed to spring sideways, rather than downwards.
‘They’re like spirals.’ Samuel’s gaze was arrested. ‘May I?’
She nodded, and he reached for one of the curls, smoothing it gently between his fingers. ‘You’re beautiful, Anna.’
Immediately, she opened her mouth to deny it and then stopped. Something in his voice told her he meant it. He really did think she was beautiful. She’d never thought of herself as a person who needed compliments before, but now the words made her feel warm and tingly inside. Which was ironic considering how cold the rest of her felt and it was about to get colder...
She drew in a deep breath, bent her knees and then dipped under the surface, screwing her eyes shut as her ears filled with a whooshing sound.
‘Oomph!’ she exclaimed as she burst out of the water again, making a point of shaking her head at him. ‘Take that!’
‘Spoken like a true siren.’ He laughed, unperturbed. ‘Now, tell me the truth—doesn’t that feel better?’
‘Yes’ she agreed in surprise. Now that her body was getting used to the cold, it was actually invigorating.
‘I hate to say I told you so.’ He bobbed closer towards her.
‘Then don’t. Gloating doesn’t become you, Captain.’ She found herself taking another deep breath as she stared back at him. They were standing far too close together, less than an arm’s length apart, although considering the fact that they were both naked, proximity was really the least of her worries. Oddly enough, however, she wasn’t worried. The whole situation felt intimate and natural, as if the water itself was trying to sweep them together. She felt a powerful urge to reach out and touch him, to find out if his chest felt as solid as it looked.
‘You know, I’ve been thinking about our conversation yesterday.’ His gaze darkened, as if he were feeling the same impulse to touch her.
‘Oh?’ Her heartbeat quickened at the reminder. ‘Which part?’
‘About love and what it feels like. I even went to the library to look it up.’
‘Love?’
He nodded, grazing his fingers lightly against the sides of her shoulders. ‘According to Dr Johnson there are several definitions, but essentially it means “to regard with passionate affection”. That struck me as fitting.’
‘I suppose so.’ Her lips and throat felt very dry all of a sudden.
‘Then I read a few poems to be sure. They were slightly more dramatic, but the gist was the same.’ He paused, his gaze profound and yet wondering at the same time. ‘Which led me to only one conclusion.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yes.’ His hands curled gently around her upper arms, drawing her towards him. ‘Then it struck me that my first proposal wasn’t very romantic, so...’
‘Samuel!’ she shrieked, grabbing hold of his shoulders as he started to lower himself back under the water. ‘What are you doing?’
‘Going down on bended knee.’
‘You can’t do that in a pool!’
‘Why not? Apart from anything else, it gives me a chance to look at you properly.’
‘That’s what I’m afraid of.’
‘Are you?’ His voice sounded guttural. ‘Are you afraid of me, Anna?’
‘Not you, but...’ she gestured at their surroundings ‘...all of this.’
‘I know.’ He stood up again, turning sombre. ‘I know that it’s not what you or I want, but it’s made me think about what I do want and that’s you. I’m in love with you, Annabelle Claudia Teresa Fortini, and I want to be with you no matter what the future holds. But...’ he winced guiltily ‘...I promised you time to think about it.’
‘I don’t need time.’ She lifted her hands to his chest. ‘I love you, too, and I want to be with you...’ she swallowed ‘...no matter what the future holds.’
It must have been the cold, she thought, making her say crazy, impulsive things. To her numb ears it sounded as if she’d just accepted his proposal—a proposal she would have considered out of the question just a few days before, which meant turning her whole life upside down, leaving her shop and becoming a countess if he inherited the estate. She didn’t know which was crazier, the fact that she’d just agreed or that she meant it.
‘Is that a yes?’ He looked taken aback, as if he thought she were toying with him.
‘I...’ She took a few seconds to make sure that she wasn’t delirious. ‘Yes. Yes, it is. I’ll marry you, whoever you are—’
She didn’t get any further as he caught her around the waist, dragging the whole length of her body tightly against his and crushing his lips to hers. His body was substantially warmer than the pool, she noticed, encouraging her to slide her arms around his neck and push herself even closer, kissing him back even when his tongue slid between her lips. That was warm, too. Warm and soft and searching, heating her up from the inside as if he were determined to explore every part of her mouth. The water between them made their bodies slick, moulding her breasts to his chest as heat stoked and scorched between them. Her legs seemed to float up from the bottom of the pool of their own accord, wrapping around his waist as if it were the most natural position in the world.
The water was seething around them now, splashing over the edge as Samuel curled his hands beneath her thighs and lifted her higher, dragging his mouth away from hers to run it over her throat and each of her breasts. She let out a low moan, excited by the combination of hot kisses and cold water, her whole body aching with a quivering, yearning sensation deep in her abdomen.
‘Breakfast.’ He broke away abruptly, setting her apart and lowering her gently back into the water.
‘What?’ For a moment, she couldn’t make sense of the word. ‘Are you hungry?’
‘Not for that.’ His gaze still burned with heat. ‘But we should get back. The others will be getting up.’
‘Oh!’ She felt a sudden rush of blood to the head. He was right. If they weren’t careful, the whole household would see them traipsing back to the house together in broad daylight and it would be hard to look anything other than guilty. Not that it necessarily mattered now they were engaged...though the very idea seemed to make her feel dizzy.
‘Where’s the ladder?’ She looked around the edge of the pool.
‘Over here.’ He led her towards the rungs and then proceeded to ignore them himself, using his arms to hoist his body out of the pool with ease. Anna started to climb out, too, and then stopped self-consciously. It was one thing to be engaged, another for them to see each other completely naked. Which seemed ridiculous considering where her legs had just been, but she still didn’t dare to peek upwards, no matter how great the temptation.
‘Here.’ He passed his jacket across to her and then turned away, seeming to sense her unease. ‘I won’t look, I promise.’
‘Thank you.’ She climbed out and then rubbed herself down quickly, wringing the moisture out of her sopping wet hair before wriggling back into her clothes. It was strange to feel shy again, but she did. She’d never behaved so outrageously in her whole life—or at least not since she’d accepted an invitation to go walking eight years ago... That thought alone gave her pause, but she didn’t want to think about that, not any more. She wanted to do what her heart told her and her heart wanted Samuel.
She loved him, she trusted him and she was going to marry him, no matter what the future held.