‘I have had enough of adventure. It is time I settled down.’
She nodded. He was a man of means, it would be very sensible to settle down, marry and have children. Her head jerked up. The thought of Jack taking a wife hit her with such force she felt as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over her.
He stopped.
‘Is something wrong? Are you cold, do you want to go indoors?’
‘N-no, a sudden chill, nothing more,’ she said quickly. ‘Do let us continue, the gardens have a different kind of beauty in the moonlight.’
‘Very well, but I cannot have you catching cold.’
He shrugged himself out of his coat and placed it around her, his hands resting on her shoulders for a moment. The action was so personal, so intimate that Eloise was obliged to set her jaw hard to stifle a gasp. The air, so calm a moment ago, now seemed charged with expectation. She knew a brief disappointment when he stepped back and waited for her to stroll on. She stole a glance at him. An exquisitely tailored waistcoat hugged his body, accentuating the broad shoulders. She was dazzled by the whiteness of his billowing shirtsleeves and the tumbling folds of his neckcloth. She found her eyes wandering down the tapering form. The slim hips and flat abdomen drew her attention, as did the strongly muscled thighs outlined by the pantaloons. Swallowing, she dragged her gaze back to his face, but the sight of his clean, chiselled jaw and raven-black hair gave her no relief from the sudden fire that was engulfing her. She realised Jack was watching her, a faint, glinting smile in his eyes. Heavens, had she considered him an adventurer? He was far more dangerous than that! She looked away and began to walk again, this time at a much quicker pace.
‘We should not linger, sir, or it is you who might catch a chill. I see a balustrade directly ahead of us. Is that the end of the garden?’
‘Yes, it runs along a high ridge. There is a fine view of the park from that point.’
Eloise walked on. The scrunch of the gravel beneath her firm step was reassuringly crisp and business-like. The major had fallen in beside her, his long legs allowing him to take a much more leisurely stride.
‘I understand Mortimer will be joining us tomorrow.’ His voice was perfectly calm. ‘Renwick tells me you particularly asked that he should be invited.’
‘Yes.’ Had she told him the real reason for coming here? She could not recall. ‘I did not wish to find myself here without any good friends to keep me company. Of course, I did not know then that you would be here.’
Eloise winced: that was just such a flirtatious remark as he might expect from her. She glanced up. Jack’s smile had disappeared, and he was looking directly ahead, his lips pressed firmly together. She sighed and huddled beneath his coat. She turned her head to rub her cheek against the lapel. The fine wool was soft on her skin and she breathed in the faint slightly spicy scent that she now associated with Jack Clifton.
The balustrade was soon reached and she gazed out in genuine admiration at the park stretching out before her, bathed in moonlight. They were standing on a ridge with the land falling away on all sides. The full moon sailing high above cast a silvery sheen over the landscape.
‘It is beautiful,’ she breathed.
‘Yes. Renwick’s grandfather planned it all and planted the trees.’ He pointed. ‘Down there to the south, just beyond the lake, is the deer park.’
Eloise looked around. ‘And what is that building on the promontory over there?’
‘That is the Temple of Diana. The family used to hold dinner parties there, but now I think it is employed mainly by the ladies of the house for their sketching. The path between the temple and the house is thickly wooded, but the views on the other three sides are magnificent. Would you like to walk there now?’
The temptation to accept was very great, to prolong this magical time together, but she knew she must not. She shook her head.
‘Thank you, but no. I think it is time we returned to the house. They will be serving tea soon.’
She took one final look at the little Temple of Diana with its elegant cupola outlined against the night sky. The shallow steps and graceful columns looked most romantic, and the idea of being there in the moonlight with Jack sent a little shiver of excitement down her spine. All the more reason to return to the safety of the house, she thought, setting off back along the path. Without a word Jack fell into step beside her and they walked in silence back through the gardens. She laughed to herself: if she had been alone with any other man he would have taken the opportunity to make love to her, at least to flirt—here she was in the moonlight with the most attractive man she had ever known and he was behaving with perfect propriety.
And she hated it.
They slipped back into the house by the little glazed door and Eloise handed Jack his coat.
‘You will need this before you rejoin the others, Major.’
She helped him into it, telling herself it was necessary for her hands to smooth the coat over his broad shoulders, to brush a speck of dust from one lapel, but it was such an intimate gesture that her mouth went dry and her fingers trembled. Jack caught her hand and carried to his lips. She was immobilised by the tenderness of the gesture. She looked up and did not move as he lowered his head towards her.
‘We…should…not…’ she breathed, still looking up at him.
‘Why not?’ he murmured. ‘Moonlight is the time for stolen kisses.’
‘You cannot steal what I give you freely.’
A fierce gleam lit his eyes: elation, triumph, she could not be sure. She dropped her own gaze, and gave a remorseful little sigh.
‘I should not be here with you. It was very wrong of me to go outside—what must you think of me?’
He pushed up her chin and gently brushed her lips with his own.
‘I think you an enigma, but I hope one day you will explain yourself.’
‘If only that were possible.’
‘It is possible. You have only to trust me.’
For the space of a heartbeat she was tempted.
‘If it was just my secret—’
‘Yes?’
She gave her head a little shake, put her hands against his chest to hold him off.
‘Perhaps, one day, I might be able to tell you more, but not yet.’
‘Then I shall not press you. When you are ready, you may come to me and tell me everything.’
Eloise bit her lip and blinked to drive back the tears. The more she knew of Jack Clifton, the more honourable she thought him. And the more impossible it was that he would ever understand. She said, with a masterly effort to keep her voice from shaking, ‘Mrs Renwick will be preparing tea soon. We should go back now, I think.’
‘As you wish, my lady.’ Jack pulled her hand on to his sleeve and walked her through the dark corridor.
They reached the hall just as the butler appeared, carrying the tea tray.
‘I have no doubt our absence will have been noted,’ murmured Jack as they followed him into the long gallery.
‘Then it will be best if we move apart, Major Clifton.’ She pulled her arm from his sleeve, saying nervously, ‘Pray do not speak to me again tonight, sir. I fear we may set tongues wagging.’
‘Not for the first time, Lady Allyngham,’ he said drily.
A little tut of exasperation escaped her. ‘I had hoped to repair my reputation with this visit.’
‘There is time yet. And Mortimer will be here tomorrow: you will have your guard dog to protect you.’
With a last, fleeting smile he walked away and she joined the crowd around her hostess. It was only when she was preparing for bed that she realised Jack’s handkerchief was still in her pocket. She took it out and held it for a moment, pressed against her mouth. She should of course give it to Alice to have it laundered and returned to the Major. Instead she turned and tucked it quickly under her pillow.
Chapter Nine
‘So Mortimer is arrived. The Glorious Allyngham’s lapdog.’
Jack heard Deforge’s words as he walked into the library. Sir Ronald was standing by the window, gazing out at the post chaise and its four sweating horses that had just pulled up at the door of Renwick Hall.
‘Ah, but has he lost his place as the lady’s favourite?’ Edward Graham threw down the newspaper he had been reading and grinned at Jack. ‘Well, Clifton, you and the widow were missing for some considerable time last night: is she well and truly won?’
‘Lady Allyngham required a little air. I accompanied her,’ returned Jack evenly.
Sir Ronald shot a piercing look at him. ‘So you obliged her with a stroll in the moonlight. Are you sure it was nothing more?’
Jack made an effort to keep his countenance impassive.
‘Nothing.’
‘Then you wasted your opportunity, Major.’
‘I do not consider it so,’ said Jack, shrugging. ‘Forcing a woman is not my style, Deforge.’
Sir Ronald’s heavy features darkened angrily.
‘Are you saying it is mine?’
‘I have heard so.’ Jack’s lip curled. ‘I have heard that even your wife tried to run away from you.’
‘Blast your eyes, Clifton, you will unsay that!’
‘You will have to make me, Deforge.’
Jack met his look steadily, facing down the blustering challenge in the other man’s eyes. At length Sir Ronald shrugged.