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CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Some men are wise, and some are otherwise.”
The Adventures of Roderick Random, Tobias George Smollett
What had August gotten himself into?
He removed his cap and ran his fingers through his hair as he waited in the shadow of the houses.
As he waited for Miss May to join him.
He really had taken leave of his senses. There was no other explanation as to why he would’ve asked the woman to join him on a walk in the middle of the night. Or even call up to her in the first place.
But seeing her watching him from the window, her braid falling over her shoulder, her eyes bright with curiosity, he’d been unable to help himself. He needed to spend time with her. His soul begged for it. And though he knew he’d regret it one day, right now, he was only looking forward to the opportunity he had to spend time with Miss May uninterrupted.
In truth, he never really thought she’d accept his offer to join him. But now that she had, he needed to keep his wits about him. Their reputations could be damaged irreparably for doing this—hers especially. Emma and Nicholas’s relationship could also be affected. Not to mention the fact that Mr. May could very well have August’s head for such a risk. He’d told August to earn Miss May’s trust, but August highly doubted this was what he’d had in mind.
August blew out a slow breath. He’d not thought this through at all. If he could renege his offer, he would. But she’d clearly had a mental battle while trying to decide, and the excitement in her eyes that had appeared once she’d agreed…Well, he couldn’t quell that now.
He would simply remain on high alert. He’d taken this walk a number of times in the few weeks he’d been home and had yet to see anyone else occupying the paths during his late-night excursions. Why would tonight be any different?
Movement from the corner of his eye caught him, and he turned to see the Mays’ door soundlessly open. Miss May slipped out, then closed the door without a sound once again.
Had she practice escaping from her home before? That had been the most silent departure he’d ever not heard in his life.
She walked toward him, her eyes darting about, a cloak wrapped around her with the hood pulled to just above her brows. He could make out very little of her features in the darkness until she faced him, then the light from the bright moon illuminated her stunning features. Loose curls hung about her high cheekbones and slender neck, and a long braid was only just visible within the opening of her cloak.
She hadn’t taken the time to pull up her hair, then. Had she dressed at least? His eyes dropped to where her cloak was fastened beneath her collar bone, then he looked away. He should most definitely not be thinking such thoughts.
“Were ye able to leave unseen?” he asked, slightly on edge. Mostly from instigating this ludicrous plan. Partially from the way his eyes continually shifted to her gloved fingers playing with the end of her braid.
“Yes,” she replied. “When Father sleeps after drinkin’, ’e wouldn’t be able to ’ear the call of Cormoran if that giant was still rampagin’ across the Mount.”
She looked from side to side, clearly on sharp alert.
August didn’t mind. With her attention focused elsewhere, he could more easily admire her features without notice.
“Shall we depart?” he asked.
She looked about them once again, then nodded, moving in the shadows where August had motioned for her to precede him.
“Ye needn’t be frightened,” he said, if only to calm his own nerves. “We’ll not be seen.”
“Oh, I ain’t worried ’bout that.”
“No?”
“Well, I suppose I be a little.” She looked around them again, then back at August. “See, the thing is, I’ve been readin’ one o’ the books I borrowed from your mother—The Mysteries of Udolpho—and it can be quite…ghostly. I keep thinkin’ that a figure’ll appear round the corner and terrorize us.”
Her eyes darted around them again, and she pulled her cloak more tightly around her. Blast, but this woman was adorable.
“I didn’t take ye as one to believe in ghosts,” he mused.
“I don’t. But that book may ’ave ’elped change me mind.”
“Well, worry not,” he whispered. “I’ll protect ye from any ghosts we might ’appen upon.”
He’d meant it as a joke, but she nodded without a smile. Her shoulders finally lowered, then she peered up at him as they rounded the last of the houses on the harbor front. “Will ye tell me where we really be goin’, then?”
