Part 27 (2/2)
”I take it her voice is wretched.”
”It is pleasant enough. It isn't that which bothers me.”
Strath shook his head. ”Sometimes I don't understand a word you're saying.”
”It is nothing. I am like a bear with a sore paw. Everything bothers me. I'm trying to figure something-and someone-out. That's all.”
”Good luck with that.” Strath held up his gla.s.s. ”Here's to women who are too smart for their own good.”
Alexsey lifted his gla.s.s.
”What are you going to do about seeing Miss Murdoch?”
”I will keep visiting; if she wishes to see me, she will.” And if she didn't . . . he would think about that when he had to.
”You would let her decide everything?”
”I would let her make all of the choices. It must be her decision.”
”Hm. Doesn't seem fair to me, but what do I know? I can't even bag the easy ones.”
”If you want this changeable woman, you'll win her over. I have confidence in you. But . . . are you sure it's mere l.u.s.t? I've never seen you so determined to win a woman before.”
Strath waved his gla.s.s. ”Trust me, I know the difference.”
”Oh?”
”Aye. You can slake desire, but love is forever hungry. The more you feed it, the more it wants. I intend on slaking this desire at the earliest opportunity and being done with it.” He put down his empty gla.s.s, yawned, and stood. ”It is late; I should go.”
”Aye, we should both get some sleep.” Not that Alexsey would, for he'd be thinking about Bronwyn, remembering how it felt to sink into her soft- Clink.
He turned toward the window. That sounded like a pebble on the gla.s.s.
The noise came again. Clink. Clink, clink, CLINK!
Could it be . . . ? Surely not- ”What is that?” Strath took a step in that direction.
Alexsey almost leapt to his feet, blocking Strath's path. ”It's the wind.”
”The wind goes 'clink'?”
”Yes. It, ah, blows through the cracks in the window and makes the shutter creak. That's a creak you hear, not a clink.”
”I know what I heard. It sounded like something hitting the gla.s.s.”
”Nyet,” Alexsey said in a firm tone.
Strath's brows rose. ”You're so certain?”
”The footman checked it last night when I mentioned it. It's made that noise every night since I arrived.” Alexsey took Strath by the elbow and directed him to the door. ”But I've grown used to the noise and now find it soothing.”
”Soothing?” Strath said dubiously.
”Da. It reminds me of our country house in Oxenburg. The shutters there make the same noise. Clink, clink, clink-all night long.”
”b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l. Remind me to never accept your invitation to visit.”
”I shall.” Alexsey opened the door and guided Strath to the hallway. ”Good night.” He closed the door and, for good measure, turned the key in the lock.
After Strath's reluctant footsteps faded, he strode across the room, flung the curtains aside, and threw open the window.
The pale moonlight rested upon Bronwyn's upturned face and glinted off her spectacles.
Alexsey could have kissed her from head to toe. ”Roza!”
”Shhh!” Her furious whisper barely reached his window. ”Do you wish us to be caught?”
”Nyet, of course not,” he whispered in return, though there was no one on this side of the castle who could hear them. ”If you'd sent me a note, I would have come to you.”
A grim look flickered over her face. ”Too many people have been talking already.”
”Is that so?” He would have to ask what that meant, but now, he just wanted her in his arms. ”Wait there. I'll come down and-”
”No need.”
To his astonishment, she tossed her skirts over one arm and began to climb the trellis.
Fear gripped him. One misstep and- Nyet, I cannot think of it. He fumed, unable to so much as utter a word for fear of startling her.
She climbed higher, moving slowly, carefully.
Alexsey muttered a string of curses under his breath. ”You little fool!” he whispered.
She continued to climb, steadily growing closer.
As much as he hated that she was taking such a chance, he had to give her credit. She might not be able to dance, but she knew how to climb. She did it well and swiftly. Only Bronwyn, he thought with pride.
Soon she was at his window, and he lifted her into the room. The feel of her softness against him made him ache anew, but he set her on her feet and turned to close the window.
Bronwyn was breathless, not only with the effort of her climb, but at her own boldness. She couldn't believe that she was doing this. Yet here she stood, alone with the prince, as deliciously light-headed as if she'd had champagne.
Alexsey pulled the curtains over the windows and turned to face her, his eyes dark. ”You came to me.” His voice vibrated happiness.
”Yes.” Explain that, Mama. Explain why he's so obviously happy to see me, if he doesn't care. After Mama's visit, Bronwyn had known she had to see Alexsey. She'd taken stock of all she knew about him, and it didn't fit with what Mama had said.
”I came to talk to you. I have been thinking a lot lately, about my life, and yours. You were right about one thing.”
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