Page 34 of Captivated
“Fresh from the oven,” Ana announced as she carried a tray through the open French doors.
“Oh, God, Ana—fudge cookies. My favorite.”
With a chuckle, Anastasia set the tray on the glass table. “I had an urge to bake some this morning. Now I know why.”
More than willing, Morgana took the first bite. Her eyes drifted closed as the smooth chocolate melted on her tongue. “Bless you.”
“So.” Ana took her seat so that she could look out over the gardens and grass to the bay. “I was surprised to see you out here in the middle of the day.”
“I’m indulging in a long lunch break.” She took another bite of cookie. “Mindy’s got everything under control.”
“Do you?”
“Don’t I always?”
Ana laid a hand over Morgana’s. Before Morgana could attempt to close them off, Ana felt the little wisps of sadness. “I can’t help feeling how unsettled you are. We’re too close.”
“Of course you can’t. Just as I couldn’t help coming out here today, even though I knew I was bringing you problems.”
“I’d like to help.”
“Well, you’re the herbalist,” Morgana said lightly. “How about some essence ofHelleborus Niger?”
Ana smiled.Helleborus, more commonly called Christmas rose, was reputed to have the power to cure madness. “Fearing for your sanity, love?”
“At least.” With a shrug, she chose another cookie. “Or I could take the easy way out and mix up a blend of rose and angelica, a touch of ginseng, sprinkled liberally with moondust.”
“A love potion?” Ana sampled a cookie herself. “For anyone I know?”
“Nash, of course.”
“Of course. Things aren’t going well?”
A faint line appeared between Morgana’s brows. “I don’t know how things are going. I do know I wish I wasn’t so bloody conscientious. It’s really a very basic procedure to bind a man.”
“But not very satisfying.”
“No,” Morgana admitted, “I can’t imagine it would be. So I’m stuck with the ordinary way.” As she sipped the reviving tea, she watched the snowy sails billowing from the boats on the bay. She’d always considered herself that free, she realized. Just that free. Now, though she had done no binding, she, herself, was bound.
“To tell the truth, Ana, I’ve never given much thought to what it would be like to have a man fall in love with me. Really in love. The trouble is, this time my heart’s too involved for comfort.”
And there was little comfort she could offer, Anastasia thought, for this type of ailment. “Have you told him?”
Surprised by the quick aching in her heart, Morgana closed her eyes. “I can’t tell him what I’m not entirely sure of myself. So I wait. Moonglow to dawn’s light,” she chanted. “Night to day, and day to night. Until hisheart is twined with mine, no rest or peace can I find.” She opened her eyes and managed a smile. “That always seemed overly dramatic before.”
“Finding love’s like finding air. We can’t survive without it.”
“But what’s enough?” This was the question that had troubled her most in the days since she had left Nash. “How do we know what’s enough?”
“When we’re happy, I’d think.”
Morgana thought the answer was probably true—but was it attainable? “Do you think we’re spoiled, Ana?”
“Spoiled? In what way?”
“In our... our expectations, I suppose.” Her hand fluttered up in a helpless gesture. “Our parents, mine, yours, Sebastian’s. There’s always been so much love there, support, understanding, respect. The fun of being in love, and the generosity. It’s not that way for everyone.”
“I don’t think that knowing love can run deep and true, that it can last, means being spoiled.”
