Page 36 of The Trials of Alaric
“Bea,” Alaric asked, “May I kiss you again?”
She answered him by lifting her face to his and their lips met. It was even better than the last time, now that she knew what to do. The kiss—or rather, kisses—spun on and on, and she never wanted them to end.
During their first kiss, he had held her close to his body, but only his lips had moved. This time, his hands roved, sliding under the coat she wore to brush gently over her skin, to cup and stroke her breasts.
She knew where this was heading, and she wanted more. For long, exquisite moments, her body clouded her mind, and she could see no reason not to take what she wanted, but her mind was screaming at her about duty and Claddach. Perhaps Alaric had a similar struggle, for just as she managed to recapture the lost reins of her desire, he lifted his head and his hands stilled. Their eyes met and held. This time, she didn’t want to look away; she could stare into his gaze forever, she decided.
“We must stop,” he said.
“I know,” she told him.
He did not immediately release her. Just as well, for the strength only slowly returned to her legs.
“Just to be clear, Lady Beatrice Collister,” he said, “Iamcourting you. Trials aside, I can imagine no greater happiness than being your husband.” He kissed her nose.
Bea didn’t know what to say. She smiled instead and stepped away. “We should return to the castle,” she said. They walked back through the sunken garden, hand in hand.
It was all very well to say, “trials aside,” but the reality was she had promised to choose her husband from those who completed the trials. Of course, Alaric, to her mind at least, was one of the front runners. Still, she wasn’t going to break a vow over a kiss. She owed Claddach her responsibility and that meant choosing the right man to be her earl.
Bea had guessed at some of what the trials were meant to disclose. Organizing ability, courage, sportsmanship, determination, kindness, courtesy, ethics, imagination, the ability to work with others. All important qualities, she agreed. But would Papa find her a husband who could love her?
Which led to the question: Did Alaric love her? People, men especially, married for all sorts of reasons. And love might not be enough. She sometimes wondered if her own parents still loved one another. Her mother spent her time with other fashionable ladies, gossiping and carrying out light flirtations with idle gentlemen. Her father was absorbed in his duties to Claddach and to the House of Lords.
Even now, when Papa had been told that his time on earth was limited, Mama seemed more interested in being with her sister. Not that Mama knew about Papa’s illness. Papa had made Bea promise not to say anything, because he did not want Mama to worry, but surely, she could see for herself that Papa was not well?
Bea had never forgotten the conversation four years ago, when she was eighteen. Mama had been campaigning for months to have Papa force Bea to go to London for the Season. “The London marriage mart is no place to find a husband of real substance,” he had declared one day.
“But Claddach,” Mama had said, “I found you in London.”
Papa’s response had been a sigh. “Leave Beatrice alone, Mary,” he had said. “She is young yet. And when she is of age to marry, we shall find a way for her to meet men who will be up to her weight.”
“Up to her weight, indeed,” Mama had objected. “Men are not horses, Claddach.” But she had stopped bothering Bea about London and husbands, beyond the occasional wistful comment.
It would be easier if men were horses. One chose a stallion for a mare based on breeding lines, conformation, performance, temperament, and current progeny. Bea sighed.
“A penny for your thoughts,” said Alaric.
“A fleeting memory,” she replied. “Not worth repeating.” They were nearly at the door that would let them unobtrusively into the castle, and those were the first words they had spoken since he announced that he wanted to be her husband.
“The trials will be over in a few days,” she said. “I believe you will among those selected by my father as suitable for Claddach. I…” she hunted for words for a moment, settling on, “I am glad. I do not feel it right to make any commitments while the trials continue, but Alaric, I have helped no one else with their clues. I have allowed no one else to court me.”
There.But what would she do if he did not love her? For Bea was very much afraid she was falling in love with him.
Chapter Fifteen
Alaric felt likecrowing, but he could not, of course, show Bea the disrespect of sharing her revelation with anyone else. Not even Colyn or Luke, who were the nearest he had to friends on the Isle of Claddach.
He parted from Bea at the foot of the stairs and went to her father’s study. The earl was probably there already—he seemed to be an early riser. And sure enough, when Alaric knocked on the door, the earl’s voice told him to enter.
“You again,” said the earl. “Have you solved the third clue, Redhaven?”
“I believe I have, sir. The verse is about Narcissus, and possibly also Echo. Though mostly Narcissus. The statue of Narcissus is in the sunken garden, staring into a pool, and Echo is there, too.”
“Ah,” said the earl. “That was where you and my daughter had been when I saw you coming back through the courtyard.”
Does Claddach have eyes everywhere?But that was a silly question. Of course, he did. “Yes, my lord,” Alaric admitted.
“And was it you or my daughter who solved the clue?” the earl asked.
