Page 52 of The Girl Out of Time
“He’s the villain.”
“You called him de Villiers.” He raised an eyebrow. “And you mentioned a book. Are you trying to say …”
“Yes, I know the name is very on the nose,” she said. “It does have a good ring to it, though, doesn’t it?”
“I preferred the ring of that vase against his skull.”
She laughed.
“You’ll have to explain all of this properly one day soon.”
“I will, once I clear it up in my own head.” She got up and walked to the window. A curtain fluttered in the breeze; she pushed it aside and looked out.
He joined her, momentarily struck speechless by the view. A velvety night embraced the castle, making it feel hidden, safe. The gibbous moon reflected off the ocean. Several stories beneath them, waves crushed against the dark, craggy rocks.
“What is this place?” he breathed. It was a castle, yes, and it overlooked the ocean, like the ruins they’d been at before. But here, it was … more. It was magical.
Emmeline looked at him, nursing a mysterious smile. The dark and the moonlight melded in her eyes, the first painting them a deep blue of midnight, the second adding silvery sparks, making them look like they’d captured the starry night sky. Her mask still covered the upper half of her face, and he felt the inexplicable need to reach behind and untie it, and lay a kiss on her eyebrows, and her nose, and—
She didn’t say anything, but there was a plea in her eyes, one that matched his trail of thoughts. With all respect to his betters—Lord Farenham was an idiot, ignoring someone like her. Theo couldn’t remember the last time he’d had this much fun; strange fun, true, but entertaining nonetheless. And it was all because of her. He didn’t understand half of what she was going on about, but it—she—was irresistible. She weaved a new life around him, a life full of excitement and adventure.
He wanted that life.
He wanted her.
He leaned down, just an inch. She took in a breath and parted her lips.
Bad idea,his brain warned.
Not my first one.
He leaned in more. She let out the tiniest moan, and then—
“Oh, no,” she peeped. Her face shimmered as if she’d dipped under the water’s surface, and the room around them disappeared.
Chapter 14
An invisible force pushed Emmeline into the grass. She shook her hair off her face and gazed up at the ruins of the castle, bathed in the midday sun. Next to her, Theo suffered a similar landing and spit out a blade of grass as he got his bearings.
They were back in 1815.
“Well, that was something.” She burst into a laugh. Her entire body was buzzing; pleasantly so, as if in expectation of something great—or from leftover adrenaline from the trip. Her powers—they worked! She’d done it again! It would’ve been great if she went to Maria to bring her back, but she couldn’t regret their destination, either.
Lady Scarlet was real. How unbelievable was that?
“It happened.” Theo stared at the ruins. “It truly happened.”
“Of course it did.” She wiped the grass off her hands. “I told you.”
Theo rose to his feet and offered her a hand to hoist her up. “Wh—how—where were we?”
“Whenwere we,” she corrected. “Come, I’ll tell you on the way back.” She patted her hips. “My purse is gone. I must’ve left it …” Somewhere in the castle—but which version of it?
“We can retrieve it another time,” Theo said. “I don’t think we should provoke our luck again today.”
“It’s Louisa’s purse. I only borrowed it.” But he was right. What if her powers had a cool down and she wouldn’t be able to make another passage if they got in trouble? “Fine. I’ll make it up to her somehow.”
They headed back towards the estate, wading side by side through the grass.
