Page 62 of One Night with an Earl

It was a pleasant evening but dim with only the light of a crescent moon. Large oak trees and towering trellises made it seem even darker. Her hand tightened on his arm, and she feared tripping on a stone or root. Where was he was taking her?

As if he sensed her trepidation, his free hand landed on hers. “I won’t let you trip.”

“It’s dark.”

“Not for long.” He headed away from the trellises of roses, trees, and hedgerows to an open grassy knoll. He spread the blanket on the soft grass and waited for her to sit before joining her. “Without the constant presence of coal smoke marring the London sky, you can see the stars clearly here.”

“The stars?”

“The constellations.” He pointed to the north. “Do you see that group of seven bright stars? They are called Ursa Major or the seven sisters, and they form a pattern of a plough.”

She spotted the group of stars. At first, she couldn’t make out a plough, then her eyes put the stars together. “I see it!”

“The two brightest stars point to the North Star.” He leaned back on his elbows. His chiseled profile was as mysterious as the stars and planets above.

“It’s beautiful.”

“And see there? Those clusters of stars form Corona Borealis. It depicts the crown of the Princess Ariadne of Crete when she married the god Dionysius. The myth is he threw the crown into the sky and it turned into stars.”

As he told the tale of the princess and her god lover, she saw the semicircular shape of the crown. “It’s amazing. I’ve seen the night sky all my life, but I’ve never noticed the shapes the stars form.” She turned to him. “How did you learn?”

“I read books on astrology as a boy. I used to imagine my life as an astrologist. Silly, really.”

Her stomach flipped, and a hot ache grew in her throat. “I don’t think that’s silly at all.”

“My mother disagreed. She wasn’t an affectionate woman.”

“She was wrong.” She imagined him as a boy seeking maternal love. She knew about the villainous character of his father and brother, of course, but she had no idea his mother had been cold. She wondered how he’d become the man he was.

“My grandmother made up for her lack of emotion.” A smile ruffled his lips. “A bit too much. She still does.”

“I’ve met her. I thought her a smart woman.”

He was quiet for a while. The chirping of crickets and the glow of fireflies filled the night. Tonight, no shadows crossed her heart. Their family pasts felt like a distant moment, as far away as the stars, and a strong urge to touch him made her reach for his hand. Without speaking, his fingers entwined with hers.

They sat together watching the sky for a full hour. He pointed out other constellations, the mighty Greek hunter, Orion, with his dogs Canis Major and Canis Minor, as he faced the charging bull, Taurus. Lyra the Lyre, a harp-like instrument, and the only musical instrument in the sky.

“Are all the constellations based on Greek or Roman myths?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Not all. Lyra’s lead star, Vega, is mentioned in a Chinese myth. The Chinese thought of Vega as a princess in love with a herdsman, Altair, another bright star. Vega and Altair secretly spent their days together and ended up neglecting their duties. Vega’s father disagreed with his daughter’s infatuation and separated Vega and Altair by putting them on opposite sides of the night sky, which the Chinese believed to be a large river.”

“Star-crossed lovers. How sad.”

“Not entirely. A miserable Vega extracted a promise from her father: once a year, a bridge will span the river and allow the two lovers a single evening together.”

A brief shiver rippled through her. She may not be a princess and Oliver far from a herdsman, but there was a river between them, and they had spent one passionate evening in each other’s arms. Suddenly, all she could think about was his strength, his scent, and the feel of his powerful body pressed against hers that night.

“It’s very late. I fear I’ve been selfish. You need to sleep.” He stood and helped her to her feet.

She swallowed. Time had passed too quickly. “I enjoyed the evening, my lord. Thank you for bringing me.”

He lifted her fingers and kissed the back of her hand. “Thank you for joining me.”

Awareness thundered through her as she looked up at him. They walked silently to the house and up the staircase until they reached her bedchamber door. He halted outside.

“Ana.”

“Oliver.” The longing in her own voice was unmistakable.