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Chapter 16
Was it truly a dream, or had she really kissed Philip last night? Daisy couldn’t be certain, but when she awoke, she realised that the entire night certainly hadn’t been in her dreams. She was startled to feel the cool grass grazing her palm as she rolled over, having expected to feel the soft cushioned surface of her mattress instead.
Blinking open her eyes, she was surprised to find a pale grey sky above her. Pushing herself onto her elbows, she saw the horizon lightening in the distance above the heads of the trees that kept their small lawn secluded from the rest of the meadow.
One glance sideways told her that Philip was still resting peacefully beside her, and she decided that the kiss had to have been a dream. It couldn’t have possibly been real, not after the conversation they’d had only a few nights earlier. Yet she still lifted a hand to her mouth, brushing her fingertips over her lips as she tried desperately to hold onto the sensation of his kiss. If it had been a dream, it had certainly felt real.
“Philip? Philip!” Daisy exclaimed under her breath, tapping him on the leg as she sat up beside him, glancing around to be sure that nobody was watching them. “Wake up!”
The earl’s son looked as though he had jumped out of his skin for a moment as he suddenly sat bolt upright and gaped at her in sheer astonishment.
“Daisy, what are you …” he began as if he had been about to ask her why she was in his bedroom. Then realisation seemed to dawn on him, and he blinked his eyes several times, clearly struggling as much as she was to believe that they had managed to feel asleep in each other’s arms. Now that her wits were returning to her, she realised she had rolled over from where she had been resting upon his chest for most of the night. It was a thought that both thrilled and terrified her.
What else might have happened if we had not fallen asleep?she thought with some fear. Deciding it was best not to think about it, she told him, “We fell asleep. Dawn is on its way.”
A thrill of terror suddenly rushed through her, and she quickly hurried to her feet, grabbing her cloak that had somehow come unbuckled during the night. “Philip! It is dawn! My father will be waking any moment now!”
He was up in an instant, looking far more awake than he had only moments before. Daisy watched in dismay as he hurried to the telescope and began removing bolts, folding it as quickly as possible.
“You know, this would go much quicker if you were to help me,” he told her mischievously, and had she not been so concerned about what would happen if her bed was found empty and cold, she might have said something playful in return. Instead, she hurried forward and started to help. Though she had no clue how to take apart a telescope, they made quick work of packing it away, and Daisy was relieved when he finally clicked the bag it came in closed.
“Come on, I’ll get you home,” he assured her, offering her his elbow, “I know a shortcut.”
Oh, please, Papa,Daisy thought as she placed her hand in the crook of his elbow,please, be late waking this morning.
“There you are!” Bertha exclaimed, startling Daisy as she and Philip reached the garden’s side gate. Though she was relieved to find Bertha there waiting to open the gate as she had promised she would be, she was also a little disappointed. Now she could not say goodbye to Philip as she had wanted to. Bertha would never let her live it down if she were to kiss him in front of her.
“I wasn’t expecting you to be down here,” Daisy hissed through the gate at her stepsister, “please, tell me you didn’t wait all night for me.”
“Does it look like I waited all night?” Bertha scoffed, gesturing down at herself, and Daisy realised she was right. She had changed out of her chemise and robe into a pretty pink floral day dress. “I went to bed shortly after you had gone and left the gate on the latch just in case I didn’t wake in time to let you back in.”
Daisy blushed at her sister’s words, realising what they both knew. Daisy had been out all night long with Lord Philip, and it was entirely inappropriate of her.What kind of an example am I setting for her?Daisy thought begrudgingly, but Bertha didn’t look too upset.
“Say goodbye,” Bertha urged, gesturing to Philip. “Mama has already risen. I told her that you had decided to take an early walk in the orchard.”
Daisy sighed deeply with relief. Though the orchard wasn’t really an orchard but just a smaller area of the garden right at the furthest point from the house, it was enclosed and cut off from the view of the windows. For all Lady Balfour knew, she really had been down there.
“I got you these,” Bertha announced, and Daisy felt her heart swell with love for the other woman as she picked up a small wicker basket filled with crab apples. “Just to make it believable.”
“Bertha, I could kiss you!”
“Kiss him instead,” Bertha whispered under her breath, wriggling an eyebrow at Daisy.
“Bertha!” Daisy hissed scoldingly before turning to Philip to see that he obviously hadn’t heard. He was too busy glancing back over his shoulder to make sure there wasn’t anyone out on the street who might notice him standing in the shadows against the townhouse wall beside her.
“Philip, you ought to go,” Daisy told him, though her chest tightened as she said it. “Thank you for a wonderful evening.”
“My Lady,” Philip bowed respectfully and held out his hand to her. Feeling a thrill, Daisy placed her hand in his and couldn’t help smiling when he kissed her knuckles. “The pleasure was all mine. Goodbye for now.”
All she could do was watch as he turned and disappeared around the side of the house, back to the street. Fighting the urge to call him back, Daisy forced herself through the gate and waited for Bertha to lock it again, bracing herself for what came next.
When Bertha turned to her, there was a spark in her eye, “Well?”
“Well, what?” Daisy asked.
“What happened?” Bertha questioned, “Was it … was it painful?”
“Was what …” Daisy began and then understanding dawned upon her. Of course, her sister would think that something serious had happened. After all, they had been out all night, alone. “Oh, no! Nothing like that happened. We … we fell asleep.”
