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Chapter Fifteen
Oh, dear heavens. I’m not certain I can do this.
Anne pressed a hand to her middle where knots of anxiety pulled. It was an hour before the sun would begin to set, mere minutes before she would ascend in the balloon. Weather conditions were perfect; she couldn’t have asked for a better evening even if she’d had such power.
Why didn’t it make her as happy as it should have?
She’d already checked and then double-checked everything regarding the craft including the rigging, the inflation of the envelope, to make certain there was no puckering on the silk, went over the sandbags and weighed them for a third time, inspected that the chains and dials were all in working order. Nothing was out of place; nothing was left to chance.
Much rode on the outcome of this flight. Had she made a mistake in putting forth that wager? Should she have asked Benedict to come up with her?
“Everything all right, my lady? You seem overly worried.”
The sound of Matthew’s voice yanked her from the thoughts. “As near as I can figure, everything is fine.” The nominal crowd gathering about the south end of Worthington land didn’t bother her; there were often witnesses whenever she went up in the balloon. There would be a much larger crowd at the fairgrounds which would serve as the end of her flight.
So where did the doubts come from? Why was her spirit in such turmoil?
“Ready to go?”
“Yes. We’ve done this often enough, correct?”
“Hold!” The one-word utterance in Benedict’s timbre sent tingles playing down her spine. “A moment please.”
Both she and her groom glanced over as he strode across the lawn. Behind the ring of onlookers, Lord Randolph waited upon horseback. He gave her a cheerful wave, which she returned. Another horse stood next to his that no doubt belonged to the viscount.
“All well, Matthew?” he asked the groom as he passed.
“Yes, my lord.” He nodded. “Lady Anne should have no issues.”
“Ah, I believe so too.” He halted in front of the balloon basket and laid a gloved hand upon the edge. “I came to wish you luck, Lady Anne.” His eyes sparkled behind the spectacle lenses.
“Thank you, Lord Worthington.” Heat infused her cheeks while pleasant awareness rippled over her skin. Had it only been an hour ago they’d shared an intimate coupling in his parlor? A tryst where they’d exchanged pieces of their hearts and souls? “I appreciate you coming out to tell me that.” She laid a hand on the basket’s edge, as near as she could go without touching him and giving potential gossips fuel for the mill.
“It’s no bother.” He held her gaze. “Are you nervous?”
“Frankly, yes, though I don’t understand why. I’ve made numerous flights before.”
“Good.” The viscount nodded. “Being anxious means you’ll pay greater attention to what you’re doing.” When he flashed a grin, butterflies joined the nerves in making her stomach unsettled. “How long do you figure your flight will be?”
“Fifty minutes, perhaps an hour.” She shrugged. As long as she kept her focus on the soothing hazel pools of his eyes, the fear that slowly crept up her spine remained at bay. “If I can’t complete the trip in that time frame, I’ll run out of hydrogen and come down naturally.”
His forehead creased beneath the brim of his beaver felt top hat. Worry clouded his eyes. “Promise me you won’t crash.”
“Of course I won’t.” She chuckled. “But I promise to remain as safe as I can.” Very slightly, Anne moved a gloved finger and touched his pinky. “As you’ve told me, there’s a risk involved, and I understand I can’t control everything.”
“That’s where faith comes in,” he said softly. “You told me that.”
A tiny flutter moved through her heart. “I did. Thank you for the reminder.”
From the side, Matthew cleared his throat. “My lady, you need to take off if you wish to arrive at the fairgrounds by sunset.”
“You’re right. Thank you, Matthew.” Anne straightened her spine. “Well, I’m off.” She lowered her goggles onto her face and adjusted them. “I’ll see you at the fair, Lord Worthington.” It was on the tip of her tongue to invite him aboard, but her common sense told her that wasn’t wise. He was naught but a distraction at this point, and the whole of her future rode on this flight. If she succeeded, she’d reward herself by doing something entirely too wicked to him later…
“Bon voyage, Lady Anne.” Benedict stepped away with a hand lifted to shield his eyes from the sun.
“You may untether the balloon whenever you’re ready, Matthew.” She once more smoothed her palms along the front of her leather vest and cast a glance toward the west where the sun was just beginning its descent.
“Safe travels, my lady.” Then the groom untied the massive knot of the tether rope and the balloon slowly rose into the air.
