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“Yes,” she said, and oddly it felt as if she stared at the heavens for the first time in her life.
Suddenly the explosion of glittering stars against the inky backdrop of the night felt magical…and that they were closer to something greater than themselves.
“Come here,” he murmured.
She went over to him and slightly dipped to peer through the scope. It was as if the sky dropped down to her, and if she reached out a hand, Charity could touch a star. “Oh, how lovely,” she gasped. “They look like shards of glass.”
She could feel him right there beside her, the heat of his breath close to her cheek. “My lord, I do believe they are moving!”
“It seems that way, but they are not.”
He pointed out to her several star clusters, even naming them, and Charity felt her fascination grow as he regaled her with tales of Taurus and the mythology surrounding the bull. She breathed in the night air, the fragrances of Ethan close to her combined with the heady scents of roses and freshly mown grass. It was a heady mix. Lifting her gaze from the scope, she said, “You come here often.”
There was a slight hesitation. “Often when I cannot sleep.”
To think only several days ago, she could not have imagined the earl doing anything impulsive. He was a man known for his proud arrogance and reticence. Charity wondered if his guarded reputation was just a façade. Or perhaps he simply hid from the world. That he would share a bit of himself with her stunned Charity, and she was at a loss for word for several moments. But not for feelings. Something inside her ache…desperately. Her lips trembled slightly when she tried to smile. “Thank you for bringing me up here.”
“It is not much of an adventure but—”
“It is perfectly diverting and wonderful.”
He stared at her for a long moment until she grew warm and fidgeted slightly. “I—”
“Would you like to repose on the rugs and stargaze with me?”
Charity felt as if she were at her first ball, and a gentleman asked her to dance. Nodding, she went over to the rug, noting there was also a blanket. He spread it out, and she went down, stretching her limbs out. Painfully aware of his length beside her, she remained silent and stared up at the beauty of the heavens.
“How did you come to enjoy stargazing?”
“It is a silly story.”
“I am still interested,” she murmured, tugging her coat closer to her body.
“Are you afraid to come closer?” he asked with a measure of amusement.
Charity sniffed. “Of course not.”
“You are cold. My body will warm you.”
“I never knew you could be this scandalous,” she teased, shifting over and gasping sightly at the wonderful heat that poured from his body.
“You can use my arm as a pillow.”
The scandalous nature of everything shook her. None of her friends would ever believe this tale. Swallowing, she complied, resting her head on his arm and letting out a soft sigh. “Thank you.” It struck her how incredibly mysterious it was to be here with him at this moment.
“My father died many years ago. I was a boy of fifteen when it happened.”
“I am sorry,” she whispered, thinking it sad he had to assume such heavy responsibility at a young age. She, too, had been fifteen when her parents died, but she’d not had to assume any duties to a title, various estates, and tenants. Her brother had, though, and he had done a credible job at two and twenty.
“My mother tried to convince me my father turned into a star,” he said on a rough chuckle. “I was so desperate for something…for anything I started to fervently hope it was true. I got a telescope, and I would climb this roof, looked at the stars and talked to the one I thought was my father. It became a ritual of sorts. Whenever I was in doubt or needed advice, I would come up here and talk to my father for hours.”
“Do you still do it?” she whispered.
He was silent for a brief spell, then he said, “Sometimes.”
Charity shifted closer to him, seeking his warmth. “Does he ever answer back?”
“Is that a serious question?”
