Lady In Disguise (The Langley Sisters) (6 page)

“Yes, and to their credit your father and mother never laughed at me. In fact your father said that he was sorry to be the bearer of bad news but he had heard that the lemon and honey people had moved on to Inverness in Scotland.”

Will couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed like this. If only his servants could see him now, all of them believed him a serious, unsmiling man.
 

“Your father lifted me up into your mother’s arms and then they took me home. They sang songs to me all the way and then stayed to take tea with my parents. I worshipped them from that day onwards. I was devastated when they passed.”

His laughter slowed and this time it was he who sighed.
 

“They were the very best of parents, Olivia, thank you for sharing your story with me,” he said, looking at her. “However I find it hard to believe I am only just hearing this story now, when we spent many hours together talking of anything and everything in the past.”

“I have no further time to sit and converse with you, Lord Ryder.” She quickly regained her feet thereby, in her mind, ending the conversation. “I must leave you now as my sisters will start to worry if I am overlong.”

“You once called me Will, Olivia,” he said, standing.

Ignoring his words she dropped into a quick curtsey and then winced upon rising.

“What is wrong with you? That is the second hiss of pain since I arrived.”

“I am pleased that you are home safe, my lord,” she said, again ignoring his question. “I am sure we will see nothing further of each other so I bid you good health and good day.”

Frowning, Will watched her leave. Why would he not see her again? Was she not going to London for the season and would she not be attending any functions in the village or surrounding countryside over the Christmas period?
 

“I’ll walk you home,” he said, striding after her.

“There is no need, Lord Ryder; I am quite capable of making my way home and have been doing so for many years. Please stay and enjoy the view as I prefer my own company.” 
 
Well she couldn’t have made that any clearer, Will thought. She did not want to spend any time with him.
 

“You’re hurting and upset, what sort of gentleman would allow a woman in that state to walk home alone? Not to mention that the lemon and honey people could attack at any moment.”

She stopped at the gate and looked up at him. It wasn’t a glare as such, but pretty close to his mind. Excellent. She still had some fighting spirit. Keeping his expression pleasant he reached around her and pushed the gate open and then motioned for her go through.

Livvy had realized one thing when she looked up into Will’s eyes for the first time in five years; he was still the most handsome man she had ever met. Her heart thudded in her chest, her palms grew damp and her stomach was doing silly little flutters. He’d always had that effect on her, only now she resented him for it.
 

He still unsettled her and at that moment in time she wanted to slap him, hard. She hated that he had the freedom only a man could have and that he was supported by the comfort and wealth of his family, but more importantly she was angry because once she had loved him and he had walked away from her without a backward glance. She could not lay the blame for what happened to her family at his door, yet when she had needed him most he had not been there for her and she would never forgive him for that no matter how unreasonable she was being.

Looking away from the intensity of his grey gaze, Livvy realized that while he had been handsome before, in a boyish way, he was even more so now. His once long black curls were cropped short and although his face did not have the classic elegance of some, it was commanding, with high cheekbones and a long angular jaw that seemed more prominent than she remembered. His skin was tanned and he had lost the look of the idle, pampered nobleman. Even his body was now solid and muscled, his broad shoulders defined by the lines of the jacket. There was an aura of strength about him that had not been there before.
 

“You said we would not see each other again, Olivia, yet surely you will attend the Twoaks Derby and the social events over the next few weeks? And what of the London season, it is due to start in a few months, are you not in attendance this year?”

His long strides easily kept up with her as she walked down the hill and into the woods below. Be nice, Livvy, speak calmly and this will be over shortly. You had to see him some time, now is as good as any. Once this meeting is over then she need never see him again, or at the very least she could take steps to avoid him.
 

“Yes, of course,” Livvy muttered, not wanting to discuss the fact she had never had a season in London.
 

“And are you backing Jaccob Bell in the Derby again this year, Olivia?” The breath left her body as he lifted her easily over a fallen stump and replaced her gently back on the ground on the other side.

“Please don’t touch me.” Lord, she was breathless from that brief contact, she needed to get away from this man, he was far too disturbing.

“Once you liked me touching you.”

“Once I was foolish and gullible, I am far from that now!” Livvy snapped and instantly wished she hadn’t because she had no intention of alerting him to her feelings towards him. “I will, of course, back Jaccob, my lord; however I also ride in the Derby now,” she added, quickly changing the subject.

Livvy didn’t instantly realize that he had stopped until she took a couple more steps and noted his disturbing presence was no longer at her side. Turning she searched for him. Surrounded by tall trees and shadows he looked like a god of the forest who could call together his minions and drag her into his dark world. Not that he would, she reminded herself, because he cared nothing for her.

“Is there a problem, my lord?”

“Surely it is too dangerous for a woman to ride in such a race?”

“Women have competed in the Derby before, and I am a good rider and have managed to ride the previous two years without incident. In fact, even with my limited intelligence, I manage to ride astride.”

His smile started in his twinkling grey eyes and finished on his lips, which he opened revealing large white teeth. It made her stomach flutter again but she kept her expression passive.
 

He means nothing to you any longer.
 

“And there is the tempting, mouthy vixen I left behind,” he said. “I was worried that she had vanished under the weight of responsibility you now shoulder, Olivia.”

What did he know of her responsibilities?

“None of us can stay as we were, my lord, and it would be unrealistic and childish to suggest otherwise.” Livvy tried to shuffle backwards as he moved closer. Damn, her words had sounded panicked and he knew it, the rogue, the smile still flirted around his mouth. “I would also ask that you not address me so familiarly and now call me Miss Langley as we can no longer lay claim to being friends.”

That stopped him; he stood just an arm’s length from her staring intently, his head tilted slightly to the side, as if trying to read her thoughts.

“We will always be friends, Olivia, and you will always be Livvy to me, even if I am no longer Will to you.”

“Friends do not abandon friends,” Olivia whispered and then could have cut out her tongue. She hadn’t spoken without thought in years, in fact since this man had left England, and now she had told him how much his departure had affected her. “Not that I cared, it was just impolite of you,” she added, cringing inside at how silly her words sounded.

He closed the distance between them until his chest blocked her view of the forest.

“I’m sorry that I was not here for you when your parents passed away, Olivia, and I will say again that I’m sorry if my departure hurt you, but at the time I believed the only option open for me was to go. I was angry and confused, and did not think much about the impact my departure would have on those I left behind.”

“You did not hurt me, my lord, I was seventeen and therefore quite happy to move on to the next source of amusement.”

Livvy stepped backwards but her escape was thwarted by two large hands cupping her elbows.

“Yet your demeanour would suggest you are angry with me, therefore I must have hurt you in some way.”

“I have no wish to discuss this any further.”

He was silent for a while, and Livvy could feel his eyes on her face while hers looked over his shoulder.
 

“I missed you, you know. Missed the way your hand would fit inside mine as we walked through sun-warmed meadows on a clear day. We would seek out the largest tree and lie beneath it and you would sing to me.”

Livvy closed her eyes as one hand cupped her cheek. She willed herself to stay rigid and shut out the memories his words were forming in her head.

“I used to hear the sound of your laughter some nights while I struggled with the need to come home. I could see your face and the way your eyes lit from within when you smiled at me.”

She stiffened as his fingers trailed over her mouth.

“I have never seen a more beautiful smile to this day.”

His voice had always mesmerized her, the smooth deep tones like heated honey, but she was no longer the naive girl he had left behind, the pain of his departure had taught her one thing, never trust him again.

“I have no wish to hear any more of your ramblings,” Livvy said, struggling to get away from him; she winced as pain shot through her. “Therefore, I insist you release me.
 

“But this, Livvy,” he said, his breath brushing her ear as he inhaled deeply. “I have never smelt your scent on another.”

Dear god, she could smell him, too, and it made her knees tremble as the memories swamped her.
 

“I wonder if you still taste the same.”

“The same as what?” Livvy whispered.
 

“That kiss we shared.” He pulled her closer. “Your first kiss if I remember correctly.”

“H—how conceited of you to suggest it was my first kiss, my lord, or that I would remember it.” Livvy placed a hand on his chest and tried to push him backwards. He however, simply placed his larger one on top. Around them the woods suddenly seemed quiet and she could hear the soft rasp of her breathing as he lowered his head.

“You remember,” he whispered. “Just as I do.” And then he was kissing her.
 

She had relived that kiss a thousand times, but memories, she realized, fell short from reality. His hand moved up to cup her chin, the other held her waist as he drank from her lips, a slow, sensual onslaught that made Livvy’s body heat all over in seconds. Slumping forward she landed on the hard wall of his chest as he pulled her closer.
 

“I have missed you, sweet Livvy Langley.”
 

All rational thought fled with the first taste of his mouth and Livvy would have stayed here in his arms surrounded by nature had his fingers not brushed the knife wound on her shoulder and jolted some sense into her.

“Ouch!”

“Olivia, are you all right?”

She couldn’t look at him, sanity had returned with the searing pain and she was mortified that she had behaved in such a wanton manner, especially with him of all men.

“Olivia?”
 

“No!” she said sharply as he reached for her again. “Just stay away from me in the future, Lord Ryder. There will be no more sun-warmed meadows. Those days are gone forever, and I would thank you to remember that.” Picking up her skirts she turned and ran from him as fast as her shoulder would let her. Reaching the gate at the bottom of her garden she hurried through. Turning, she saw him behind her. He lifted a hand in farewell, which she ignored; walking up to the house she did not look back even though she wanted to.
 

CHAPTER FOUR

      Will made his way home deep in thought. There was no refuting the fact that, like he, Olivia Langley had changed. Losing her parents had obviously thrust her into the role of looking after her sisters. She had made it more than clear that she wanted nothing further to do with him and he couldn’t blame her for that. Yet Will realized that he wanted to see her again and he wanted her forgiveness.
 

Whistling to Gilbert, he heard the dog’s excited barking as he splashed along the shallow stream towards him. Will waded across to the grassy bank opposite. Walking up the driveway to Rossetter House he knew he needed to talk to someone about the Langley sisters and, more importantly, Olivia, and what had happened to them in the five years since he had been gone. Minutes later he was striding through the house in search of his sister.

He found Thea in the turret room murdering a piece of music that he thought may be by Mozart, yet was not sure. She had grown so much in his absence, now a young woman, he felt a pang in his heart for the coltish girl he had left behind. Sun filtered through the windows, lighting her raven curls and he was awed at the beautiful lady she had become. Slipping onto the seat beside her, he placed his fingers over hers.