Chapter Twenty-One
The atmosphere at Ferndale Grange had been cautiously calm since Julian Northcott bid Annie farewell.
Hattie and Janet had plied her with questions about her stay at Myddleton House, as well as the outings with Julian and the twins.
They had not, however, voiced any opinions, a notable lapse which Annie found odd.
Certainly uncharacteristic in Hattie’s case.
They were, she finally decided, simply trying to restore the harmony that had existed prior to Annie’s surprise reunion with Julian.
In any case, she was seriously considering changing her mind about returning to London. Perhaps, though, her motivation had less to do with the peaceful atmosphere at Ferndale Grange and more to do with being closer to Yorkshire.
Closer to Julian.
Since he’d left, Annie had been waiting for an opportunity to return to Freya’s Farewell, but had been impeded by the weather.
She longed to climb the hill again, to gaze at the distant gables of Myddleton House and relive the wonder of her time there.
Most of all, though, she wanted to stand in the place where she’d experienced her first kiss.
Her first proper kiss. She could not think of it, of him, without stirring the familiar sense of longing and desire.
It was both exquisite and frustrating at the same time. She missed him. Felt empty without him.
The rain had continued, on and off, till midday on Friday, trapping Annie in the house. Saturday blew in on a south-west wind that drove a thin scattering of clouds across the sky. But no rain.
“I’m going for a walk after these are done,” Annie announced, getting ready to dry the dishes after a late breakfast.
Hattie, who had been clearing the table, glanced at the window. “Yes, you should. You’ve been cooped up for the past few days. Where are you going?”
“Freya’s Farewell, I think.”
“It’ll be very windy up there, so be careful.” Janet, standing at the sink, exchanged a brief glance with Hattie. “And wear good shoes. The ground will still be wet.”
“I’ll see to the dishes,” Hattie said. “Go and get yourself ready.”
Annie hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Off you go.”
Barely a half-hour later, Annie, with Ruffy at her heels, stepped out into the wind and headed for the stile.
As usual, they followed the path along the edge of the woods.
Part way along, Ruffy, who had been zigzagging here and there, came to a sudden halt, pointed his little nose toward the woods, and growled.
Annie, who’d been lost in thought, halted as well, a shiver trickling down her spine as she followed the dog’s gaze. “What is it, Ruffy?”
The terrier, whose hackles had lifted, answered with a throaty growl, and backed up a couple of steps, his attention still fixed on the woods.
Annie held her breath and squinted into the shadowed undergrowth that rippled and danced on the forest floor, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
The only sounds to be heard were the rush of the wind through the trees and the raucous cries of the crows, the latter a little more boisterous than usual.
The hair on Annie’s neck lifted. “What is it, Ruffy?” she asked again, still peering into the trees. “What do you see?’
Tongue lolling from the side of his mouth, the dog looked up at her and wagged his tail.
Then he scooted off across the meadow once more, following his nose as he usually did.
Whatever had caught his attention had apparently gone.
Annie heaved a sigh of relief and continued on her way, her mind once again wandering back over the past few incredible days.
As for moving back to London, she’d decided to wait till she heard back from Archibald Mason.
The thought of the city brought her father to mind. “I wish you could have known Julian, Papa,” she muttered. “You would have approved. You were right to doubt Leo. Oh!”
Annie grabbed at her bonnet as a sudden gust of wind threatened to snatch it from her head.
Drawing near to the hill, her gaze wandered upward.
There would be no shelter from the wind up there.
Nevertheless, driven by a need to see Myddleton House, to stand in the spot where Julian had kissed her, she continued on.
She fancied the wind was challenging her, playing with her skirts, tugging at her bonnet, and mocking any attempt to keep her curls tucked away.
At last she reached the top, breathless, but exhilarated, as if she’d met the challenge of nature and beaten it.
In a moment of sheer euphoria, she tore the bonnet from her head and lifted her face to the sky, barely staving off a temptation to howl in delight.
As if acknowledging her success, the wind howled instead, and then seemed to warn her by wrapping her skirts around her legs as she stepped out onto the ledge.
One step only. It was enough that she could see Myddleton House.
“I miss you,” she said, thinking of Julian. “I cannot wait to see you again.”
Lost in daydreams, she stood there for a few moments, her thoughts drifting from past to future, memories and imaginings sharing space in her head. The wind dropped a little, its howl replaced by a hushed whistle. A mournful sound. Ominous, even.
Unbidden, a prickle crept over her scalp, accompanied by an odd sense of human presence, as if she was no longer alone. She spun around, her panicked gaze raking over the hilltop and the rocks. Empty, all of it. No sign of anyone.
Annoyed at her foolishness, she heaved a sigh and turned back to regard the landscape. As if to counter her silly fears, she dared to venture a little farther onto the ledge.
It happened again. The sense of someone there, as if a shadow had appeared at her back, stealing the light. A squeal of fear caught in her throat as someone grabbed her from behind and pushed her toward the edge. Her bonnet slid from her fingers to be snatched away by the wind, ribbons trailing.
Terror, like an icy wave, washed over her as the precipice loomed. Only at the last second, mere inches from certain death, did her assailant halt his attack. Annie closed her eyes as his foul breath, heavy and rhythmic, brushed over her right ear.
“You should be more careful, my dear,” a male voice muttered. “It is doubtful you would survive such a fall.”
Annie’s eyes flew open, the world tilting as she whispered his name. “Leo.”
A growl rumbled in his throat. “So, you have not forgotten me.”
Numb with shock, heart hammering in her ears, she replied with only a whimper. Questions tumbled through her mind, one in particular at the forefront. How did you know where to find me?
Lucidity, in a crude form, returned and brought indignation with it. Annie squirmed in his grip and pushed back against him, but he held her fast, arms pinned to her sides. “How dare you, Leo,” she said, teeth gritted. “Let me go!”
Leo responded with another low growl, his breaths coming hard and fast against her throat. “I suggest you be still, Annie. It is not wise to move against me like that.”
Realizing what pressed against the base of her spine, Annie froze. “You’re disgusting.”
“And I’m disappointed you know what it represents, my dear. I trust it is not through personal experience.”
Annie gasped. “How dare you! Release me. You’re scaring me.”
“As intended.” His hold on her tightened a little. “I’ve been watching you this past while. You have been enjoying yourself, haven’t you? With him. That toff.” He laughed softly and without humor. “Who is obviously unaware of the truth.”
Annie’s stomach lurched. “You’ve been watching me? What do you mean? For what purpose?”
“Curiosity.”
“You have no right to do so, Leo. None.” She tensed against an urge to struggle. “How did you know where to find me?”
“A little bit of detective work. It was not difficult.” Leo hissed softly through his teeth.
“What has been difficult is watching you with him. The hand-in-hand walk by the river. Sharing a kiss by those rocks over there. That, especially, I did not like to see. Not one bit. It angered me, Annie.” He inched closer to the edge, his breaths heavy once more. “It infuriated me.”
A cry scraped from Annie’s throat. “Leo, please, no.”
“You spent a night beneath the same roof as him as well, didn’t you? Did you sleep alone?”
She gasped. “How dare you! Let me go, please. This… this is madness.”
“Madness?” Another soft laugh. “I’m of the opinion it’s an opportunity for revenge not to be missed. You, all alone up here. A fierce west wind. She was a foolish girl, they will say, to venture onto the ledge in such weather. An accident was inevitable.”
“No, please.” Annie’s throat tightened as her legs buckled beneath her. “I beg of you.”
“As I once begged you, remember?” Leo nuzzled the spot beneath her ear. “And you denied me, Annie. You cast me aside. I told you you’d live to regret it, did I not? It seems that day has come.”
“Leo, please. I don’t… Oh, God, I don’t want to die.
” Tears blurred Annie’s vision as she looked out over the landscape.
She blinked them away, strangely furious that they dared to obscure her view.
She needed to see Myddleton House. To remember.
To regret. She blinked again as her eyes found what she was looking for.
I should have told you, Julian. I should have told you that I love you. And I do. I do love you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
They came back to her, then. The words Leo had spoken:…who is completely unaware of the truth.
“What truth, Leo? What truth is Julian unaware of?”
“I was beginning to think you’d never ask,” he replied. “The truth about you, Annie.”
Her teeth chattered. “About me?”
“I thought they’d have told you by now.”
“Told me what? Who is ‘they’?”
“I can only surmise they’ve kept it from you because of him.”
She parted with a cry of frustration. “Stop speaking in riddles and tell me what you mean.”