Chapter Four
Daniel kept waiting for a sudden twinge of regret, or to hear a little voice whispering in his ear, telling him he’d lost his mind and that he’d live to regret all of this. So far, though, he’d experienced none of these things.
Having summoned a cab at the cemetery, he’d taken Miss Sinclair back to his house, shepherded her up the stairs, and instructed her to remove her wet clothes.
All perfectly innocent, of course. Although the cloth bag she’d brought with her contained some extra clothing, Daniel gave her his winter dressing-gown to wear.
“You’ll be more comfortable,” he said, when she’d weakly resisted.
Now, a little over an hour later, they were seated beside a cozy fire, each with a bellyful of hot beef stew.
Daniel, having just confessed the truth about his dreams, was enjoying the wide-eyed look of shock on Miss Sinclair’s face.
“In your dreams,” she said, setting her empty plate in the hearth before settling back in her chair. “You saw me in your dreams.”
“Every night for a fortnight,” he replied. “If you recall, you might remember my initial reaction to you the first time we met.”
Miss Sinclair, buried in the woolen folds of Daniel’s dressing-gown, appeared to ponder a moment. “I remember you being startled. As was I when you first appeared out of the fog.”
“If I was startled, it was because I found myself gazing upon a familiar face,” he said. “Your face. The one in my dreams.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
Daniel grimaced. “It’s not exactly an easy thing to admit, not even to myself. I actually began to question my own sanity.”
A smile appeared. “And there was I, worried that you’d never believe my story.”
“Still having a bit of trouble with it, to be honest,” Daniel replied.
“Not so much the part about your mother’s spirit speaking through this medium, but the fact that my mother appears to have played a part in it as well.
It implies that the two of them conspired with each other to arrange all this, which still beggars belief. ”
“I confess, it’s not a tale I would tell all and sundry for fear of being locked away,” Miriam said. “Perhaps we should simply accept it and carry on.”
“I agree,” he replied, the warmth growing inside him not entirely due to feast and flame.
Miss Sinclair had a touch of color in her previously pale cheeks, and a light in her eyes that had not been there that morning.
Daniel struggled with an urge to gather her in his arms and carry her to bed.
Not that he would ever submit to such a temptation.
At least, not until she was his. “Are you feeling better, Miss Sinclair?”
She nodded, her smile still in place even as tears welled in her eyes. “Much better, sir, thank you,” she replied. “Despite what I just said about acceptance, I keep praying this is not a dream.”
“It’s real enough, rest assured,” he replied, “and given that you’re seated in my living room, eating my food, and wearing my dressing-gown, I believe we can dispense with the formalities. Please, address me as Daniel. May I call you Miriam?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Well, Miriam, I have considered our somewhat unorthodox circumstances and have a proposal. How do you feel about eloping with me to Scotland? Just the two of us. No fuss. No questions asked. Nice and quiet and private.”
Miriam let out a soft sigh and, as if in ecstasy, closed her eyes and tilted her head back. It was an innocent but sensual move that had Daniel surreptitiously adjusting his trousers.
“It sounds wonderful, Daniel,” she said, opening her eyes. “How do I feel? I feel honored, as well as fortunate, grateful and happy!”
Daniel laughed. “Then I shall make the arrangements starting tomorrow. The first thing we need to do, I think, is to buy you some clothes.”
Miriam’s face fell. “I have some perfectly nice clothes at the Rectory, but didn’t have time to pack them all. I grabbed only what I could, I’m afraid.”
“We’ll sort that out later,” Daniel replied. “I have to go out this afternoon to let my current client know I’ll be absent for a few days, but I won’t be gone long. Might I suggest you get some rest in the meantime?”
As if on cue, Miriam stifled a yawn. “Oh, excuse me. Yes, I think I will.”