Chapter 21 Rhys #2
If she said “to save the world” one more time, he was going to lose all reason. Why couldn’t he have fallen in love with a normal, sane woman?
“I have a part of the song. I’ve always had it. Now I need to find the other women. It’s why I’m here. Fanny Mendelssohn has part of the song.”
He blinked in surprise. “Who?”
“Felix Mendelssohn’s sister. It must be her.”
Rhys had no idea what she was talking about. He knew who Felix Mendelssohn was, of course. He was the famous composer from Germany.
She said, “In 1829 Felix came to England for the first time to conduct a concert.”
Rhys frowned but nodded. “With the Philharmonic Society. I believe I received the invitation.”
“You did?” She looked at him with hope. “He’s in London? Then maybe Fanny is here with him!”
Rhys was having trouble keeping up. “Who is Fanny?”
“His sister!” Magellan was waving her hands in the air again and talking too fast. “She’s a composer too.
Her brother, Felix, was called the child prodigy, but she was one too.
She lived in his shadow. If she has the song, it will prove I’m not crazy.
Help me get to London and see her before she leaves for Germany again. ” She took his hands and squeezed them.
He stared at their joined hands, his feelings in turmoil.
How could he extricate her from this fantasy?
Was her mind this unstable? He’d heard of musical geniuses who buckled under the weight of their gift and succumbed to madness.
Even his own father had been half mad all his life.
Godwin had often spouted off strange ideas and proclamations.
The late earl had been an alchemist and an artist to boot.
Now it looked like he had encouraged Magellan in his letter writing.
But her real father was here now and had come to collect her.
Even so, Rhys would not abandon her. He would do everything in his power to help her get well.
Because the painful truth was somehow she had stolen his heart without his permission, and he could not lose her today.
Agape was the ancient Greek word to love someone through all obstacles, and he truly believed with time he could help her rein in her unbridled imagination.
He spoke to her gently. “I will not abandon you, but going with your father to your relative’s house to rest will be the best course. I will come in two days’ time, and we will speak more then.”
“Rhys, did you hear anything I just said? I don’t know that man. I’m not even from this time. I’m here to get the song because the world is dying!”
He took a step toward her, at his wit’s end. “It. Is. A. Story.”
Instead of cowering, she took a step forward and yelled back. “It! Is! Not! Read your father’s letter.” She held up her hand. “Or look at my ring. Look at it!”
“I don’t want to look at your bloody ring!” He grabbed her hand in his, and she put her other hand on his heart imploringly, causing his pulse to skyrocket. They were neck in neck, breathing furiously down each other’s throats. It was either shake her to make her see sense or kiss her.
The kiss won. Before he could change his mind, he grabbed her, his mouth devouring hers. The kiss was a raging, burning, helpless twist of need in the face of her delusions. She was mad as a hatter, yet he still wanted her with a soul-crushing desperation that terrified him.
By the deuce, he wanted her.
“Rhys,” she whispered. “Don’t let me go.”
“I’ll never let you go. Never,” he swore with another kiss. His hands were on every curve of her, just as hers were on him. Their mouths were insatiable, drowning in each other.
When they finally pulled away for air, she let out a pained, choked laugh. “You don’t even believe me.”
“I don’t.” He kissed the corners of her mouth, her cheeks, her temples.
“You were in a riding accident. You’re confused and becoming lost in your favorite story.
You just need rest. I will come to you in two days.
” He was convincing himself as much as her.
He would give anything to have her stay, but she needed to go with her father.
It was the best thing for her and would only help put her feet back on the ground.
Perhaps if he had tried harder to help his own father find his footing in this world, he might still be alive today.
Rhys pulled away gently. She expelled a breath and leaned her head back to look up at him. The two tears escaping her eyes lanced his heart. He kissed them away, tasting the salt on his tongue. “Everything will be all right.”
She closed her eyes as if in pain. “No, it won’t.”
He disentangled himself from her with a weary sigh and helped straighten her travel dress as if she were a child, because maybe she was a child, mentally, on some level. She was certainly as stubborn as a child, determined to cling to her delusions.
“Help me find Fanny Mendelssohn. It could prove—”
“Magellan, enough!” he cut her off, his voice sharp. He pulled himself together, becoming every inch the earl. “I will return you to your father, and I will come visit you in two days’ time.”
With steely determination he took her hand and all but pulled her back to the house where the others were waiting. He ignored her continued pleas and fresh tears.
It was time for the Lady of the Labyrinth to go home.