Deception by Amanda Quick

was teasing her but she did not know what the teasing signified. Did he think less of her now that she had lain half-naked in his arms, she wondered.
    Aunt Sophy and Aunt Ida had warned her that many men secretly disapproved of free-thinking women of the world even though those same men were quite content to become intimate with such females.
    For a heart-stopping moment Olympia wondered if she had sadly misjudged Jared. Perhaps he was not the man she had believed him to be. Perhaps he was no different than Reginald Draycott or any of the other men of Upper Tudway. She felt herself turn hot and then cold and was grateful that only one candle illuminated the bedchamber.
    “Are you all right, Aunt Olympia?” Hugh asked with a frown of concern.
    Flustered, Olympia turned her attention back to him. “Of course. What about you?”
    “Yes.” He wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve. “I’m sorry I alarmed you.”
    “Everyone has nightmares now and again, Hugh,” Jared said.
    Hugh blinked. “Even you?”
    “Even me.”
    “What kind of nightmares do you have?” Hugh demanded with keen interest.
    Jared watched Olympia’s averted profile. “I have one particular dream that has come back often during my life. In it I am on an uncharted island. I can see the distant sails of a ship in the harbor.”
    “What happens to you in the dream?” Hugh asked, wide-eyed.
    “I know that the ship is about to sail and I know that I must be on it or I shall be left behind. But I cannot get to the ship. I keep looking at my watch but I know that no matter what I do, I will not be able to reach the vessel on my own. If someone does not rescue me, I will be left alone on my island.”
    Olympia looked up quickly. “I have had dreams like that,” she whispered. “One knows one will be alone forever and one can hardly bear the knowledge.”
    “Yes. Very unpleasant.” Jared stared down at her. For an unguarded instant a remote loneliness as well as a deep, raging hunger gleamed in his shadowed gaze.
    Olympia knew in that moment that she had not misjudged him after all. She and Jared shared a bond that could not yet be translated into words. She wondered if he understood that as clearly as she did.
    “But it is only a dream, Aunt Olympia,” Hugh assured her.
    Olympia shook off the enthrallment that had descended on her and smiled at Hugh. “Quite right. Mere dreams. Now then, I believe that is quite enough discussion on the subject.” She rose from the bed. “If you are certain that you will be able to go back to sleep, Hugh, we shall take our leave.”

    “I shall be fine, Aunt Olympia.” Hugh snuggled down beneath the covers.
    “Very well, then.” Olympia bent down to kiss his forehead. Hugh grimaced as he always did, but he did not turn away. “We shall see you at breakfast.”
    Hugh waited until Olympia had put out the candle and started toward the door. “Aunt Olympia?”
    “Yes, dear?” She turned to look at him.
    “Robert says Ethan and I must be brave because you will likely grow tired of us eventually and decide to send us off to our relatives in Yorkshire. I was wondering how long you think it will be before you do grow tired of having us about the place.”
    Olympia’s throat tightened. “I shall never grow tired of having you about the place. Indeed, I do not know how I got along before you came here to live with me.”
    “Is that true?” Hugh demanded eagerly.
    “Oh, yes, Hugh,” Olympia said with grave honesty. “It’s true. Life was extremely dull around here before you and your brothers arrived. I can think of nothing that would dampen my spirits more than to have you three leave.”
    “Are you certain?” Hugh asked anxiously.
    “I vow, if you and Ethan and Robert were to go away, I would quickly turn into a very odd bluestocking who would have to be content to find all her excitement in her books.”
    “That’s not true,” Hugh said with startling vehemence. “You are not odd. Charles