even eventually on this very ground.
“The dark war clouds will no longer hang back. The storm is upon us,” he said as if he too was imagining what war would bring to them. “But I didn’t follow you out here just to deliver that unhappy news. I wanted a private moment with you to say goodbye before I left Grayson.”
Her eyes came back to him. “Are you off to fight the South, then?”
“No, I’m not a soldier. I see other possibilities. I will go but only to draw the scenes to break the hearts of those far from the battlefields.”
“Surely there are no battlefields as yet.”
“Battles rage in many places. People will be choosing sides. In the legislatures. Village streets. Drawing rooms.”
His look sharpened on her with the last, but she pretended not to know his meaning. “So Selena’s portrait is finished?”
“I plan to add the final strokes to it this afternoon and be on my way come morning.”
“Then you could have said goodbye in the morning.”
“Perhaps, but you seem to lose a bit of that honesty I find so enchanting when others are in our company.” A smile was back in his eyes.
She let his words slide past her. She had no answer for that. Instead she shifted the subject. “I’m sure Father will be leaving too. Back to Frankfort to be in the middle of the decision making for our state.”
“He was ordering his servant to begin packing when I left the house.”
“I do hope Selena plans to accompany him.” Charlotte mashed her mouth together. She shouldn’t have spoken that aloud.
Adam’s smile reached his lips. “Your father said the same, but in a much different tone of voice.” His smile faded as he peered at her with a good deal of sympathy. “Unfortunately for the happiness of you both, she feels she has too much to do here at Grayson to return to Frankfort at this time.”
“She has many plans.” Charlotte kept her voice as free of expression as she could.
“Many plans,” Adam agreed. “Sometimes all a person can do is get out of the way of a woman like Selena.”
“I can hardly pick up and leave the way you can.” She looked at him with a bit of envy even as she thought of poor dead Richard who had done that and never come home. If there truly was war between the North and the South, how many more gravestones would rise in the family graveyards around them?
“What about your gentleman friend?” Adam’s eyes were sharp on her again.
“The one going to the Shakers?” Something about this man kept her from pretending even to herself.
“I suppose that does present some difficulties.”
“Certainly few of your opportunities.” She wanted to keep her voice strong and sure, but the way his eyes were trying to swallow her was taking her breath away. She stepped back and felt the cold edge of her mother’s gravestone against her legs. “Opportunities can pop up in the most unlikely places, but sometimes you need to know the right opportunity to pursue.” He stepped closer to her. “It’s good Edwin Gilbey is going to the Shakers. That sets you free.”
“Free to do what?” Charlotte’s voice fell almost to a whisper again. She tried to back up and put more distance between them, but the gravestone stopped her.
“Live your life.” Adam softly traced the curve of her cheek with his finger. “Enjoy the moment. This moment.”
A tremble swept through Charlotte at his touch. Not of fear but of desire. She couldn’t move. She didn’t want to move. His eyes had her mesmerized.
“Seize the opportunity.” His voice deepened and sounded husky as he bent his head down toward her, but he stopped before he touched her lips. She could feel his breath against her face as he went on. “Do you have the courage to do that, my beautiful Charlotte?”
It took all her strength to keep from melting against him and raising her lips to meet his. He was going to be gone from Grayson in the morning. She’d likely never lay eyes on him again. What good purpose
“The dark war clouds will no longer hang back. The storm is upon us,” he said as if he too was imagining what war would bring to them. “But I didn’t follow you out here just to deliver that unhappy news. I wanted a private moment with you to say goodbye before I left Grayson.”
Her eyes came back to him. “Are you off to fight the South, then?”
“No, I’m not a soldier. I see other possibilities. I will go but only to draw the scenes to break the hearts of those far from the battlefields.”
“Surely there are no battlefields as yet.”
“Battles rage in many places. People will be choosing sides. In the legislatures. Village streets. Drawing rooms.”
His look sharpened on her with the last, but she pretended not to know his meaning. “So Selena’s portrait is finished?”
“I plan to add the final strokes to it this afternoon and be on my way come morning.”
“Then you could have said goodbye in the morning.”
“Perhaps, but you seem to lose a bit of that honesty I find so enchanting when others are in our company.” A smile was back in his eyes.
She let his words slide past her. She had no answer for that. Instead she shifted the subject. “I’m sure Father will be leaving too. Back to Frankfort to be in the middle of the decision making for our state.”
“He was ordering his servant to begin packing when I left the house.”
“I do hope Selena plans to accompany him.” Charlotte mashed her mouth together. She shouldn’t have spoken that aloud.
Adam’s smile reached his lips. “Your father said the same, but in a much different tone of voice.” His smile faded as he peered at her with a good deal of sympathy. “Unfortunately for the happiness of you both, she feels she has too much to do here at Grayson to return to Frankfort at this time.”
“She has many plans.” Charlotte kept her voice as free of expression as she could.
“Many plans,” Adam agreed. “Sometimes all a person can do is get out of the way of a woman like Selena.”
“I can hardly pick up and leave the way you can.” She looked at him with a bit of envy even as she thought of poor dead Richard who had done that and never come home. If there truly was war between the North and the South, how many more gravestones would rise in the family graveyards around them?
“What about your gentleman friend?” Adam’s eyes were sharp on her again.
“The one going to the Shakers?” Something about this man kept her from pretending even to herself.
“I suppose that does present some difficulties.”
“Certainly few of your opportunities.” She wanted to keep her voice strong and sure, but the way his eyes were trying to swallow her was taking her breath away. She stepped back and felt the cold edge of her mother’s gravestone against her legs. “Opportunities can pop up in the most unlikely places, but sometimes you need to know the right opportunity to pursue.” He stepped closer to her. “It’s good Edwin Gilbey is going to the Shakers. That sets you free.”
“Free to do what?” Charlotte’s voice fell almost to a whisper again. She tried to back up and put more distance between them, but the gravestone stopped her.
“Live your life.” Adam softly traced the curve of her cheek with his finger. “Enjoy the moment. This moment.”
A tremble swept through Charlotte at his touch. Not of fear but of desire. She couldn’t move. She didn’t want to move. His eyes had her mesmerized.
“Seize the opportunity.” His voice deepened and sounded husky as he bent his head down toward her, but he stopped before he touched her lips. She could feel his breath against her face as he went on. “Do you have the courage to do that, my beautiful Charlotte?”
It took all her strength to keep from melting against him and raising her lips to meet his. He was going to be gone from Grayson in the morning. She’d likely never lay eyes on him again. What good purpose
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