Page 16 of An Enchanting Kiss (Captivating Kisses #5)

L ia had never felt so free as she did in Lord Cressley’s company.

He was quick-witted, yet never mean-spirited, in his comments, and he was absolutely in his element with Celia.

Why, the man was born to be a father. He would no doubt be a wonderful one to his own children, seeing how comfortable he was in the presence of his niece.

She reflected on the conversation she had overheard between her mother and aunt yesterday, wondering what they now thought of Lord Cressley having met him. Lia decided she would seek out their opinion of the viscount after the picnic. For now, however, she would focus on Lord Cressley and Celia.

“What do you think of the damson tarts?” she asked the pair.

He grinned. “I have always had a fondness for custards.”

“I like sweets,” declared Celia.

“It looks as if you have finished eating, Celia,” Tia said. “Would you like to go walk with me down to the boathouse? We can look at the rowboats. Perhaps your uncle might even take you out on the water in one of them.”

The girl shot to her feet. “Let’s go, my lady!”

Tia took Celia’s hand, and they departed, leaving her alone with Lord Cressley.

“You and your sister favor one another,” he remarked. “But your hair color is very different.”

“Each of my siblings has a different shade of red. Val’s is a deep chestnut, with mostly brown.

You can only tell it is red if he is out in sunlight.

Ariadne’s hair is copper, a mix of red and bronze shades, and quite pretty.

And you have met Tia now and see that hers is strawberry blond.

Our father had red hair, and so we four children inherited that from him.

No one I know has red in their hair but us Worthingtons. ”

“Your hair is a beautiful shade, my lady,” he said, causing her scalp to tingle with the compliment.

“Thank you.” She paused, deciding to share some about her name and that of others in her family. “I am afraid I must correct your spelling, my lord.”

“What?” he asked, looking perplexed.

“The note you wrote to me misspelled my name. L-E-A-H is a common spelling, but my name—rather, my nickname—is L-I-A. You see, my given name is Cornelia.”

“Ah, Cornelia Worthington sounds like a formidable dowager in her sixties or seventies,” he teased. He thought a moment. “I suppose your twin is T-I-A.”

She laughed. “Yes, Tia is the diminutive form of Thermantia.”

He laughed along with her. “I can see why Lady Tia changed her name. It, too, sounds like a stern dowager.”

“All ten cousins are named after various Roman and Byzantine emperors and empresses,” she explained.

“Papa, my aunt Charlotte, and my uncle George were all passionate about ancient history. They made a pact, deciding to name any children they had after historical figures they had studied and admired.”

“You have mentioned your siblings, Ariadne and Val.”

“Ariadne kept her name, but Val is actually Valentinian.” Lia smiled. “I so rarely think of him that way. It was a surprise to hear his full name used when he wed.”

“I assume Lady Verina and Lady Justina have kept their Christian names. ”

“They have. Traywick’s given name is Hadrian, something he despised as a boy. His father and Lucius, his brother, perished in a carriage accident years ago. When he assumed the title, he asked that he be called Tray, and Aunt Agnes agreed.”

“Do you have other cousins with fanciful names?”

“Three more. They are my aunt Charlotte and my uncle Arthur’s children. Constantine, who is Viscount Dyer, goes by Con. Lucy, who just wed the Marquess of Huntsberry, is originally Lucilla. And Drusilla, the youngest Alington, became Dru.”

“It is nice you have these things in common. I am a bit jealous of your large, loving family.”

“Have you no cousins or other relatives?”

“None. Celia is my only living relative. I hope to fill Crestbrook with half a dozen children or more. I think having a large family would make me very happy.” He gazed intently at her. “Do you hope for many children, my lady?”

“Yes,” she said softly. “I do hope to have several.”

The air between them grew charged as he held her gaze. Then Celia appeared, dashing up and falling to the blanket between them.

“I want to go in the boat, Uncle Rupert. Please, can we?”

“Let us ask Lord Traywick.”

“I want to ask,” Celia begged, running off to where Tray was eating. “My lord, can we take a boat out? Please?”

Tray beamed at her. “Of course, Miss Celia. That is what a pleasant day like today is for. The rains are gone. The early morning clouds have lifted. The water is calm, and sunshine is abundant. Would you like to go with me?”

“Oh, yes!” cried Celia, bobbing up and down in her excitement.

Tray called, “Do you trust me to take your niece with me, Cressley?”

“Yes, my lord,” the viscount replied.

“I will go with the two of you,” Verina said. She offered her hand to Celia, who took it. “Let us go see which boat you wish Traywick to row. He will be doing all the work, while we ladies sit back and enjoy the water.”

Lord Cressley looked to her. “Would you care to go out on the water, Lady Lia?”

“Yes. Very much so. We have no lake at Millvale. I have never been out in a rowboat.”

“You will enjoy it,” he told her.

Lord Cressley rose and offered his hand to her.

Lia took it, and he brought her to her feet.

Touching him caused her cheeks to burn and her belly to turn twice over.

When he released her hand, she had to fight to keep from grabbing hold of it again.

Her hand in his, even for a brief moment, had felt absolutely right.

“The boathouse is this way,” she said, trying to cover the rush of emotion going through her.

He fell into step beside her, and they saw Tray handing Verina into a boat. She settled herself, and he lifted Celia into it. The girl settled in Verina’s lap, a huge smile on her face.

“Look at me, Uncle Rupert. I am in a boat.”

“Listen to everything Lord Traywick and Lady Verina say, Celia.”

“I will,” she promised.

Tray pushed the boat farther into the water and then jumped into it, taking up the oars and rowing from the shore. Celia waved madly at them for a moment, and then she became distracted.

“She is having a fun time today,” Lord Cressley said. “Again, I thank you for inviting us.”

He entered the boathouse and brought out another rowboat, returning to fetch a pair of oars.

Lia offered to take them, and the viscount easily lifted the boat, taking it down to the water’s edge.

He righted it and held it steady, helping her inside before nudging it and jumping in himself.

She handed him the oars, and he inserted them into a slot, then began to row, causing them to glide effortlessly across the calm water.

Grinning, Lia said, “I feel a bit as Celia does, my first time in a rowboat. You look very comfortable, however.”

“Remember, I grew up here. Crestbrook used to have our own boathouse. I am not certain what happened to it, but many a time, I took a boat out onto this lake. Sometimes, to fish. Other times, simply to float. I would lie down and stare up at the sky, watching the clouds pass by.”

“Do you ever look at clouds and see if you can see something in their shapes?” she asked.

“No,” he said, laughing as he pulled again at the oars, taking them farther to the lake’s center.

She looked up, frowning a moment, then said, “There. I see a man with a beard.”

“Where?”

“Right there.” She pointed and looked at him as he gazed up.

Then he smiled. “Yes. I do see him. Why, he looks as old as Methuselah.” He scanned the sky. “I spy a horse.”

He told her where to look, and Lia bit her lip, concentrating. “Oh, wait! Is that his tail? Now, I see his body. My, he is leaping.”

They looked at the skies for a few more minutes, having fun spotting various shapes.

“My neck is aching,” he admitted. “I am looking down from now on. At you.”

Her gaze met his. For a long moment, she was lost in his eyes. A deep yearning filled her.

Then he tugged at the oars again, propelling them across the lake several more feet. They continued to talk. About books they had both read. A little about the war. He seemed surprised that she read the newspapers and kept up with the war and politics.

“I know I am a woman and should not show an interest in such matters, but I like to know what is going on about me. ”

“You are well-informed, Lady Lia. In fact, I think you have a better grasp on economics than I do.”

She felt the blush heat her neck and face and turned to see where Celia was.

“Would you be free tomorrow morning to accompany us into Kidsgrove?” he asked, forcing her attention back to him. “Celia is in desperate need of new gowns. I also want to buy her a few things to play with, as she already told you.”

“Yes, tomorrow morning would be convenient, my lord.”

“We shall pick you up in my carriage at ten o’clock then,” he declared. “Celia will be most pleased.”

Boldly, Lia asked, “And what of you, Lord Cressley? Are you also pleased?”

She could not believe she had been so brazen. Lia had never done anything so out of character.

He held her gaze. “Yes, my lady. I am most pleased.”

She wet her lips nervously. Tried to reply and simply couldn’t. They continued to stare at one another, him looking as if he might gobble her up in a single bite. It caused her heartbeat to quicken. Her insides to race.

Then Tray’s boat bumped theirs, breaking the spell. Lia looked up, shading her eyes with a hand. “Was that on purpose, Traywick?”

“Celia dared me,” her cousin retorted.

“I did not!’ the little girl said indignantly. “But... can we race?”

“We most certainly can,” Lord Cressley agreed. “And I shall claim victory.”

“I want to ride with you, Uncle Rupert,” Celia whined.

“What? You are deserting me, Miss Celia?” Tray asked, a hand to his heart, looking wounded. “Oh, betrayal at the worst level.”