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“Do you…do you have trysts like these often?” aher entire body, but she would not take back her question

His arms slowed, and the boat bobbed atop the waters of the lake “We did not have a tryst,” he replied slowly, his gaze scanning every nuance of her face

“Then what did we have?” she asked her voice a broken whisper, gripping her fingers together Callie couldn’t understand what it was she needed fro inside of her ached

“I do not know, but I have never had a lover where my entire body and heart was attuned to her,” he husked “I fear it ht ruin me for all others”

“I shall celebrate it,” she replied, ard

Their stares held as he reached the dock, and in silence, he angled the craft in before hopping out to anchor it with the rope Then he held his hand out Callie grasped his arm and allowed him to assist her from the boat

They had agreed earlier to enter through the kitchens and make use of the servants’ stairwell Callie entered first, and was clucked over by the cook, but uests, a thing she wasby the dressing table, the aze searched her face, and whatever she saw prompted her to dismiss the maid

“You were gone with the viscount for hours!”

“Oh, Letty! The rain kept us—”

“I gathered anted happening to Mama occurred with you Was he furious?”

“No,” she said, her throat going tight Callie nor with her sister, but this was too raw and private

Letty stared at her “I lied to Mao I told her I saw you in the private parlor reading She seemed satisfied with that”

“Thank you, I daresay she would not care for us being forced to take shelter together”

“Are you well, Callie? You seem out of sorts,” said Letty, with a quizzical look at her sister

“Yes, most certainly!” She hurried over to the screen and started to re