are."
She didn't open her eyes but squeezed them even more tightly shut. As always, in the morning she would make herself pretend this never happened. For now she thought fiercely of marriage, of someone to take her away, of everything she might do to escape the perverse hand of the lightkeeper, her stepfather.
~
Eve was happy to see Ahaziel the next morning. She invited herself to sit with him and Jocelyn in the parlor while her brother ate his breakfast and nursed a hangover. She pretended not to care when Ahaziel ignored her. At least, he chose not to speak to her; she noticed his eyes turning discreetly to her again and again, and once or twice she found the courage to meet his hard gaze. They stared at each other in the moments Jocelyn gulped his orange juice or shoveled eggs into his mouth. Eve felt as if her heart were beating in her throat. It was difficult to look into his eyes for long.
After an hour or so Ahaziel and Jocelyn left. Alone, Eve felt deflated and humiliated. She resolved to make a better effort the next time Ahaziel called. She decided to organize lunch the next day and thought about inviting Leah and Phillipa, but dismissed the notion. They'd only get in the way. When Jocelyn came home in the evening, she informed him of her plans, her voice flighty and carefree, and suggested he might invite Ahaziel. Her brother agreed this sounded like a fine idea. Eve breathed with relief and went for a walk in the dusk, dreaming.
At lunch the next day the three of them sat in the parlor. Eve's nerves were electric, though she had composed herself as best she could. She pressed Jocelyn for town gossip and kept looking to Ahaziel in case he had anything to contribute, which he didn't.
Near the end of the meal Esmond entered the room, causing Eve's throat to constrict. He didn't look at her, however, which was a relief. Without seeming to notice Ahaziel, he ordered Jocelyn to follow him up to the lighthouse. Scowling, Jocelyn did so. Hardly able to believe her luck, Eve seized the opportunity to speak with Ahaziel alone.
She took a deep breath to calm her jumping nerves before addressing him. "Would you walk with me on the beach?" She didn't care whether he might think her too forward. If she didn't act there would be no hope for her.
For a moment he sat still as a statue, considering her dispassionately. Her face grew warm and it was all she could do to resist the urge to fidget. Finally he stood and said, "Of course." Her relief was cool and calming.
At last.
They didn't speak at first, but as soon as they reached the beach, surrounded by the volume of waves and wind, it seemed to Eve as if they could say anything, and if their words were a mistake they would simply dissolve into the tumult of nature. There was freedom down here, she thought, and a sense of being separate, outside the world and time. Or maybe that was just how she felt with Ahaziel.
"You are not happy here," he stated, breaking the wordlessness between them.
"No," Eve answered without hesitation, biting back anything else she might have divulged.
"You could leave."
Eve drew her eyebrows together. Was his suggestion a casual one, or did it hold a deeper meaning? Her stomach tightened at the thought of going away with him. He was so beautiful and strange she couldn't possibly feel interest for another man ever again. He couldn't leave here before she had touched his skin, before she had tasted his lips . . .
She realized he had stopped walking several paces behind her. She turned and his gaze leveled with hers. The corners of his lips were pulled in and she couldn't tell whether he was frowning in disapproval or suppressing a smirk. Something about his look shamed her and color rose in her pale cheeks. Nevertheless, he took her breath away. She felt full of hope and urgency. His power over her was endless. She would do anything he asked of her.
He reached out and took her hand. The thrill of his skin touching hers was enormous.
She didn't open her eyes but squeezed them even more tightly shut. As always, in the morning she would make herself pretend this never happened. For now she thought fiercely of marriage, of someone to take her away, of everything she might do to escape the perverse hand of the lightkeeper, her stepfather.
~
Eve was happy to see Ahaziel the next morning. She invited herself to sit with him and Jocelyn in the parlor while her brother ate his breakfast and nursed a hangover. She pretended not to care when Ahaziel ignored her. At least, he chose not to speak to her; she noticed his eyes turning discreetly to her again and again, and once or twice she found the courage to meet his hard gaze. They stared at each other in the moments Jocelyn gulped his orange juice or shoveled eggs into his mouth. Eve felt as if her heart were beating in her throat. It was difficult to look into his eyes for long.
After an hour or so Ahaziel and Jocelyn left. Alone, Eve felt deflated and humiliated. She resolved to make a better effort the next time Ahaziel called. She decided to organize lunch the next day and thought about inviting Leah and Phillipa, but dismissed the notion. They'd only get in the way. When Jocelyn came home in the evening, she informed him of her plans, her voice flighty and carefree, and suggested he might invite Ahaziel. Her brother agreed this sounded like a fine idea. Eve breathed with relief and went for a walk in the dusk, dreaming.
At lunch the next day the three of them sat in the parlor. Eve's nerves were electric, though she had composed herself as best she could. She pressed Jocelyn for town gossip and kept looking to Ahaziel in case he had anything to contribute, which he didn't.
Near the end of the meal Esmond entered the room, causing Eve's throat to constrict. He didn't look at her, however, which was a relief. Without seeming to notice Ahaziel, he ordered Jocelyn to follow him up to the lighthouse. Scowling, Jocelyn did so. Hardly able to believe her luck, Eve seized the opportunity to speak with Ahaziel alone.
She took a deep breath to calm her jumping nerves before addressing him. "Would you walk with me on the beach?" She didn't care whether he might think her too forward. If she didn't act there would be no hope for her.
For a moment he sat still as a statue, considering her dispassionately. Her face grew warm and it was all she could do to resist the urge to fidget. Finally he stood and said, "Of course." Her relief was cool and calming.
At last.
They didn't speak at first, but as soon as they reached the beach, surrounded by the volume of waves and wind, it seemed to Eve as if they could say anything, and if their words were a mistake they would simply dissolve into the tumult of nature. There was freedom down here, she thought, and a sense of being separate, outside the world and time. Or maybe that was just how she felt with Ahaziel.
"You are not happy here," he stated, breaking the wordlessness between them.
"No," Eve answered without hesitation, biting back anything else she might have divulged.
"You could leave."
Eve drew her eyebrows together. Was his suggestion a casual one, or did it hold a deeper meaning? Her stomach tightened at the thought of going away with him. He was so beautiful and strange she couldn't possibly feel interest for another man ever again. He couldn't leave here before she had touched his skin, before she had tasted his lips . . .
She realized he had stopped walking several paces behind her. She turned and his gaze leveled with hers. The corners of his lips were pulled in and she couldn't tell whether he was frowning in disapproval or suppressing a smirk. Something about his look shamed her and color rose in her pale cheeks. Nevertheless, he took her breath away. She felt full of hope and urgency. His power over her was endless. She would do anything he asked of her.
He reached out and took her hand. The thrill of his skin touching hers was enormous.
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