Her thoughts turned back to her dress, packed in one of her two suitcases. It was far from perfect, but it was a white dress she’d requested the maid to find and clean for her. It would be something of a surprise for Hal when she had one. She smoothed her hands down the plain blue gown the maid had found for her this morning – it was a little stiffer than the usual gowns she liked, and old-fashioned, but it was comfortable enough. She smiled.
I can’t quite believe I’m doing this.
She was in a coach, with the gentleman she loved, heading to the border. Nobody knew anything about it except him and her. It was an adventure!
The coach jolted on rutted ground again, and Hal shot upright in the seat, looking around. Hestony tried not to smile – with tousled hair and sleep-startled eyes, he didn’t exactly look heroic, but she loved him with every part of her.
“Bumpy tracks, eh?” he said, blinking at her.
“They are, yes.” Hestony smiled. “Where are we?” she added, reaching across to take his hands. They were traveling through thick forest, and it felt like they had been doing so for hours, though she was sure it was really only an hour or so since they reached the woods.
“Well…” Hal took out his watch. “It’s three o’ clock, so we must be nearing Alnwick. We’ll probably change horses there and go on along the coast. We’ll reach Berwick upon Tweed by eight of the clock this evening.”
Hestony felt her own excitement reflected in the look he gave her. She swallowed hard. Inside, it felt as if fireworks were sparking brightly. She grinned and saw her own joy reflected in Hal’s eyes. He reached for her hands and drew her to sit beside him.
With his palm resting on her cheek, he kissed her lips. She sighed and let his tongue slide into her mouth, pushing her body against his. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close against him. She shut her eyes, feeling his tongue probe the depths of her mouth as his lean body pushed against her. She felt drawn to him, as if something in her body would not feel right until it lay beside him.
He ran his hand over her hair, sighing as he held her close. His lips moved from her own, resting briefly on her hair. She sighed and nestled against him, her hand resting on his shoulder.
“Hal,” she murmured as he bent to kiss her again.
“My sweetling,” he whispered in her ear.
His hair tickled her face and she giggled. He laughed and ran his hands down her back and she shivered with delicious longing. She had no idea of what she wanted, but she knew she wanted him. She looked up into his face.
He smiled down at her, gently stroking her forehead where the hair fell onto her skin. He bent to kiss her there. “Hestony,” he whispered.
“My dearest.”
They sat on the same seat, their arms around each other. Hestony rested her head on his shoulder and she felt her heart finally at peace. She felt safe.
When her eyes opened, it was dusk, the pale blue light of evening filtering in through the coach window. She blinked, surprised by the lateness of the hour. She must have fallen asleep.
“It’s almost the Scottish border now,” Hal whispered. “Just now, we’re going to be able to see the sea.” He pointed through the window. Hestony stared.
They were travelling along a ridge, the land wind-tormented and bare. Scrubby grass grew there, and beyond that was only sky. She gasped as she saw the sparkle of light on water.
“The sea!”
Hal held her hand and bent to kiss her shoulder. “I have never seen such a lovely response in all my born days.”
“I have never seen the sea,” Hestony retorted, laughingly.
Hal smiled down into her eyes. “Really?” he asked.
“Really,” Hestony replied. “I’ve seen lakes – we went to the Lakes District when I was a child – but never anything to compare.”
“It is beautiful,” Hal agreed, holding her close.
“It is,” Hestony whispered. She stared through the window, mesmerized, as they passed along the cliffside. The water was black under the blue sky, touched with licks of white where the moonlight touched it. The ripples on the surface widened and narrowed and it seemed to sing; the hiss and roaring of it reaching them through the windows.
“We shall come here every year,” Hal promised. “Ellington Court is close to the border. We will pass near it soon.”
“You mean it?” Hestony stared up at him in amazement. “We could stay here every year? And see the sea?”
Hal laughed. “Of course, we can! We can stay a month, if you’d like.”
“A month?” Hestony felt her heart soar. She bent to kiss him on the neck. He laughed.
“A month. I am so pleased to have you here.” He tightened his embrace, his arms wrapped around her waist, his head resting beside hers.
“I am pleased to be here,” she murmured. Again, she felt that inconceivable desire to do…something. She couldn’t quite imagine though. The thought made her cheeks burn with delicious shyness.
“Not too long before we reach the border,” Hal promised.
“No,” she agreed sleepily, resting his head on her shoulder.
The coach rattled on and Hestony fell asleep again.
“My sweetling?” Hal’s voice woke her from a vague dream of mist and sea and anxious voices. “We’re at Berwick upon Tweed.”
“We are?” Hestony sat up, all weariness gone and excitement gripping her, making her hands damp with perspiration. Hal opened the door and jumped down, then held out his hand for her, so he could help her, and she gripped his fingers, letting him lower her to the ground.
“We will go first to an inn, to sup, and then directly to the chapel,” Hal said gravely.
His hand slipped into hers and together they walked up the steps to the inn.
“Good evening, My Lord; My Lady.” The proprietor bowed low. “Wha’ can I dae fir ye?”
Hestony frowned up at Hal. “I can’t understand him,” she whispered. The man with his big red beard seemed frightening.
Hal just grinned. “He asked us what he can do for us.”
“Oh!” Hestony smiled. “I see. We want supper and…could we have use of a room temporarily?” she whispered shyly. “I wish to change into another dress.” Her heart thumped, hoping that he’d say yes. The luggage was on the doorstep, and she could see Mr. Hurst, the coachman, dragging it inside.
“I, too,” Hal said feelingly. “I wouldn’t mind bathing, either…it seems dreadful to wed you smelling like I’ve been laboring in the mines all week.”