A Loving Spirit by Amanda Mccabe Read Free Book Online

Was that a compliment?"
    He laughed. "Shocking, I know. But, despite what my mother may think, I am not completely socially inept. I can pay compliments as well as the next gentleman, when they are sincere."
    "I never thought you were socially inept," Cassie said, almost truthfully. Emboldened by his new, more comfortable presence, she said, "Do you know what I would really like to do today?"
    "No, Miss Richards. Look for, spirits, mayhap?"
    Cassie peered at him suspiciously, but his smile was only teasing, not mocking. "I would like to take a walk down by the shore."
    "Really? Well, that is easily done. The stables will always wait. But I fear it is rather chilly down by the water."
    Cassie held out a handful of her heavy red cloak. "Oh, I am always prepared for the chill here!"
    "Then there are some steps just a little further down that way, that lead to the shore." He straightened from leaning on the wall, and offered her his arm. "Shall we, Miss Richards?"
    Cassie eyed his proffered arm for a moment, half-afraid he might pull away and laugh at her. But when he just held it out a little farther and smiled at her expectantly, she slowly slid her hand into the warm crook of his elbow and let him lead her onward.
    The steps to the shore, made of stone at the lowest part of the cliffs, were steep and weathered. Cassie moved carefully on the thin soles of her half boots, but Lord Royce's arm beneath her hand was steady and strong as he helped her down.
    Surely he did not spend all his time in the library, or the muscles that bunched and moved under her touch would not be so—so hard.
    Finally she was distracted from her very improper thoughts about Lord Royce's musculature when they reached the shore, and her face was sprayed with a light mist from the sea. She inhaled deeply of the salty tang in the air, so strange but so familiar and sweet. Her footsteps crunched on the pebbles of the beach.
    She could not help herself. She let go of Lord Royce's arm and rushed toward the water, until the waves lapped at the very toes of her half boots and dampened the hems of her dress and cloak.
    Cassie did not even notice. She was far too enthralled with being so close to the sea again. She gave a little laugh and knelt down to trail her fingertips in a receding wave. The water was much colder than in Jamaica, but it felt delicious on her skin.
    She stood back up and glanced over her shoulder at Lord Royce. She expected to find him disapproving of her impulsive behavior, perhaps ready to demand that they return to the castle at once. She was all ready to stiffen her resolve not to let him spoil her joy.
    Instead, she found that he watched her almost as if he had never seen her before in his life. His expression was quite startled, his eyes wide. He was frowning a bit, but not in a disapproving way. Rather, he looked—puzzled.
    Cassie was not sure what to make of this. She moved one small step closer to him. "The sea is very beautiful, is it not?" she said slowly.
    "Oh, yes," he answered in a quiet voice, the sound almost lost in the murmur of the waves. "Very beautiful."
    * * *
    Phillip watched Cassie run toward the water, her laughter echoing on the autumn air, and thought that she looked a bit like a clothed Aphrodite, emerging newborn from the waves. If Aphrodite had chosen chilly Cornwall to emerge from instead of the warm Mediterranean at Sicily, of course.
    At the castle, Cassie seemed happy and sociable, but also strangely uncomfortable at times. Almost as if she was afraid of saying or doing something that was in some way wrong. Here there was none of that in her demeanor. She ran toward the water, laughing, her hand stretched out.
    As she bent down to touch a receding wave, a lock of black hair fell from her carved ebony combs and brushed against her cheek.
    She looked so—so joyful. Phillip longed to join her, to feel that way again. To feel free, childlike, to not worry about books and logic and always being in strictest