Page 21 of Winterset

Out of the corner of her eye, Anna could see Reed walking toward them, so, with a smile, she eased out of the group and made her way over to where Kyria stood, chatting with Kit and Rosemary Farrington. In the same manner she managed to avoid him for much of the next hour.

As the party wore on, Kyria did indeed open up the floor for dancing. Anna took to the floor first with her brother, and after that she stood up with Dr. Felton, then Miles Bennett. She had danced often enough with both of them, for generally the same people attended every social gathering. Dr. Felton was an adequate, if methodical, dancer, but Miles Bennett was a poor partner, concentrating on his footwork to the exclusion of all else, including the music, so that while he did not tromp all over her feet, he did tend to push and pull her about the floor without much regard to the beat of the music.

It was a relief when the dance ended and she was able to curtsey to Miles and leave the floor. However, as she turned to walk away, she found Reed standing in her path, a cup of lemonade in his hand.

“You look as if you could use this,” he told her, a smile quirking the corner of his mouth as he held out the cup to her.

Anna could not help but chuckle and take the drink from him. “It is a rather energetic exercise, dancing with Miles,” she agreed, then sipped thirstily.

“Perhaps you will allow me to lead you out for the next dance, then. I promise I am not so quick-footed.”

Anna remembered all too well how Reed danced, and just the thought of it set up nervous trembles in her stomach. She looked up at him. There was nothing in his face of the anger or bitterness that had been there the last time they had talked, nothing but polite interest. She should not waltz with him, she knew, but, on the other hand, it would seem odd and impolite not to dance with her host.

“I—thank you. Of course.” The truth was, she knew, that she wanted to dance with him again. It was foolish, just as it had been foolish to come here, but she could not seem to keep from doing it. She took another nervous sip of the lemonade.

Then the first notes of the music sounded, and Reed took the cup from her, setting it aside on a nearby table, and gave her his arm to lead her out onto the floor. She took it, hoping he could not feel the faint trembling of her fingers through his suit jacket. He turned to face her, one hand going to her waist, the other curving around her hand, and they swept out onto the floor.

Anna’s heart lifted with the music. Dancing with Reed was like heaven after Miles’ clumsy efforts. She floated across the floor, very aware of the warmth of his hand at her waist. She remembered the first time she had danced with him, in the ballroom at Holcomb Manor. She had been giddy, already tumbling head over heels into love with him, and she had never known anything so wonderful in her life. She had been twenty-three, but she had felt like a girl of eighteen at her first ball.

She tried to thrust the memory out of her mind. It was dangerous to think about it. She knew better now; she could not let herself stumble into that same quagmire. Anna looked up at Reed, and her breath caught in her throat. He was gazing down at her, his eyes gleaming in the candlelight. His gaze flickered to her mouth, and his eyes darkened. Anna’s insides quivered in response.

It did not surprise her when he danced her closer to the bank of French doors, open to catch the cooler evening air, or that before the notes of the music ended, he whisked her out the doors onto the terrace.

Taking her hand, he walked over to the balustrade. They stood silently for a moment, looking out over the moon-washed garden, still largely untamed despite the recent efforts of Reed’s gardeners, who had come to help old Grimsley. The heady scent of roses hung on the night air, heavy and seductive.

Reed took her by the shoulders, turning her to face him, and Anna looked up reluctantly into his face. His full lips were drawn tight, and he was scowling down at her, but the heat in his eyes was at odds with his irritated expression. “I must have been mad to come back here,” he said. “You are more beautiful than ever…or perhaps I’d just forgotten.”

Anna let out a shaky breath. Her mind was a blank. She knew she should say something, end the moment, but she could not make herself turn away. Her heart was thudding in her chest, and she knew that all she wanted at this moment was for him to kiss her.

As if he had heard her thoughts, Reed leaned down, his face looming closer, and then his lips were on hers and all other thoughts fled from Anna’s head. She trembled, her hands going up to his chest as if to ward him off, then sliding instead around his neck. His lips were soft and seeking, the pressure gradually increasing as passion flared up inside him. Reed’s arms went around her tightly, pulling her up and into him, as his mouth pressed harder against hers.

Anna let out a soft sound of pleasure, clinging to him, her head whirling. It had been so long since she had tasted his lips; she thought she had forgotten how it felt, but the memories flooded back to her now, hot and fierce. Desire thrummed in her, as though the years between had only made it stronger. She wanted the world to go away, wanted the kiss never to stop.

His hands roamed up and down her back, caressing her shoulders and back and hips, and he lifted his mouth briefly from hers only to change the angle of their kiss. Reed’s skin was searing where he touched her bare back and shoulders; his heat enveloped her. One arm curled around her back, supporting her, and his other hand moved slowly up her side from her hips, curving around to the front and coming to rest on the underside of her breast.

Anna shuddered, heat lancing straight down through her abdomen and exploding in her loins. No one had ever touched her like this, not even Reed three years ago, and the sensation was both shocking and intensely exciting. She had never before experienced the hot flowering of yearning between her legs or the sudden fullness of her breasts, the tightening of her nipples. Hungrily, she pressed herself even more tightly against him, her arms locking around his neck.

He kissed his way across her cheek to her ear, and his teeth and tongue worried at the sensitive lobe, sending wild darts of sensation shooting through her. His hand tightened on her breast, his thumb stroking across her nipple, and even through the material of her dress, her nipple responded, hardening and pointing.

“Anna, Anna…” He breathed her name as his lips trailed down her neck, nibbling and kissing until at last they reached the pillowy softness of her breast.

She gasped, rocked by pleasure, and somehow the very intensity of the pleasure brought her out of the haze in which she had been floating. Anna straightened, pulling sharply away from Reed, her hand going to her mouth. For a long moment they simply stared at each other, too stunned to speak or even move. Then, with a low cry, Anna turned and hurried away.

“Anna!” Reed called her name in a hoarse whisper, but she did not turn around.

She paused at the open doors, looking into the lighted room. She straightened her dress and patted her hair, then took a deep breath and slipped inside. No one seemed to notice her entrance.

Anna glanced around the room, looking for her brother. At last she spotted him at the other end of the room, talking to Kyria and Rosemary, and she began to make her way around the edge of the dancers toward him. She hated to tear Kit away from the party, which he was so obviously enjoying, but she did not think she could bear to remain here any longer. She would plead a headache and tell him that she had to leave, but would send the carriage back for him.

She cast a look back toward the outer doors as she moved up the room. Reed had reentered, as well, but was making his way toward the opposite end.

The music came to a stop, the dancers left the floor, and Anna started directly across the room toward her brother. Then there was a stir at the door leading out into the hall, and Anna turned her head to see the constable, Carl Wright, standing in the doorway, looking ill at ease and twisting his cap in his hand. As she watched, Reed strode through the other partygoers to the constable and bent to say something to the man.

By now, almost all the heads in the room were turned toward the door, watching curiously. Reed raised his head and glanced around the room, and his gaze fell upon Dr. Felton. He gestured to the doctor, and Felton slipped through the other guests to join the knot at the door. A murmur rose from the those nearest the three men, moving back through the room.

“A body…”

“They’ve found a body….”