Free Refuge by Kirsty Ferry Page A

it?’
‘A friend of my brother’s,’ replied Genevieve. Will said nothing, waiting for her to elaborate. She held his gaze. ‘He’s nobody important, don’t worry. Why didn’t you come inside, Will?’
    ‘I took a chance coming over here tonight anyway,’ said Will, taking the hat off and laying it on the table next to Genevieve’s discarded dance card. He picked up the card. ‘Oh, I say, Montgomery has a title. How nice. Anyway, darling, I might be mistaken,’ he said, ‘but wouldn’t you rather be in the house, enjoying the ball, than being out here in the cold?’ He The man nodded his head towards the house. ‘It seems as if they have a new dance starting. I can hear the music.’
    Genevieve said nothing. She looked over Will’s shoulder in the direction of the house then spoke. ‘No. I think I’d rather be here actually.’ She looked at him again and a slow smile spread across her lips. ‘Having considered it, I quite like you in that outfit, Will Hartley.’ The meaning in her words was obvious. ‘But tell me, how did you escape from that business dinner?’
                    ‘Quite easily,’ he said, ‘but let’s not talk about where I should be. Let’s talk about you. In fact, I’ve made a decision. I don’t think you should go back yet either.’ He took her hand and raised it up to his lips. ‘If I should delay you here, who else will be disappointed tonight? Apart from our friend Montgomery?’
    ‘Nobody,’ said Genevieve. She felt her cheeks grow warm as Will studied her face. She tried to control her breathing as he stood up, still holding her hand.
    ‘I don’t think I particularly like Montgomery,’ he said. ‘Why should he have you tonight?’ He leaned closer to her ear and whispered, ‘I wouldn’t want you to rush off to be with him.’ Will stood upright and used his free hand to scoop her hair away from the side of her face. She reached up and covered his hand with hers, looking straight into his eyes. He traced the line of her face with his fingers and dropped his hand from the side of her face. He cupped her chin. Genevieve caught her breath. ‘Ahhh, but not yet,’ he said. ‘It’s wrong for you to miss out on the dancing.’ He bowed low and held his hand out to her. ‘Will you dance with me tonight?’
    He took hold of Genevieve around the waist and pulled her close to him. The material of his cloak was scratchy against her face and he smelled of frost and ice and outdoors. Genevieve did not resist. She closed her eyes and began moving with him to the faint music that spilled out from the Hall. When the music fell silent, Will pulled her closer to him. Genevieve found his lips on hers and, almost instinctively, she closed her eyes and gave herself up to him.
    ***
    Afterwards, they lay on the chaise longue, covered by the cloaks. The fire had burned down to the embers, all warmth dissipating with the flames. Genevieve sat up in the freezing room and pulled the cloak closer to her.
    ‘Are you still going away tomorrow?’ she asked Will. ‘Are you still leaving me?’
    ‘It won’t be too long before I’m back,’ he said. He touched his hand to her face. ‘But I didn’t want to leave without seeing you tonight.’
    ‘So you’re doing what they want.’ she stated.
    Will didn’t reply. Instead, he sat up and fumbled for his shirt. ‘I don’t have a choice,’ he said.
    ‘Yes, you do.’
    ‘No. I can’t take the chance of Joseph finding out about us again. If I stay, he could make things even more difficult for you.’
    ‘I can look after myself,’ protested Genevieve. ‘I can make things difficult for him. And for you.’
    ‘Joseph is dangerous, Veva,’ said Will, ‘we both know that.’ Genevieve unconsciously looked down at her wrist and rubbed it. Will followed her glance. ‘What was that for?’
    ‘I didn’t want to go to the ball,’ she replied. ‘It’s nothing.’
    Will picked up her hand and kissed her wrist. ‘I