Georgie Lee - The Captain's Frozen Dream

‘Where is it?’ Conrad asked the foreman.

‘Just down there.’ He pointed to another ladder perched along the mine wall, not too far from the main ladder. ‘The ramp for the mules is on the other side. We can go down that way.’

Across the wide pit the ramp sloped into the grey earth. It wasn’t far as the crow flies, but reaching it meant walking the wide circumference of the mine.

‘We’re already losing the light and walking will take time. The ladder will do just as well as the ramp,’ Katie insisted, making for the wood.

The man looked to Conrad, waiting to see if there would be a disagreement but Conrad merely shrugged, then moved to step between her and the ladder.

‘Let me go first.’ Before she could protest, he gripped the top pole and swung himself around to catch the rung, sliding more than climbing to the bottom. He hopped off, looking up past the layers of jagged rocks to usher Katie to follow.

While Mr Turner held the top, Conrad stayed beneath Katie as she descended, ready to catch her should she fall. She managed the ladder with the agility of an experienced rigging monkey, except no man on his crew moved with such tempting grace. Her hips shifted from side to side as she took each rung and her cotton dress swung in time to her steps. As the fabric swayed, it revealed a teasing length of black stocking and a shock of white thigh just above it.

Conrad admired the hint of flesh and the memories it conjured of another evening like this one, a week before he’d left for the Arctic, when the two of them had come here after dark, lanterns in hand, to search through the rocks. He flexed his fingers, remembering the curve of her calf beneath his palm as he’d reached up to slide his hand beneath her skirts and caress the derrière hidden beneath her dress. She’d stopped in her descent and he’d waited for her to kick him away. Instead, she’d met his bold gesture with an inviting smile, dropping down from the ladder into his arms with a kiss as searing as her flesh against his.

The length of him burned with the memory of her pressed beneath him against the wall of the mine as he’d caressed her exposed thigh resting against his hips. They’d teased each other to near desperation, eager in their desire to cling to one another and forget his coming departure. He’d been careful with her, tender but restrained, satisfying her as he denied himself, not wanting to leave her with child when the dangers of his mission lingered so close. Though he’d been cavalier back then about dying, he’d known the risks, but with her breath heavy in his ear, her body trembling against his, he’d believed there’d be many more nights to indulge in the full pleasure of her when he returned.

Conrad stepped back, attempting to shield himself from the tempting hint of her legs and the heat it sent ripping through him as she manoeuvred the last few rungs. She wouldn’t greet his touch with such enthusiasm today, no matter how much he needed the comfort of her embrace.

Humiliation as much as desire burned through him. He shouldn’t need or want her, especially if she didn’t want him, but it wasn’t simply lust driving his pursuit, but the craving for peace. The night before last, when she’d clasped his hand on the back of the horse, it had stilled the trembles which had plagued him since his rescue. In the study today, with her breasts pressed against his chest, all the glories of his past exploits and all the hurtful words of that night had faded away. There’d only been her and the glimmer of love which had carried him through so many dark, Arctic nights.

Katie hopped off the last rung with a wide, exhilarated smile Conrad could feel in his core. The brisk breeze caught a strand of her hair and whipped it across her face. Conrad reached out and tucked it behind the curve of her small ear, though he wanted to wrap the gold curl around his finger, bury his face in the softness of it and make them both forget the past and the present.

Katie’s dark lashes fluttered as she watched him draw his hand away. She bit her bottom lip, the anticipation in her expression urging Conrad forward, but he held back. He didn’t want to push her too far and break the fragile bond they were slowly repairing.

‘Hurry, I want to see the fossil before it gets too dark.’ Katie quickly moved off over the loose piles of slate and around the large outcroppings of rock dotting the mine floor.

Conrad followed, stopping to join her at the base of the second ladder. Katie peered up at the length of dark bone so distinct against the grey slate and the metal stake driven in next to it to mark its place. A nearby overhang increased the shadows in this portion of the quarry, shading the mine wall and the bone.

‘What do you think it is?’ he asked. It was difficult from where they were standing to tell.

‘I don’t believe it’s an ichthyosaur . It looks too long and thick. I must get a closer look.’

‘I’ll have the men dig it out for you tomorrow,’ Mr Turner offered as he came to stand with them.

‘No, we make for London tomorrow. I must see it tonight,’ Katie insisted.

‘Then I’ll fetch a lamp.’ Mr Turner hurried off to secure the light.

Katie crept closer to the ladder, tilting her head back and forth to try to get a better look at the bone. The curls at the back of her neck caressed her shoulders before one of them caught in the small lace of her neckline. Conrad reached up to free it and Katie jerked around to face him, then took one small step away.

‘Dr Mantell found a large bone he thinks is the leg of some unknown creature,’ Katie explained. ‘Mr Cuvier says it’s a kind of hippopotamus from before the deluge, but Dr Mantell isn’t convinced. He and I discussed the matter. He’s afraid to publish his paper on it for fear the societies will laugh and reject him. It’s difficult to be taken seriously if one doesn’t come from a titled or wealthy family.’

Katie toed a small piece of slate with her boot.

‘Then all the more reason to align yourself with a man who possesses both.’ It wasn’t a subtle reminder of his standing and small wealth, but a powerful one. Though he’d always cherished Katie’s eagerness to love him despite his money and family connections, he wasn’t above using both to try and persuade her to be with him now.

Katie peered around Conrad with a frown, obviously not as enamoured with his argument. ‘What’s taking Mr Tucker so long?’

The sun was falling fast and the shadows deepening by the minute.

‘He’ll be back soon.’

‘I can’t wait any longer.’ She marched to the ladder, sliding a little on a piece of lose slate before she regained her balance.

Conrad hurried up behind her. ‘What are you doing?’

‘If I managed the ladder into the mine, surly I can manage this one. Steady it for me.’

Before he could take hold of it, Katie began to climb.

Conrad grabbed the poles tight and the higher Katie climbed, the more the wood wobbled under her weight. As she ascended, the top of the poles nestled against the walls rattled, breaking off shards of slate. Conrad turned his head as the pebbles she’d knocked loose pelted his shoulders and scattered over the mine floor. By the time he looked back up, Katie was at the top, hands on the last rung as she strained to see the bone.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.