Moondrops (Love Letters) Read Online Free

hoped uncovering whatever she was meant to find out would take no longer than an hour. Perhaps two, at most. The cost of lodging at an inn was something she wished to avoid, even if it meant jostling back to Essex in a night coach.
    She gave her skirt a brisk swish to shake out the worst of its wrinkles. Then, she knocked.
    It took but a moment for a uniformed butler to appear. If it wasn’t such an outlandish notion she would have guessed he stood, ready and waiting, on the other side of the door for just such a knock to sound.
    “Yes? May I help you, miss?” If he was startled by her sudden appearance, he gave no hint, as if travel-worn young women showed up on the stoop all day long.
    “I…” Now that she was here, she was not sure how to begin. There had been adequate time to consider the task in the coach but she had not formulated a plan. Yet. And with the butler staring askance at her, she was tongue-tied.
    “Yes?” A gentle prod, but a prod, nonetheless.
    “A letter. I, ah, received a letter from this address. It said to come—here, that is.” Every word she spoke sounded like an idiot’s ramblings, even to her own ears. Imagine what the butler must think! Straightening her shoulders, Elise took a deep breath and forced a reasonable tone into her words. “I am here to see whoever lives here, if you please. I am the recipient of a missive which indicated I was to visit this address—” She glanced at the numbers beside the doorframe once more, just to be sure she wasn’t explaining to the wrong butler. She wasn’t. “Right. I was told, in the letter, to present myself here. So, if you would announce my presence.”
    “Certainly, miss. Please, come inside and wait right here while I tell Ma—ahem, while I announce you.”
    The foyer was grander than Elise expected. A thick Oriental rug muffled the man’s footsteps and hers as well as she followed him inside. A discreet nod indicated where she should sit, so Elise took a spot on a low maroon velvet settee placed against the wall beside the door. It was comfortable, so she smiled her appreciation. Seemingly satisfied she was settled, the man nodded, turned on a highly polished black heel and strode down a long hallway. Again, he was as silent as the wind.
    Only a moment passed before his return. “They are waiting in the parlor. May I take your coat? Your hat?” He waited while she removed her outer traveling garments, then took them and hung them on a tree stand behind the front door. Elise barely had time to pat her curls into place before he said, “This way, please.”
    This time, she followed him. He did not pause when he walked through a wide doorway into a small sitting room so she didn’t, either. Unfortunately, she followed so closely on his heels that when he stopped she nearly barreled into his back.
    Not the most polished way to make an entrance, she thought as her cheeks grew warm.
    “The young lady with the letter, Madam.” The butler gestured Elise further into the room, then turned and left.
    Her heart gave an unexpected thump in her chest when she saw the tall, handsome man crossing the room to greet her. The kind of man every woman dreams of but most rarely meet, he moved with fluidity and grace that reminded Elise of a jungle cat. A very large jungle cat. He stood a full head taller than she did, and she was forced to tilt her head back to meet his gaze.
    He inclined his head, reached an arm out and, without touching her, drew her into the room and over to the hearth. An older woman stood before a low chair close to a crackling fire. Elise noticed the sewing basket beside the chair and felt an instant connection to its owner.
    “You have come. I hoped you would, my dear.” The woman stretched out her arms, grabbed Elise close and gave her a fast squeeze. It all happened in the blink of an eye, far too quickly to avoid the embrace.
    Elise allowed it but straightened hurriedly.
    Was it her imagination, or did a whiff of alcohol