Phaedra climbed the steps to Bram’s rooms over the stable, humming a little tune under her breath. If today’s events had proven anything to her it was that she could not wait for ever. The threat of discovery had not deterred her. In fact, it had heightened her need to act. Exposure meant Bram would leave, either under his own free will or be forced to it by Giles’s sense of honour and Aunt Wilhelmina’s attempts to hush up the incident. She might have come anyway, Phaedra reasoned. The lake had been too much temptation and she’d wanted to even before then. The moment he’d made his proposition, she’d thought of nothing else. Phaedra smiled to herself. Bram had probably known she’d accept. He just didn’t know when. That part would be her surprise. Light peeped out from under Bram’s door at the top of the stairs. She’d thought of this moment all through dinner, letting talk of Aunt Wilhelmina’s party roll over her without effect.
