and toward the cliffs’ ledge. It was then she noted the dozens of footmen and maidservants about, working diligently. She frowned when she observed it was their drawings with which they fiddled.
“Hugh, I…” Phoebe smiled and took the note he held out to her.
They are following my instructions to build sky lanterns with our drawings.
“Sky lanterns!”
He signed, “Yes,” and with a motion of his hand encouraged her to read the rest of his words.
A sky lantern works like a hot air balloon. They will artfully arrange our papers over a small wire construction. There are also tiny tallow candles inside to create fire. The fire will create hot air, which is lighter than the cold air outside the lantern, and it will cause them to rise into the sky. It is good luck to release sky lanterns. For many cultures, releasing them to the heavens is symbolic of letting worries, pain, and fear float away. Writing dreams and releasing them to the heavens might also assist with them coming true.
“It sounds so beautiful,” she whispered, a tender ache darting through her heart. And he had done this for her. “How did you learn about this?”
She caught a glint of mischief in his blue eyes and something else she couldn’t decipher. He mockingly scratched the back of his ears, and as if by magic, his fingers flicked, and a note was there for her. Her husband was proving to be courteous, charming, with a delightful sense of humor.
There was a time I was searching for something. I ended up traveling for almost three years. One of the places I visited was China and I witnessed a lantern of the sky festival. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve experienced, and I wanted to share a bit of it with you.
What were you searching for? she wanted to ask, but an excited shout went up, and she turned to see that the servants were lighting the bottom of each lantern.
“Are you certain they will lift to the sky?”
He pointed to a note, and she reached for it.
I should be much astonished if they did not.
Hugh stood, came over, and gently drew her to her feet. With a warm, reassuring touch at her back, he guided her toward the edge of the cliff. The sky had grown darker, and though it was barely past noon, it appeared as if dusk would soon fall. Phoebe inhaled. “I can smell the rain on the wind.”
Strolling side by side, they went toward the edge of the cliff. Phoebe’s breath caught at the beauty of the land and the sea below her. Rolling verdant grass covered the hilly incline leading down to the shores. To the left, tall juniper and willow trees rose toward the skyline and the sea itself. White frothy waves rumbled in the water to crash against rocks before retreating once more. The roar of the sea beckoned to her, and she stepped a bit closer, feeling quite safe with Hugh by her side.
He pointed, and she lifted her gaze up. Dozens of lanterns slowly rose to the sky, spreading out toward the sea. She had done over sixty small drawings, those that included her family and the hopes she had for them all, and many had included her Viscount and his family. The fire which helped them to rise flickered inside, and the lanterns bobbed in the sky with the wind. The sheer beauty of the moment stole her breath, and Phoebe felt as if each fear she had expressed was truly being swept away. It was impossible to tear her gaze away from the lanterns as they crowded the sky in a stunning display.
A gust of wind swept down the treetops and pushed at her. With a laughing gasp, she clutched at her bonnet. The wind was so strong, it nearly swept her off her feet, and the cold air stung her face. “I think…I think it best I go back lest the wind grab me up.”
She stepped back and encountered a wall of muscles. His heat enveloped her, his frame protecting her from the strong wind. Phoebe’s heart became a beating mess. She turned her head to the side and then tilted her face up to look at him. He was staring out at the sea.
“Out here is so very beautiful,” she murmured. You are beautiful.
He turned his face slightly, and her lips dragged against his skin and went perilously close to his mouth. He had a clean, masculine