Isabel sat on a swinging chair, looking out over the balcony railings at the dark grounds of Howard's estate. She dangled a leg over the side of the chair, lazily rocking herself back and forth. The cool night air settled around her, and she tilted her head back to look at the stars.
"What are you doing?" Howard asked from behind her.
"Looking at the stars," she replied.
"They're beautiful," he said, joining her on the wide seat.
She tensed, but he didn't reach for her. Instead, he leaned back and gazed up at the sky. She turned to look at him. Illuminating by the cold moonlight, she thought that he looked even more intimidating, but even more handsome. In profile, his face looked sculpted from stone.
A gentle breeze blew, wafting the smell of flowers up to the balcony. She closed
