He shakes his head, a small smile playing across his lips.
“Don’t worry,” he says. “I couldn’t part with that one, especially after the good fortune it brought me.”
My face goes hot, both from my memory of the first time I viewed that painting and the way Calder is looking at me now.
“I kept a few other pieces, too,” he says. “A couple of paintings my father loved, plus one for my sister. And the tusk with the carving of the whaling ship.” He reaches out and cups the side of my face. “So you see, I already have all I need. The Ludlam belongs to you.”
I open my mouth to protest, but I don’t want to argue right now. Instead, I reach up and cover his hand with my own.
“Thank you, for sharing all this with me.” My eyes start to burn again, but this time I can’t turn away.
“Thank you,” he tells me, “for letting me share it.”
I think I see the glimmer of tears in his own eyes, but before I can be sure, he leans forward and kisses me. It’s not like the passionate kisses we’ve shared before. This one is tender, almost tentative, but my stomach flutters even more than it did during any of our previous encounters. I want to drown in the sweetness of his mouth, in the gentleness of his hands. I want to take on his pain and his grief and help him heal, but I don’t know how.
I pull away, but only enough so that I can look him in the eyes.
“Will you take me on one final tour? I want to see everything.”
He nods. It’s strange to see him fighting for words, but I take his hand and squeeze it. I’m here with him now. I can help him say goodbye to this place.
We spend the next few hours wandering from room to room. Most of the furniture and décor is gone, but Calder still has things to show me, stories to share. I hold his hand through all of it, and his grip on my fingers is tight, as if I’m anchoring him through this farewell.
Finally we head back outside to the gardens. He seems to brighten a little now that we’re out in the sun, and his hand relaxes.
"You know," I say as he leads me up the path. "I still haven't seen the hedge maze."
The corner of his mouth curls up, and the wicked expression makes my heart beat faster.
"We should remedy that," he says, tugging me toward the back side of the house.
A few minutes later we're standing next to an eight-foot expanse of dark green shrubbery. The wall extends as far as I can see in either direction.
"Wow, you weren't kidding. This is huge." I reach out and touch one of the spiny green leaves. The branches are so thick that I can’t see even a speck of sunlight from the other side.
Calder grins. "It's easy to get lost in there."
"I imagine,” I say, tilting my head back and admiring the impressive height of the hedge. When I turn back to him, I find him watching me intently.
"I'd like to propose a little game," I say.
His eyes darken. "Oh?"
I stroll ahead of him to the place where the hedge parts and the labyrinth begins.
"I'll go in first," I say, "and then you have to come find me."
His lips curl at the prospect.
"What do I get if I win?" he asks, his voice rough.
"I think you can guess." I tug at the strap of my tank top, sliding it off my shoulder. Being back in this place is making me feel wild again.
The look Calder gives me in response is positively animal.
"Count to fifty," I tell him, backing through the maze entrance.
He makes a sound of assent, never taking his eyes from me. I flash him my best "come and get me" grin over my shoulder and disappear between the hedges.
“No cheating!” I call back to him. And then I break into a run.
My heart is pounding in my throat as I rush down the dirt path. I don't know if Calder really means to count to fifty, but I want to give him a good chase. Toying with him is half the fun.
I'm out of breath by the time I reach the first fork.
I pause for only the briefest of moments, and then I turn down the left-hand path. Just around the bend, I stop again and pull my tank top over my head. There's nothing wrong with helping him out a little. I hook the tank top over a branch of the nearest hedge and continue on my way.
I follow the dark, curving walls of green. The thick hedge blocks out most of the sound from the outside world. A few birds sweep overhead, chirping and singing, but even they seem far away, part of another place. All I can do is keep going.
By the time I reach the next split in the path, I know Calder has had plenty of time to finish counting. He’ll be on my trail soon, if he isn’t already. I kick off my shoes and leave them in the dirt at the head of the path I choose.
At the following fork, I shimmy out of my jeans. I’m laying them down on the ground when I hear Calder’s footsteps for the first time. He isn’t far—on the other side of the hedge I just came around. I have to hurry.
The next time the path splits, I unclasp my bra and hang it from a branch. I'm down to my panties now, and Calder’s getting closer. He's moving quickly.
My legs are shaking by the time I round the next bend in the path, but I'm not sure whether it's because I've been running for so long or because my body has started to respond to this game of erotic tag. Goosebumps ripple across my skin. The cool air rushing past my bare nipples teases them into hard, sensitive points.
At the next fork, I slip my panties down my legs and throw them down on the path.
I'm deep in the maze now. I can hear the wind blowing across the tops of the hedges, and somewhere in the distance a bird calls, but otherwise we’re completely cut off from the outside. Anything can happen between these high, leafy walls.
Calder’s gaining now. More than once I've caught a glimpse of him over my shoulder, but I've managed to stay ahead of him so far. At one point I round a corner and lose him for a little while, but soon enough I hear his footsteps behind me again. He's close, and he doesn't seem to be tiring. I don't know how much farther I can run.
The next time the path curves, it doesn't lead me down another labyrinthine corridor. Instead, it opens onto a small circular clearing with a fountain at its center. This must be the very heart of the maze.
I jog to the fountain and stop at the edge of the pool. Behind me, Calder's footsteps are approaching fast. They stagger to a stop when they reach the clearing.
I take a deep breath and stare down into the clear water of the pool. My softly-rippling reflection stares back at me, flushed and fully naked. My hair escaped its band somewhere along the way and hangs loose and wild around my shoulders.