Denying The Duke (Strong Women Find True Love 3)

“These are my gardens, Robert,” she answered.

“I assure you, the irony is not lost on me.” He was amused.

“I cannot sit idly in the gardens.” His smile grew larger.

“Forgive me for indulging. Shall we occupy ourselves with something as we converse? Might I suggest embroidery?” The crooked smile was now very obviously teasing one out of her.

“Robert!” He laughed at her comical indignation, enjoying her teasing and laughter. The easy camaraderie was much like they once had, but even better. She was pleased to find it again, too pleased. It was fast becoming an addiction.

“Forgive me, Amelia.” He was amused by her manners.

“You jest with me, Robert.” Her tone was huffy, but she was smiling.

“I find I cannot help myself. Your smile is a worthy sight.” The words warmed her and changed the mood drastically.

“Robert?” He was suddenly serious. The change of mood had her looking at him closely. His amusement was gone and his stare was suddenly intense. His eyes, she discovered, were a lovely grey and they looked at her directly. They unsettled her somewhat and she ducked her head. She chastised herself. She was not a child fresh from the schoolroom faced with her first flirtation. And they were merely talking, no reason to find her avidly interested in his boots. Gleaming, expensive leather though they were.

“Don't hide from me. I want to see your smiles. You have given me so few of them.” Fingers wedged under her chin lifted her face up until she was looking directly into his eyes. She wasn’t smiling now.

“I shall endeavour to do better,” she ventured boldly, and he nodded solemnly.

“I sincerely hope so,” he replied with a suddenly intense gaze that drew her in. He moved his hands away and she almost fainted at the sudden relief from his stare. “Tarry with me a while.” He gestured to the stone seat. “I am sure certain duties will snatch you away soon.” He tried to inject a light note into the suddenly tense moment.

“Sitting in the gardens is not...” She had already complained once. “Shall we go for a ride then, Your Grace?”

“If we can escape the sad endings of yesterday.” He was entirely serious.

“I believe that there is nothing left to color the air.” She felt her face burn.

“Then I shall be most pleased to see your lands from your own eyes.”

“I should like to show you my favourites haunts,” she offered as a truce.

“Lead the way.” She led the way, much like yesterday, but when they arrived at the stables she told the groom to saddle her favorite horse. Heather was a playful chestnut just a hand span shorter than the stallion. Amelia mounted astride. A side saddle was not going to make for easy riding and the distance was a good part away. When she settled into the saddle and arranged her skirts she found him mounted and waiting for her to lead the way.

They passed the time riding slowly while they made easy conversation. After a good while they arrived at the brook. Surrounded by a copse of trees that hid it, one could only stumble on it by accident. It gurgled softly. The water was clear to its depths, with smooth pebbles in its bed. Amelia alighted and Robert followed quickly.

“You should let me have the honor of helping you from your horse,” he chided softly.

She paused at that, looking from him to the horse and replaying the past moment. “I am unused to such courtesies.”

“No man has held your reins for you?” He was surprised and pleased. It was a trivial matter, but they were sharing intimacies she had never shared with any other.

“I have never ridden with another man, save when I was but a child and Sebastian carried me on his horse.” She stood reminiscing with a small smile at the corners of her lips.

“A delightful experience I am sure.” It was more a statement of fact than it was a question.

“It was magnificent. It was on a black stallion, the sire if the one you are now riding. I would smile all day. Once, when we reached this brook, he made a pantomime. I was a damsel in distress and a dragon was coming to eat me.” Her smile was brighter now, her joy palpable.

“He cast himself in the role of dragon slayer then?” He joined in her childish glee.

She smiled and frowned a moment later. “I refused to be a weak damsel. I got myself a branch and fought off the dragon. Afterwards we duelled.”

“You, my lady, have had the pleasure of a most unconventional childhood.” He replied without censure and not a little jealousy. He had spent his childhood in rooms with crotchety tutors who deplored his habit of looking out the windows when he could be applying himself to his lessons.

“You resolved to call me by my Christian name, remember?” She wrinkled her nose at him. He flicked the tip of her nose as he laughed out loud in his effusive manner when he found something worth a laugh.

“I stand corrected.” He admitted with a sheepish smile.