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Elizabeth shook her head, crossing her arms like a stubborn child. “I do not want to. I need to learn how to ride a horse.”
“Then listen to what I have to say without your little comments.”
“Fine!” Elizabeth’s cheeks colored, as if she was angry, but then the tension broke with her giggle. She looked up at William, her eyes glittering with happiness. “I haven’t quarreled with someone like that in quite a long time. You seem to bring out the parts of me that have long since been dormant.”
He was struck dumb by her words. He shouldn’t have been. He shouldn’t have coolly brushed it aside like he had been doing everything else she said to him. But for some reason, her words opened up a part of his heart that he’d locked away years ago. He didn’t like it. Not one bit.
But though he knew that the logical response would be to put distance between them, William only said, “Try to touch the horse again, until you find that your hand isn’t shaking anymore.”
If Elizabeth was disappointed by his lack of response, she didn’t show it. She only turned her attention back to the horse, licking her lips. William couldn’t help but study her, watching her take deep breaths that made her generous bosom rise and fall in an alluring manner. Her lips thinned to a line, her fingers trembling when she tried to touch the horse again. The horse barely moved, as if he didn’t notice—or rather didn’t care—about the two humans standing before him.
Elizabeth went from touching the horse gently to caressing its nose. Then, as seconds clocked by, she gathered enough bravery to touch him with both hands and step a little closer. Her hands still trembled though.
“Enough,” William said after a while. Without a single second of hesitation, Elizabeth took two large steps away from the beast and tucked her hands behind her back, breathing heavily. The fear in her eyes stabbed his chest with unease. “That is more than enough progress for today.”
She looked up at him, trying to steady her breathing. “Are we finished?”
William nodded. “I cannot spare any more time for this, so do whatever else you wish to do for the remainder of the day. I shall be in my study.”
He expected her to protest, to say something indicating that she didn’t want him to leave. But Elizabeth simply nodded and said, “Do not work too late, William. And do not forget to have your dinner.”
For the second time that day, William didn’t know what to say. And he could only stand there and stare at her as she made her way past him without another look or word, heading back to the manor. He stared after her, watching the gentle sway of her hips and felt a longing that pierced deep into his soul.
Work didn’t seem so pleasing right now.
Chapter 11
A note was waiting for him when he returned to his study. It sat prettily in the center of his desk, even though the words that were scribbled across it was a nearly indecipherable scrawl. William knew exactly who it was from before he read its contents.
An old friend had returned to London—the infamous Nelson Brawn.
Infamous, that is, in certain circles. Circles that a man like William should not be caught dead in. But the past years had not been kind to William and he’d found himself in situations, and around people, he never thought he would. Nelson was one of them and they’d formed an odd friendship as a result.
William, however, had been smart enough not to get caught up in Nelson’s nefarious acts. Though he’d befriended the man, through a chance encounter in a seedy tavern, he’d always made sure to draw the line between them, knowing one day he would be in a position where he could not afford to have his name sullied. Unlike his father.
A few months ago, Nelson had declared his intentions to leave London for good. Though he hadn’t said why, William knew that it might have something to do with a criminal act that would land Nelson in prison if he were caught by the authorities. William wondered why he’d returned.
And now, of all times, when I have a persistent lady in my midst.
William sank into the chair before his desk, tossing the note to the side. Nelson, in addition to announcing his return to London, also said that they should meet with each other like old times. William had to wonder if Nelson knew that he’d inherited the Dukedom. Or if that was the reason he’d suddenly returned. With a man as crafty as he was, William couldn’t be too sure, even if they were friends.
The very last thing he wanted was for Beth to find out about the crowd he once ran in. Though he couldn’t understand why he cared, William decided she couldn’t know. He wouldn’t go to see Nelson. Like so many others, William would leave Nelson in his past. It seemed only Elizabeth was capable of remaining important to him.
