What a fool. He reallywasin love.
“Brother…?”
Elias jerked. “Yes?”
“Shall we take the boats and have a race to the island?”
Elias pushed back his slipping glasses and looked in the direction Hannah pointed. The lake on the banks of which they now rested was dotted with boats, surrounding an overgrown island at its very center. Old willows hung over the water that casual visitors drifted past. It’s been a long time since he’d been here, but he still recalled how he’d taken his sister there on their quest to explore a jungle back when they were little. A devious thought sparked in him.
“Why not? I shall keep Lady May company. It is only fair that both teams should have the advantage of familiarity, do you not agree?”
“A splendid idea.”
Perhaps, he could get a moment alone with May after all.
May had other plans for the day. Plans that included luxuriating in the comfort of her enormous bed, pleasantly sore from yesterday’s exertions. Then, a leisurely trip to the library, where she could gather courage and decide on how to act in front of the man who had turned her world upside down.
She had not planned on being seized at the first opportunity by her lover’s sister to be whisked away to another session of playing pretend. Surprisingly, she had not had to play the role of the consummate seductress with Elias yesterday. For once, she had felt safe enough to just be herself.
Well, there was no chance of her doing that any longer.
Yet, despite being pinned beneath three pairs of eyes, May still could not help but sneak glances at the duke. He had barely acknowledged her existence during the entire carriage ride. Was he keeping up pretenses, or was he intending to draw a line and return to their purely professional relationship? She wished she knew for certain.
May absentmindedly indulged in the picnic spread. When Lord Spencer asked her a question, May could barely gather her wits to conjure an answer. Though he was meant to be the target of her attentions, it was as if her vision was narrowed by invisible blinders toward the one person who made her heart beat faster. Elias, who was hidden from sight by a newspaper, cast it aside. For the first time since yesterday, their eyes met, but May could not tell whether it was her own longing she saw reflected in his stormy eyes.
He’d vowed to guard her reputation, but perhaps it was just a neat way out of what was promising to be a very messysituation…. Well, if so, she should feel thankful to him. For allowing her to know, however briefly, what it was like to be his.
Lord have mercy, she wished she could know it again.
“I shall keep Lady May company.”
May blinked out of her thoughts to discover herself in the middle of an unfamiliar conversation. What had the duke volunteered himself to accompany her for?
“Dear cousin, are you up for a little boat race?” Lady Hannah asked.
“Worry not. I’ll make sure we win.” Had the Duke of Southam just winked at her?
“What utter nonsense. No, you shall not. Blake is a much better rower than you.”
“Oh, please,” Elias scoffed.
“May, who do you think shall be the winner? It must be Lord Spencer, surely?” teased Lady Hannah.
May felt a blush creep into her cheeks. She stared at the men, caught unprepared. What did Elias want her to choose? Did he want her to take advantage of this opportunity to build a connection with her sister’s beau? Her hands tightened into fists. Though Elias’s features betrayed nothing, the intensity of his stare confused her further.
Elias had volunteered to accompany her. That meant something. It had to.
“I believe His Grace will have the win.”
She was rewarded with a beaming smile that made her melt.
It was Lady Hannah’s turn to scoff. “We shall see about that.”
“Don’t wet your clothes, little sister.”
“Blake, you can do this, right?” Hannah whispered as they set about preparing for the start.
“Have faith, dearest. We shall triumph.”
