“I’m afraid you misunderstand me. I was angry that he had died, leaving me an earldom.”
“Oh,” Arabella murmured. “Why was that?”
“I was doing what I loved, but I was forced to come home to take up my seat in the House of Lords.”
“Most people would envy you.”
“I know I sound ungrateful, but I loved serving in the army,” he said. “It gave me a sense of purpose.”
He sighed, then continued. “I didn’t even get to say goodbye to my comrades,” he confessed. “Once my commander received word about my brother, I was sent back on the next ship to England. I was so caught up in the news of Paul’s death that I didn’t even realize it until later.”
“That must have been hard.”
“It was, but now…” His voice trailed off for a moment, then he continued, “I feel as if I am adrift.”
“Adrift?”
Colin winced. “Quite frankly, I don’t know what I want to do with my life,” he admitted. “It had been mapped out for me before Paul’s death.”
“You can do whatever you want now.”
“I gave up everything that mattered to me to be in the army,” he said, turning his attention towards her. “That is how much I believed in what I was doing.”
He could see her visibly tense, but she didn’t say anything in response.
Placing a hand on her sleeve, he gently turned her to face him. “Tell me how to make this right between us.”
Arabella lowered her gaze to the lapels of his jacket. “I’m afraid it is too late for that,” she responded softly.
“Do not say that,” he said.
She took a step back. “I should go.”
“No,” he rushed out. “I still haven’t proven my theory about finding the perfect tree.”
Colin could see the uncertainty on her face, and he thought she would refuse, but after a moment, to his great relief, she nodded. “All right, but only because I want to prove you wrong.”
“I think not,” he said, his eyes roaming the ground. “We first have to find the rock that I threw into the cluster of trees.”
“I believe that to be an impossible task.”
“I was a scout in the army,” he shared. “I have no doubt that I can find a rock.”
“You have always been entirely too cocky for your own good,” Arabella replied blithely.
“It has served me well.” Colin started walking around the spot where he’d seen the rock drop, and in a few moments found it. He leaned down, picked it up, and proudly held it up for her inspection. “I told you that I could find it.”
“Thank heavens,” she mocked. “I was so worried.”
Colin smiled. “You are a minx.”
“It is better than being cocky.”
“I disagree.”
Arabella returned his smile. “I am not surprised.”
Colin’s eyes dropped to her lips, and he quickly averted his gaze. Clearing his throat, he said, “Now I must find the perfect tree.”
