She could feel Lord Hilgrove bob his head in agreement. “I can do that.”
“Good, I am glad you agree,” Edwina said with a hint of humor in her voice. “Because I am out of advice.”
Lord Hilgrove chuckled, the sound bringing a small smile to Edwina’s lips. “It was good advice,” he acknowledged. “But, perhaps, we should deliver this basket now so we are not late for breakfast.”
As she recognized the precariousness of their situation, Edwina dropped her arms and took a step back. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she stumbled over her words. “Yes… um… that is a fine idea,” she rushed out. “Breakfast is indeed a good thing.”
“Yes, it is a very good thing,” he repeated with an amused grin playing on his lips.
Edwina felt like a complete fool. Why couldn’t she formulate coherent sentences in front of him? But deep down, she already knew the answer. Lord Hilgrove’s piercing gaze had a way of disarming her, making her forget all rational thought. And now, against all odds, she had developed feelings for him.
As Miles strolled with Edwina down the path, the basket comfortably tucked under his arm and the reins of his horse securely in his hand, he felt a reprieve from his unrelenting grief. Her words had touched him deeply, like a soothing balm for his soul. They resonated deep within him, filling him with a sense of peace and giving him the rest he so desperately needed. For the first time since his wife had died, his heart felt lighter and he could finally breathe without the suffocating grip of sorrow.
Miles glanced over at Edwina and noticed the solemn look on her lovely face. He had not expected her to embrace him so warmly, but it was a welcome comfort in that moment. And yet, there was something unsettling about the way she fit in his arms so perfectly.
Blazes.
This would not do. He shouldn’t have feelingsfor Edwina, but he did. And they were starting to make a nuisance of themselves.
Edwina turned her head and caught him staring. He should look away or at least pretend to be embarrassed, but instead he said, “I know very little about you, yet I feel as though we have known each other forever. Is that odd?”
With a shake of her head, Edwina replied, “No, I feel the same.”
In that moment, Miles felt an overwhelming desire to learn everything he could about Edwina. “Will you tell me more about yourself?”
Edwina’s eyebrow quirked up in amusement. “What exactly would you like to know?”
“Anything and everything,” he replied earnestly.
A soft laugh escaped Edwina’s lips. “Well then, where shall I begin?” she asked. “I should warn you that I am not very interesting.”
“I don’t believe that to be true, considering you bested me at archery,” he pointed out.
Edwina had a thoughtful expression on her face as she shared, “When I was younger, I had a cat named Cat.”
“You named your cat- ‘Cat’?” he repeated incredulously.
“I did. ‘Cat’ was short for ‘Catherine the Great,’” Edwina explained. “But we just called her ‘Cat’ for short.”
A mischievous grin spread across his face as he teased, “Dare I ask what you would call a dog?”
Edwina looked amused. “Considering it took me months to name my cat, I would have to think on it.”
His grin grew broader. “It took you months to come up with your cat’s name?”
She nodded. “I was six. That was the biggest decision I ever had to make up to that point.”
“Out of curiosity, why did you name your cat after Catherine the Great?” he asked.
Edwina began to gesture animatedly with her hands as sheexplained, “My father read me a book about her, and I found it fascinating that she overthrew her husband to rule Russia. She was strong and independent, as was my cat.”
Miles chuckled. “We only had barn cats to catch the mice.”
“After Cat died, my father suggested we get another one, but my heart wasn’t in it. It felt like betraying her memory,” Edwina said.
“She was just a cat,” he pointed out.
Edwina pressed her lips together. “No, she was more than that. She was a cherished member of our family.”
