Page 68 of Make Mine a Marquess

Ducks swam in the water. The lake shimmered beneath the afternoon sun as Beatrice and Phoebe walked the lakeside, carrying parasols.

It had been two days since she’d spent time with Landon. Two days since they’d visited the village or played backgammon. They had been busy with frivolous entertainment. The men had been hunting as if they knew the house party would end soon and they must spend every moment on horseback chasing a fox. The women had gathered in the gardens or in the drawing room with needlepoint in hand. The days had passed quickly.

Phoebe sighed as she watched two white swans floating on the water. “It’s lovely. A perfect day for a boat ride on the lake.”

“I fear I’ll be seasick,” Beatrice said.

“From a ride in a rowboat?” Phoebe asked.

“I’ve never been on one,” Beatrice admitted sheepishly.

Phoebe looked at her in surprise. “Truly? Then we must remedy that today.”

Just as Phoebe scanned the lakeside for one of the rowboats which hadn’t yet left, Mr. Adian approached them. “Miss Stanwell, would you like to be in my boat?”

Beatrice flushed as she folded her parasol. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish on a line. She managed a nod, then said, “Yes, I’d like that.”

Phoebe waved at her friend as she walked away with the handsome man, her fear of seasickness seeming to disappear. They wouldn’t row far, and a chaperone wasn’t necessary on the open lake. Her cousin’s preference for Mr. Adian was clear. Phoebe still wasn’t sure how she felt about the pair. His family business and world were far away in the Middle East. Would he break Beatrice’s tender heart when he left to return home?

Adding to her worry were her own feelings of guilt. She’d spent time with a man—even worse, a man who was her betrothed’s cousin—who could never offer her a future. Who was she to judge?

As if she had conjured him, Landon approached. “I see they have an interest in each other.”

Over the past two days, she’d found her gaze returning to the window time and again in hopes of catching a glimpse of the marquess coming back from the hunt with the men. It was maddening.

She faced the lake and watched the pair in question. “You think so?”

“You don’t approve?”

“Won’t Mr. Adian be leaving for home soon?”

“You fear he’ll break her heart.” It was more of a statement than a question.

She turned to him then, her gaze lifting to meet his jet eyes. His profile was strong, rugged, and his olive skin stretched over high cheekbones. “She’s not only my cousin but my best friend.”

He leaned toward her, his voice deepening. “Let the lady decide for herself.”

Gooseflesh rose on her arms. Was he talking about her or Beatrice? Despite her curiosity, it was impossible not to react to his nearness.

“Would you accompany me in a boat?” he asked.

She looked about but Willard was standing with Roxborough and Malvern, the trio enjoying a bottle of fine merlot. Her mother sat at a table with other ladies. Her father was smoking a cigar with Lord Milton and the local landowner, Mr. Palet. She could see Beatrice with Mr. Adian in the lake, the pair chatting as he rowed. The sun was shining, and she’d wanted to row across the lake as soon as she’d noticed the waiting rowboats. What harm could it be?

“Yes,” she found herself saying.

He held the rowboat steady as she gathered her skirts and stepped inside. Once she’d seated herself, he followed, and then, using one oar, he pushed off and away from the shore. He’d left his jacket ashore, and his shoulders bunched as he rowed. Sunlight caught the streaks of lighter brown in his hair and framed his strong face. She was suddenly warm and tingly all over and feared it had little to do with the warmth of the sun. She tore her gaze away, watching the mesmerizing rhythm of the oars smoothly entering and leaving the water as the boat skimmed across the lake.

“I asked you to accompany me because I wanted to talk to you privately,” he said.

“Oh?”

“Rachael had her baby.”

Phoebe blinked. In her foggy mind, she attempted to recall the name. Then she remembered the pregnant young woman at Sarah Smith’s house. “She did?! How do you know?”

“I asked the blacksmith to repair the fireplace grate. He delivered it and told me the news.”

Phoebe grasped the sides of the boat. “That’s wonderful!”