AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It must become a hobby only, that is all,” he said with a sigh before leaning back over the accounts and picking up the quill another time. “As much as I wish the world were a different place, I should be thankful for my lot in life.”
“If you had another life, would you devote yourself to your art?”
“Yes, and I’d go on a grand tour too,” he said with a smile, pausing again as he looked up from his accountancy books. “That I would love to do. And you? What would you do?”
“Travel, just as you,” she said quietly. As she let him concentrate on his work again, she rose to walk around the room, looking at the paintings. More than once did she return the drawings of her, and then look back at Lord Northrive.
It didn’t take long for her to realise what a pickle she had put herself in. Each time she crossed the room, she felt there was a thread that pulled her back toward him, binding her to him. She now knew how deeply she cared for him, a feeling that could not be described with the simple words of liking him. No, she was quickly becoming devoted to him.
***
“Come on, are you not the one who said I had to take a break from work?” Marcus said as he jumped down off his horse and strode toward the huge lake. Out of view of the house and on the outskirts of the estate, he and Mr Blake were completely alone after their ride, and Marcus wished to partake in some swimming.
“That is because two days straight working on accounts is far too much. You’ll start seeing numbers in your sleep from staring at them so much,” Mr Blake called back, still astride his horse.
“So, I am doing as you wish and have come out for a ride, now I wish to swim.” Marcus turned back to the water. “James and I often used to escape up here as children, when we were avoiding tea parties held by our mother. She was very upset when we came back so sodden.”
Mr Blake laughed at the image but stayed atop the horse.
“Are you coming down or not?” Marcus asked, gesturing at the animal. “The water will not bite.”
“I…erm…” he trailed off, not saying much at all.
“It is far too hot to stay like this,” Marcus said, beginning to pull at his cravat.
“What are you doing?” Mr Blake said in surprise.
“Going swimming, as I said,” Marcus laughed and turned his attention to his waistcoat. At university and so on, he had swam enough times naked in water with other companions, he had no bashfulness about stripping off in front of Mr Blake. The waistcoat was quickly shed following the cravat, and he next went to work on the shirt. “Are you not coming in too?”
“I…I am not a strong swimmer,” Mr Blake said hurriedly.
“I find that hard to believe!”
“Why?”
“Because you excel at every other sport that I have seen you do.”
“We all have our Achilles’ heel,” he said, though he slowly slipped down off the horse. As Marcus pulled the shirt over his head, he turned his focus on Mr Blake’s dismount. There was something rather odd about it, different in a way, yet he couldn’t quite put his finger on what was it was. Brushing it off, he looked back to the water. Mr Blake had looked a little uncomfortable to his mind riding that morning, despite clearly having a fine connection with any horse. Something had to be a little amiss.
“Come into the water, Mr Blake,” Marcus said, throwing down the shirt and going for his boots. “You’ll feel much cooler.”
“I am a perfectly good temperature as I am.”
“Ha! Then why is your face as well as the tomato soup we had for starters last night.” Marcus laughed as Mr Blake folded his arms.
“You go in the water, my Lord,” he said, gesturing to the large lake in front of him. Bordered with tall reed and dark lilac-coloured iris flowers, it was a picture to behold, with tall pine trees on the far side boxing them in. “I…have a phobia of water.”
“A fear of it?” Marcus said as he reached for his trousers in surprise. “But you and I went sailing. You were not so scared of it then.”
“We were on top of the water, then, not in it.” Mr Blake was firm and resolute in his refusal. “Enjoy the water, my lord. I am happy to sit and enjoy the sunshine.”
“As you wish.”
Mr Blake turned to sit down on a rock nearby as Marcus shed the last of his clothes and dived into the water.
***
Violette nearly fell off the rock at the sight before her. She had already been in a pickle that morning, trying her best to ride astride instead of side saddle and look like she was accustomed to it. The offer to swim had pulled her up short completely. She could not shed her clothes…or he would know her secret!
