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“Might you know where?” Philip asked.
He could see from the butler’s reaction, the way his gaze darkened and his brow furrowed, that he wasn’t exactly pleased to give away such information. Luckily for Philip, he was an earl’s son and had at least a little sway regarding butlers and other servants.
“I do believe they are taking a walk in Christ Church Meadows, My Lord,” the butler finally admitted, looking quite guilty at the admission. He quickly added, “Though I could not tell you exactly which part.”
I shall search all day if I have to,Philip vowed silently to himself as he dipped his head in thanks to the butler and turned to hurry down the steps. “Please, do not bother the residents with news of my visiting,” he called over his shoulder. He wasn’t sure why, but he had no desire for any of the Lockharts to know that he had graced their front porch that morning.
Before the butler could call a response, he was already hurrying down the street towards the meadows. Unsure about why exactly he was going, he found himself walking at a faster pace than he had ever walked before, barely able to stop himself from breaking into a run.
Almost as soon as he arrived in the meadows, having barely set a foot inside the boundary, he caught sight of the couple wandering across the common in full view of every other man, woman, and child around. They were walking arm in arm, looking quite content in each other’s company, and when Daisy’s laughter carried to him on the breeze, Philip’s entire body stiffened with disgust.
That sound that had so often caused his heart to flutter and his entire body to fill with desire now made him feel sick to his stomach, knowing that it was not his humour she was laughing at but another man entirely.
Just seeing the way Lord Bessington held a parasol over the lady’s head and how he watched her so adamantly, walking as if he couldn’t take his eyes off her, made Philip want to race across the lawn and drag the two of them apart.
Creeping closer, feeling like a total fool, Philip slipped into the shadow of the bushes in the hopes that he might be able to catch even a snippet of their conversation, hoping that his first impression might be wrong. Maybe Lady Daisy was not laughing with the gentleman but at him.
Yet the moment he found himself within range, he heard Lord Bessington announce, “Lady Daisy, I fear there is something I must tell you.”
Heart hammering in his chest, Philip wasn't at all sure he wished to know what the baron had to say, though he found he could not stop himself from eavesdropping.
“Then you ought to tell me, My Lord,” Daisy responded in a voice so sweet that it made Philip's teeth ache.Why is she being so sweet?Philip thought, his jaw clenching as his gut twisted entirely too painfully, threatening to make him double over in the bushes.What is the matter with me?
“I have been having an immensely good time with you, Lady Daisy,” the baron explained, and peeking through the bushes, Philip could see the couple had paused beneath a tree. Daisy's strawberry blonde hair gleamed in the dappled sunshine that filtered through the gaps in the tree branches. She looked positively radiant, and it took every single ounce of effort that Philip had not to rush right out of the bushes and break the two of them apart.
“Not just today but on our previous visits also,” Lord Bessington continued.Previous visits?Philip thought, and from where he crouched, he could just see Daisy smiling back at the baron as he added, “After my wife died, I feared I might never find contentment again, but you have given it back to me, and I wish to thank you, My Lady.”
Though it was entirely appropriate for the baron to call her that, Philip couldn't help feeling as though there was far more meaning behind the words than was necessary. The way they stared at each other in silence for several moments made Philip feel quite ill.
It wasn't until her pretty pink lips began to open as if she were about to respond that Philip realised he could stand there no longer. He could not bring himself to hear what she had to say in return. It was clear to him that it would not be anything he would like.
Feeling quite sick to his stomach, remembering how Lady Daisy had sent him letter after letter telling him that she was ill or merely couldn't take his tutoring lessons at the moment, he suddenly realised why.You have been too busy with him!Philip realised, stumbling backwards out of the bushes.
Although he did not wish to hear what she was about to say, he still struggled to take his eyes off the woman he believed might well be the most beautiful woman in the world.He is a man almost twice your age, Lady Daisy!
Knowing that if he stayed a moment longer, he would most certainly do something he would regret, Philip turned and ran. As he did, all he could think about were the warning signs. Lady Daisy had been distancing herself for quite some time. She had barely spoken to him the night he escorted her and her stepmother and sister to the theatre, nor had she tried to contact him for any reason but to say that she could not meet him.
What have I done to offend you?he wondered, his chest so tight that he found it hard to breathe, and his hands tightened into fists as he fought the urge to lash out at the nearest thing. Had he been less of a gentleman, he might well have swung at a nearby person on his flight from the park. Yet he could not bring himself to do such a thing, so he returned feeling angry, frustrated, and heartbroken, left unsure of exactly what to do.
Sliding into his carriage, he reminded himself,I never wished to tutor her in the first place.But even as the thought crossed his mind, he realised he would give anything to return to that first day, the very first time he walked into Lord Balfour's parlour to find the beautiful angel from Oxford University waiting for him, and he realised he had been exactly where he was supposed to be.How did I mess this up so entirely?
Chapter 21
“Are you well, sister?”
The question startled Daisy from her thoughts, and she turned from where she had been gazing out of the carriage window to find Bertha watching her from where she sat beside her mother. They were on their way to a ball being held by some nobleman or other; Daisy couldn't quite remember which it was as there were so many of them, and they had been invited to so many balls that Season, it was difficult to keep track.
“I am sure that your sister is just thinking of all she must do tonight to ensure she is keeping up the good name of this family. Especially regarding Lord Bessington, who has already expressed his excitement at dancing with you, has he not, Daisy?” Lady Balfour said in a tone that made Daisy cringe.
“Yes, Mama,” Daisy responded. She was in no mood for any arguments this evening. In fact, there was only one reason she had even wished to attend.
“Perhaps Lord Philip shall be there too,” Bertha suggested as if she could read Daisy's mind. Only a few days earlier, they had attended the last dress fitting at their usual dressmaker’s shop to be sure that everything was ready for the ball. In a rare moment alone in the dressing room, she and Bertha had spoken of all they had hoped to accomplish at the ball.
“You must dance with Lord Philip,” Bertha had insisted, “the two of you spend so much time studying together; it would be wonderful for you both to actually do something enjoyable for a change.”
At the time, Daisy had laughed because she thought her sister was silly. Studying was quite enjoyable, especially when studying with Lord Philip. But she had laughed even more and blushed because she could not stop thinking of one of the more enjoyable moments she'd had with the earl's son.
Still, her lips tingled whenever she thought of the kiss they had shared in his carriage during the rainstorm. Her entire body tingled when she thought even more of the dreams she'd had of him since then, especially the one she'd had right before she had woken beside him in the meadows when they had been supposed to be looking for Jupiter.
