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She relished what little warmth was left in the garment as it was draped over her shoulders and pulled it around herself, taking in the scent of him along the collar despite how soaked it was. “You really were searching for me for this long?” Her voiced sounded meek.
“Indeed, I was. Several of us noticed you were gone and I, naturally, volunteered to find you, thinking you must have taken a wrong turn at some point. If I had known the severity of the situation, I would have brought more help.” He looked down the trail, empty save for his mount loitering on the edge. “Though after how long it’s been since I set off, a search party has likely been sent out by now.”
“They noticed,” she mumbled to herself, a small smile forming on her lips.
“Of course they did, you idiot. You’re not nearly as invisible as you think you are.” Before she could respond to the warming words, Milton put a hand to her back. “Let’s get you up on Highwind. I’d rather not have you wait in this cold for the search party.”
“Wait a moment,” she blustered as his arm slipped under her knees. Before another protest could leave her lips, he’d stood with her in his arms. She felt the heat of his chest through his waistcoat and laid a flat palm on his chest to steady herself as he walked towards the horse. His heart hammered wildly beneath her fingers despite the business like air he donned, the pace of it likely mirroring her own. “I can walk,” she protested shyly.
“I don’t mind,” he replied, his voice a ragged timbre. She was almost disappointed when the short walk to Highwind was at an end and he set her down. Perhaps she was imagining things, but it had felt like his hands had lingered on her person longer than was proper. “Can you mount him on your own?” he asked.
“I think so.” She managed to haul herself halfway, but stumbled before she could sit properly. Milton grasped her waist in time and guided her to the proper place. The shock of his fingers brushing her hips was enough to make her more lucid. She exhaled as his hands released her until one palm rested on her knee. She looked down at him, cheeks burning.
His face was a blank mask as he stared at her skirts, and she watched, transfixed, as a raindrop slid from his soaked hair and down the sculpted planes. Milton looked up, eyes serious and solemn. “Miss Hughs… Arabella.”
The sound of her given name coming from his lips for the first time all but stopped her heart. “Yes?”
“I gave up on the bet.”
She swallowed. Here was the moment where he would admit his falsehoods and inform her that their time together was at an end. A tiny spark of hope ignited in her breast when his serious gaze did not waver, and she tried in vain to suppress it. “Oh?” Her voice was a pathetic whisper, barely surpassing the rain.
“I wish to court you.”
That tiny spark exploded into a wave of happiness… and trepidation. A part of her wanted to leap into the fray and accept him, but another wished to take Highwind’s reins and gallop away as if the devil himself were at her heels. “I…” She shut her mouth, heart and mind at war with each other.
“You do not have to answer me right away,” he said when she didn’t continue. “I know I’ve sprung this up at the worst of times. If you…” He looked away from her for the first time since beginning and frowned. “If you do not share my feelings, then I understand.”
“It’s not that,” she protested. “I just… it’s hard to trust again.”
“I did start this whole thing on the wrong foot,” he replied with a self-deprecating smile.
Arabella shook her head. “It is not the bet, not entirely, at least.” She was going to have to tell him, she realized with a terrified jolt. He would need to know the tale of Lindsay in all its embarrassing entirety to truly understand her recalcitrance. “May I share something?” Her voice was timid as her brain screamed at her to stay silent. Surely he’d think her the greatest fool in the world were she to talk.
“You can share anything,” he replied with an encouraging smile, in spite of the fact that, for all he knew, she was about to reject him spectacularly. It gave her the courage to continue.
“Very well,” she replied, trying not to shake from nerves. “Let us make our way to the house as we speak.”
“You read my mind.” He gave her a playful pat on her knee, one that sent a pool of heat through her. She clung to the warmth and braced herself for the inevitable.
ChapterEleven
Nathan ledHighwind along the rocky paths, waiting for Arabella to speak. She was clutching Highwind’s mane in a white-knuckled grip and staring at the forest ahead with steely resolve. He wouldn’t push her, despite his burning curiosity. Finally, after another few minutes of silence punctuated only by the patter of rainfall and the horse’s hooves, she spoke. “Do you know of a Lord Lindsay?”
“Not personally, but he frequents my club. He seems a shallow dandy, and others have a low opinion of him.” Nathan remembered Miss Caroline’s words when they’d been seated together at dinner. “Your sister told me he courted you last season.”
Perhaps the observation had been a bit too forward, for Arabella grimaced. “My only courtship, in fact.”
“I inferred that from the way she spoke of it,” he replied. Now, Miss Caroline’s panic at dinner after mentioning Lord Lindsay made a bit more sense. Things must have gone poorly, far more poorly than a mere mutual agreement of unsuitability, as was common with most other courtships.
“You must think it pathetic that I’ve had so little prospects,” she said, tensing as if braced for some sort of insult.
But Nathan refused to humor her poor self-esteem. “I really do not care how many or how little suitors you’ve had. I’m interested in you because I like you. Simple as that.” And it really was, now that he allowed himself to truly think about his feelings. His interest had started from the beginning and, looking back, it was rather silly that he hadn’t set out to court her at the outset. “I hope you believe me now when I say that the damn horse had nothing to do with it, fine as she is.”
“I’ll have to meet her before the end of the party,” Arabella replied, finally looking at him with a wobbly smile. If it were possible, Nathan would have kissed her, if only to turn that hesitant quirk of her lips into a full grin. The rain had slowed to a sedate drizzle, so he was at least able to make eye contact with her without having to blink the icy water from his eyes.
“I’ll be sure to do so.” He gave her leg another gentle pat of encouragement, knowing that she’d only mentioned the horse to stall whatever tale she was about to tell. “You were saying?”
“Right, Lord Lindsay.” She let out a hard, long exhale before squaring her shoulders and looking just a tad more secure after their tangent. “My first season was mediocre at best. I received a handful of calls, but nothing more. The Ton just didn’t take a shine to me, much to my mother’s frustration. She placed all her hopes on my sister after that. Once Caroline had her come-out the next year, well, we all know how my prospects turned out.” She absently stroked Highwind’s neck, looking ahead once more. “I didn’t resent Caroline for her success, genuinely, but…”
