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“I did not know who was coming, no. That is more my sister’s job at the moment.” She tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, but it slipped into the statement, regardless. This was, technically, her first house party as a single debutante, as there hadn’t been such an opportunity during her come out. Two years ago she might have been over the moon at the thought of a potential romance in the idyllic countryside, as Caroline had been nearly all week. But that time had come and gone for her. “I am here to enjoy the country sights. London is stifling and this social season has been dull.”
“Now there is something we can agree on.” He glanced down at her lap and the sketchbook perched atop it. “Sketching, I see. May I join you?”
“I suppose. I know you’ll just foist your company on me, anyway.” Arabella clamped her mouth shut after the statement. Her mother was going to kill her.
“Oh, come now, Miss Hughs. I’m not that much of a beast, am I?”
She smiled serenely, setting down her sketchpad lest she accidentally crunch the paper in her hand. “Of course not, Your Grace.”
“Oh goodness, no. That false kindness will not do,” he declared as he dismounted. His voice carried across the lake as he secured his mount. “It is rather unnerving, actually, when I know you despise me at the moment.” He trotted down the hill, that friendly grin not leaving his face. “And yes, I will foist my company on you.”
She nearly laughed despite herself. “Arrogant man.”
“Comes with the dukedom, I’m afraid.” He all but plopped down beside her, leaning back to lounge against the hill. “I promise I won’t tell anyone how rude you’ve been so far today.” He furrowed his handsome brow. “Actually, best not tell anyone at all about this little meeting of ours.”
The words were wise, though she was reasonably certain no one else would be out and about at this hour to come upon them. She wondered what he would do were they to be compromised. Ruin her? Marry her? She tried to conjure the image of them at the altar together but wiped the thought aside as quickly as it had come. What a ridiculous notion. “Agreed.”
Arabella turned back to her sketchbook, waiting for him to speak. A few moments passed in silence, and she paused her work. “What is it you wish to say to me?”
“Haven’t figured it out yet.”
She darted a glance at him. Milton lounged against the hill, hands behind his head and one knee propped up. The riding breeches he wore hugged his muscular thighs most becomingly, and she quickly averted her gaze back to the sketch. “I’m not sure there is anything for you to figure out. I’ve made my feelings on the matter quite clear, and I assumed you understood that well.”
“I understand nothing at all about you, actually.”
“It almost sounds like you want to get to know me,” she replied flippantly. As if he would find anything of interest about her.
“I do,” he replied. “To be honest, I’ve found you interesting from the moment I saw you.”
She swallowed, stomach fluttering, but continued to draw. “Was that before or after I was singled out for this silly bet?” The answer was obvious, and his marked silence after the question only confirmed her suspicions.
And then he inhaled and spoke, his voice slow and almost hesitant. “Before.”
The pencil almost fell from her hand before she steeled herself once more. “I don’t believe you.”
Although she wasn’t looking at him, she knew he was shrugging. “That’s your prerogative, I suppose.”
“It’s the truth.” Arabella looked at him once more, fixing a glare on his lounging form. That he could be so serene whilst driving her nerves to distraction was almost intolerable.
He looked back, his blue eyes clear and steady. “I spied you across that ballroom well before even knowing about the bet. You seemed an interesting person. Really,” he continued with a slight note of exasperation, “you do not need to be envious of your sister, beauty that she is.”
The swell of flattered pleasure that had begun during the start of his statement died a swift and bitter death. “You think me jealous of her?” Like the rest of them. If he was trying to lighten her view towards him, he was failing miserably.
“Are you?”
“I will not dignify that with an answer.” She smacked her sketchbook shut and rose.
He scrambled up behind her. “Miss Hughs, wait.” His voice was contrite, but she’d already lost what little patience for him she’d had.
“Good day, Your Grace.” Propping her sketchbook under one arm, she strode away in the most dignified manner she could muster, hoping to look more like a regal queen rather than the wounded wallflower she was, and ignored the prickle of disappointment when his footsteps did not follow.
ChapterFour
“Well,that went about as bad as it could have,” Nathan muttered to himself as he watched Miss Hughs all but flee down the lakeside path. Their little chat had been going well, so well that he was reasonably sure he’d come close to convincing her to go along with the bet. It seemed, however, that her sister’s success on the marriage mart was a sore topic, sore enough to upend her mood entirely. He wondered if the rumors of her jealously were indeed true. But then, that mournful look in her gaze whilst she spoke seemed far from such an acidic emotion. For the briefest of moments, before he’d blurted that awful response, he’d considered kissing the melancholy right of her face. But that was, perhaps, even worse than the accidental insult he’d given her. Flirtations with debutantes were precarious things when one didn’t have courtship in mind.
Thoughts in a jumble, Nathan made his way back to Highwind. He set off down the fields, determined to make the most of his limited time. Despite its earlier effectiveness, the relaxing thrum of the ride did nothing to clear his mind, and by the time Nathan finally made his way back to the house, he was no closer to a solution to his admittedly self imposed problem. If only he hadn’t been so damned impetuous during their conversation, he might have achieved his aim.
“Milton, there you are,” his mother exclaimed as he strode into the foyer after changing from his riding clothes. Dressed in a cheery yellow day dress and wearing a bright smile, she looked happier than he’d seen her in some time. No doubt the break from London and the myriad of other guests to socialize with was the cause of her good mood. His mother always shone the brightest around others, and Nathan would do whatever she bloody hell wanted if it meant keeping that serene glow on her.
