AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Ithought we could go for a walk after luncheon, in Hyde Park. What do you say, Miss Wyre, Benedict?” Her Grace enquired, jerking Rosaline out of her maudlin thoughts.
“Ishould love to.” Rosaline said, somewhat taken by surprise. “Although I don’t have my maid with me as chaperon.”
“Not to worry. Joshua and I will come along with you. It’ll be safe as houses, and entirely proper, although you are a clever girl to consider it.”
“Awalk, Grandmother? Are you sure that’s wise? There’s a storm brewing.” Lord Benedict said. Rosaline glanced curiously at him. He had his eyes fixed on his plate, his jaw clenched. He seemed almost ill. Was he still angry over her comment about her fortune earlier?
Her Grace neatly speared a small tomato on her plate. “It’ll hold off till we get home, Benedict, I’m sure. All will be well.”
Lord Benedict said nothing, and Rosaline felt a terrible sinking feeling. Somehow, she knew that all wouldnotbe well. Not at all.
Hyde Park was not, in Rosaline’s opinion, the prettiest park in London. Especially not on a grey, unpleasant day like today.
There were a few people out promenading, mostly couples and bored older people. However, as the clouds thickened and darkened, the temperature dropped, sending most people hurrying out of the park and home.
“Isee that your grandmother has gone.” Rosaline commented.
She was walking in silence with Lord Benedict. He was as tense as ever, his biceps flexing under his coat. She could feel his whole arm tensing and jumping under her hand, and the little muscle in his jaw throbbed constantly. He kept glancing up at the sky.
Rosaline wondered whether he was afraid of thunderstorms, like Edmund was. She thought briefly about teasing him about it, hoping to lighten the mood, but decided against it.
She’d only just noticed that the sneaky Dowager Duchess and Joshua had disappeared, letting Rosaline and Lord Benedict out of their sight to walk alone, unchaperoned.
He ventured a small smile. “I daresay Grandmother thinks she’s helping.”
“Ought we to start walking home?”
“Yes, I think so.” Lord Benedict said, with obvious relief. “There’s a storm brewing.”
Alight drizzle started up, not enough to soak them both, but enough to make the cobblestones they were walking on slick and dangerous. Rosaline was wearing light-soled slippers, not at all suitable for walking, and perhaps it wasn’t particularly surprising that she fell.
The path Lord Benedict had chosen was not the flat, wide one that everyone took, well-paved and comfortable. He’d chosen a narrow, rocky path, which was certainly more interesting to walk, but significantly more difficult.
As they stepped over a pile of irregular, large stones, Rosaline’s foot slipped. Her grip on Lord Benedict’s arm was light at best, more for show than for any real need to lean upon him. As her foot shot out from under her, she spun, arms flailing out to catch herself.
She would have landed heavily on her side on the slimy cobblestones, and probably injuring herself in the process, if it had not been for Lord Benedict.
He grabbed her arm with lightning-quick reflexes. He pulled, yanking her backwards out of her trajectory towards the ground. He was strong, and Rosaline was light, and she found herself spinning in the opposite direction, flying back to land against Lord Benedict’s chest with a hardthump. His arm automatically went around her waist to steady her.
Rosaline was breathless for a moment, partially from the hard bump she’d just had and partially from the shock of her near miss.
Once she’d recovered, she found herself inspecting Lord Benedict’s emerald cravat pin at close range, not daring to look up.
She’d never been so close to a man as this. It was just typical that ithadto be Lord Benedict, who made her feel such wonderfully unsettling things. She could feel how hard his chest was under his clothes. He clearly had no need to pad out his chest and shoulders and pull in his waist like some gentlemen.
He smelled wonderful, too, a sweet scent of cologne with just a hint of clean, masculine sweat.
Would he smell like that if they ever made love? Would the sweat scent be stronger? Would he feel as large and solid in her arms as he did now?
No, no, no, Rosaline! Not now!Rosaline screamed at herself.
“Rosaline?” Lord Benedict asked, his voice gruff and raspy. “Are you alright?”
“Yes, thank you.” Rosaline replied, wishing that she didn’t sound quite so out of breath. “You saved me. Rather neatly, I must admit.”
He gave a tiny, tiny smile. “It’s not like you to be so clumsy.”
“Then I’m afraid you don’t know me very well. I’m not at all elegant.”
