She gazed down into her lap. “I do not know, Lord Powell. Truly, I do not, but that does not mean I appreciate slander.”
“I spoke out of turn, Lady Arabella.” Lord Powell took the cloth away from his nose. “You are right, of course. I know of only one instance where Lord Haskett has been banned from a gentlemen’s club. I exaggerated, but… with good reason.”
She kept her gaze downward, so he would not see the flush rising in her cheeks. “And what reason might that be?”
“Jealousy.”
“Pardon?” The confession made her head jolt back up.
He smiled sadly. “I am jealous, Lady Arabella. Terribly so. I am not the sort of man who would ever smear another’s name, yet I find myself doing outlandish things, of late. I attend dinners I am not invited to, so I might be near you. I peek in at your window like a common miscreant, so I might observe your beauty. I ride here without prior announcement, hoping for a moment with you.” He swallowed, his brow furrowing as though he were in true pain. “It is like an affliction that cannot be remedied.”
“Oh…” Her heart fluttered in her chest, like summer butterflies were trapped within.
His eyes shone with such earnest intensity that Arabella found she could not catch a breath, as he reached out to take hold of her hand. “At least, it cannot be remedied while you belong to another, Lady Arabella. I am ardently in love with you. I cannot concentrate on anything, for my thoughts are constantly distracted by you. Even today, I rode here without even thinking.” He paused and placed a daring kiss upon her hand. “My heart pulled me here.”
Astonished, Arabella could not bring a single word to her lips. Countless times, she had imagined a man saying such things to her, though they were usually rugged woodsmen in a magical forest. In those situations, she always knew what to say in return.
“I have said too much,” he murmured quietly. “I think, perhaps, the knock to my nose has addled my sense of propriety. Of course, I should not have confessed those things so abruptly. You must be entirely shocked. Although, I would like to think that my words do not come as too great a surprise?”
Arabella swallowed thickly. “They are… not unwelcome.”
“Is that so?” Lord Powell’s expression brightened. “Goodness, nowIdo not know what to say.”
She smiled, her fluttering butterflies becoming suddenly panicked. “I think it best you depart, Lord Powell. My mother and father will not approve of my being alone in here with you, even with Cassie sitting out on the terrace.” She nodded toward the figure beyond the French doors, who had reluctantly agreed to offer the pair some privacy. “And you have… given me much to consider.”
“I do love you, Lady Arabella,” Lord Powell urged. “If there was a way that you might… contemplate a union with me, I would cherish you for the rest of your days. I would ask nothing of you. No dowry, no demands, nothing of that sort. In addition, I would protect you from the gossip and scorn that might follow a broken betrothal. My business ventures are all across the Continent—we could go anywhere you wished.”
A cold sweat crept up the back of Arabella’s neck. “As I say, you have given me much to consider.” This was not at all how it had played out in her novels. She certainly did not remember any of her beloved, romantic heroines feeling unnerved or distressed after a confession.
“Then, I will go.” Lord Powell beamed from ear to ear and brought her hand to his lips once more. “Might I call upon you again, to hear a possible answer?”
She blinked, utterly flustered. “Um… yes, I suppose you may, though I require some time.”
“Of course, Lady Arabella, of course!” he enthused. “Shall I call for you in a week? Is that too soon?”
She opened her mouth to reply that a week was almost definitely too soon, but he jumped back in before she could.
“Actually, I could hear your answer at the ball that your mother and father are throwing in a fortnight. If you were to say yes to my proposal, we could announce it in front of everyone that very evening. Yes, I do believe that might be a fine thing.”
Arabella stared at him in confusion. “A ball? Here? You must be mistaken.”
“I received the invitation just this morning, Lady Arabella. It was, in truth, what spurred me on to ride to you. I saw your family name, thought of you and before I knew it, I was upon the road, heading in this direction.” He chuckled as though it were the most amusing thing in the world, but Arabella could not find a single reason to laugh.
Arabella stood sharply, clutching the basin to her abdomen. “I think it would be prudent to wait until after such a ball.” A ball she knew nothing about, likely because she would have disapproved. “The next day, perhaps, you might call upon me so we can discuss your… um… your… um… sentiments.”
No matter how hard she tried to force the word “proposal” onto her tongue, it would not come. Indeed, she was starting to realize that her mother and Cassie had been right, all along. Reality was nothing like fantasy. This was something she had thought she wanted, but now that he was saying all the wonderful things and speaking of a future together, she did not know if this woodsman was for her.
“An excellent thought!” Lord Powell got to his feet, keeping hold of the damp cloth. “Well then, I shall leave and grant you this fortnight to consider all I have said. In the meantime, I shall hope and pray that my affections are returned, and that you love me as dearly as I love you.”
Arabella smiled stiffly. “Yes, Lord Powell.”
“Yes?” His eyebrow arched. “You mean, youdolove me as I love you? You accept my proposal?”
“No!” she blurted out, seized with confusion and alarm. “I mean… goodness, I am very flustered. I was not anticipating this when I settled down to read my daily correspondence.” She laughed uncomfortably, trying to dissipate the peculiar tension in the room.
Lord Powell bowed his head. “My apologies, Lady Arabella. I got carried away.”
“Not at all.” She held a hand to her chest, hoping to steady her shallow breaths. “It is a lot to absorb, Lord Powell, as I am sure you are aware. I cannot give an answer now, nor would I want to. Everything must be considered properly. I do not mean to disappoint you, but I hope you can understand?”
