“As much fun as it is to tease you, Lady Helena.” He gestured to her face. “Just to see that crimson blush light up those features of yours,” at his words, she blushed even deeper, “I am not walking away to infuriate you. In case you haven’t noticed, you and I have a problem. It could be a great problem indeed if we do not solve it soon.”
She looked away from him, jerking her head back and forth. She evidently quickly realized what was wrong, for she looked at him again, her hands over her mouth.
“We have lost Robert and Lady Julia,” he said succinctly.
CHAPTERTHIRTEEN
“Idon’t believe it; how could we have let this happen?” Helena marched away from the Duke of Bridstone, heading through the knot garden and toward the density of trees through which there were narrow paths.
“You wish to blame me?”
“I used the wordwe.I was blaming both of us.” She cast a tired look back in his direction and walked ahead, leaving him to follow behind her. Clutching to her skirt, she moved the hem of her gown out of the way as she hastened up an incline. “Julia? Julia?” she called.
“Shh!” The Duke appeared at her side. “Do you want everyone in this park to realize you have lost your sister?”
“Yes, you’re right.”
“Well, this is a shocking day,” he murmured. “You and I have both conceded that the other is right on a subject today.”
“Perhaps we are both capable of change. Come, we must find them. We need no more scandal.”
They hurried up the incline in silence. Both peeled off and looked down narrow lanes in the trees, searching for their siblings, only to return a few seconds later with tired looks and shakes of their heads. Helena walked keenly at first. Fond of a walk, she wasn’t daunted by the hill before her, yet the Duke had longer legs and was fitter still. He soon managed to stride higher up the incline, leaving her behind.
Helena muttered under her breath about him leaving her, wondering why she cared if he walked off at all. She wasn’t left to mutter for long, for he returned and offered her his hand.
“What are you doing?”
“You wish for a help up this hill or not?” he asked, smirking and taking her hand.
“What the –” She didn’t have chance to object to the feeling of his hand in hers, for he pulled her up the hill. She made faster progress with his help.
“Well, I see you didn’t pull away sharply, so despite your tendency to argue with me, as I suspected that night at the assembly, there are some things you like about me.” He smiled, looking back over his shoulder.
“Arrogant man.” She still didn’t pull her hand out of his. She told herself it was because he was helping her, rather than what it really was.
It’s strangely comforting, having his hand in mine.
“I’m not arrogant; just pointing out what I see.”
“You are,” she muttered defensively.
“If I didn’t know any better, I would say you are seeking an argument with me. Do you wish to just ignore this, My Lady?” He squeezed her hand in emphasis.
She glanced at others that passed by walking down the path, who stared at the two of them, wide-eyed.
“People are looking; they’ll talk,” she hissed, hurrying to catch up with him.
“We are soon to be family. They will think nothing of me helping you up a hill,” he whispered back, his lips so close to her ear that she jolted at that nearness.
Wasn’t this what he described that day in the library? Excitement? Anxiousness? Pleasured shudders?
She retreated from him a little yet still didn’t release his hand. A silence fell between them as they reached the summit of the hill. There was a clearing here, and others wandered to and fro. When people’s eyes lingered on their handhold, Helena released him, fidgeting with her hands in front of her.
“Do I disgust you with just my touch?” the Duke asked, leaning toward her.
“No, and you know it,” she hissed as they walked around a group of people, still both angling their heads back and forth as they searched for their siblings. “Why is it you take delight in teasing me so?”
“I beg your pardon?” He stopped searching, looking at her with a frown.
