He continued as all eyes turned to him. “How about this? You two go retrieve the ball, and the rest of us will be waiting for you inside.”
Bridget and Abel could sense the desperation in the air as Olivia and Elliot agreed. It was a clear indication that they all wanted them gone.
Bridget grumbled in defeat, her annoyance evident. “Fine, I shall retrieve the ball myself.”
Abel’s head swiveled to her, his voice filled with challenge. “Are you insinuating that I would be an obstruction if we were to go retrieve the ball together, as advised?”
But before Bridget could retort, Hector interrupted, his voice firm and commanding. “Enough, please! Just go and fetch the ball.” He cleared his throat slightly and nodded to Abel, adding, “Your Grace.”
The pair exchanged glances, their unspoken agreement hanging in the air.
“Fine,” they chorused.
CHAPTER SIX
“There it is! Lady Bridget, look! I do believe I’ve spotted the ball over there!”
Bridget’s eyes widened with hope, and her head turned before the sarcasm dripping from the Duke’s voice registered in her mind. Surely enough, there turned out to be not a ball in sight in the direction he was indicating.
She turned to be met with a smug look on his face and balled her fists to keep from rushing over to him and smacking the expression off his face.
Her irritation was palpable as she glared menacingly at him. “You are truly childish, Your Grace.”
The pair had been roaming around the forested areas of Borthwell Estate, where the men were known to go for their hunting expeditions. They were surrounded by towering treesthat beckoned with their welcoming branches and the soothing sounds of nature.
But alas, even in such a picturesque setting, Abel and Bridget couldn’t seem to find peace between themselves. Since they began their search, their heated exchange filled the air, disrupting the tranquility of their surroundings.
It was as though the beauty of nature completely paled in comparison to the intensity of their animosity.
Abel scoffed, his lips curling into a smug smile. “Childish? Coming from you, Lady Bridget, that is quite the accusation. I’m not the one who makes a fuss over mere flowers.”
“Only children hold such grudges, Your Grace. Baseless grudges, at that. You know nothing. You shouldn’t speak on what you do not know.”
She stuck her nose in the air as she continued walking, searching her surroundings as she did so.
Abel’s eyebrow arched inquisitively as he trailed behind her, his voice laced with curiosity. “All right then, tell me. Do the mismatched flowers in your family’s garden hold a special significance?”
Bridget’s eyes flickered with a mix of irritation and caution as she continued her search. At last, she chose to ignore his question, not even giving him a bodily response.
“Lady Bridget, I asked you a question.” Undeterred by her silence, Abel persisted.
But Bridget remained silent. She wouldn’t dare risk divulging intimate details to a man like him. The mere mention of the garden’s history might lead to discussions about Virginia, and she couldn’t bear the weight of explaining all that had transpired to cause her absence.
“I implore you, do not keep me in suspense. I am genuinely intrigued by the tales your family’s garden might hold. Surely, you can spare a few moments to enlighten me?” He hesitated. “Except, perhaps there is indeed nothing special at all? And you only wanted to act like a spoilt child because of mere criticism.”
Bridget’s lips pressed into a thin line as she fought the urge to snap. She kept her cool, however, remembering the issues that may spring from conversing on the matter.
If the Duke didn’t already know Virginia’s history, she would leave the storytelling for Elliot. She felt it wasn’t her place, so she went on quietly searching.
Abel’s eyes narrowed in annoyance as he watched her pick through a thicket with a dry branch.
Bridget was more than happy to ignore his existence as she tried not to think of how things had been when Virginia was still here.
It seemed like such a long time ago now, and she had no idea if she would ever see her sister again. With his twisted sense of humor, Abel had opened a wound that she wasn’t sure had ever fully healed.
If only she could find the cursed ball, so she could rid herself of his presence. She heard footsteps behind her and glanced over her shoulder.
Abel’s boots crunched on dried leaves as he walked over to a fallen tree branch and sat on it, watching her with a quiet intensity.
