William couldn’t take his eyes from Lady Alice. It was the first time any lady had not only rejected his advances, but went so far as to insult him as well. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard and though he knew he should be upset by her words, it only made him want to talk to her even more. He was tempted to pull her back to his side, even if to continue their argument from before.
Lady Alice will most certainly make this stay entertaining.
He sauntered closer, preferring to stay behind where he could watch her to his heart’s content. From behind, she seemed to be fine, but whenever he made a sound, she would look to the side, glaring at him through her peripherals then look back in front. His mirth mounted.
“What do you think, My Lord?” Lady Emma asked, turning her frame to include William into the conversation. “Have our gardens met with your approval?”
They came to a stop at a gazebo and Lady Alice instantly went to sit on one of the benches. Her sister sat by her side. “Even more than I’d expected,” William responded with ease, not looking at Lady Alice. “Your family’s estate only serves to impress, My Lady, though I must apologize if it appears I am being overly analytical.”
“Oh, it is no bother at all, My Lord,” Lady Emma said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I am quite pleased to see how impressed you are by all this. I, for one, am quite fond of the gardens, so the pride I feel right now knows no bounds.”
“I am as impressed by your knowledge of the various plants and flowers, Lady Emma,” Christopher cut in. He was standing opposite of Lady Emma, closer to William. It looked as if he wanted so badly to bridge the distance.
Lady Emma giggled behind her hand. “Please, My Lord, you flatter me. I’ve simply spent a lot of time outdoors, is all. It is nothing compared to the wealth of knowledge my sister possesses.”
William let his gaze drift over to Lady Alice once more, his lips quirking up into a smile. It came as no surprise that she ignored his eyes, but it did shock him to see her wave dismissively at her sister, saying, “There’s no need to talk about me.”
Lady Emma didn’t seem bothered by it. She only said, “She can be shy, sometimes.”
“Lady Alice does not strike me as the sort of lady who gets shy very often,” William interjected.
Lady Alice’s large eyes flickered to his, the barest twinge of derision clouding their emerald color. “I’m sure you’re aware that it is improper to make assumptions.”
“Yes, I am, My Lady. But the question is, are you?”
Her eyes narrowed just a tad, before she slid them away, dismissing him entirely. He’d said those words hoping to get a rise out of her, but something told him she wouldn’t be acknowledging his presence for the remainder of their time out here. Like a cold wall had been erected between them, William felt the chill of her aloofness, and the overwhelming urge to scale that wall—if only to see if there was any warmth to be found on the other side.
But he held his tongue, not taking his eye off her for a second. Lady Emma and Christopher resumed their conversation after a while, wisely not bothering to ask what they were talking about. After all, no amount of intellect was needed to notice the tension that existed between William and Lady Alice, even when both had fallen silent.
After a while, Lady Alice broke her silence, suggesting to her sister that they return to the Manor. Lady Emma appeared a bit dejected at that, but Christopher—being the gentleman that he was—agreed with Lady Alice. William didn’t care about much that was said between his brother and Lady Emma. He only watched as Lady Alice stood and began making her way back along the path they’d come from, bypassing the maid who stood as chaperone. He fell in step behind her, intrigued by every move she made.
“Lady Alice,” William called as they neared the Manor. She didn’t pause, didn’t even turn her head to the side in acknowledgement. She simply continued walking at a brisk, yet composed pace, as if he hadn’t spoken at all. Grinning, William walked a little quicker until he was by her side.
“I’d like to thank you for gracing my brother and I with your presence during this walk,” he went on, slowing his stride to match hers.
“Lord Christopher clearly did not need my presence at all,” Lady Alice said simply, her tone utterly unassuming.
“Ah, yes, he is rather preoccupied by your sister’s beauty,” William agreed, not missing when Lady Alice cut him a narrowed glare for a brief moment. “But,” he continued with a growing grin, “I found myself quite taken by you instead, even with the way you seem rather unimpressed by me.”
“Do you consider yourself a smart man, Lord Erlington?”
His brows lifted in surprise. “I do,” William answered warily.
“If you do, then perhaps you should ruminate on all that I’ve said since we’ve met,” Lady Alice told him. She slowed to a stop right before the doors. Within a few moments, Christopher and Lady Emma would catch up and would undoubtedly overhear their conversation, but it appeared Lady Alice did not care. She turned to face him, her expression so inhospitable that his mind went blank. “But in case you’ve only overestimated your mental capacity, which I’m certain is the case, allow me to say it in much clearer terms. I dislike you, Lord Erlington, simply put. Certainly, you understand this means that we should maintain our distance?”
To his left, William heard his brother’s and Lady Emma’s footsteps slow to a stop. He could feel their eyes, and noticed that their conversation had stalled in light of the tension before them. But the warring indignation and intrigue hampered his thoughts, Lady Alice’s blatant words hanging in the air between them.
He opened his mouth in response, though he hadn’t conjured a decent one just yet, but Lady Alice didn’t allow him to.
She nodded and turned to face the door once more. “Wonderful,” she said. “I’m happy you understand. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
For the second time today, William was forced to watch her walk away, leaving him shocked and just a little bemused. A part of him almost went after her, and perhaps had they not had an audience, he might have. But, her blunt statements had left him a state he’d never known before, one that filled him with an unusual feeling.
Lady Emma said something but William didn’t hear what it was. Soon, she hurried after her sister and the maid went with her. Footsteps sounded behind him and William felt a hand on his shoulder.
“It appears whatever plans you had in mind will not come to fruition, my dear Brother,” Christopher said empathetically.
William took a moment to respond, the edge of his lips tilting upward. “Didn’t you hear, Christopher?” William answered, determination slowly creeping in to replace that odd feeling. “It is improper to make assumptions.”
