And somewhere inside her, a feeling stirred. One she’d never before experienced – nor could she name it. All she knew was that at that moment, she saw something else in the young Marquess. Something beyond the horrified way with which he’d first looked at her. Something more than the awkward manner in which he seemed to conduct himself. Something entirely different. And entirely captivating.
Chapter 12
Kenneth threw out another handful of wheat and watched the cygnets swim towards it, away from him. He smiled at the sight, marveling at the fact that something as simple as sitting by the lake and watching the animals could bring him such peace.
Little else brought him more calmness than the lake and the animals that occupied it. However, the cygnets could not chase away the burning anger he still felt within his heart at his cousin.
How dare he speak to her in such a manner? The rudeness was on a whole other level, even for someone as inept and prone to social missteps as his cousin. Kenneth was deep in thought when the snapping of a twig behind him roused him and he turned. He jumped to his feet at once when he saw her.
“Lady Ruth. I did not see you coming. I mean… I meant to say that I did not realize I was not alone. I sometimes forget myself when I am here at the lake.”
She looked at him with a small smile on her face. Between the shadow cast by her straw bonnet and the curl which still fell in her face, her scar was almost invisible, and he found himself almost forgetting it was even there.
“It is the kind of place where one might find tranquility and forget the world, so I understand.”
Relief and confusion filled him in equal measure. Relief as she seemed to have recovered from the earlier unpleasant encounter, and confusion at her pleasant demeanor. Somehow, he’d assumed she would blame him for the encounter with Lawrence, as he felt he ought to have put a stop to it much sooner. Yet, she appeared to hold no ill will against him at all. He cleared his throat.
“I had hoped to be able to see you in private as I wanted to ask you to please accept my apology on my cousin’s behalf. His behavior was utterly unacceptable.”
To his surprise, she shook her head.
“You should never apologize for someone on their behalf, for such an apology means nothing at all. One can only take responsibility for one’s own actions and words.”
“Do not fret, my father and I will make sure that he apologizes next time you see him. My father does not suffer foolish behavior such as this kindly. Not that he is not used to it from Lawrence.”
Again, she shook her head.
“Unless he realizes the error of his ways and is truly remorseful for what he said, such an apology would be only empty words and I would rather go without it.” She paused before fixing her eyes on his face. “I have had many such an apology given, and they never mean a thing. The person usually goes on to make the same mean comments again, only more carefully. And often even more viciously.”
He swallowed, impressed by her demeanor. At the same time, he found it a sad testament to their peers that she experienced such behavior quite so often.
“I understand. Well, if you will not accept an apology on his behalf, then allow me to apologize for myself. And properly, as I have acted a fool toward you this entire time since your arrival. I would like to assure you that I am neither as shallow nor as conceited as I am sure I must appear to you.”
She nodded her head, a smile playing around her reddened lips. He’d noticed her habit of biting her lips which had the effect of staining them a lovely red color.
“I confess, I was not sure what to make of you. Although I can assure you, your reaction to me was neither unusual nor the worst I have experienced. As you can surely imagine after this morning’s encounter. In addition, given my history, I ought to be the last person to judge based on first impressions.”
She shrugged and looked out onto the lake where the cygnets were swimming near their father.
“I wondered where his mate is. It is unusual to see cygnets with just one parent.”
He swallowed and a sigh escaped him.
“She was killed by a trespassing hunter last week. One of the neighboring farmers intruded upon our land and shot her before I could stop him. I was but a moment too late…” He shook his head, still sad at the sight of the dead mother swan before him.
She gasped, genuine sadness settling on her face.
“How awful.”
He kicked a pebble with one foot and watched it bounce twice on the water before sinking.
“My friend, Lord Bronwyn and I buried the body over yonder, by the oak tree. It seemed the right thing to do.” He turned to her, a slight smile playing around his lips. “Perhaps you would be so kind as to keep this to yourself. My mother would find it decidedly unmanly and wasteful to bury fowl.”
“My lips will be sealed, I promise.” She looked out over the water with a wistful expression on her face. “It is such a shame. Swans will often mate for life unless they are unable to produce offspring or are unsuccessful in raising the cygnets. To have one taken by something as terrible as hunting, or even worse poaching…”
“You do not approve of hunting?” He was surprised to hear this, as hunting was an activity so common among the nobility to oppose it was unheard of.
“I do not oppose hunting for food. However, I do not enjoy the thought of a life being taken unnecessarily. Which was surely the case when the hunter shot the swan.”
