He nodded in agreement, fascinated by the young woman and her vast knowledge.
“I must agree…I found myself greatly –”
“Rotham! You are a difficult fellow to locate!” The voice of his friend, Jack, sounded out and Kenneth noticed at once how Lady Ruth’s body stiffened, and her eyes grew wider.
The poor lady must fear any new encounter she makes, given the events of the past few days. I wish I could calm her nerves, but I am afraid it was I, in part, who created this unfortunate expectation of hers.
Jack stopped his mare, Lottie and dismounted, sauntering over toward Kenneth. He was wearing a pair of buckskin breeches, a fine riding coat, and a pair of matching riding boots - cutting a fine figure as always. Jack, as informal and far-removed from the high society as a lord could be, still indulged in the fine attire common in their class. And he wore whatever he chose with a certain air that commanded attention, unlike Kenneth who lacked the sense of style his friend possessed in excess.
“I was waiting for you to meet me for our morning ride, only to be sorely disappointed when you….Oh. Good morning, my lady.” He stopped and bowed to Lady Ruth who curtsied, keeping her face turned away from him as much as possible.
Kenneth stepped forward.
“Lady Ruth, allow me to introduce my good friend, Jackson Lasetter, Viscount Bronwyn. Jack, this is Lady Ruth.”
His friend’s face changed as he recognized her name but to Kenneth’s great relief, Jack remained the perfect gentleman. He reached out a hand to Lady Ruth and kissed the back of her gloved hand while maintaining eye contact. If the severity of her scar fazed him, he did not let it show. However, knowing Jack, he truly did not care. He simply was that kind of a person, the kind who could see beyond the exterior and see what was within. A quality Kenneth had always strived for.
“What a pleasure to meet you, Lady Ruth. I see you have already discovered my friend’s secret sanctuary.”
The ease with which Jack spoke seemed to put the young lady at ease. She glanced briefly at Kenneth, as if looking for reassurance that this newly arrived young man was indeed as genuine in his demeanor as he seemed. He smiled at her and placed a hand on Jack’s back.
“I was just telling Lady Ruth about our encounter with the hunter last week and our actions thereafter.” He nodded toward the oak tree and Jack chuckled.
“I hope you will not share our funeral for the swan with Her Grace, otherwise I will surely be banned from Goldclaw Manor entirely, for my complicity in such an ungentlemanly act.”
To Kenneth’s joy, Lady Ruth broke into a smile and her entire body relaxed. Her shoulders dropped as the tension left her body.
“I already promised Lord Rotham my silence.”
“Well, that is good news, as I am already in Her Grace’s black book. I am a little too uncouth for her liking.” He winked at her and chuckled. “But do not fear. Rotham here is an upstanding gentleman, so do not let his poor taste in friends deter you from his company.”
She smiled at this and turned her gaze at Kenneth. “I am sure Lord Rotham’s taste in friends is as good as his choice in music.”
Jack laughed at this and shook his head. “I could not attest to that as I have no ear for music. If music is your passion, Rotham here is your man, indeed.”
An easy silence passed between the two and Kenneth found himself unable to take his eyes away from Lady Ruth. She was a lovely young woman; it could not be denied. If she had not been cursed by the terrible scar on her face, she surely would have been among the most popular ladies of the ton.
It was then that Lady Ruth broke their silence.
“It was lovely to meet you, Lord Bronwyn but I am afraid I shall have to take my leave now. My father and sister will surely be wondering where I am as I was only going to go for a stroll around the lake to… settle my mind. My father was uneasy to let me go without a chaperone anyhow and I would not wish to worry him.”
She looked at Kenneth again and he spotted in her eyes that sorrow from earlier.
“Of course, please give my regards to your sister and father.”
“I will. And let me assure you, my sister greatly looks forward to dining with you tonight.” She curtsied while Kenneth stood and frowned, entirely confused by the statement. Before he could ask her for the meaning of her words, she’d taken her leave.
As she walked away toward her father and sister, Kenneth stood and watched her. There was an elegance in the way she walked, and an air of grace in her every movement. With a heavy sigh, he shook his head. It was a shame that the terrible accident from so long ago made it impossible for her to ever be anything other than a friend to him.
A true shame, indeed.
Chapter 13
“Oh la, he is so dreamy,” Sophia gushed the following day as she and Ruth sat down in the breakfast room. The space was bright and airy. The French windows allowed the sun to brighten and warm the room with such a lovely glow that it made Ruth smile every morning. The table, large and round, was filled with dishes.
Fresh rolls sat in a woven basket at the center of the table, along with toasted bread. An offering of jam, marmalades, butter, and even honey made her mouth water. In addition, a loaf of honey bread sat next to a vase filled with flowers from the Duke’s flower garden.
She sat back as a footman poured hot drinking chocolate into her cup and moved on to Sophia. Her sister sat with a beaming smile on her face. The Duchess, true to her word, had arranged for a private dinner between Lord Rotham and Sophia, with the Duchess serving as chaperone.