“But of course.”
With this, Lord Winterbrook offered Elizabeth his arm and she took it quickly, keenly aware of how the touch of her hand on his arm sent spiraling heat through her. Keeping her chin lifted, she averted her eyes from him for fear he would see all the things she was trying to hide from him. As they walked together across the ballroom, Lord Winterbrook glanced at her, then smiled, but said nothing, and Elizabeth felt her own smile grow in return. This Lord Winterbrook appeared to be a very different gentleman from the one she had first considered. His generosity, his kindness of spirit, and the softness of his heart built an admiration for him within her, and she found herself silently thinking that a gentleman such as he was a very rare sort of fellow indeed.
And perhaps a rather easy gentleman to fall in love with.
“Are you to dance this evening?” Lord Winterbrook murmured.
“I am.”
His face split with another smile.
“Then would you allow me to sign your dance card once I have made the introductions to Miss Whitford?” Warmth settled over her hand as his free hand rested upon hers for a moment. “I should not like this evening to go by without dancing with you again.”
Elizabeth nodded, the words sticking fast in her throat, and finally sliding free only when he took his hand away.
“Yes, I thank you.”
It seemed now that her own heart was doing some very unfamiliar things when it came to Lord Winterbrook. It was both unexpected and uncertain, but the more she considered it, the less confusing it became.
Could it be that I am falling in love with Lord Winterbrook?
Chapter Six
Riding out into the countryside, Felix took in a long breath, but found his discontent growing rather than fading - which was very odd indeed. The last few weeks he had found a great deal of happiness in his highwayman ways. The thrill of the pursuit, the highwayman disguise, the concealing of his true identity in place of another – it had all been the antidote he had required for his melancholy. Now, however, none of it offered him the same lifting of his spirits. Even now, as he stood watching, hoping for an approaching carriage, his heart felt rather heavy.
“There!”
One of the three men he had hired – Griggs, as he was known – pointed to where a carriage was trundling down the road, albeit at a somewhat sedate pace. It gleamed in the sunshine, and to Felix’s trained eye, he considered that it was most likely the private carriage of a high-ranking gentleman.
“A private drag, I’m sure of it.”
“Yes, I think so.” Felix agreed but did not make any moves to chase after it. “Step back, Griggs. You too, Stafford. In fact, pull back under the trees.”
The third man did not move.
“But why not?” His tight jaw set, his eyes narrowing at Felix. “This is a perfectly good carriage. There’s going to be a lot of fancy stuff in there for sure.”
“And all the same, I said no, Connelly.”
Felix shrugged off the need for any further explanation for he paid these men to do as he asked and nothing more. With a grunt, Connelly moved his horse back and Felix remained where he was, watching for another carriage to approach. His mind was in turmoil, questioning why he had pulled back, and yet understanding that the desire to chase after wealth was gone from him.
Perhaps I can take on a different venture.
Within the hour, there came another carriage. This one did not gleam in the sun as the other one had done. Instead, as he studied it carefully, he saw that it was much slower than the previous, only being pulled by two horses instead of four and with no grandeur about the carriage itself. His spirits suddenly lifted, and he realized what it was he wished to do. It was quite extraordinary, of course, for such actions were not what highwaymen were known for, but after his experience with Miss Whitford and her granduncle, his desires, it seemed, had changed significantly.
“Thisone.”
Gesturing to the approaching carriage, he jammed his heels into the horse’s sides and rode for it, with the three men coming after him. Very soon they had the carriage stopped, and the coachman, having no pistol on him either, sitting helplessly with the reins loose in his hands.
“I just hope that we get some good bounty here.”
Felix looked across at Stafford.
“Regardless of what I take, you know full well that you gain nothing from this, aside from what I pay you.”
Speaking firmly, he narrowed his eyes a little, though it was probably not seen given how his eyes were mostly hidden behind his mask.
“Yes, yes.” The man waved a hand. “Though we were just thinking that maybe one day, if you take a great deal from these rides, you might think about paying us a little more.”
