They’d know soon enough, as the three women were indeed seated on boulders at the base of the bluff near Miss Burrell’s dig site.
“Fancy meeting you here,” Matthew called with forced cheerfulness.
All three stood, then dipped into a curtsy as Matthew and Vincent bowed.
They exchanged pleasantries, then the women sat again, making room for the men.Vincent chafed at the delay of having to go through meaningless social platitudes like the state of the weather.
Matthew untucked the cloth on the basket, revealing the wealth of food inside.“I brought a little something to share.”He locked gazes with Miss Ebrington.“In case you might feel a bit peckish.”Without breaking eye contact, he reached into the basket, found a meat pie, and handed it to the wide-eyed blonde.
“Th-thank you, Mr.Huntley.”Miss Ebrington seemed bewildered, as though she didn’t quite know what to do with the food in her hand.
“Eat up,” Vincent said, helping himself to a tea cake.“Mrs.Bickford is likely to be insulted if we bring the basket back with anything more than crumbs and the cloth.”
Only after Miss Walden gave the girl a reassuring nod and selected a slice of honey cake for herself did Miss Ebrington begin to eat.
After they had all selected something, Matthew nudged the basket closer to her.In unspoken accord, everyone else ate slowly, allowing Miss Ebrington to consume most of the contents without seeming indecorous.
“How is your dig going, Miss Burrell?”Matthew asked.
“Quite well,” she replied, her tone indicating puzzlement at his interest.“I’ve uncovered what I believe to be the head of something distantly related to crocodiles or lizards, but that swam in the sea.”
“I shudder to think what a fish or lizard that large would look like,” Miss Walden said.“Having seen what you’ve uncovered so far, it would have been as big as a horse!”
They continued in that vein, discussing fiendishly large water creatures, until Vincent was ready to smash something.Even staring at Miss Walden’s bare toes, peeping out from her skirts in her Grecian sandals, proved to be little distraction.
“Pop the blister already,” he growled to Matthew when at last there was a lull in the conversation.
Miss Ebrington and Miss Burrell looked mildly surprised, while Sophia looked ready to bolt.Hoping to shock her into not moving, Vincent edged closer on his rock and took her hand in his.After a moment while he dared not breathe, she curled her fingers around his.He tried not to crow in triumph like a schoolboy stealing his first kiss.
“The thing is…” Matthew cleared his throat.“You see…” He ran a finger between his neck and neckcloth.
“Get on with it, or I’ll tell her.”Vincent tried not to growl, though his voice may have been deep and rough.He gave Sophia a reassuring squeeze.Well, he hoped she interpreted it as reassuring.
Matthew spoke in such a rush it was hard to distinguish one word from the next.“I know you were engaged to my cousin, the Earl of Wingfield.”He took Miss Ebrington’s hands in his.“The thing is…” He cleared his throat again.“He died.About a month ago.Which means—”
“You’re the new Earl of Wingfield?”Miss Ebrington seemed unfazed.
Miss Burrell and Sophia exchanged apprehensive glances.
“Er, yes.”Matthew plunged ahead, though he was the one who now looked puzzled.“I’ve discovered that the marriage agreement signed by my cousin and your father named you by your given and family name, but my cousin only by his title.Which means—”
Miss Ebrington let out a joyous squeal and launched herself at Matthew.
Caught off-guard, Matthew tumbled backward off his boulder onto the sand, Miss Ebrington landing on top of him.
She lifted herself up on her arms high enough to look Matthew in the face.“Which means you’remyMr.Huntley?”
Matthew nodded.“I’m yours.And you’re mine.”
“Oh, thank heavens,” she muttered, and kissed him.
Matthew cupped her cheeks and responded to her kiss with such enthusiasm, Vincent averted his gaze.
Which left him looking directly at Sophia.At her luscious mouth.She was biting the corner of her bottom lip.
Had Miss Burrell not been present, Vincent would happily kiss Sophia.
But they still had other obstacles to overcome, more secrets to resolve.
