between them. Looking back at Claire,
he continued, “I’ll go with my guardian on this horse ride. I love
horses. It’ll be good exercise and a pleasant ride through the park
is just what I need after spending so much time this past winter
cooped up indoors.”
“ Why don’t you just come out
and say this will be the perfect chance for you to talk to the fair
and beautiful Lady Richfield?” she insisted, her teasing tone
giving her amusement away.
“ Well, then it won’t seem
like an act of mercy, will it?”
“ You helped my sister avoid
marriage to a terrible gentleman,” she replied. “You didn’t gain
anything from it. That was your act of mercy. Now I will find a
reason to be detained on the day this horse riding venture occurs.
It’s only fair I return the favor.”
“ You’re a splendid lady.
Does Lord Roderick know how fortunate he is to be married to
you?”
“ Yes, he does.”
“ Good. Otherwise, I’d have
to send him out to the stables to muck out some stalls.”
She giggled and shook her head. “That
won’t be necessary.”
The dance came to an end and he bowed
as she curtsied. “It’s always a pleasure talking to
you.”
Seeing that Lady Richfield hadn’t moved
from her spot, he made his way over to her and lightly touched her
arm, ensuring that no one else noticed. She inclined her head in
his direction but maintained eye contact with the gentleman talking
to her and her sister.
“ Oh yes,” Lord Thomas said,
“I’ve been on an elephant and a camel.”
“ But isn’t that dangerous?”
her sister asked, her eyes wide and excitement in her
voice.
“ Of course it is, but I
don’t see the point in playing it safe all the time. A person has
to enjoy life to truly live it,” he replied.
“ I suspect you’re not the
only person who shares that philosophy,” Lady Richfield said,
glancing at Christopher.
Christopher’s eyebrows rose. “I can’t
say I’ve ridden an elephant or a camel, but I don’t mind a
challenge when it presents itself.”
“ Hear, hear!” Lord Thomas
nodded in approval. “Though you ought to try riding them sometime.
They’re magnificent creatures.”
“ It sounds like it,” her
sister said. “And impressive.”
“ And dangerous,” Lady
Richfield muttered under her breath.
“ Care to dance?” Lord Thomas
asked her sister.
Despite the slight shake of Agatha’s
head, her sister accepted and hurried off to dance with
him.
Before Lady Richfield could step away
from him, Christopher extended his arm and said in a tone loud
enough for those around them to overhear, “Thank you for accepting
my invitation to dance, my lady.”
She opened her mouth to speak but
glanced at those who looked in their direction. With a sigh, she
placed her hand on his arm and let him escort her to the dancing
area. “You have a way of working things to your advantage,” she
said, frowning at him.
“ You wouldn’t have danced
with me otherwise.”
“ There are many things I’d
say about you, Mister Robinson, but being dull isn’t one of
them.”
“ I appreciate the
compliment.”
She released a loud sigh. “Is there
something you want from me?”
“ Yes. I want you to marry
me.”
“ I fail to understand you. I
insulted you in front of your friends at Lord Edon’s dinner party.
Do you really enjoy such treatment?”
“ It’s no secret that your
first marriage left a lot to be desired.”
“ Lord Richfield died within
twenty-four hours of marrying me. He did me a favor.”
“ Some ladies don’t want
their husbands dead,” he teased.
“ So you want to marry me so
you can be miserable? Is that the point to all of this?”
“ No. I want to marry you
because you’re the most exciting lady I’ve ever met. You have great
passion. Imagine if you were to turn that passion in my favor? I
sense the heat of your kisses would set the room on
fire.”
“ You are much too
bold.”
“ I’m not bold
enough.”
Her eyebrows furrowed.
he continued, “I’ll go with my guardian on this horse ride. I love
horses. It’ll be good exercise and a pleasant ride through the park
is just what I need after spending so much time this past winter
cooped up indoors.”
“ Why don’t you just come out
and say this will be the perfect chance for you to talk to the fair
and beautiful Lady Richfield?” she insisted, her teasing tone
giving her amusement away.
“ Well, then it won’t seem
like an act of mercy, will it?”
“ You helped my sister avoid
marriage to a terrible gentleman,” she replied. “You didn’t gain
anything from it. That was your act of mercy. Now I will find a
reason to be detained on the day this horse riding venture occurs.
It’s only fair I return the favor.”
“ You’re a splendid lady.
Does Lord Roderick know how fortunate he is to be married to
you?”
“ Yes, he does.”
“ Good. Otherwise, I’d have
to send him out to the stables to muck out some stalls.”
She giggled and shook her head. “That
won’t be necessary.”
The dance came to an end and he bowed
as she curtsied. “It’s always a pleasure talking to
you.”
Seeing that Lady Richfield hadn’t moved
from her spot, he made his way over to her and lightly touched her
arm, ensuring that no one else noticed. She inclined her head in
his direction but maintained eye contact with the gentleman talking
to her and her sister.
“ Oh yes,” Lord Thomas said,
“I’ve been on an elephant and a camel.”
“ But isn’t that dangerous?”
her sister asked, her eyes wide and excitement in her
voice.
“ Of course it is, but I
don’t see the point in playing it safe all the time. A person has
to enjoy life to truly live it,” he replied.
“ I suspect you’re not the
only person who shares that philosophy,” Lady Richfield said,
glancing at Christopher.
Christopher’s eyebrows rose. “I can’t
say I’ve ridden an elephant or a camel, but I don’t mind a
challenge when it presents itself.”
“ Hear, hear!” Lord Thomas
nodded in approval. “Though you ought to try riding them sometime.
They’re magnificent creatures.”
“ It sounds like it,” her
sister said. “And impressive.”
“ And dangerous,” Lady
Richfield muttered under her breath.
“ Care to dance?” Lord Thomas
asked her sister.
Despite the slight shake of Agatha’s
head, her sister accepted and hurried off to dance with
him.
Before Lady Richfield could step away
from him, Christopher extended his arm and said in a tone loud
enough for those around them to overhear, “Thank you for accepting
my invitation to dance, my lady.”
She opened her mouth to speak but
glanced at those who looked in their direction. With a sigh, she
placed her hand on his arm and let him escort her to the dancing
area. “You have a way of working things to your advantage,” she
said, frowning at him.
“ You wouldn’t have danced
with me otherwise.”
“ There are many things I’d
say about you, Mister Robinson, but being dull isn’t one of
them.”
“ I appreciate the
compliment.”
She released a loud sigh. “Is there
something you want from me?”
“ Yes. I want you to marry
me.”
“ I fail to understand you. I
insulted you in front of your friends at Lord Edon’s dinner party.
Do you really enjoy such treatment?”
“ It’s no secret that your
first marriage left a lot to be desired.”
“ Lord Richfield died within
twenty-four hours of marrying me. He did me a favor.”
“ Some ladies don’t want
their husbands dead,” he teased.
“ So you want to marry me so
you can be miserable? Is that the point to all of this?”
“ No. I want to marry you
because you’re the most exciting lady I’ve ever met. You have great
passion. Imagine if you were to turn that passion in my favor? I
sense the heat of your kisses would set the room on
fire.”
“ You are much too
bold.”
“ I’m not bold
enough.”
Her eyebrows furrowed.
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