for such a thing to be on my conscience. I have heard stories of the renowned Lady Rutherford.” She started across the small clearing as she spoke, as if she expected he would fall into step beside her. He resisted her assumption for a moment before he started after her, his long stride bringing him to her side just as she turned to cast him a curious glance. “Is it true your grandmother keeps a legion of loyal knights available to do her bidding no matter how great or small?”
He reached behind his back and grasped his wrist in his hand as he gave a shallow nod. “They are very cleverly disguised as common footmen.”
He kept his gaze trained forward on the landscape ahead, determined to set a swift pace. He would accompany the woman, but he had no intention of dallying about.
“And does she have spies located throughout the realm,” she pressed, “providing her with intelligence to rival that obtained by the king?”
“She does.” He nodded again. “No one ever suspects the gossiping old hens who sit in corners of ballrooms gathering tidbits of information.”
“Yes, I can see your reluctance to go against such a daunting opponent,” she commiserated.
She had been keeping stride beside him in an easy rolling gait, seeming to have no trouble with the spirited pace, but just then she stopped abruptly and turned to look at him with a brightened expression. Her turnabout was so sudden he nearly stepped right into her. As it was, he did have to reach out and grasp her elbow to keep from knocking her over with his forward momentum.
Barely registering he had nearly sent her sprawling into the grass, she grinned with a wicked little twinkle in her eye. “We should arrange a meeting between your grandmother and my mother. If anyone can convince my mother to back down from her obsessive plight, it might be Lady Rutherford.”
Though her expression was full of mischief, he could not mistake the taut thread of hope in her voice. Was it possible he was in the company of one of those strange young women who possessed an honest reluctance to marry?
He shook his head. “Grandmother would be more likely to join forces with Lady Terribury than turn her off her pursuit.”
Her lovely lips drooped into a moue of disappointment, the sparkle fading from her mossy eyes. He almost felt a moment of pity for the girl having been unfortunate enough to be born a Terribury. No mother in the entire breadth of England rivaled Lady Terribury in dogged tenacity when it came to finding husbands for her daughters.
Having escaped Lady Terribury’s pursuit more times than he cared to consider, he did not doubt this last daughter would be married.
Just not to him.
She shrugged and gave a half-hearted smile. “We shall have to keep the ladies apart then. And I shall keep searching for a way to call Mother off.”
With a listless sigh, she turned, and as her shoulder bumped lightly against his chest, he realized he still held her elbow. Feeling an involuntary rush of hot awareness, he released her quickly to grasp his wrist behind his back.
They walked for a short while in silence. He had no desire to engage in further conversation about the girl’s personal situation. It was none of his concern, and as a rule he strictly avoided any topic that even slightly involved his long-time adversary. Yet without consciously deciding to do so, he found himself asking, “Is your mother aware you do not wish to marry?”
“She should be. I express my aversion to the state of matrimony at least ten times a day.” Her delicate snort of derision expressed countless years of pent-up exasperation. “But she has learned through six daughters to only hear what pleases her. You can well imagine how quickly my declaration flies off into the wind.”
He slid her a sideways glance and took note of the way she had folded her arms across her chest with her notebook pressed against the swell of her breasts like a small shield.
“Is it not the
He reached behind his back and grasped his wrist in his hand as he gave a shallow nod. “They are very cleverly disguised as common footmen.”
He kept his gaze trained forward on the landscape ahead, determined to set a swift pace. He would accompany the woman, but he had no intention of dallying about.
“And does she have spies located throughout the realm,” she pressed, “providing her with intelligence to rival that obtained by the king?”
“She does.” He nodded again. “No one ever suspects the gossiping old hens who sit in corners of ballrooms gathering tidbits of information.”
“Yes, I can see your reluctance to go against such a daunting opponent,” she commiserated.
She had been keeping stride beside him in an easy rolling gait, seeming to have no trouble with the spirited pace, but just then she stopped abruptly and turned to look at him with a brightened expression. Her turnabout was so sudden he nearly stepped right into her. As it was, he did have to reach out and grasp her elbow to keep from knocking her over with his forward momentum.
Barely registering he had nearly sent her sprawling into the grass, she grinned with a wicked little twinkle in her eye. “We should arrange a meeting between your grandmother and my mother. If anyone can convince my mother to back down from her obsessive plight, it might be Lady Rutherford.”
Though her expression was full of mischief, he could not mistake the taut thread of hope in her voice. Was it possible he was in the company of one of those strange young women who possessed an honest reluctance to marry?
He shook his head. “Grandmother would be more likely to join forces with Lady Terribury than turn her off her pursuit.”
Her lovely lips drooped into a moue of disappointment, the sparkle fading from her mossy eyes. He almost felt a moment of pity for the girl having been unfortunate enough to be born a Terribury. No mother in the entire breadth of England rivaled Lady Terribury in dogged tenacity when it came to finding husbands for her daughters.
Having escaped Lady Terribury’s pursuit more times than he cared to consider, he did not doubt this last daughter would be married.
Just not to him.
She shrugged and gave a half-hearted smile. “We shall have to keep the ladies apart then. And I shall keep searching for a way to call Mother off.”
With a listless sigh, she turned, and as her shoulder bumped lightly against his chest, he realized he still held her elbow. Feeling an involuntary rush of hot awareness, he released her quickly to grasp his wrist behind his back.
They walked for a short while in silence. He had no desire to engage in further conversation about the girl’s personal situation. It was none of his concern, and as a rule he strictly avoided any topic that even slightly involved his long-time adversary. Yet without consciously deciding to do so, he found himself asking, “Is your mother aware you do not wish to marry?”
“She should be. I express my aversion to the state of matrimony at least ten times a day.” Her delicate snort of derision expressed countless years of pent-up exasperation. “But she has learned through six daughters to only hear what pleases her. You can well imagine how quickly my declaration flies off into the wind.”
He slid her a sideways glance and took note of the way she had folded her arms across her chest with her notebook pressed against the swell of her breasts like a small shield.
“Is it not the
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