you. This may surprise you, but I’ve actually never done that with a woman before.”
“I can’t say I’m shocked.” She tugged on her riding gloves. “I expect you’re the sort who feels he must leave as soon as possible after the deed is done.”
His mouth twitched. “Guilty as charged. I always felt that if ever there’s a time for a woman to make excessive demands on a man, it’s immediately after the act of love.”
“Perhaps,” she said with a shrug. “Or maybe it’s because sleep makes a person vulnerable. You never felt you could trust your mistresses enough to sleep in their presence.”
Given the way she’d hidden the existence of the envelope from him at the start, she realized she ought not to have mentioned trust. A wall rose behind his eyes and she knew she’d taken a misstep.
“And you think I should trust you,” he said, weighing every word.
“You already have.” She patted his cheek, trying to keep the mood light. “Don’t worry, Sebastian. It’s safe to sleep with a lover. And I have no intention of making demands on you.”
They stepped out of the hunting lodge into the waning moments of the day. The sun broke beneath a layer of gray clouds and cut through the forest. Its final rays cast long shadows across the rolling hills. The air held a whiff of coming evening, cool and green and rain-washed. The horses were ready for a gallop, but Arabella and Sebastian kept them to a walk on the sodden turf.
They didn’t speak, but the quiet wasn’t oppressive. Bella resisted the urge to fill the silence, deciding they both could use a bit of time to collect themselves and determine how the afternoon had changed matters between them. She was surprised, and more than a little glad, when Sebastian reached over to hold her hand at one point when their mounts fell into a steady gait beside each other.
She’d spent enough time on stage to know that words were ephemeral, not always to be trusted. That simple linking of their fingers was more reassuring of Sebastian’s regard for her than a thousand sonnets.
When they crested the final rise, they reined in their horses so they could view the manor house framed by a golden sunset. A coach rolled to a stop at the front door of the imposing edifice. Sebastian swore softly, breaking their companionable silence.
“It appears my other guests have arrived a day early. Yes, there’s Granger. That’s my aunt and sister he’s handing down now. And there’s his fiancée and her mother. And Granger’s mother,” Sebastian said as the last woman emerged from the enclosed coach. “So much for a day in the country to ourselves.”
“We’ve had quite a day, thank you very much,” Arabella said, arching a brow at him. “Though I do wonder at so many ladies in one place. Usually a house party is divided between the genders with more even handedness. This gathering seems a bit one-sided.”
“That’s because they’re here to plan Granger’s wedding, God help him.”
“Indeed. Then I’ll be delighted to suggest some suitable music for the event. Why didn’t you tell me?” She nudged her mount into a walk down the hillock. “I might have brought some sheet music with me.”
“So you’re infected with wedding pox too. I don’t know why I thought you’d be different.” Sebastian drew even with her. “Is there a woman alive who doesn’t become maudlin and starry-eyed over the prospect of a man being leg-shackled for life?”
“Do you think that’s how Lord Granger sees his coming nuptials?”
“No.”
“Then why shouldn’t we join him and his fiancée in their joy?”
“Because their joy will be so fleeting,” Sebastian said gruffly. “Don’t misunderstand. His Christine is a fine girl and no doubt, Neville is enraptured with her now. But no matter
“I can’t say I’m shocked.” She tugged on her riding gloves. “I expect you’re the sort who feels he must leave as soon as possible after the deed is done.”
His mouth twitched. “Guilty as charged. I always felt that if ever there’s a time for a woman to make excessive demands on a man, it’s immediately after the act of love.”
“Perhaps,” she said with a shrug. “Or maybe it’s because sleep makes a person vulnerable. You never felt you could trust your mistresses enough to sleep in their presence.”
Given the way she’d hidden the existence of the envelope from him at the start, she realized she ought not to have mentioned trust. A wall rose behind his eyes and she knew she’d taken a misstep.
“And you think I should trust you,” he said, weighing every word.
“You already have.” She patted his cheek, trying to keep the mood light. “Don’t worry, Sebastian. It’s safe to sleep with a lover. And I have no intention of making demands on you.”
They stepped out of the hunting lodge into the waning moments of the day. The sun broke beneath a layer of gray clouds and cut through the forest. Its final rays cast long shadows across the rolling hills. The air held a whiff of coming evening, cool and green and rain-washed. The horses were ready for a gallop, but Arabella and Sebastian kept them to a walk on the sodden turf.
They didn’t speak, but the quiet wasn’t oppressive. Bella resisted the urge to fill the silence, deciding they both could use a bit of time to collect themselves and determine how the afternoon had changed matters between them. She was surprised, and more than a little glad, when Sebastian reached over to hold her hand at one point when their mounts fell into a steady gait beside each other.
She’d spent enough time on stage to know that words were ephemeral, not always to be trusted. That simple linking of their fingers was more reassuring of Sebastian’s regard for her than a thousand sonnets.
When they crested the final rise, they reined in their horses so they could view the manor house framed by a golden sunset. A coach rolled to a stop at the front door of the imposing edifice. Sebastian swore softly, breaking their companionable silence.
“It appears my other guests have arrived a day early. Yes, there’s Granger. That’s my aunt and sister he’s handing down now. And there’s his fiancée and her mother. And Granger’s mother,” Sebastian said as the last woman emerged from the enclosed coach. “So much for a day in the country to ourselves.”
“We’ve had quite a day, thank you very much,” Arabella said, arching a brow at him. “Though I do wonder at so many ladies in one place. Usually a house party is divided between the genders with more even handedness. This gathering seems a bit one-sided.”
“That’s because they’re here to plan Granger’s wedding, God help him.”
“Indeed. Then I’ll be delighted to suggest some suitable music for the event. Why didn’t you tell me?” She nudged her mount into a walk down the hillock. “I might have brought some sheet music with me.”
“So you’re infected with wedding pox too. I don’t know why I thought you’d be different.” Sebastian drew even with her. “Is there a woman alive who doesn’t become maudlin and starry-eyed over the prospect of a man being leg-shackled for life?”
“Do you think that’s how Lord Granger sees his coming nuptials?”
“No.”
“Then why shouldn’t we join him and his fiancée in their joy?”
“Because their joy will be so fleeting,” Sebastian said gruffly. “Don’t misunderstand. His Christine is a fine girl and no doubt, Neville is enraptured with her now. But no matter
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