sudden tears.
Aubrey smiled and then turned to Lucy to help her down. She supposed that she could have swung down without too much trouble, but since he was here she would take advantage. There was a guilty part of her that longed to touch him, but she ignored it. He lifted his arms and clasped her waist while she rested her hands on his broad shoulders. The smile left his face as he looked up at her and his eyes grew hot as he stared silently up at her face. Flustered, Lucy pushed off the branch a little too hard and ended up pushed against his chest. He caught her and gradually let her slide down, her breasts rubbing against his hard torso. She caught her gasp by biting her lower lip and something flared in his eyes, fiery and scalding. Lucy realized that, at least for that moment, he still wanted her and a quiver started deep in her belly. His hands were burning at her waist as she hit the ground and he held her steady when she stumbled a bit.
Lucy swallowed and stepped away as his hands fell from her. She bent and slipped on her half boots, then fussed at her riding habit, straightening the dishabille and not meeting his eyes. She glanced over at the maid and young girl, kitten safely ensconced in its basket, but they were walking away, so there was no help there.
“Harriet must be wondering where I have gone. And the horses…” she trailed off as she peeked up at Aubrey. He was smiling at her, the dimple at the corner of his mouth in evidence now. “What is it?” Lucy self-consciously patted at her head, certain that she had unkempt hair or her hat tilted over one ear. That dimple, she thought, that is what had got her into so much trouble years before.
Aubrey reached out and pulled at a glossy curl that had come loose. “I have always loved your hair,” he mused. “So wild and so revealing of your character.” He gave the curl a gentle tug, then carefully tucked it behind her ear.
Lucilla was vexed. What right did he have to judge her or to pretend to know her? He had been gone for five long years, larking about the Continent without a care or concern for her while she had been here enduring trial and heartbreak. She whirled and strode past him, back to where the others and the horses were waiting.
“Wait, Lucy!” Aubrey seized her arm, pulling her back and the force turned her around, back into his arms. “What is the matter? What did I say?”
“Let me go,” she said as she pulled against his grasp and he released her. He wore a puzzled look, as if not sure why her mood had changed so suddenly and truth to tell, she was not sure why either. All at once she was tired. Aubrey knew nothing of her life for the last few years. He had left her without ever saying why he had so suddenly changed his mind about her. Now he was back and pretending as if the last five years had never happened.
“Are you angry with me?” he asked, studying her face for some hint to her mood.
“I do not think of you at all, my lord,” she replied, wanting to lash out. “Now let me go. I need to find Harriet.”
Aubrey’s lips tightened and his face lost all expression. “I will escort you back, my lady.” He placed her hand on his arm, as if they had been casually strolling along the Serpentine.
“You do remember that we are putting on an appearance for Harriet’s sake, do you not?” he drawled just before they reached the small group still chatting away. Lucy stiffened, but made no other sign than a small nod.
“Good,” he said and he led her to the group of people gathered around Harriet and George discussing the wedding. There were a few curious glances, but most ignored her. Two young ladies immediately pounced on Aubrey. Lucy pulled away, stepping back towards Harriet who was standing with George and did not appear to notice her either.
All at once she had had enough. Lucy whirled, turning back to where the groom was patiently waiting, holding onto the reins of the horses.
“My lady,” he stammered as
Aubrey smiled and then turned to Lucy to help her down. She supposed that she could have swung down without too much trouble, but since he was here she would take advantage. There was a guilty part of her that longed to touch him, but she ignored it. He lifted his arms and clasped her waist while she rested her hands on his broad shoulders. The smile left his face as he looked up at her and his eyes grew hot as he stared silently up at her face. Flustered, Lucy pushed off the branch a little too hard and ended up pushed against his chest. He caught her and gradually let her slide down, her breasts rubbing against his hard torso. She caught her gasp by biting her lower lip and something flared in his eyes, fiery and scalding. Lucy realized that, at least for that moment, he still wanted her and a quiver started deep in her belly. His hands were burning at her waist as she hit the ground and he held her steady when she stumbled a bit.
Lucy swallowed and stepped away as his hands fell from her. She bent and slipped on her half boots, then fussed at her riding habit, straightening the dishabille and not meeting his eyes. She glanced over at the maid and young girl, kitten safely ensconced in its basket, but they were walking away, so there was no help there.
“Harriet must be wondering where I have gone. And the horses…” she trailed off as she peeked up at Aubrey. He was smiling at her, the dimple at the corner of his mouth in evidence now. “What is it?” Lucy self-consciously patted at her head, certain that she had unkempt hair or her hat tilted over one ear. That dimple, she thought, that is what had got her into so much trouble years before.
Aubrey reached out and pulled at a glossy curl that had come loose. “I have always loved your hair,” he mused. “So wild and so revealing of your character.” He gave the curl a gentle tug, then carefully tucked it behind her ear.
Lucilla was vexed. What right did he have to judge her or to pretend to know her? He had been gone for five long years, larking about the Continent without a care or concern for her while she had been here enduring trial and heartbreak. She whirled and strode past him, back to where the others and the horses were waiting.
“Wait, Lucy!” Aubrey seized her arm, pulling her back and the force turned her around, back into his arms. “What is the matter? What did I say?”
“Let me go,” she said as she pulled against his grasp and he released her. He wore a puzzled look, as if not sure why her mood had changed so suddenly and truth to tell, she was not sure why either. All at once she was tired. Aubrey knew nothing of her life for the last few years. He had left her without ever saying why he had so suddenly changed his mind about her. Now he was back and pretending as if the last five years had never happened.
“Are you angry with me?” he asked, studying her face for some hint to her mood.
“I do not think of you at all, my lord,” she replied, wanting to lash out. “Now let me go. I need to find Harriet.”
Aubrey’s lips tightened and his face lost all expression. “I will escort you back, my lady.” He placed her hand on his arm, as if they had been casually strolling along the Serpentine.
“You do remember that we are putting on an appearance for Harriet’s sake, do you not?” he drawled just before they reached the small group still chatting away. Lucy stiffened, but made no other sign than a small nod.
“Good,” he said and he led her to the group of people gathered around Harriet and George discussing the wedding. There were a few curious glances, but most ignored her. Two young ladies immediately pounced on Aubrey. Lucy pulled away, stepping back towards Harriet who was standing with George and did not appear to notice her either.
All at once she had had enough. Lucy whirled, turning back to where the groom was patiently waiting, holding onto the reins of the horses.
“My lady,” he stammered as
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