Amanda L.V. Shalaby

by Rhianna

  “… that they will be here in a moment,” he concluded.

  In a moment.

  Her heart fluttered.

  “I am so glad you have come,” Lady Brighton declared. “Miss Kingsley, it has been such a long time since I have seen you. Pray, how old are you now?”

  Audra turned to her at once, and said, “I am twelve now. However, Crispin is still four years older. He is in such a race.”

  Lady Brighton’s grin widened. “Yes, I imagine he is.”

  “Will you be coming with us?” she asked.

  “No, not I, but I do hope you will take tea with me after you return,” she invited, with a glance at Rhianna.

  “Certainly, we should love to,” Rhianna accepted, automatically and much too quickly.

  “Has Miss Braden told you how lovely the ball was the other evening?”

  Audra lit up at the thought of it. “She has. I was with her when she dressed for it. You have such taste in gowns, Lady Brighton! I hope when I am old enough to go to a ball that you will help me choose one, as well?”

  “I should like nothing better,” she returned, genuinely.

  Suddenly, the door burst open and a young man entered excitedly. His hair was lighter than Thayne’s, but his face reminded Rhianna of the boy she once met in the Kingsley woods. From this, she was certain he must be Crispin, but before any of the ladies could rise, before an introduction could be made, he was standing before Audra.

  “I have something to say to you, Audra,” he declared seriously. “I am too old. From this moment forward, you must be known to me as Miss Kingsley.”

  His posture was very erect and showed his anxiety over this matter. Thayne entered behind him, grinning. He nodded to the ladies, signaled them to remain seated, and remained otherwise silent so his brother could conclude his declaration.

  Audra began to giggle at him. “You are the silliest boy I have ever known! Very well, what shall I call you?”

  He thought for a moment. “Lord Crispin,” he told her, awkwardly.

  “Lord Crispin, if you insist on being so proper, will you not allow me a place to stand so I can greet you formally?”

  Crispin smiled widely. “You’re not mad, Audra?”

  “Of course not. It only means we’re getting older. That’s not so bad.”

  Perfectly happy with this, Crispin took one, giant step back and the ladies rose from their seats.

  “Crispin,” said Thayne, “allow me to introduce you to Miss Rhianna Braden. Miss Braden, my brother Lord Crispin Brighton.”

  “A pleasure,” she told him.

  Crispin, having suddenly seen for the first time someone other than Audra in the room, turned to Thayne at once.

  “She is very pretty, brother.” Before anyone could respond beyond looks of surprise, Crispin continued to Rhianna, “Thank you for bringing Miss Kingsley here today. She is my greatest friend and I have not seen her in less than a twelvemonth.”

  “You can thank your brother for the invitation,” she replied, embarrassed.

  “Go on along,” Lady Brighton encouraged. “Enjoy yourselves. The weather is very fine today. I shall see you all when you come back.”

  Audra and Crispin were first to the door, he having opened it for her before a servant could blink. Moments later, the four of them were on their way to the stables and it was very obvious to Rhianna that neither Audra nor she would be focusing on riding lessons.

  • • •

  Her fingers twisted the reins of her bridle, her black coat seeming to her a stark contrast to the magnificent, white horse she was seated upon. Of course, her eyes did not remain upon these items long, as Thayne appeared from the stables, seated upon his tall, chocolate-brown-and-white-spotted stallion, d’Artagnan. How gracefully he handled the creature — too frisky for most riders — and how excellent he himself looked as he advanced closer, his long riding coat exhibiting him handsomely and fitting well his powerful frame.

  “I am glad to see you back on a horse, Miss Braden,” he said, as he approached the trio. “Although, I must confess it does come with a measure of anxiety for me.”

  It was the first time she had been riding since the accident, but Rhianna had not until this moment given it any thought at all. Thayne Brighton was more distracting than she wanted to allow.

  “At least, if any accident were to occur, I know I am in good company,” she teased.

  “May you not even jest.”

  Audra and Crispin, riding equally elegant creatures from Ravensleigh’s stables, quickly galloped ahead. Thayne and Rhianna found themselves exchanging amused glances before catching up to them.

  “Miss Braden,” cried Audra, “would you please tell Lord Crispin that he is always to let the lady win a race?”

  “Miss Braden,” cried Crispin, in return, “what Miss Kingsley fails to understand is that she would know that I allowed her the win. Would it not be much better for her to see me win and, therefore, have confidence in me as a man?”

  “Well, let’s see,” Rhianna returned, struggling to hide her amusement. “Lord Brighton, what have you to say on the matter?”

  “Crispin, my dear brother, I am not entirely sure you had the win — Miss Kingsley is among the swiftest ladies I have seen in a sidesaddle.”

  “Aha!”

  Audra was triumphant. She raised a shoulder to Crispin, the corners of her mouth stretched from ear to ear.

  “Either way,” Thayne continued, “I would suggest putting the lady’s wishes ahead of the race.”

  “Is that so?” Crispin returned, riding his horse up to Audra’s and pausing closely beside her. “Well, brother, I think you are not the only one who can give advice on how a man ought to treat a lady.”

  With that, he leaned over and gave Audra a kiss on the cheek before his horse broke into a full gallop. Audra chased after him.

  “My brother is shameless,” Thayne commented to Rhianna.

  Feeling surprisingly more relaxed, Rhianna was glad to have this moment alone, though to what point and purpose she could hardly say. Even still, as Audra and Crispin continued happily in the far lead, neither Desmond Kingsley nor Austine Leighart could interrupt them here.

  “Before this morning, I had never seen Audra in such anticipation,” she admitted. “Twelve months seems a long time not to see one’s neighbors.”

  “Yes,” Thayne admitted. “Well, Lydia Kingsley is not particularly fond of my mother — or anyone, I believe.” He smiled. “And, of course, Crispin and Miss Kingsley could use a few more years apart.”

  “I had no idea they were so fond of each other.”

  “Yes, they are.” He paused suddenly, before quickly blurting, “May I … be so bold as to ask who you are fond of, Miss Braden?”

  Rhianna could hardly believe the words that had escaped his lips and she suspected he was feeling the same, though she could not look at him after this.

  “Forgive me,” he hurried. “That was entirely inappropriate.”

  With his sudden apology, she smiled, and stole a quick glance at him. He looked disconcerted and she decided to engage him with witticism.

  “If I were to say to you Desmond Kingsley, would you believe me?”

  “No,” he admitted with a chuckle. Seeming to find further courage, he added, “But surely, there must be someone? If not here, then in France?”

  The thought of Philippe erased her smile and Thayne was quick to notice.

  “So, it is France, then?”

  Rhianna let out a quick sigh and wondered at the odd turn their conversation had taken. “No, not, exactly.”

  He watched her closely, and she felt him trying to read her expressions.

  “Philippe and I,” she told him, surrendering, “practically grew up together. The only son of the family I lived with these last years, he proposed before I left France.”

  Why she was sharing this with him, she hardly knew.

  “Proposed?” he repeated, nauseously. “Are you engaged?”

&
nbsp; She shook her head. “I am not.”

  Thayne allowed her a moment to elaborate, but she did not.

  “So you have refused him?” he asked.

  Rhianna hesitated. “I … have not. Though, he and his sister are to visit me shortly and I suspect the matter will be settled at that time.”

  Rhianna felt a tinge ill. In over a year’s time, she had not convinced herself of the appropriate response to Philippe. The one thing she knew for certain was that she could not always be guaranteed employment at Kingsley Manor. It was a subject she wished very much to avoid thinking about.

  “Well, it ought to be a simple matter, ought it not? Are you in love with this Philippe? Because if you are at all uncertain of it, you ought not to accept.”

  “And what of you, Lord Brighton?” she asked, turning the subject on him. “Who are you fond of?”

  She dared to steal another glance at him, but panicked as his eyes alone seemed to betray him — or were her own eyes deceiving her? Of course, Thayne Brighton could have no feelings for her, as much as she was beginning to wish it.

  “Austine Leighart, no doubt,” she declared, before he could answer.

  Thayne laughed. “Ah, Miss Leighart. Miss Leighart is not happy unless she is the loveliest, most accomplished, most admired girl in a room. She rather dislikes you, I imagine.”

  “She can have no reason,” Rhianna declared vehemently. “First of all, we weren’t even introduced. And I daresay, from what I could tell that night at the ball, she was everything you just described.”

  “That can only be your feeling because you were not at an advantage to see yourself. If you ask me, Miss Leighart had every possible reason in the world to have a miserable evening.” Rhianna could hardly breathe, as he concluded, “Miss Braden, do you believe in love at first sight?”

  She was surprised to find that with such a question, her first thoughts turned, not to Philippe, but to Thayne Brighton. She thought of the first time she saw him in the Kingsley woods, and how she despised him.

  “No,” she declared.

  In his face, she saw the man she was falling in love with, the love she knew to be the only kind one should marry for, if one’s circumstances would only allow. Suddenly wrestling against the ache in her heart, she fought such hopeless emotions fruitlessly.

  “Perhaps,” she added, boldly, “at second sight.”

  With this, she rode on ahead of him toward the children. He followed shortly after, his last words lingering in the air for some minutes until their small party was reunited.

  “The two of you seem to have gotten on well without us,” announced Thayne to Audra and Crispin.

  “Without you?” replied Crispin. “Were you not right behind all along?”

  With a raised eyebrow, Thayne said, “Had you not noticed? Miss Braden and I have only just caught up.”

  “A fine joke, Lord Brighton,” injected Audra. “We heard you the whole time.”

  “Heard us?” Rhianna asked her young pupil. “Whatever do you mean?”

  “Your horses,” she responded.

  Instinctively, both Thayne and Rhianna looked about them and her heartbeat began to pick up. Obviously, Audra and Crispin had not heard them, so whom had they heard?

  “Both horses, or only one?” asked Thayne, glancing suspiciously toward the woods on their left.

  “Both,” they replied together.

  “You’re certain? You heard more than one horse?”

  Both girl and boy turned white as they realized he was not in jest and remained silent to stand by their claim. Each giving a glance to the south woods, only the nods of their heads followed this last query.

  “You really weren’t right behind us, were you?” Crispin affirmed.

  “No,” answered Thayne. “We had best return to Ravensleigh.”

  No argument succeeded this. The four riders about-faced and headed toward the house with no amount of sluggishness.

  • • •

  Crispin and Audra darted into the drawing room to meet with Lady Brighton. Meanwhile, Thayne requested a moment to speak with Rhianna outside.

  With a concerned gaze, he took her hands and addressed her, saying, “Miss Braden, have you any reason to believe or, rather, to suspect you are being watched?”

  He stood very close to her and she could not but admire from her advantageous line of view both his height and the square shape of his jaw. It was becoming more and more difficult not to catch her breath each and every time she met his gaze — and had he shown a thinly veiled attraction to her? Or was her heart misleading her yet again? Her eyes fell to the hands that enveloped hers and she could not deny that such a liberty as he had taken there was odd, indeed. Yet, she felt no inclination to widen the space between them.

  Suddenly, she realized what he had asked her.

  “Watched?” she repeated.

  “My intent, Miss Braden, as your friend, is not to frighten you, of course. It is only — the fact that Pierson was at the scene of your accident …”

  “That is quite a theory, Lord Brighton,” she returned, not at all convinced. “Mr. Pierson may have been in the area, but there is nothing he could possibly want with me.”

  Thayne examined her for a moment.

  “Lord Brighton, I have no doubt that there were, not one, but two persons in the woods back there, but it was smugglers more than likely. Men who no doubt want nothing to do with us so long as we want nothing to do with them.”

  Thayne shook his head. “I am going to make arrangements for you and Audra to return to Kingsley Manor shortly. In the interest of your safety, I will personally join you on the trip and speak to Lord Kingsley when we arrive.”

  “My goodness, I am sure we will arrive safely at Kingsley Manor without an escort.”

  “Miss Braden,” he entreated, “do you think me able to allow such a thing? Do you imagine I could be at rest without any confirmation of your security?”

  Before she could reply, Thayne pulled her gently forward and kissed her cheek, catching just the corner of her mouth. He lingered, and Rhianna was suddenly conscious of the scent of his skin and the feel of his breath upon her own.

  “I beg you would think better of me,” he said.

  • • •

  The following day, Austine Leighart and her mother came to pay a visit to Ravensleigh. The sight of the Leighart family carriage revealed their call to Thayne, who, unable to sleep the previous night, had gone out for an early ride. It was now a few days since the ball and he imagined they had come in search of a few, last compliments before returning to Norwich.

  Thayne, far from pleased by the visit, wished they had come one day previous. He would have enjoyed seeing Austine’s face at the sight of Rhianna. The thought of such an encounter was highly amusing and it helped put on a smile on his face as he entered his home.

  Thayne entered his drawing room to find Austine alone. The unexpected situation left him, for a moment, confused. She noticed this at once and did not hesitate to explain.

  “What an unexpected pleasure to see you, Lord Brighton!”

  “Is it unexpected to find me in my own home?” he questioned dryly.

  “Oh, you see, when your mother explained you had gone riding, we feared we would not cross paths. I say we, you must be wondering whom I mean.”

  “I am,” he responded.

  She was dressed to the nines, but Thayne was not impressed. Although she was stunning, her vanity was undeniable. Her very presence aggravated him and he wondered what excuse she contrived to create the situation he now found himself in.

  “My mother has accompanied yours to the garden. I started with them, but as you can see, I’ve come back for my muff. The grounds are breathtaking in any season, but it is far too cold to be walking about without the proper attire.”

  “I find it incredulous that you forgot it to begin with.”

  Austine smiled. She had not forgotten the muff. He always saw right through her.

  “You
blame me for wanting to see you?” she asked, with an inflection of innocence. “I thought perhaps without company we could speak openly.”

  Thayne watched as she seated herself in a corner chair. She intended this meeting to last longer than he did.

  “There is nothing I have to say to you that I cannot say in the company of others,” he told her, bluntly.

  “Are you quite sure?” she urged, playfully fingering the arm of her seat. “You are an amazing dancer, my lord. I had a mind to tell you how skillfully you handled the waltz.”

  “Did you?”

  “Yes. I suppose you must have had a great deal of practice to make a woman feel as comfortable as I did. The dance floor can be such a daunting place, with great room for embarrassment. Almost as if one were standing before the crowd with no clothes on.”

  “It never crossed my mind.”

  Miss Leighart rose from the corner chair and approached him. Stroking the lapel of his coat, she continued, “No, I suppose it wouldn’t have. But women are such timorous creatures. It’s the very reason that a man like yourself, who has the skill to make his partner feel at ease, is so appreciated.”

  “Forgive me, I do not see the timidity in you, Miss Leighart.”

  Saying nothing in immediate reply, Austine held her eye contact. A moment passed before she responded to this last blow.

  “What must I do, Lord Brighton?” she asked, flirtatiously. “Surely, I am attractive enough for you?”

  Thayne removed her hand from his chest and stepped toward the door. Opening it for her, he said, “My heart is full of another. The best I can offer you is an escort to the garden.”

  A rage flushed over her with his words. “Full of another?” she cried, all efforts at cordiality gone. “I have to demand you tell me who this woman is!”

  “On what basis?” he returned.

  “Are we not intended for each other? Do we not have an excellent future together? Between my fortune and yours, how very influential we could be! Think of how everyone will look up to us. Surely, this is not something you intend to give up.”