by Jenna Jaxon
Why was Sarah apologising to this woman? Who was this woman?
She looked up as Sarah spoke, and Daniel started in surprise.
The likeness between the two women was undeniable. The lady kneeling before him was like an older version of Sarah, although to his mind, not as attractive, though she was indeed lovely.
But the hair, the eyes, even the nose…
Daniel had never been a dullard, but it was taking longer than it should for his brain to put together the pieces.
There was no way that this woman wasn’t a relative of Sarah’s.
And she had her arms around the baron.
And the two blonde children had run first to their father, and then to her.
As the pieces slowly fell into place, Daniel began to feel the first stirrings of unease.
He looked from one shocked face to another, his gaze finally landing on Sarah’s.
She was beautiful in her anger, he thought distractedly. Her eyes spitting blue fire at him.
He felt uncomfortably contrite, which wasn’t a feeling he was used to.
An awkward silence fell over their motley group, broken only by the sniffling of the man still on the ground.
Daniel shifted, resisting the urge to pull at his cravat.
He needed to say something, he knew.
Looking back at Sarah’s scowling face, he shrugged helplessly.
“Oops?” He offered it like a question and knew from the narrowing of her eyes that he was in for a world of trouble.
***
Oops?
Oops?!
Sarah had never felt so furious in her entire life.
Daniel had run away from her on those giant bloody legs of his, making it impossible for her to catch up.
Then she’d watched in helpless horror as his fist had shot out and knocked poor George onto his backside.
Her stomach had roiled painfully at the spurt of crimson that seeped through George’s fingers.
What had gotten into the man? And how on earth was she to explain all of this to her cousin?
Elizabeth had been kind enough to take Sarah in, and how had she been repaid? With a rampaging duke and a broken husband.
George had regained his feet while Sarah had been busy shooting daggers at Daniel, and he glared at them both.
Taking a pristine white handkerchief from his pocket, Daniel handed it over with a grimace.
“My apologies, Sir George, I –“ He hesitated slightly. “I misunderstood something.”
“And this misunderstanding led to you attacking my husband?” Elizabeth asked whilst George pressed the handkerchief to his nose.
To Sarah’s surprise, Daniel’s cheeks reddened slightly.
Elizabeth eyed the duke silently, her speculative gaze moving between Daniel and Sarah.
“I see,” she said softly after an age.
Sarah stared at her cousin.
She saw what? For Sarah had been there when Daniel had taken off, and she was none the wiser!
“Come, dear. Let’s get you inside and take care of that nose,” she said to George. “And, your grace, perhaps you might come inside and explain yourself.”
Sarah couldn’t hide a small smile at Elizabeth’s tone, in spite of the situation. She sounded just like she did when John or Hattie stepped out of line, and not even the indomitable Duke of Darthford would argue with her.
Elizabeth turned George and they began to walk toward the house.
Sarah waited until they’d disappeared inside before whipping around to glare up at the man beside her, who was clearly fit for Bedlam.
She fisted her hands and planted them on her hips, waiting for him to explain himself.
He merely matched her gaze with a complacent one of his own.
“Well, then,” he said causally, as though the last utterly bizarre half an hour hadn’t happened. “Shall we?” he asked and offered Sarah his arm.
Sarah just managed to resist the urge to roar her frustrations at him.
“No, we bloody well shall not,” she bit out, noting that she’d been swearing a lot recently for someone who never swore. And that was his fault, too. “What on earth was that about?”
“You know,” he answered, still in that infuriatingly calm tone, “I didn’t think you were the type of lady to swear.”
Sarah merely stared at him.
That is what he would say?
So, he was mad then.
Shame. He had seemed so sensible.
“Forgive me,” she uttered through clenched teeth. “But I didn’t think one mild swear word would offend you so.”
“I didn’t say it was offensive. In fact, I’d infinitely prefer you to swear at me than try to avoid eye contact and continue running away from me.”
His gentle remonstration hit her hard, making her wince.
She had treated him badly by running away. Him, Isabelle…But what choice had she had?
Still, Daniel didn’t know her circumstances, nor did she want him to. That didn’t mean she didn’t owe him an apology for the way she’d disappeared without a trace.
Her head was beginning to pound all over again.
The great big oaf had been in the county five minutes and had already caused her more excitement and drama than she’d experienced her previous three years here.
Sarah heaved a sigh, releasing some of her frustration.
“Your grace,” she started, earning a raised brow. It infuriated her. Not least because she was oh-so-tempted to reach up and kiss it.
“Your grace,” she repeated, more firmly this time. “I – regret my behaviour of three years ago, and –“
“Three years and four months.”
His quiet interjection robbed her words, and she stared at him in shock.
He nodded as though she’d questioned him aloud.
“Three years, and four months exactly. Foolish man that I am, I have kept count. And don’t ask me why unless you’re willing to hear the answer.”
Well, how was she to respond to that?
Sarah’s heart hammered in her chest as she tried to process the implication of his words. Had he missed her? Had he cared for her as much as she had cared for him?
And if he were still counting, did that mean—?
“Sarah.”
Elizabeth’s voice sounded from the doorway, interrupting both this odd conversation and Sarah’s racing thoughts.
“I suppose I should go in and explain why I attacked your—“ Daniel hesitated, and Sarah realised he didn’t actually know who Elizabeth and George were.
“My cousin-in-law,” she bit out. “And—“
“Cousin. That’s very good news.”
His grin was a thing of beauty, all charming and persuasive, and Sarah found, to her shame, that her body of its own volition actually swayed toward the man.
But this wouldn’t do!
Nothing had changed in Sarah’s circumstances. And that meant she needed to keep her distance from the man in front of her.
“Yes, cousin,” she answered sternly. Her anger was good. Useful. She pulled it round herself like a protective cloak. “And you shouldn’t have—“
“Well, come on then,” he interrupted smoothly, once again crooking his arm to escort her, as though they were off on a pleasant stroll round Hyde Park and not about to face the man whose nose he’d likely broken.
“What?” she spluttered.
“I should really explain myself, don’t you think?”
Of course, she thought so! Otherwise, she wouldn’t have tried to demand answers before becoming distracted by his smile, his mossy green eyes, that unruly lock of hair that fell across his brow. Or those broad, strong shoulders, the way he made her feel when he took her in his arms, and—
“Sarah?”
She felt her cheeks flame as she realised where her wanton hussy of a mind had wandered, and judging from his smirk, he guessed it, too, which caused her to blush even more furiously.
Lord, but he was
annoying.
“I’m going in to explain,” he said again with an incorrigible smile. “Are you coming?”
“Oh, yes,” she said, saccharinely sweet. “I’m just dying to hear you explain your madcap behaviour.”
“Well then, that makes two of us, sweetheart. Because I’ve been waiting three years, and four months, for you to explain yours.”
She didn’t say anything because she had no idea what to say.
And because she was busy trying to keep her heart from hammering out of her chest when he’d called her sweetheart.
CHAPTER SIX
Was it particularly warm in the drawing room? It felt very warm.
Daniel once again resisted the urge to pull at his cravat.
He’d found himself in more than one uncomfortable situation in his life. But this was up there with the worst of them.
The baron had taken the time that Daniel and Sarah had been arguing in the garden to go and clean up.
He sat facing them both now, a scowl on his face and anger in his quickly blackening eyes.
That was some punch, to have caused that mess. Daniel was quite proud of it.
A quick glance around the room however, cured him of any sort of pride.
Daniel knew they were all awaiting explanations.
But what could he say without making himself out to be a moon-eyed puppy who’d been pining after the beautiful blond seated beside him on the chaise?
Isn’t that what you are? he asked himself.
The answer was, yes, he was. But nobody else needed to know that.
The silence stretched on, growing ever more uncomfortable.
Finally, Lady Elizabeth spoke. “I’m assuming, your grace, that it isn’t usual for you to go around battering barons for sport.”
Daniel looked up at the woman so like Sarah in appearance. He would have said they were sisters rather than cousins. There really was a close likeness between them.
He was relieved somewhat to see a sparkle of mischief in the lady’s blue eyes.
Glancing quickly at Sarah, he saw that hers were still spitting fire.
“No, I do not, my lady,” he responded with a smile. “As to that, I can only apologise profusely. I thought—“ He hesitated now, feeling really quite terrible about what he’d assumed.
He was usually so rational, so level-headed. Not to mention the most easy-going of men. He was renowned for his laid-back nature, in fact.
Why, even when he’d lost out on Isabelle Carlton’s hand last year, and thank God he had, he hadn’t lost his cool. Not once.
Well, of course not. There was that voice again. Your heart wasn’t engaged with Isabelle. But Sarah…
He stopped that thought in its tracks. Until he knew just what was going on with the lady beside him, he couldn’t allow that type of thinking.
“You thought—?” the lady prompted, while the other two occupants of the room continued to glare.
Taking a deep breath, Daniel figured it was best to just spit it out.
“I saw Sarah, that is Miss Starling, with the children in the meadow. And they were both so like her. So, when she told me their ages and that the baron was their father…” He trailed off, waiting for a reaction.
And he wasn’t disappointed.
After only the shortest of pauses, the baron sprang from his chair.
“Good God, man. Surely you didn’t think—“
Daniel grimaced apologetically.
“Sarah was a bloody child when John was born,” the baron sputtered. “What sort of a monster do you think I am?”
“I don’t think you’re a monster.” He paused. “Not now,” he added helpfully.
“George, do sit down before you faint clean away. You’ve lost a lot of blood, dear.”
Daniel was surprised to hear the baroness speak so calmly. She even sounded vaguely amused.
“I am quite sure his grace thought that he was protecting our Sarah. And whilst he was wrong, very wrong,” she clarified with a slight frown in Daniel’s direction, “it is good, is it not, that he had her best interests at heart?”
The baron glowered at Daniel for another moment or two before conceding to his wife’s wishes and sinking back into his chair.
“I suppose it is,” he grumbled. “After all, if I had…“ He trailed off and shuddered slightly, and Daniel felt guilty all over again. “Well, I would have deserved to have the stuffing knocked out of me and then some.”
“Quite so,” his wife said, patting him on the arm.
Daniel was relieved that it appeared to have all been resolved without incident. If you didn’t count the baron’s broken nose, of course.
“Now—” When Lady Elizabeth turned a shrewd look on him however, he knew his discomfort was far from over. “All that’s left is to find out why his grace was quite so protective.”
Daniel’s cravat tightened all over again.
“I would have defended any young woman in such a position, my lady,” he said as calmly as possible.
Elizabeth smiled sweetly. He wasn’t fooled. He’d seen Sarah smile in a similar way and just now, she’d been swearing like a seaman and looking as though she wanted to do him bodily harm.
“I’m sure you would,” she said amiably. “But you didn’t. And since this is the second time I’ve seen you in as many days, and both times you’ve been with Sarah looking like a man possessed, I really do think there’s rather more to the story.”
Well, this was decidedly awkward.
He risked another glance at Sarah and saw to his consternation that she looked quite panicked by the question.
Was she really so ashamed of their all-too-brief history together?
The thought made him feel sick. And a little wounded. An army of desperate debutantes would argue that he was pleasant enough to spend time around.
Suddenly, he was more than just curious about Sarah’s sudden disappearance. He was worried.
Had she disappeared because of him? Had he done something so awful that she felt the need to run all the way to Scotland?
But he couldn’t have. Daniel had treated Sarah with more gentleness than any other woman.
He’d had to, because his feelings for her had been stronger than anything he’d ever known. His desire had raged from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her.
And he’d known that she was an innocent.
So he’d been quite careful to hold himself under rigid control, never slipping, never giving free rein to the fire she caused to burn in him.
Even last night he’d held himself in check, though it had been more difficult than previously.
So how could he have caused her to run?
And yet…
She looked beseechingly at him now, begging him with her eyes not to divulge their past. At least, he guessed that’s what it was.
And staring into those sea blue eyes, drowning in them more accurately, he knew he would do whatever she wished.
Because he was a damned idiot. And she was as irresistible as ever.
Biting back an oath of frustration, Daniel turned back to Lady Elizabeth, ensuring that his face was a smooth, implacable mask.
Even as he appeared calm, his brain worked furiously trying to think of a plausible explanation.
And then he struck on one.
“I am acquainted with an old friend of Miss Starling’s, and I know how worried Lady Isabelle was about her. So, when I saw Sar— er— Miss Starling again, I was desperate for news to send back to, to Isabelle.”
As excuses went it wasn’t great, but thankfully nobody seemed to notice.
Sarah had gasped softly at the mention of Isabelle’s name, and he felt her whole frame stiffen slightly. No doubt she would now be desperate for answers. Well, that made two of them.
“Isabelle Carlton?” Elizabeth asked. “I didn’t know you were acquainted with Lady Isabelle, Sarah.”
“I was,” Sarah said quietly.
“We pay no attention to news from Town u
p here, your grace,” Lady Elizabeth said. “We don’t even get the Society papers. How is Lady Isabelle? I remember her from my brief years in London. Quite the beauty, if I recall.”
“That she is,” Daniel stated and felt a slight stiffening in Sarah again.
A quick look showed that she was scowling again, chewing on her lip and unwittingly causing his body to stir embarrassingly.
Was she jealous? Hmm.
“Quite breath-taking, in fact,” he continued on, beginning to enjoy himself. “I spent some time at a house party with her last year. We grew… close.”
He deliberately lowered his voice, knowing it would imply something that wasn’t true.
He might have proposed, but there had never been anything more than friendship between Daniel and Isabelle. His proposal had been borne of a platonic fondness, a nod to his sense of duty and, if he were being brutally honest, a broken heart.
“Oh, well I would imagine that was no hardship. She was always a charming girl.” Elizabeth was looking between both him and Sarah closely, and he could see that he’d confused the woman with his talk of Isabelle.
“She still is,” he confirmed, smiling once more at Sarah.
Had she just hissed?
He bit back a grin, watching her reactions closely.
“But I’ve always preferred blondes,” he said softly.
Sarah’s eyes flew to his, and he was rewarded for his outrageous comment by a delicate, pink blush staining her cheeks.
He clenched his fists to keep from reaching out to smooth his thumb along one of those cheeks, knowing it would be as satiny smooth as he remembered.
There was a moment’s pause while he stared at Sarah and she stared right back.
Only the clearing of a throat from the other side of the room broke the connection, and Sarah looked quickly down at her hands.
Fool that he was, he missed her gaze on him.
“You must have quite a strong preference, then,” Elizabeth quipped, “to have resisted the most beautiful woman of the ton.”
This time, he answered without thinking, his eyes still trained on the beautiful conundrum at his side. “Second most beautiful,” he said.
Sarah’s wide blue eyes shot up to match his own green, and Daniel was lost once again.
