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“Her physician prescribed quiet and rest. Our dear cousin’s family suggested Pemberley, and Fitzwilliam was kind enough to consent.”

Richard’s reply caused her to regard him, and her eyes travelled up and down his body admiringly. “Perhaps you would care to accompany me on a ride instead?”

Richard stiffened. “One lesson I have learned well in the service of His Majesty, Lady Waltham, is to avoid fraternizing with the enemy. Besides, you shall have to go home if you want to ride. Pemberley’s guards have been instructed to stop anyone who trespasses.” At that precise moment, one of the guards rode across a nearby pasture, and Richard pointed him out. “You would not have gotten very far.”

She laughed. “My, my, Colonel! I would never have dreamt that you or your cousin would be afraid of a mere woman.”

“Not afraid, madam, just wise enough to see you for what you are—trouble. Why do you not leave my cousin alone? Target another man with wealth and connections.”

“There are men of my sphere who are available, but none as pleasing to the eye as Fitzwilliam. I want him.” She kicked her horse to move beside Richard and looked him squarely in the eye. “And I always get what I want. Now, if you will excuse me, I shall rejoin my friend.”

With those words, she laughed haughtily and kicked her horse into a trot in the direction of the stables where Lord Greenwich was mounting his own horse. As she left, he let go of the breath he had unconsciously been holding.

Then you had better prepare to be disappointed, milady!

At the Lake

William’s melodious baritone could be heard clearly near the lake. “And just as soon as the kitten is weaned, you may bring him into your room. Would you like that?”

Elizabeth held the orange striped kitten to her chest and closed her eyes, a small upturn of her lips the only reaction. William smiled at the scene. It had been his idea to bring the kitten before they began their walk, as she seemed to care for it very much. Continuing to guide her with a hand on her elbow, he kept up his part of the one-sided conversation.

“Old Man Turtle was out yesterday when I rode around the water, so perhaps he shall be lying on that same rock when we get to the other side. Have you thought about sketching his likeness? I am sure we have plenty of art supplies, as Gigi leaves supplies here so that she can draw anything that catches her fancy. Have you ever had opportunity to draw, Elizabeth?”

Stopping, he turned towards her to find she was staring wide-eyed at him. The look reminded so much of the young woman he had met at Netherfield that tears involuntarily welled up. Forcing a smile, he rubbed the kitten’s head, making its eyes close as it began to purr. “Perhaps you would like to draw your friend here.”

Elizabeth did not answer, though her eyes returned to the kitten, and she immediately brought it to her lips, bestowing several kisses on its soft head, then nuzzling its soft fur. This gesture made William’s heart ache. Would there come a time when she would bestow her kisses on him as willingly?

A horse whinnied in the distance, and William’s attention was drawn to a couple on horseback near the stables. He recognised Richard, but it took a moment for him to ascertain that Lady Waltham was the woman beside him. Fury washed over him, and his first thought was to go directly to the stables and demand to know what she was doing on his property.

However, a sudden nudge by Elizabeth drew his attention back to her. She was holding the kitten up as though she wanted him to take it. Without a second thought, he knew that she was his first priority. This day would not be ruined, as Richard could be trusted to handle the matter with Gwendolyn. With all his love shining in his eyes, he reached for the small, furry creature and held it to his chest. With his other hand he took her elbow, and they began their walk again.

“Look over there, darling. See that red mare with a white blaze on her head? I thought she might be a good mount for you, as she is very gentle. That is, only if you decide to ride with me when you begin to feel better. I would dearly love to show you parts of the estate that can only be seen on horseback.”

Thus, the conversation continued all the way around the lake.

Later in William’s Study

After the unwanted visitors departed, Richard decided not to interrupt his cousin but to return to the house and await him there. Less than an hour later, Richard was relating the news of Lord Greenwich’s unexpected appearance and Gwendolyn’s manipulation to William in his study. Angrily throwing his gloves on the desk, William caused the papers lying there to flutter about and land on the floor. He seemed unconcerned at their fate, as he relentlessly paced back and forth, rubbing his forehead as another headache loomed.

“What possessed Greenwich to change our plans! And for God’s sake, why did he bring her?” William hissed. “The guards were alerted that Greenwich would be coming to see the colt, but he was due tomorrow!”

Picking up his unfinished brandy, William downed it in one swallow and threw the empty glass into the fireplace. “For her to have come along is outrageous!”

“Calm down, Cousin! Do not work yourself into a frenzy! Gwendolyn would love that!”

“I placed ten extra guards around the grounds in addition to the twenty that normally patrol! Still I am invaded! Greenwich was the last person with unfinished business here, and I shall bloody well see to it that NO ONE else comes through those gates unless they are on the list I post! Even Lady Greenwich will not be able to accompany her husband without an explicit invitation!”

“You can bar the whole world if you wish, but that will not stop everyone,” Richard protested. “You cannot monitor every acre of Pemberley—it is too extensive. And, unfortunately, Gwendolyn Waltham is an excellent rider, skilled enough to take her mount over the fences and hedges that surround the outermost property lines. The most you can hope for is to secure the house.”

“I have posted guards at every door—two on the front! I wish I had never laid eyes on the woman. Why did I ever succumb to her schemes?”

“You were an innocent, Darce. Before you met her, your father had managed to protect you from such predators by keeping you at Pemberley and instilling in you that damn sense of duty!” Richard grinned as William’s scowled. “You know it is the truth. You always abided by your father’s wishes and tried to live up to the standards he set before...”

“Go ahead and say it! Before Gwendolyn! If I had had any sense at all, I would never have gone to her estate alone, even if it was with the best of intentions.”

“What actually happened, if you do not mind telling me? I heard rumours, but all these years, I have wondered.”

William studied Richard for a moment before answering. “You must never repeat what I am going to say. I am heartily ashamed and never want Georgiana to hear of it.”