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The thought sent a shiver up Eleanor’s spine, and she couldn’t determine whether it was welcome or not. Would he try to kiss her in front of all these people? If he did, that would certainly cause problems.

All of a sudden, a kiss felt dangerous. Wrong, but also…what?

Eleanor looked toward where her mother had just been, and she wasn’t there anymore. Eleanor rolled her eyes.

“My mother has disappeared,” Eleanor told the duke.

“With an admiral,” he added.

“That’s not helpful,” she complained.

“It’s a little humorous, though,” he said.

And where did you suddenly get a sense of humor from?

“We have to find her,” Eleanor claimed. The worry wasn’t for her mother. She was sure her mother was having fun. The worry was for her own self-preservation. Being alone with Gabriel put her one step closer to him kissing her again. “Please help me find her.”

“All right,” Gabriel said. “Let’s head in the direction of where she went and listen for a loud bang or crash.”

Eleanor smiled sardonically and walked quickly toward where her mother had just been. When she got there, she stopped and turned on the spot, looking for any sign of her mother. The woman had disappeared.

Eleanor let out a deep sigh. She knew her mother hadn’t done it on purpose and hadn’t even thought about leaving Eleanor alone with the duke, but she had done it anyway, and it wasn’t right.

“Come on. I know just what to do,” Eleanor said.

She strode off onto the grass again with Gabriel following her, and she looked up at each oak tree she passed, gauging which one would be the best to give her the best view. She knew the duke would be firmly against it—it was not ladylike—but Eleanor didn’t care; she needed to clear her mind.

Unless he follows me up and traps me! No, that won’t happen. He wouldn’t dare, would he?

“I will be back in a moment,” Eleanor said.

Before the duke could say anything to stop her, she leaped up and grabbed the lowest branch. It was higher than she had judged, and she didn’t have enough momentum to swing herself up, so she was left hanging with the branch at armpit level.

Oh, my goodness! This is more embarrassing than anything I have done previously.

Then she felt someone grip her boots and pull her up.

“What are you doing?” she exclaimed. When Eleanor looked down, Gabriel had a hold of her feet but was purposely averting his gaze to not look up her skirt.

“I’m helping you up,” he told her.

“You’re not going to stop me or scold me for dreaming up such a ridiculous plan?”

“If you wish to climb a tree, who am I to stop you?” Gabriel asked.

Eleanor made a grumbling sound before placing her feet against his hands to climb up onto the first branch.

“I suppose this has something to do with me enjoying myself this Season?” she asked.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked from the ground.

“Yes, but I’m not happy about it,” she claimed.

Before she could be seen smiling, she looked up and grabbed the next branch. Now that she was on the first branch, it was easy to make her way up the tree. She couldn’t be angry with the duke for respecting her decision to climb a tree. She knew it was a silly plan, but it was her plan, and she was prepared to carry it out.

She was halfway up the tree when she looked down to see him standing near the trunk, almost directly below her. He watched her and took a position as if he meant to catch her should she fall, his legs slightly bent and his feet apart.

Eleanor climbed up two more branches until she could see the entire park, or at least the parts that weren’t blocked from view by other obstacles. For an unknown reason, she looked at the other trees before looking for her mother, finding it hilarious to imagine that she would see someone else up as high as she was, like two squirrels spotting each other from high in the boughs.