Page 25 of The Baron Takes a Bet
“Well, that is… something isn’t it?” Mrs. Payne said, evidently confused why her friend hadn’t confided in her with such an important secret.
“Indeed, it is,” Mr. Payne said, taking a small sandwich from the tiered plater, obviously unaffected by the news. “I believe the last time I visited the late baron, he mentioned that you were in Greece, my lord?”
“Yes, I was.”
“I’ve never had to good fortune to travel abroad. If you don’t mind me asking, what is Greece like?”
They all continued to chat for another twenty minutes before the Paynes finally stood, expressing their thanks for the hospitality, felicitations on their marriage, and condolences once more for their loss. Holly maintained a calm composure until they left. Once the Paynes were gone however, she turned on Gavin, practically shaking with rage.
“What on earth were you thinking?” She asked, furious. “Telling them we were married? And that foolish story about writing letters. Are you mad?”
“Wearemarried. And I didn’t like the way they held their noses in the air about you.”
“That’s just how their noses are.”
“Well, they wouldn’t stop blathering on, and… I didn’t like it.”
Holly paused at his confession. She frowned.
“What were they blathering on about?” she asked. When he didn’t answer right away, her shoulders dropped. She apparently knew they had been talking about her. She cleared her throat and asked, “What did they say?”
“Nothing worth repeating.”
“Tell me.”
“I don’t really see a reason to—”
“Please.”
Gavin closed his mouth, pressing his lips firmly together. Exhaling loudly, he yielded, unable to disregard a direct plea from her.
“It was irritating, really. They kept saying poor Ducky—”
“Ducky?” she said, cutting him off. Her shoulders hitched up with tension once more. “Oh lord, they told you about Ducky?”
Her hands went to either side of her head, and her fingers pressed into her temples as if she were trying to ward off an impending headache.
“Well, it’s hardly something to be embarrassed about—”
“You fall into a pond as a child and see what the brilliant minds of this village can’t think up. One misplaced step and all of a sudden I’m unlucky Ducky for the rest of my life.”
“Foolish nickname. It certainly wasn’t as brilliant as they seemed to consider it.”
There was a pause between them. For some reason, Holly looked at him as if she were seeing him for the first time.
“No,” she said, her voice soft. “No, it wasn’t brilliant at all.”
“Rather the opposite actually,” Gavin said slowly, staring at her. “I hardly think one misstep as a child should follow you your entire life. Especially when it’s obvious you dislike it so much.”
“It’s not that I dislike it,” she said, looking down. “It’s just the unlucky part. Ducky I can handle, but unlucky Ducky I’ve always felt was… well, slightly cruel. Particularly because of all the bad luck that happened afterward. It was as if I was doomed by a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
Gavin watched her momentarily, confused that he should suddenly feel grateful for her telling him something so personal. She had been hurt by the constant reminder that she was unlucky, and as preposterous as luck was, he didn’t wish her to believe it of herself.
He moved closer to her a brought a hand up beneath her chin. She lifted her head, and though he could sense her sudden desire to pull back, she didn’t.
“You aren’t unlucky,” he said, his tone rough.
Her blue eyes shined at his words. Her mouth opened slightly, catching his attention, and for the briefest of moments, he wondered what it would be like to brush his mouth over hers.
