Page 63 of Unmasked By a Captivating Lady
He studied her closer. Her hair had come undone at some stage during her struggle, and was streaming behind her, caught by the breeze. Her white gown had turned almost grey with dirt, and was torn, with small twigs of bramble attached to it. And her arms were pockmarked with small, purple bruises.
Another wave of intense anger swept over him. That she had been treated like this, by a man not worthy to touch the hem of her gown.
He bristled in the saddle.He deserves to be hung for what he has done to her. If I had my way, I would string him up from the nearest tree, and rid the world of the rake once and for all.
He glanced back at the unconscious man, lying across the saddle, unmoving. He hadn’t stirred a muscle.
Eventually, the lane widened, and the canopy of interlacing trees cleared. They were back on the main part of it, into open fields. He could see the faint outline of Rudwick House in the distance. He breathed a silent sigh of relief. It wouldn’t be long now before Ara was safe and sound.
Abruptly, she pulled up the horse, gazing into the distance. He knew she had spotted the house, as well. He drew up alongside her, staring at her questioningly.
“Ara?” He was frowning. “What is it?”
He saw that she was quivering slightly. “I am frightened,” she whispered, turning anxious eyes towards him. “They will be angry with me, and I cannot blame them…”
He exhaled slowly. “No, Ara. They will be overjoyed that you are safe, and have come back to them.” He kept staring at her. “They love you dearly and were so worried when they realised you were missing, with the thief at large.”
Ara sighed deeply. “Yes, I know that. But still, it was through my own folly that this happened…”
Miles frowned. It wasn’t the time or the place to be talking like this. They needed to get back to the house, as quickly as possible. But she needed reassurance, and besides, there were things he wanted to say to her, too, while he had the chance.
He knew what would happen as soon as they got there. She would be swamped by her family, dragged away, to be taken care of. He might never have another opportunity.
He took a deep breath. “I was never so worried in my life as when I knew you were missing, Ara…”
She slowly turned her head around, to stare at him. Her dark eyes were glimmering with tears, but she didn’t say a thing. She just looked at him.
“I am sorry,” he said slowly. “More than I can express, for everything that has happened between us, since I first met you. I know that you think I am a liar, and a confidence artist, but that isnotwho I truly am. It was a stupid bet, conceived in haste with little thought of the potential consequences…”
He glanced at her, his heart beating fast. She was still staring at him, her face pale, her dark eyes huge. She either could not, or would not, speak. At the very least she was listening to him, and that was something, wasn’t it?
He took another deep breath. “I deeply regret it, but I cannot change it now. All I can do is keep telling you how sorry I am, and how much I love you.” His heart beat faster still. “Please, Ara, is there even a small chance, that I may have hope, that you will one day be mine?”
She turned away, looking back over the wide open green fields, staring at her home. She looked troubled, and pensive, frowning slightly. He held his breath, waiting for her to respond to him.
He had never been more frightened in his life. Even his recent fear for her physical safety seemed to pale beside this. He felt like his every chance for happiness in this life was being decided right here, right now, on this country lane at the edge of Dorset.
Abruptly, she turned her face to him. The frown was gone, and her dark eyes had cleared. Her face looked so luminous with beauty that he almost felt it physically, like a punch to the stomach.
“You are a hero, Lord Miles Comerford,” she whispered fiercely, her eyes sparkling with tears. “A true hero, for what you have done today. You have proved your worth, and your devotion, a thousand times over….”
He felt a blinding, searing joy, as her words slowly washed over him.
She took a deep, ragged breath. “I am sorry now, that I ever doubted you. I am sorry that I took so long to forgive you. You followed me to Dorset, when you did not have to, with a magnificent gift. You were shot, and robbed, but still you pursued me, begging me to understand, and accept your apology.” She blinked back the tears. “And now, still injured, you have rescued me, from a fate probably worse than death.”
He felt tears prickle behind his own eyes. “I would do it all again, gladly, for you, Ara.”
“I know you would,” she said. “I am finally convinced of it. But more than that, I feel that you are the only person in this world who truly understands me, and accepts me, just the way I am. With you, Lord Miles Comerford, I can truly be myself in a way that I have never experienced before. I no longer have to apologise for who I am…”
He gazed at her, so overcome that he almost couldn’t speak. But eventually, he found his tongue.
“I love you entirely, Arabella Nott,” he said slowly. “I love that you speak your mind. I love your passion for everything that you truly love. I love that you sometimes disagree with me.” He took a deep breath. “I vow to you, now, that I will never try to change you, or put you into a box, or in any way make you feel bad for who you are. Do I have a chance?” He stared at her pleadingly.
She smiled slowly. It seemed to transform her pale face, wiping away the last vestiges of weariness, pain and doubt.
He had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.
“Yes,” she said slowly. “Yes, Lord Miles Comerford. You have a chance.”
