Page 24 of An Earl's Scandalous Return
There was nothing like that smile; it was akin to watching the sun part through dark clouds, and when he saw it, his heart had stirred and his mind muddled. He’d been unable to think anything of note or even string a sentence together. He had wanted to kiss her just like he had in days of old before all the bad happened.
Closing his eyes tight, he did his best to fall asleep and to put all thoughts of kissing out of his mind. Yet again, in the morning, he was breathing in the scent of lilies. When his eyes opened, he saw his arms were around her, and her head was on his chest.
Together, they were breathing steadily. His body was hard for her again, and he wished for nothing more than to slide her under him and plunge into her sweet softness while she begged him for more.
Shit.
He slowly moved away from her body and stood up, getting dressed while she awoke slowly. When he heard her rise, he said from behind a screen, “I will be downstairs, and we can eat before we begin the search. Fresh horses will be at our disposal to head to the nearby villages.”
“Very well,” she said groggily, and then, as soon as he was dressed, he left, hardly looking back.
Edward rushed down the stairs to the inn’s main room, where he ordered the breakfast meal to be served. He waited by the fire, even though it was not exactly cold, but enjoyed staring into the flames, trying to prepare himself for the busy day ahead.
Stop being so unkind. She has been kind to you at least, even if she did run away from you the first night. She came to you as well to ask you to help. Even if Alvin requested it, she could have said no.
Something was making him feel strange every time they woke up in one another’s arms. It was like a little piece of his anger broke away and dissolved.
He tried his best, but he couldn’t reclaim it, and instead, what was in its place was a curiosity to know what had happened. Why had she not shown up that day four years ago? Why had she left him with so many questions and absolutely no answers?
He rose to get some fresh air to think when she appeared, as did the breakfast. She smiled, and they sat and ate together.
“So, Arabella, where would you like to begin today?” He could feel her surprised glance as he pulled out a folded map and pointed to the closest village. “Here is Bearsted, but Boxley is also not far, nor East Farleigh.”
“These are all on the list,” she replied, staring at the map, her brow furrowed. “As is Otham. I say we start with the farthest one, actually. Otham. By the last one, we will certainly be famished, and then we will be very happy we are so close.”
To his surprise, Edward let out a chuckle, and he grabbed the map, folding it up again. “Quite right. I didn’t think of that. You are always very sensible.” He nodded at her before digging into his soft-boiled eggs.
Softly, she replied, “Not always, Edward. Sometimes, I make the wrong choice.”
Her words pierced him, and his spoon froze aloft over his eggs. He didn’t look up at her, afraid of what would happen if he did. He wasn’t ready yet to let everything go, to put away the past and realise that feelings still remained.
“I suppose we all make mistakes, Arabella,” he ended up saying, and then they were silent.
Revenge gone to hell, of course.
Chapter 26
In the carriage on the way to Otham, Arabella was happy. She had given Edward a sliver of an apology, and he’d replied with something resembling one. It was enough for her at the moment. She’d awoken in his arms, and then, that happened. But she did still wonder, even then, if she had been wrong to do what she’d done all those years ago.
Her love for her father was so great that she didn’t wish to hurt him. She wanted to do everything in her power to make everyone she loved happy. That was why she was there with her old love to help Alvin. She wanted Alvin to be happy, but now, she wanted Edward to be happy, too.
And rather selfishly, she wanted that happiness to be with her. How could everyone be happy, and how could she be happy, too, without someone getting hurt? It all felt like such a jumbled mess now, and she didn’t know how to get out of it.
“Here we are,” Edward said as they arrived at the small village of Otham. “And so it begins.” He helped her out of the carriage, and they began making their way through the village, asking for Gregory.
“It is rather quaint,” she said, smiling as she noted the few shops, homes, and tiny streets. “I wonder if I should have liked to live in a place like this. London is rather … crazed at times.”
“You are quite right,” Edward replied, offering her his arm and looking rather dapper that day as if he was quite energized for the afternoon. “But at least one is still able to see the stars. However, in this small town, out in the middle of nowhere, I wonder what it would be like to look up at the night sky. It must be breathtaking.”
“Yes, I wonder. I suppose I should have looked out a time or two to see for myself.”
But I have been too busy with matters indoors that I have had time to think of little else.
And they seemed to be getting on well enough that day that she was very much distracted.
“Well, we have much to think of. Here, shall we begin at the post office?” He pointed at the small, red-roofed building before her, and she nodded.
“A good start.” The post office manager was very kind and helpful, and he pointed out that a very young Gregory was the only one in town he knew of and was an assistant at the general store across the street.
