Page 25 of Her Duke in Shining Armor
“Oh, come on,” she said as they moved off. “We were all thinking it.”
They went through the Eagle Aviary and Vulture’s House and neared the goose ponds where a refreshment stall stood. Aaron inquired and found that tarts, sweet buns, ices, and lemonade were available. As a gentleman, he offered to purchase whatever they required.
“Nothing for me,” Eleanor said quietly.
Aaron was about to press that she eat something, but thought the better of it. He then purchased tarts for the other two and a bun for himself. During the trade of money and treats, Lady Eleanor had moved over to a bench by the pond.
Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted her soft smile at the geese frolicking and the males honking. Their large wings sent splashes of water toward her and he had no doubt that her face was being splashed.
As she sat Aaron could see her wrap herself in a cloak of solitude and that disturbed him. Why did she force herself to be alone all the time? While nibbling at his bun, and conversing with the two ladies, his eyes never stopped darting over to Eleanor.
“Ah, Oberton,” Lady Darcy suddenly said. “Miss Malcolm, Miss Veron and I need to use the facilities. Stay with Eleanor for us, dear?”
“For fear of my life, I won’t step a foot away from her,” Aaron said while ignoring the abrupt and convenient move to find the facilities. Clearly, Lady Darcy had seen his concern about Lady Eleanor and was giving him space to do something about it. How she had roped the two chaperones into her plan was going to be an unsolved mystery. They had to be unwilling but Darcy was a force to reckon with when she needed to be.
Aaron was beginning to realize that his friend’s fiancé was much craftier than he had thought and that it would do him good to not underestimate her. With them heading off, Aaron bought another sweet bun, closed the wrapper around the rest of his and went over to Eleanor.
“May I join you?”
“Of course,” she said.
They sat in silence until Aaron offered the warm bun to her, “You must be hungry.”
“I don’t know about must,” Lady Eleanor said while taking the bun. “But thank you.”
“Now that wasn’t hard, was it?”
While peeling off the wax paper she spoke, “I apologize for my abrupt appearance earlier but…I suppose I came to ask you for a truce,” Eleanor said calmly. “It’s clear that we have some major misconceptions about each other and there is no need for us to be splitting hairs over nonsense.”
What has Lady Darcy told her?
Aaron did not answer at once as a feeling, a strange feeling overcame him that told him if he agreed to her truce, he would not see much of her again. And for some reason, that pained him.
“No truce, I only consent to this, that we agree to disagree?” Aaron asked.
“Why would we do that?”
Oh, good lord!
“Because whatever you might think of me,” Aaron replied. “I do find your…uniqueness refreshing in many ways.”
Her lips twitched, “Uniqueness is a pretty way of saying peculiar, which we both know means abnormal.”
“Would you rather I call you abnormal instead?” Aaron dared.
Her nose wrinkled, quite prettily by Aaron’s observation, “No.”
“Then take the compliment as it is,” Aaron said. “Tis true, we have said some foolish things.”
Aaron was once again pinned with her deep blue eyes, “We? Whatwe? I’ll concede that you have said some foolish things but leave me out of it.”
“Fine,” Aaron rolled his eyes. “I have said some foolish things. Better, My Lady? But as before, do you agree to disagree on matters?”
“With no other options yes, as we do not keep the same company, I doubt we will have anything to agree or disagree on. Lady Darcy tried to tell me that you fancied me,” Lady Eleanor said with her eyes trained on the majestic water birds. “But I knew she was laying it on thick.”
“Hm,” Aaron replied. “I would not say it is a complete lie.”
Her head snapped to him, “Pardon me?”
