Page 35 of A Damsel for the Wounded Earl
Lord Lanwood glanced over his shoulder once, briefly, to check that she was following, then didn’t look back again.
Felicity scurried after him, feet slipping on the grassy slope, occasionally looking back to make sure that Lord Vincent wasn’t following, although what he would try and do was beyond her. She spotted Miss Sinclair among the group of people waiting for a boat, although she seemed to be unaccompanied. Was she going to row herself?
At the pier, Lord Lanwood spoke briefly with the boatman, who pointed out a neat little rowboat for them.
“Ladies first,” Lord Lanwood said, with something she might have taken for bashfulness if she hadn’t known better. Accepting his hand, she stepped gingerly into the rocking boat, and thumped down onto the hard seat. He climbed after her, with more balance and confidence than grace, and then they were pushing off from the moorings.
“I should have asked before we left,” Lord Lanwood remarked, rowing strongly and propelling them easily out into open water, “but can you swim?”
“Yes, I can swim,” Felicity responded. “Notwell, but I can get myself to shore should we go in.”
“Good, that’s good. Not that we will. Boats like this don’t capsize easily.”
They sat in silence for a few moments, pulling further and further away from the retreating shoreline with every passing second. Felicity couldn’t help but notice how easily Lord Lanwood handled the oars. Some of the other gentlemen in other boats seemed to be having a difficult time of it, turning their boats in circles or simply pulling weakly. Lord Lanwood had propelled them out into the centre of the lake within minutes, outstripping the other boats without even trying.
For the first time, she noticed the way the shoulders of his coat required barely any padding, and the muscles in his arms strained against the fabric, his chest firm and rounded underneath the layers of coat and waistcoat.
This didn’t seem like a very ladylike thing to notice, so Felicity cleared her throat and stared out over the lake.
“I suppose now is a bad time to say that I forgot my sketch book, then?” she said, meditatively.
Lord Lanwood gave a low, hoarse chuckle, andthatwas a surprise. Felicity didn’t think she’d ever heard him laugh, and shot him a quick, pleased glance. He seemed just as shocked as she was.
“I didn’t think you were very fond of drawing,” he remarked.
“It’s not for everyone,” she answered, leaning back to rest her elbows on the side of the boat. “Mama wants a drawing done today, though. I’d much rather be reading.”
“Have you had the time to read the book from the Langley library yet, by any chance?”
“I’m at least a quarter of the way through. It’s fascinating, truly. An excellent book.”
“I am glad you’re enjoying it.”
More silence. Felicity could see Miranda Sinclair now, rowing herself out into the middle of the lake, brow furrowed with effort. Was she trying to catch them up? What did she intend to do if she did?
“I was hoping to talk with you,” Lord Lanwood burst out, after a moment of quiet. “About what we were discussing before Mrs. Thornhill interrupted. Your herbal remedies.”
A flicker of excitement rolled through Felicity. She’d assumed, naturally, that he either wouldn’t remember, or wouldn’t care to remember. After all, she was a woman, and a young one at that, so why should what she had to say be considered?
“Oh?” she said, trying not to sound too excited.
He paused in his rowing, leaning forward and resting his arms on the oars. He took his time in gathering his thoughts, and Felicity forced herself to be patient.
“Did they really work?” he said at last, voice small.
She straightened up a little.
“Yes,” Felicity responded. “They took some time, at first. They tasted vile, everybody said so, but I had the servants who took the teas write down everything they felt and experienced. I have notes, if you’d like to take a look. After about half an hour or as little as five or ten minutes, they recorded a cooling sensation in their forehead, and soon after were able to sleep. They would sleep for an hour or so and wake up with the headache gone. More research needs to be done, of course, but I had a few physicians look over the mixture to make sure it was harmless. They all agreed that it was. I’ve made herbal treatments for stomach aches and cramps and so on, and they worked pretty well.”
He listened carefully, nibbling his lower lip.
“If you have the time, or the inclination,” he said, slowly and hesitantly, “would you consider making some of this treatment for me? I would like to try it, if you’re willing to let me.”
A warmth sparked up in Felicity’s chest. He trusted her. He thought her remedies might work, and he was willing to try them.
Was it the first time she had been taken seriously like this? Felicity thought so. The servants had a high opinion of her intellect and were happy enough to try the remedies she suggested, but others seemed to think that it was… well, it was almostfunny.
To her horror, Felicity found a lump lodging itself in her throat. She swallowed hard, trying to clear away the lump.
