Page 64 of An Earl Like You
“Run away—where?”
“Anywhere,” he said, but he had a particular place in mind. “We leave in half an hour.” He paused on his way out of the room. “And bring Willy.”
They drove out with Angus on the back of the carriage and Willy lodged between their feet. “But where are we going?” Eliza asked for the fourth time.
“Away from town.” Away from gossiping matrons and broken engagements and the drawing room’s new drapes. Away from every reminder of what he had done and the lies he had told. Again he thought to himself that he would begin anew with her, and not waste the clean escape he’d managed.
He drove north, around the bustle of Piccadilly and up Portland Street to the Islington Road. Eliza exclaimed at the expanse set aside to become Regent’s Park but they passed it entirely. He didn’t stop until they reached a hill rising above the future park, where he stopped the horses and set the brake. Willy leapt down with a joyful bark and shot off after a flock of sparrows pecking at the grass, sending them into the sky in a flurry of chirping.
Hugh jumped down and held out his arms. Eliza reached for his hand, but he pulled, catching her and holding her tight against him. And she smiled at him, so delightfully pleased, that he resolved to do it more often. “Primrose Hill,” he said, sweeping out one hand. “With a stunning view of London, yet none of the unpleasantness.”
“Why are we here?” She looked around, brows raised, endearingly puzzled.
“I cannot seem to get you to myself in town.”
She blushed. “Did you want me to yourself?”
He did. It had never struck him that way, but—“Yes,” he said honestly.
“Well.” She cleared her throat. “You never said so before.”
I never thought so before.“Today I did.” He whistled sharply. Far across the grass, Willy raised his head, the breeze blowing his fur up around his head like a lion’s mane. Hugh whistled again, and the dog came bounding back, a stick in his mouth. Hugh wrestled the stick away and flung it, causing Willy to bolt after it. “Shouldn’t I be able to steal my wife away for a day?”
Her face turned pink. “Oh—yes, but—it seemed very sudden, and it’s the middle of the day. It’s not like—”
Not like you, she meant to say. He hadn’t taken pains to spend time with her. He’d gone about his usual habits since their wedding, and simply taken their moments together for granted. It caused an avalanche of shame inside his chest.
“Perhaps not, but it felt right today.”
Eliza had never heard that particular note in his voice. It seemed to burrow into a tender spot on her heart, sending a warm happiness through her. He hadn’t said any words of love, but more and more frequently they were implied. Perhaps that was all he would ever do. Georgiana had warned her that gentlemen of rank and title often didn’t care to express deep feelings or emotions. Hugh had demonstrated such affection that she felt silly for wishing he might say three trifling words. Anyone could say those words, after all, while Hugh hadprovenhe cared for her. Perhaps it wasn’t even a thing aristocratic couples said to each other.
They threw the stick for Willy for quite a while, until his tongue was hanging out. Hugh could fling it a great distance, which pleased the dog to no end. Eliza sat on the grass and let him flop into her lap, happily tired out at last. Willy licked her face until she laughed and stood up to escape.
“Enough, Willy!” she said, wiping her face with a handkerchief. Having settled the horses while they played with the dog, Angus took off with Willy to explore a nearby wood.
“Hard to blame him, really,” remarked Hugh, watching with his arms folded. “Maybe I’ll do the same.”
Eliza laughed. “You want to lick my face?”
“Perhaps I do,” he said with a rakish grin. “Come here...” With a shriek, Eliza ran, but he caught her in just a few steps. “Mine,” he said, swinging her off her feet. “All mine!” He kissed her hard on the mouth.
“Much better than licking,” she said, her cheeks pink.
“Wasn’t it?” Grinning, he did it again. “I’ll do it even more after a bite to eat.”
He produced a blanket and a hamper from the boot of the carriage, and spread the blanket on the grass. Eliza opened the hamper and discovered fresh strawberries, cold ham, sliced bread and chutney, and a bottle of champagne. “A feast,” she exclaimed in surprise.
Hugh stretched out his legs and lounged on the blanket beside her. “Hardly more than tea.”
She held out a strawberry, and he ate it from her fingers. “Except for the lack of tea, and cakes, and any sort of proper setting.”
“That’s why we ran away for the day—to escape propriety.” He looked at her. “Do you mind?”
“No.” She thought she would do almost anything he suggested, but didn’t say it.
“Good. I...” A frown crossed his face, there for a heartbeat and then gone. “I wanted to spoil you.” He reached for the champagne and opened it. “You’ve been working hard on the drawing room. You’ve quite won my mother’s heart, you know.”
“Have I?” She sat up straighter, beaming. “Oh, I do hope so. That is... I hope she thinks well of me.”
