Page 60 of Slippers and Thorns
Arabella sighed. “I suppose. I never hit the target, though.”
“But you got the arrow within range the last two times,” he pointed out. “That’s not bad for your first time.”
“Second,” she absently corrected.
“First,” he firmly stated, squeezing her shoulders. “Aside from the fact that you told me you never actually shot the arrow, your prior experience with a bow doesn’t count. You had a lousy teacher.”
She exhaled a laugh. “I suppose I won’t argue with that. Charlie had no idea how to teach me.”
“Charles barely knows how to shoot,” Michael retorted disdainfully.
Instead of arguing, Arabella just shook her head at him.
They drifted into silence. Michael wasn’t sure if Arabella had forgotten his arm was around her, or if she was actually letting him keep it there. He gazed down at her. She was staring off at the trees behind the castle, her head tilted to one side and the strings of golden curls which her maid had styled to hang from the back of her head waving slightly in the breeze. She wore a light smile. Her cheeks weren’t as brown as her hands, but they were still darker than those of the perfect Daric noble lady, and probably getting browner as she stood unsheltered in the cheery autumn sunshine. Not that he cared. It made her look like she belonged out here, in his world.
Or what he wished was his world, at least. These days, “his world” seemed to consist mostly of dull meetings, the duller men in the meetings, and dreary meeting rooms around the castle. Yes, the decorations were expensive; that didn’t change the fact that they were a rum place to spend entire days.
Did that mean that he was as desperate to flee his duties as Arabella had suggested on their journey to Reineggburg?
He didn’t think so. Or he didn’t want to think so, anyway. At the same time, he wouldn’t object to a little more time during a normal day for moments like this one.
Drawing himself from his thoughts, he soaked up the feeling of his wife under his arm and the beauty of her gentle face. She was still there. Did he dare try again to kiss her? Or would that undo the goodwill from the archery lesson that was currently keeping her at his side?
He stepped forward, reducing the angle between them, and brought his left hand up to brush her cheek. Her face dropped into a more serious expression as she turned to look at him, but she didn’t move away. Slowly, he slid his fingers along the underside of her chin and up the opposite cheek as he started to lower his head toward her rosy lips.
Arabella reached up and took hold of his hand, unobtrusively pulling it down as she stepped backwards and looked away. “Thank you, Mike, for taking time to give me an archery lesson. Same time tomorrow?”
Michael fought back a frown, his hand drifting down her side as she slipped from under his arm. It wasn’t as belligerent as the last time, but it was still a rejection. She was his wife! Why wouldn’t she just let him show her affection? Helena never—well, they had been young enough – only thirteen and fifteen – when Helena was lost to them that he had never tried to kiss her, but he felt certain that she would never have denied him.
Pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind, he lifted the hand Arabella held, brought it to his lips, and kissed her hand, instead. She let him. Small victories, he reminded himself. At least she hadn’t already bolted. “If you wish it.”
She nodded slightly. Still not quite meeting his eyes, she slowly pivoted and attempted to reclaim her hand.
He gripped it tightly, however, refusing to let her go yet. When she raised an eyebrow inquiringly at him, he impulsively said, “We have most of the afternoon still. Should we give Shadow and Chief some exercise?”
“We rode them all day for the last three days,” she replied, eyeing him as if he were daft. “They might prefer it if we let them rest. Or rather, while I love Shadow, I think certain parts ofmewould prefer a rest after that much riding,” she amended with a wry grin.
“Oh. I see.” Michael dropped her hand, disappointed.
“I was going to explore the grounds,” Arabella hesitantly offered after a moment. “Would you like to come with me?”
A soft smile spread across his face as he held out his arm. “I would be delighted.”
CHAPTER 25
Ella
O
ver the next several days, Michael and Ella spent more time together than they had in the same number of months prior to their unexpected trip. They didn’t spend every waking moment at each other’s side, but between archery lessons, horseback rides in the forest surrounding Reineggburg, and exploring the interior of the castle (during which activity Ella was always glued to Michael’s side), Ella had very little time to herself.
Not that she was complaining. It was like a dream come true, not only having Michael so often but havingMikehanging out with her.
And too good to be true, probably.
Ella continued to waffle between wallowing in the attention he showered on her and holding him at a distance. She knew it frustrated him, but she was tired of being hurt when he withdrew into his responsibilities. In addition, she hadn’t forgotten Lady Ilse, Lady Charlotte, or the way he willingly set Ella herself on a shelf when he was absorbed in his work, failing to pay her any mind until brought forcibly to his notice.
Was it wrong to want to protect herself?
