Page 19 of Lady Audacious
She straightened up when the sound of splashing, rapidly followed by the sight of a man astride a magnificent grey horse with an equally compelling greyhound running along beside him forded the stream and entered her property.
‘You, boy. Is your mistress at home?’ the man asked as he drew closer to Odile.
Odile ignored him when the greyhound bounded up to her. Delighted, she fell to her knees and stroked his head, enchanted by the noble creature’s bearing and friendly disposition. The dog took advantage of the attention by rolling over onto his back, at which point Odile assumed she was required to rub his belly and duly obliged.
She heard rather than saw the man dismount but was unable to withhold a gasp when she looked up into the darkest, most intense eyes she had ever seen. They were housed in a face with a straight, aristocratic nose, a strong angular jaw, high cheekbones and a mouth that was pursed in a gesture of mild annoyance, presumably because he was unaccustomed to being ignored. The man was so ruggedly handsome that the sight of him momentarily took her breath away, making it impossible for her to respond to him even if her attention hadn’t been taken up by his dog. This man had seen more than his share of tragedy, she sensed, perhaps during the war, yet he had a high opinion of himself too.
This, she assumed, was her neighbour, the Earl of Amberley.
‘I am Miss Aspen,’ she replied, straightening herself up and wiping her hands on the sides of her breeches. She had been cutting back the foliage without wearing gloves and her hands were dirty and stained as a consequence. She sent him a defiant look, daring him to make some derogatory comment about her attire. Instead, he subjected her person to a slow, insolent perusal and was slow to look away again.
‘I am Amberley,’ he said briefly. ‘And you are certainly not what I expected.’
‘I apologise for disappointing you, my lord,’ she replied crisply. The dog had remained at her side rather than returning to his and she stroked his head as she spoke, finding the gesture soothing, especially when the dog leaned his head against her thigh. If he was a cat, he would have been purring, she thought—which was more than could be said for his master, who continued to regard her with a combination of amusement and disapproval.
‘I was given to understand that a lady had taken up residence.’
‘Then you have been misinformed.’ Odile elevated her chin, uncowed by his superior attitude. ‘I have my standards, yet I am certainly not a lady in the sense you imply.’ She refused to appear defensive by assuring him that she considered herself respectable despite current appearances. She didn’t care what he thought of her. ‘Calling me a lady would be a courtesy rather than an assumption.’
‘You intend to live here alone?’
‘I fail to see what business of yours my living arrangements are,’ she replied.
He smiled then, and the planes of his face relaxed, making him seem more approachable. The strangest thing happened at that point. Her entire person was gripped with a feeling of intense longing that was as alien as it was inexplicable. It stirred deep within the pit of her stomach and spread to the furthest reaches of her body, making her feel unnaturally warm. She was absolutely sure that her cheeks flooded with colour when he held her gaze and seemed disinclined to look away.
She wondered what he saw that so fascinated him. He was probably compiling a mental list of criticisms, she decided. She cared little for what he thought about her, but she did resent the intrusion. If he had come to unsettle her then he was succeeding better than he could possibly know, although she would never make the admission.
The dog rubbed his head against her thigh and whined, at which point they both transferred their attention to him.
‘Chase likes you,’ the earl remarked.
‘And you find that very hard to understand, I expect.’ She stoked the dog’s head defiantly. ‘Animals don’t have to live by hierarchical rules and ensure that they remember their place in the pecking order, which makes them very sensible in my view.’
‘I disagree. Every pack must have a leader or there would be anarchy. Chase’s progeny includes a runt, and she knows better than to try and eclipse her brothers and sisters. It’s simply the way things work.’
‘Naturally the runt would be a female.’ Odile treated him to an elaborate eye-roll. ‘Heaven forbid that she might get ideas above her station.’
His lips twitched and Odile sensed that he was enjoying her pithy retorts. She didn’t suppose that many people would dare to challenge him, but he would soon discover that she had no truck with flummery. She did indeed know her place, had no expectations of being taken up by the local gentry and would speak as she saw fit—at least when on her own property. She hadn’t asked him to come and he was free to leave whenever he chose to.
‘Indeed,’ he replied.
‘Did you call for a specific purpose?’ she asked, placing her fisted hands on her hips when they fell into a silence that was in danger of becoming embarrassing. His gaze rested upon her forearms and she hastily pulled her sleeve down to cover her scars. They were ugly, intensely private and she never displayed them to anyone. He held his horse’s reins as the beast shuffled about, clearly keen to be off. ‘Or did you want to ensure that the district would not be polluted by an unwelcome addition to its ranks that does not meet the required breeding standards? In which case, I fear you will be disappointed by what you have seen. But don’t worry, I know my place just as much as your runt appears to. I shall live quietly, mind my own business and try not to be an embarrassment to you and your circle.’
‘On the contrary, I came in my capacity of the local squire to bid you welcome.’
‘And your mission is thus accomplished, my lord. I feel well and truly welcomed. But now, if you will excuse me, there is much to do and I have little time to waste in idle conversation.’
‘Your family intend to live here?’
She blinked. ‘Certainly.’
‘I tried to purchase the property a while back but was told it was not for sale. Perhaps I can renew negotiations with your brother or father.’
How dare he! Odile’s breast swelled with indignation. ‘Please leave,’ she said through gritted teeth. ‘Fox’s Reach is not for sale at any price and even if it was, it is I who own it and me you would be required to negotiate with.’
He seemed unaffected by her fit of pique. ‘What a charming proposition,’ he said with an indolent smile.
‘Amberley Hall appears substantial enough. What need could you possibly have for my humble abode?’
