Page 15 of When the Laird Claims
“Ye seemed rather uncomfortable on horseback,” he said instead, cringing inwardly.
Victoria was silent for a moment, and then she snorted a laugh. “I ask for a distraction, and that is what you say?”
“Well, it’s nae like I have to do this sort of thing often.”
“Distract a naked woman? No, I would imagine not with words, you do not.”
He glanced over his shoulder at her, wondering if her words meant what he thought they meant. His brow arched in accusation, and her cheeks were certainly flushed a pretty shade of pink when he looked at her, but she motioned for him to turn back around, and he obeyed.
“But yes, I suppose that there was something unsettling about being shoved on a horse with a strange man. Things like that are not done in London, as far as I am aware.” Victoria paused, the splash of water suggesting she might be trying to unfurl again.
“The few occasions that I had to ride a horse on my own were usually just to accompany my father and his peers to hunts, but even then, I was not toridebut merely to follow, some poor soul leading my horse along on a rope. More often than not, I was in the carriage behind them,” Victoria continued with a hintof bitterness to her words. “It is not as if I do notlikehorses, but unlike a lot of other ladies in theton, my father actively discouraged me from riding; he considered it to be lewd.”
Arran’s eyes widened. That nonsense alone was enough to give him a very clear insight into the world that she had come from. Even on a bad day, Kristin was a far better rider than he was. She tended to have a way with animals that most of the men, including himself, lacked the gentleness for. It was as if the horses wanted to please her, rather than obey her.
“Would ye rather have yer own horse, then? I daenae think there’ll be time to get a carriage.”
“No, of course not,” Victoria agreed. “But yes, a horse would be nice…”
Arran knew that he might regret placing the trust in her that would be required for her to ride on her own, but he felt comfortable in his choice.
He dipped his head in a nod. “I will arrange it.”
The silence between them stretched for a moment, but she was the first to break it. “I suppose English customs must seem strange to you.”
“I cannae even imagine what ye would think of our customs, lass.” Arran chuckled and shook his head. Differences made for good sparks, in his opinion. Not that he would be saying thatone out loud. “Although,” he added more somberly, “I hope what happened to ye isnae an English custom. If it is, I’ve a mind to consider ye all barbaric.”
Victoria shook her head. “Not English, no. That is very much the Earl of Ashbrook’s… personal taste, shall we say.”
“Aye, I thought so.”
The silence returned, but Arran did not mind it, content to let Victoria feel her way through the conversation at a pace of her own choosing.
“Will you help me out?” she asked quietly after some time.
He frowned, glancing back at her again, drawn subconsciously to the sound of her voice. “In what way? Is there more ye want doin’ than me ensurin’ ye daenae have to marry that serpent?”
A faint smile twitched at the corner of her lips. “I meant, will you help me out of the bath?”
Of course, she did.
He did not answer but stood and grabbed the bath linen for her. He held it with one hand and offered his other hand to steady her. It was rather difficult to accomplish, given that he was staring at the ceiling.
When she took his hand, the touch might as well have burned him. It was like sparks all up and down his arm, radiating from all the points where her fingers touched, like magic. He could not explain it any other way.
The moment he was able, he slipped his hand from hers, flexing his fingers experimentally.
“I’ll leave ye to get dressed then. I’ll just wait outside the door.”
He had never felt anything like that touch of hers.
“My shirt should be more than long enough until we get ye something else, and I’ll sleep on the floor when ye’re done and ready,” he added.
He did not wait to see if she had anything to say before leaving the room for the second time.
7
Lying in bed while sharing a room with a man who was practically a stranger to her was peculiar; Victoria would have no issues admitting to that. Arran lay on the ground in front of the door, looking very uncomfortable, though he did not say anything to that effect.
