Page 22 of The Beastly Duke's Christmas Bride
I wonder if they’ll write.
“This is new,” Sebastian said just as she asked him, “Did you enjoy your ride?”
They looked at each other with awkward smiles before glancing away. Fiddling with her fork, Isabel cleared her throat. “My apologies. Please, go on.”
He shook his head. “It’s nothing of interest. Only this is a new dish.”
“Do you not enjoy trying new things?” She couldn’t resist asking.
The hesitation warned her even as he said, “I don’t mind. I’m sure it will be fine fare.”
“We are trying some new menu items,” she admitted. “If there is anything that disagrees with you, please let me know.”
“It should be fine so long as it doesn’t talk back to me.”
She nearly dropped her food and fork when she realized what he had just said. A jest? Her eyes followed his movements as he went on to take a few bites of the dish. After a short nod to himself, he carried on eating without glancing her way. All this time and his stony expression never changed.
Shaking her head, Isabel put the matter aside to enjoy the meal as well.
This isn’t so terrible. I should have moved seats sooner. It’s intimidating, but I know better than to be frightened. And if he does have a sense of humor, then I think we shall get on after all. Perhaps it is the intimidation that has my heart pounding.
They ate quietly for the next three dishes before she remembered she had meant to ask him a question.
“Oh Sebastian, I was––” she reached for the salt to apply to her potatoes as she started and then stopped.
His hand was also reaching for the salt shaker. Their fingers brushed accidentally, briefly, and she gasped at the jolt of energy. At once she withdrew her hand.
Cheeks flushing, she murmured, “My apologies.”
Sebastian’s jaw tightened visibly as he said nothing. He used the salt likely and then moved it to her side.
Had he felt the jolt as well? She couldn’t tell. The man looked upset, his brow furrowing so deeply she almost couldn’t see his eyes. Though she wished he would glance her way, he was determined to avoid her.
She forgot her words once again, and the last two courses were eaten in silence. The tension between them continued to mount. As ladies departed first, she stood the moment she had taken a single bite of dessert, and then excused herself.
It might have only been a mere second of a touch. But she was thinking about it when she retired to bed that evening and when she woke up.
Perhaps Sebastian did as well, because he avoided her for the next two days until she managed to come across him on his way to the stables for his daily ride. His timing was never consistent, so she’d been out here in the snowy grounds with frozen feet pretending she was enjoying herself.
“Oh, what a surprise to see you,” she said the moment she spotted him.
He drew to a stop. “Isabel. What are you doing out here?”
Waving to the gardens, she said, “I’m walking, of course. It’s a lovely day out here.”
When he looked up to the cloudy sky, she did the same. It was a miracle she managed not to blush too terribly when he lowered his gaze to meet hers.
“Are you dressed warmly enough?” He asked in a tone that told her he clearly didn’t think so.
Tucking her hands into the pockets of her cloak, she merely smiled. “One hardly has to worry in a pretty place like this. And you are one to talk. If I didn’t know better, Sebastian, I would think you mean to blend in with the stone of the house yourself.” She gestured to the estate behind him, wondering if she was too bold with her teasing.
To her surprise, she caught sight of the corner of his mouth curving upward for just a moment. Then his lips flattened. He nodded. “Perhaps. Do warm yourself soon, Isabel.” Then Sebastian took his leave.
Isabel was left alone once more. But this time, she had the memory of a near-smile on her mind that kept her warm for the rest of the day.
CHAPTER 8
There was no better distraction than London. And knowing he could get there in less than a day’s ride––carriages always did slow one down––Sebastian left the following morning in the hopes of clearing Isabel off his mind.
