His sigh was so loud she heard it over the horses’ footsteps and the crunching of the gravel beneath the vehicle’s wheels.
“No, Miss Redfield. Rather the opposite, I’m afraid. And not your sister but her husband.”
Lord Stanton? Why would Lord Stanton have any reason to direct Lord Kingsley’s attention away from her.
“He asked you to stay away from me?”
“Threatened.”
Olivia raised her brows. “Because of… your past behavior??” Upon becoming betrothed to Louella, Captain Lord Stanton had made a lovely apology for his own part in tormenting her before he’d left England to take up his commission with the British navy. He and Kingsley had been nothing but trouble back then. She’d reminded him at the time that he’d not done so alone.
Gabriel’s gaze remained averted straight ahead. “I think he believed you required protection from me. But had he realized your father had given Mr. Smith permission to offer for you…” He shook his head, as though at an utter loss for words.
“Do you pity me then? Is that what this is all about?”
Again, he shook his head. “Must there be a reason?”
She nodded emphatically. Of course, there was.
“Perhaps I’m making amends. Can we leave it at that?”
She’d irritated him. “Why are you here, anyhow? Aren’t all earls and whatnot supposed to be in London for the Season? Aren’t you required in Parliament?” Or perhaps… “Do you have an interest in the mine as well?”
“Yes, I suppose I ought to be in London for the Season. In fact, my presence is required there before the Season winds down.” He winced. Some responsibility there he didn’t seem to wish to get into. “And yes, in answer to your last question as well. But only until Stanton and your sister return.” Gabriel didn’t expand upon his explanation, focusing instead, it seemed, upon the road he’d turned them along.
“But you don’t have a financial interest in the mine?” For some reason, this mattered to her.
He shrugged. “Stanton was concerned about leaving and would have worried about it when he ought only to be worrying about his new bride. I had nothing pressing to attend to.”
She’d walked this way several times before. Tall trees lined the rutted corridor and a few dandelions grew up between the tracks made by other wheels before them. She wished she could have gone to the mine. She’d have liked to see what all the trouble was about.
“So, you are not after the gold for yourself?”
He laughed at this. “Simply assisting a friend in need.” And then, with another sideways glance, he said, “Just as you are doing for Mr. Smith. Doesn’t, by the way, mean I’m going to marry him.”
Olivia ignored his comment. “Stanton still has concerns about the mine then?” She frowned. Opening the mine disturbed her. Too many people had pinned their hopes upon it. “Do you think it will all be worth it?”
She didn’t expect the soft laughter at her questions. “Oh, there’s gold all right. Will it be worth it though?” Olivia glanced toward him in time to see a wry grimace. She studied him closely, his demeanor not nearly as enthusiastic as she would have thought it would be.
“It is dangerous then?”
He tightened his jaw. “It may be.”
Working below ground was always a dangerous proposition. “What makes it more dangerous than any other mine?”
She could barely make out the clenching at his jaw again. “You don’t really want to know all this.” He forced a harsh laugh. “The engineers aren’t worried. Most of them anyhow. I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about. I’m insisting upon every precaution available. You’ve no need to worry over your dear Mr. Smith.”
Olivia had only worried about Luke Smith’s safety in so much as he was all his children had. Before she could comment, though, the wheel hit a bump and had her grasping his arm tightly.
In doing so, she felt his muscles flexing beneath her hands. Warm. Solid.
And why would the act of holding his arm cause her breaths to come more rapidly?
“Do you—?” She swallowed around a lump that hadn’t been in her throat a moment before. “Doyougo below ground often?” The thought that Lord Kingsley would put himself in danger sent a tight squeezing sensation to her heart.
His grin reappeared. “How else could I be of any value?”
So, he did.
