13
James had always intended that this highly inappropriate excursion would end by him proposing to her. His fear was that when she was seen in polite society suitors would be banging down his door to make her an offer. Most would be younger than him, more agreeable and she'd choose one of them before he'd had time to win her over.
She was now an heiress, or would be when the paperwork was finalised, as well as being stunningly beautiful, intelligent, funny and kind. He was aware that she didn't yet reciprocate his feelings but if they were officially affianced, he was confident of his powers of persuasion. Before a wedding date was set, she'd be as hopelessly in love with him as he was with her.
'Get up, you're making a cake of yourself, James. For heaven's sake we are scarcely acquainted, how can we possibly become betrothed?'
He remained where he was, tightened his grip so she couldn't snatch away her hands and flee. 'You might not be aware of it, my dear girl, but we've been seen by half a dozen outside men and my nephew was standing under the portico a few moments ago.'
The colour drained from her face and he regretted his actions. 'I didn't realise, I'm so sorry, this is all my fault. I don't think you can marry me if I'm your ward, I'm sure that will make an even worse scandal,' she whispered. 'Please, I beg you, get up.'
He rose smoothly to his feet but didn't release her hands. 'That's easily solved, sweetheart, you told me you reach your majority in September. I'll no longer be your guardian then.'
'In which case, James, I'll agree to a temporary engagement if you think it will keep my somewhat tattered reputation and your spotless one in place. However, in September I'll return to Hilltop House and you can play the broken-hearted swain.'
He'd just lied to her, deliberately and with forethought. If she knew that his control would remain until all three of them, four if you counted Annabel, had attained their twenty-fifth birthday, she'd have refused his offer outright and taken the consequences.
He prided himself on being a truthful man and now he'd betrayed her trust in order to get his own way. If she ever discovered his perfidy, then she'd not readily forgive him.
'I think that I'm allowed to kiss my betrothed. It would seem odd if I didn't do so.'
He loosened his grip intending to put his arms around her but as soon as her hands were free she was gone. God knows what anybody watching would think of this – it was hardly a romantic scene with the bride running away so suddenly. Although she'd not refused his offer outright, anyone witnessing the scene would think otherwise.
If there'd been a large boulder handy, he'd have picked it up and thrown it at the nearest breakable thing which happened to be the Orangery. He'd made a sad mull of everything. What had possessed him to force her into a corner like that? She was right to say they scarcely knew each other. As he hadn't told her that he'd been in love with her from the moment he saw her she'd believe that he'd only offered because he'd had no choice.
Obviously, he hadn't intended to propose in front of spectators so in some ways she'd be correct to think that he'd been obliged to make her an offer. His intention had been to spend more time with her, let her get to know his true self and for him to know that she returned his feelings before he made things official.
He was damned if he was going to run after her, he'd follow and locate her but do so at his usual pace. This also gave him valuable time to decide how he was going to handle this disaster.
Rupert would probably go straight to Caroline to say what he'd seen, the outside men would already be passing on this exciting piece of information. He thanked God that there was nobody left on the staff that he didn't trust to keep what they knew to themselves.
He decided to enter the house through the french doors on the terrace and paused to see if the maze was now functional. He saw a flash of movement entering and recognised Sofia. She'd never find the exit without assistance so he'd no option but to go and rescue her even if he was the last person she wanted to see.
He thought it highly unlikely that even with four men working busily with clippers that the entire structure had been made usable. In fact, he was puzzled that there weren't men working on it right now. Had the rain made it too wet?
He increased his pace and when he was near enough, he called out. 'Sofia, please don't try and get any further into the maze as you'll inevitably be lost. Do I have your permission to come in and guide you out?'
There was no answer for a moment, then he heard movement much further in than he'd expected after so short a time.
'I shouldn't have run off, that was making a bad situation far worse. I cannot come to you as I'm entirely entangled in the hedge. I thought as there were no people working here it was done but I'm sadly mistaken,' she called back.
'Before I venture in, can you raise your hand. I'll be able to see it and thus locate you more easily.'
He heard what sounded like a snort. 'I just told you that I'm entangled in the hedge. How do you suppose I'm going to be able to wave to you whilst I'm entrapped?'
If she was unable to raise her hands, then the situation was far worse than he'd thought. If she was injured, he'd never forgive himself; she wouldn't be in this situation was it not for him.
'Keep talking to me, Sofia, I can follow your voice. Can you remember which direction you went at the first turning?'
'At last, my lord, a sensible question that I can answer. I remember exactly what I did before I ran headfirst into the bushes and brambles that block this route. Right, right again and then left.'
He was already at the second turning before she'd finished speaking. It was hardly surprising she thought the maze was ready for use as this part was as it should be. The only reason she could be entangled was because she'd been running and that was his fault too.
He slowed to a walk and when he turned the final corner ahead of him was a wall of green. Initially he couldn't see her. 'I'm here, Sofia, I can't see you so am I in the right place?'
'You are. You can't see me because like a nincompoop I thought I could push through, but the branches have closed around me,' she called out from the centre of the obstruction in front of him.
'Whatever you do don't move again, that will just embed you more securely. I'm going to fetch gardeners. I could try to extricate you myself but might well make matters worse. I won't be long.'
