The image of Owen sitting on his grandmother’s knee gave me the urge to laugh. I managed to hold it back.
“Thank you, Mrs. Everard. I pray they will be on their best behavior.” I leaned over my brothers. “Promise me that you will.” I raised my eyebrows at them.
“We promise!” Peter answered before they jumped from their chairs.
“Charles?” I said, calling his eyes back to mine.
“I promise!”
I turned back to Mrs. Everard. “I won’t be away for long. Thank you again.”
She reached up a withered hand and patted mine. “Take your time, my dear. You deserve a moment to yourself.”
My heart crumpled under the soft touch of her hand and those gentle words. I had never given myself permission to step away from my responsibilities, not even for a moment. How did she know what I deserved? She hardly knew me. I pulled my hand away too fast, uncomfortable with the way her gesture had affected me.
I flashed a quick smile, tucking both hands behind the folds of my skirts.
With one last glance at my brothers, I left the room in a hurry, eager to begin exploring. I never fully claimed the opportunity to see the grounds in detail the first time I came here. I had been avoiding a certain boy by keeping to my room.
Remembering my bonnet, I raced up the stairs and swiped it quickly from my desk. Oh, how I despised wearing my bonnet. It itched my neck and blocked my sight. But, for the purpose of preventing further damage to my complexion, I put it on. Tying the ribbon as loosely as possible, I hurried down the stairs and out the door.
I was welcomed by a strong breeze that carried all the smells I loved: freshly cut grass, flourishing gardens, and sunshine—I knew sunshine must have a smell for how delightful it was. I walked out behind the home and stopped to admire a row of flowering bushes. Yellow, purple, white, and red met my eyes.
As I was bending over to examine one of the flowers that had caught my eye, the sound of nearby footfalls startled me. Ijumped, whirling toward the sound. Before I could see who was approaching, the wind caught hold of my bonnet in a vicious gust, making it fall flat over my face. I stumbled backward, crashing into the bushes and tripping over what must have been a branch. I fell hard, practically disappearing into the thicket. Dozens of delicate snapping branches made an explosion in my ears as my tailbone collided with the ground.
My heart raced as I struggled to untangle myself. I froze, changing my course of action. Perhaps Ihaddisappeared into the thicket, and if I held still enough, I wouldn’t be found.
I pushed my bonnet away from my face. Good heavens, I was buried. Through the leaves, I caught sight of a pair of shiny black boots, then a set of crouching knees. The low chuckle that followed sent a prickle of hot mortification over my skin.
Owen.
What greater opportunity was there than this for him to tease me? I closed my eyes as a wave of heat engulfed my cheeks. What would it take to be absorbed by the soil beneath me, never to be seen again? I only had a few seconds to fantasize about my grand escape before Owen’s face appeared between the branches.
“What do we have here?” His amused smile erased my embarrassment, replacing it with pure rage. Would a gentleman’s first instinct not be to help a lady who had just fallen into a bush? Instead, he planned to crouch there and mock me.
I glared at him. “I lost my balance.”
“Did my grandmother fill your glass with brandy at breakfast this morning?”
“Did she fill your bottle with brandy as a baby?”
“Yes.” He gave a serious nod. “She likes to introduce the drink at a young age. She often lures children to the library for that very purpose. Where are your brothers, might I ask?”
I gritted my teeth. Owen was nothingneara gentleman. I had been a fool to believe that he might be respectable enough to help my brothers. I wrestled with the branches, attempting to stand before realizing the back of my hair was tangled with one of them. I groaned in frustration. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to wear a bonnet? They are horribly uncomfortable, and the only vision you can perceive must be straight in front of your eyes.”
“And when the wind becomes involved, even that isn’t so.”
“You areatrocious.”
He laughed and cast me a look through the branches, hinting at a challenge. “You called me that yesterday. It seems that your vocabulary would consist of a bit more variety.”
“Oh, it does.” My voice was bold, and I looked him straight in the eyes. “Would you like to hear a list?”
“I would love to.”
I tugged at my tangled hair as I spoke. “You are barbaric, nefarious, abhorrent, detestable, flagrant, and wicked.” I regretted the words as soon as they escaped my daring mouth. What was he doing to me? I was never this outspoken.
But Owen only laughed again, seemingly pleased with the insult. “Is that an appropriate way to speak to a friend?”
