Exhibiting an unnatural wave of shyness, she pulled herself to sit up straight on the wooden bench and looked down at her lap. “Thank you.” The words came out softly. She fidgeted with some of the ridiculous lace on her skirt. “You are looking fine as well.” An impish smile formed on her mouth. “You are still allowing Marcus to valet for you?” Her eyes danced with mischief.
Garrett nodded. “I am, and I thank you for recommending him.” Realizing the small boat approached a branch protruding from the water, he took a moment to right his direction. “Why don’t you acquire a new lady’s maid?” he asked, remembering she’d referred to the servant as being responsible for all the pink and lace.
Lady Natalie touched her hair self-consciously and sighed. “My lady’s maid is both my former nanny and, at times, governess. She’s left behind neither role.” She reached into the water, pulled out a floating twig and used it to draw swirls in the water. “I love Tinny—Mrs. Tinsdale—it’s just I would like to find a maid who has been exposed to some fashion, a woman of my own choosing. Perhaps closer to myself in age. I feel as though it is a constant battle between us as to how I ought to present myself.” She gestured downward. “Tinny won the battle today.”
Garrett stopped rowing and regarded her solemnly. “Why don’t you tell your mother this?”
Natalie let out a short laugh. “You and I have discussed the differences in our families before. One of the—challengesofbeing cared for is, these people have the ability to weigh one down with their love. The love of one’s family can, at times, be a considerable burden.” She smiled ruefully. “Tinny loves me.”
“You do not wish to hurt her feelings,” Garrett surmised.
“Precisely.”
They glided along the lake in silence. Garrett continued contemplating his options. The sun was high and warm. He was glad he’d removed his jacket.
“If you were to marry”—he spoke casually—“you could experience a measure of independence.”
“Not all would agree with that opinion,” she countered. “In truth, a lady cannot know what her circumstances will be until it is too late to undo them.” She was quite serious-minded about this. “I would hope my brothers would terminate such an unfortunate alliance if it were to occur, but the law is on the side of the man. A woman becomes the property of her husband. That’s why I cannot understand my father’s eagerness to marry me off.”
Her father confused Garrett as well. One day he seemed to be offering his daughter to Garrett, and the next he was pushing the girl into the Duke of Monfort’s damned arms. Perhaps the earl wished to keep all his…heroptions open.
“Your father cares for you. Perhaps that is why he imposes his will so strongly upon your marital prospects.”
Again, a long sigh. She did a great deal of that as of late. “I know. But…”
Understanding dawned. “You want a love match.”
This revelation gave him pause. Perhaps he ought to rethink his own designs upon her. He could never give her what she wanted. He found her desirable. He found her conversation pleasant, even entertaining, but he’d lived something of a debauched life until recently. He was not certain he was even capable of romantic love—if it in fact existed.
“You also want passion,” he added, perhaps to strengthenhis own cause. His eyes dropped to her lips. His provocative words changed the tenor of their conversation. Both were very aware of the kisses they had already shared. The passion he’d brought to a halt.
Her chin tipped up. She held his eyes boldly. “I do,” she affirmed. “Are the two mutually exclusive, or are they one and the same?” Oh, Lord, this girl had a lot to learn.
“Yes,” Garrett responded, “and no, not at all, in my experience anyway.”
“Trade me places. I wish to row.” She could be a demanding little wench.
“Please,” he corrected her with a stern look. He raised one eyebrow and added, “Please,my lord, would you do me the favor of trading seats so I may row?”
Natalie scowled. “Yes, that.”
Garrett did not budge. He merely continued looking at her expectantly.
“Oh, fine. Please, my lord,would you trade seats with me?”
Garrett laughed and moved to one side, careful to lean inward so as not to tip the boat. Natalie edged around the opposite side, and they managed to exchange seats without mishap. She confidently took the oars and began rowing. She had obviously done this before, as she did not dig the oars into the water too deeply, but just slightly to skim the boat along.
He took the opportunity to lean back and relax. She was strong for a girl. He decided the pink made her look about sixteen. Her exertions, however, brought attention to certain attributes that were most definitelynotsixteen. His eyes fixed on a droplet of sweat that clung to the top curve of her breast. And then the material of her skirt slid upwards, revealing pink slippers and smooth silk stockings.
They had rowed to the back of the island. They were completely unobserved, utterly alone.
Garrett reached forward and grasped her ankle.
Natalie stopped rowing. Her face revealed uncertainty as to how she might respond to his boldness. He knew she resented him for calling a halt to their other…encounters. Even though it was for her own good as well as his.
His touching her now was an impulsive move. He’d simply had the urge to wrap his fingers around her leg, and the next thing he’d realized, he’d done just that.
“You, sir,” she said, “are impertinent.”
