As Darlington continued speaking, Natalie’s eyes filled with tears. Oh, what a bother she was! She’d caused her mother such grief! And her father, well, he would banish her to Scotland for certain this time!
“They have been informed of your safety—and your injuries,” Darlington went on. And then he began pacing. “How on earth did you come to be in that trunk? And in your nightclothes? Were you attacked? Was it Farley? Or Trident? Don’t you remember anything? Or did you think such a wicked prank might be entertaining?”
But she did not know. She did not!
Seeing that he’d made her cry, he frowned. “I cannot fathom what you might have been doing out of doors in your night clothes. Have you nothing to say for yourself? Nothing at all?”
She would not have put herself inside of the trunk! Of course, she would not! And yet…
Darlington’s words teased her memory. She’d left her chamber to find something urgent…to look at something…And the trunk. In her mind’s eye, she could picture herself climbing into it,looking for something. But what? Why? “I was not attacked, Darly. I’m almost certain of it. I believe I chose to go outside on my own.” As she spoke, a fog seemed to settle on her. She attempted to see through it in order to discover the answers he wanted but…words stopped making sense as she listened to her own voice. There were little dark-haired boys running about…her dream. What had she dreamt and what was real? But Darlington wanted answers. He did not wish to hear about her dreams. “I’m sorry! I don’t know, Darly. I can’t think.” She cried out in frustration and then lifted her hand to her head when pain stabbed behind her eyes. “I feel as though I remember…and then…” More tears escaped. Nobody liked disappointing Darlington.
Her most reticent brother, then, looking uncomfortable, reached out and soothed her head. Although his hand felt cool on her skin, it did not impart the same comfort as Garrett’s had.Had she followed Garrett in some lame attempt to win his love? That would be mortifying! She would not have! Of course, she wouldn’t have done something so foolish…so needy!
She admitted to herself that she loved Garrett, and he was drawn to her, but he’d been crystal clear in the meadow. Under no circumstances did he wish to marry her. He’d left her no room for doubt. Was it just yesterday he’d offered her that dreadful proposal? Oh, yes, and thepetite mort. Natalie pushed her brother’s hand away when the latter thought came into her mind.
Darlington shoved his hands into his pockets, obviously still unhappy with her answers. “Best not tire yourself, Nat. The doctor said it is important you are not fatigued.” He spoke grudgingly.
“I’m not.” Natalie licked her lips. “I’m thirsty.”
Her brother took this as an excuse to leave. “I’ll send for the maid.” He patted her hand once and then strode out the door. Natalie knew the maid would be here within moments. Few people failed to jump into action when Darlington issued orders.
Glancing around the room, she was reminded that she lay in Garrett’s bed. She, Lady Natalie Spencer, daughter of the Earl of Ravensdale, lay in Garrett Castleton’s bedchamber in the Dower House at Maple Hall. Garrett’s bedchamber! Oh, lord!
Again, confusion clouded her thoughts. The furnishings were shabby, but the chamber otherwise appeared neat and tidy. Embers in the hearth provided the only light within the room as the curtains were drawn. She tried to sit up, but doing so caused a new wave of nausea to sweep through her. Best to stay lying down. How could she feel so ghastly and yet soagitated at the same time?There is something...She would not have gone outside alone in her night clothes if it hadn’t been important. For heaven’s sake, she’d even donned one of her day dresses when she’d taken Baby Bear outside in the middle of the night to do his business. What had been so very urgent?
As she suspected, the maid rushed into the room breathlessly. “His Lordship said you needed assistance, my lady.” She looked harried and sleep-tousled. Good lord, leave it to Darlington to awaken the poor girl to fetch hera sip of water!
“My mouth feels like it’s full of sand.” Natalie attempted to make her need sound more urgent than it really was. She didn’t want the maid to feel as though she’d been awoken for no reason. “And perhaps some willow bark?” All she’d managed to do by worrying was provoke her headache. But something else bothered her dreadfully. She touched her hair self-consciously before asking, “Tomorrow, do you think you could do something about this mess?”
IT WAS IN HIS BEST INTEREST
It was in his best interest to avoid her. She’d done something different with her hair now, and appeared to be regaining her health quickly. Which was a good thing, a wonderful thing. But nothing taunted him more than the sight of Lady Natalie Spencer in his bed, dressed in only a thin cotton gown.
As her health improved, her cheerful spirits returned as well. She sang the praises of the young girl presently acting as her lady's maid. It seemed she might have found a replacement for Mrs. Tinsdale after all.
During one visit, she confided to Garrett that she’d given the care of Baby Bear over to her old nurse. Before knowing her, he might have assumed she had merely grown tired of the pup and was shirking her responsibility. But he knew differently. She’d realized the elderly woman was lonely. No, it had not been an easy decision for her.
Lord Darlington’s company, on the other hand, was becoming something of a nuisance.
He continued to press for Garrett to obtain a speciallicense. As each day passed, Darlington’s insistence that Garrett marry his sister increased. As did Garrett’s resolve. Only as the last possible option, he’d finally conceded one night, would he marry her. For otherwise, Natalie’s brother might have demanded a meeting at dawn. Natalie would hate them both if matters devolved to that.
It wasn’t that Garrett did not yearn with his entire being to make Natalie his. Of course he wanted to marry her! If he were any other man, with any other father, living any other life.
Having her in his home was almost more than he could bear. He longed for the day she would leave but also dreaded it.
Garrett escaped the dower house as often as possible, focusing on the immediate needs of this broken-down estate he’d inherited. In his busyness, trudging from one tenant’s holding to another, he sought to regain equilibrium and clarity. But removing himself from her presence was easier than removing her from his thoughts. He often found himself wishing to tell her about this or that little incident but then stifled such notions before they took root.
And then there were the nights.
His memories of pleasuring her in the meadow the afternoon he’d left Raven’s Park plagued him with images and feelings he struggled to deny. Knowing she lay steps away mocked his unmet needs. His lust for her was almost as powerful as his feelings of tenderness and regard.
He loved her, dammit.
Which made it imperative he not act selfishly. When he’d thought her life in danger, he’d been devastated. Her safety, her well-being, and ultimately her happiness must be assured at all costs. Even if the price was to live his life without her.
She might think him cruel now, but she was young and unable to consider the ramifications of rash decisions. She believed herself in love with him. To such an innocent, he mustseem exciting and unpredictable, the antithesis of her former betrothed.
She would believe it romantic to consider herself in love with a rake, a man of mystery to theton. She’d sought him out for adventure—for passion. She’d been on the rebound, so to speak. Tossed over by her fiancé, certain of her needs had gone unfulfilled. She’d wanted to know what it felt like to succumb to desire. She’d sought it out unilaterally. He’d made the mistake of getting caught up in her acts of rebellion.
