Her mother’s shrill voice broke the spell quickly. Tristan jumped back just as Diana pulled away from the tree. She moistened her dry lips with her tongue and tried to meet Tristan’s eyes, but it was difficult.
“Perhaps I should take you back to your mother now,” he said in a voice much deeper than she’d heard before.
“Yes, perhaps you should.”
As they walked toward her mother who stood just outside the double glass doors, not another word was spoken. The awkward silence pierced through the air, making her very uncomfortable. Each step she took closer to her mother, Diana’s heart sank. Could Tristan be regretting thealmostkiss? His continued silence reaffirmed her worry.
When they neared and her mother saw Diana, the worried lines around the older woman’s eyes and mouth disappeared. “Oh, there you are, my dear.”
“Yes, Mother. I am here. Lord Tristan and I were just taking a small walk.”
“Oh, how lovely.” Her mother smiled at Lord Tristan. “Please forgive my interference, but I would like to introduce my daughter to an old friend I just saw at the party.”
“That is just fine, Baroness.” He bowed to her, then to Diana. “I shall take my leave now. Miss Baldwin, I hope to see you tomorrow during the morning ride my mother has planned.”
“I shall be there, my lord.” Diana curtsied.
With each step Tristan took away from her, loneliness grew inside her chest. What a wonderful man he was, and so willing to help her get away from Lady Jane. And even though Diana hadn’t been with him for very long, their time together was well spent, and she realized she wanted to see him again… and be alone with him, even as improper as it was.
Tristan made her heart soar, and she enjoyed the elation shooting through her soul. The foreign feeling made her realize she wanted this always!
Chapter Eight
Tristan squinted againstthe sun as it shined brightly toward the front of the house. He sat straight on his horse and waited as his mother’s guests spilled out of the house and toward the stables where horses awaited them for their scheduled morning ride. He’d been waiting for ten minutes, but had yet to see the lovely Miss Baldwin or her mother.
Scrubbing his hand over his face, he blinked his tired eyes. Last night he’d lain awake thinking of Miss Baldwin.Diana.What a different woman she was… and what a relief! In just the little time they had visited, he had relaxed and didn’t have to act like someone else around her. He enjoyed being himself, and he felt that she, too, had been herself around him. Unlike the pristine Lady Jane and her friends who sashayed around the dance floor last night acting as if they were the only women at the party. How he loathed women like that!
Diana Baldwin was a breath of fresh air, and she was exactly what he was looking for in his life. For the first time, he actually wanted to pursue her. He wanted to win her heart. The look of adoration that she had given him when he’d asked her to dance, and then later when he saw her at the refreshment table, was the greatest feeling he’d had in such a long time. He actually felt like her rescuer.
Three women walked out of the house in a rainbow of dresses, and as they came toward the stable, their high-and-mighty noses were where they always were… in the air, and their holier-than-thou attitudes were gleaming off their haughty expressions. He rolled his eyes. The more he compared Diana to them, the more they failed in comparison.
When they neared, Jane’s smile broadened. “Good morning, Lord Tristan. How happy it makes me to see you here.”
“Indeed? I wonder why that is since I live here.”
“You misunderstood, my lord. What I meant to say was that I was hoping you would be here to ride with us.”
“Of course I would be here. Where else would I be during my mother’s party?” Jane chuckled lightly and the other two displayed faux grins. He motioned toward the horse. “Please find your mounts. We will be leaving for our ride soon.”
“My lord?” Jane batted her eyes. “Will you help me mount?”
Tristan glanced at the stable hand that stood ready to help. “Lady Hastings, you already have someone to assist you.”
He tried not to laugh at the displeasure on her face as the servant helped her on to the horse. If Tristan’s mother would have heard and witnessed this scene, she would have boxed his ears for being so uncaring. But Tristan didn’t want to give Jane any more encouragement than necessary.
He glanced back toward the house. Floating down the slope was a vision in a light gray riding habit trimmed with black lace. His heart jumped with happiness. At the back of Diana, her mother and another lady trailed behind.
Tristan jumped off his horse, and then motioned to the stable hand. Earlier, Tristan had prearranged to have the servant prepare one of his mother’s mares—a beautiful white filly—for Diana.
As she neared, he heard the snickers from over his shoulder where Jane and her cronies were waiting on their horses. He threw them a glare, but they didn’t see him. Their eyes were fixed on Diana as they whispered behind their gloved hands. He couldn’t hear everything they were saying, but the wordsoutdatedandriding habitstood out. Jane growled in distaste and said,why is she here?
Tristan bunched his hands at his side. It wasn’t his place to have them dismissed from the group, but he would inform his mother of the debutante’s behavior and push his parent to have those women leave. Today, if he had his way.
He turned toward Diana as she neared. She smiled sweetly at him, and his heart melted. “Miss Baldwin, I’m so happy to see you this morning.”
“My lord, you literally took the words right out of my mouth.”
“I was hoping that you and your mother were going to ride with us.”
