Annabelle’s eyes widened. “What isthatfor?”
David grinned at her. “It’s for whittling.”
“Whittling?” Her eyes went wide.
“Yes, and woodworking. My father taught me. I can make all sorts of furniture and things. In fact, he and I once refitted the entire interior of a ship.”
“Really?” she asked, cocking her head to the side.
He gave her a skeptical look. “You’re thinking it’s not a terribly useful skill for an earl, aren’t you?”
“No, not at all,” she replied. “I was thinking you never fail to surprise me.”
He grinned at that, but kept his concentration on the stick and knife in his hand, where he’d begun carving.
“What other unexpected things do you know how to do, my lord?” she asked as she carefully picked up her skirts to climb over a fallen tree.
He glanced up from his work. “Shall we?” he asked, motioning toward the fallen log.
Her brow furrowed. “Shall we what?”
“Shall we sit? Here?”
“On this log?” she asked, pursing her lips.
He chuckled. “Never mind. I suppose a lady as fine as yourself would never do something as primitive as sit upon a fallen log.”
“Now, wait a moment,” Annabelle replied, suddenly quite offended that he’d think so little of her. “I was merely surprised because I didn’t realize we were going to sit. I’m perfectly capable of sitting upon a log.” As if to prove the point, she promptly lowered herself onto the log, allowing her skirts to fan out around her.
While he watched with a grin on his face, she pushed her legs out in front of herself and crossed her booted ankles.
“I thought a lady wasn’t supposed to cross her legs,” David pointed out.
Annabelle winked at him. “I won’t tell if you won’t.”
He threw back his head and laughed at that before taking a seat beside her. His knees stuck out due to his height, but he continued diligently working on the stick with the knife.
“You never answered. What other things can you do?” Annabelle prodded.
He rubbed his chin with the back of his wrist and appeared to contemplate the question for a moment. “Let’s see. I can cut down a tree with an ax to make lumber. I can raise chickens and pigs. I can make a fire with only a stick and a rock, though I do prefer a flint. I can shoot the button off a French officer’s coat at fifty paces, and I can dance a waltz. But you already knew that last one.” He winked at her this time.
Warmth shot through Annabelle’s middle at his wink. The man was too handsome by half. And the things he’d said nearly took her breath away. How terribly unexpected of him. Everything he’d listed were all much more interesting than the things the gentlemen of thetoncould do. Race a horse. Gamble. Drink heavily. Who cared?
“Those are quite impressive feats.” She concentrated on her feet so she wouldn’t swoon if he winked at her again. She’d never swooned before. She’d always thought it was silly. But then again, she’d never been winked at by David. The man’s hooded eyes and chiseled jaw might make a non-silly lady swoon. Or at leastwantto swoon, and that wasn’t good, either.
“In the army, I was known for being able to climb the highest tree and run the fastest,” David continued.
“Yes, Marianne mentioned you were a fast runner.” Hmm. She had a scuff on her boot. She’d have to inform Cara when they returned home. What else could she distract herself with?
“Marianne told you that?” His brow was furrowed. He shook his head. “Regardless, something tells me none of those things will be particularly useful to me as an earl.”
“You never know. As the Earl of Elmwood, you may be called upon to whittle something.” She smiled at him.
He shrugged. “If I’m lucky.” But there was a look in his eye that told her he meant it.
She leaned forward to catch his eye again. “You’re serious, aren’t you? You don’t feel as if you have the skills to be an earl.”
“I don’t. You’re teaching me everything I need to know. And everything I already know is useless.”
