“Perhaps some other time.” He glanced around as if searching for an escape route. “It just occurred to me there’s somewhere else I need to be.”
When he shoved the flowers toward her, imploring her to take them, Sarah refused. Instead, she forced her hands to remain by her sides and tilted her chin up a notch in defiance. “I don’t think there’s anywhere more important than right here, right now.”
His lips parted and he took a step back, shook his head while staring at her as if she presented his every worst nightmare come to life. “I’m sorry.”
When he turned and started walking away, Sarah signaled her maid and went in pursuit. It was time for this to end, no matter how painful he found it.
“Lord Brunswick,” she said when she was close enough for him to hear without her having to raise her voice. “Your Grace?”
Stubbornly, as if determined to put as much distance between them as possible, he kept on going, lengthening his strides until she was forced to make small running steps in between her own paces in order to keep up. Some people were starting to stare. Not that this part of Town was particularly crowded at this hour, but it was busy enough for people to notice a lady chasing a gentleman down the street.
Good lord.
Sarah offered them all a tight smile and prayed the scene would not be described in tomorrow’s paper alongside some ghastly caricature.
She sidestepped a merchant, almost collided with a lady exiting a shop, and hopped over a puddle. Really. Enough was enough.
“Matthew.”
His head whipped round as he came to a halt. “Sarah?”
She puffed out a breath. “Considering the speed you were going just now, I’m surprised you struggled to keep up with me that one time in the park. Goodness, I think I’m getting a stitch.”
“What are you doing?” He looked utterly bewildered, which was rather alarming.
Sarah grabbed hold of his arm and tried to appear as normal as possible. “Chasing you, apparently.”
When he tried to pull away from her grasp, she tightened her hold and dug in her heels. He was stronger than she and perfectly able to wrench himself free if he wished.
Knitting his brow, he gave her a frustrated stare. “I’m not good company at the moment.”
“Maybe not,” she agreed, “but you cannot keep running away.”
“I am not–”
“Least of all from me if you truly intend for me to be your wife.” She gave him her firmest look. “You need to talk, Matthew, and I am–”
“No. There will be no talking, no trip down memory lane, no re-living the...the...”
A raspy sound came from his throat, filling Sarah with genuine concern. “Dear heavens. Are you all right?”
“I...I cannot...” He yanked his arm free from her grasp and began tugging at his cravat while coughing and gasping.
Sarah’s blood froze in her veins. The man she loved was having a fit and she’d no idea how to help him.
Acting on pure instinct, she pushed his frantic hands away from his neck since he seemed to be struggling with the intricate knot his valet had tied. No longer concerned over who might see or how this public display of impropriety could affect her own reputation, she began undoing the tangled mess as quickly as she was able.
Who on earth had ever had the idiotic idea of wrapping lengths of linen about a man’s neck? It was absolutely ridiculous and served no purpose at all as far as she could tell. Muttering an indelicate series of curses, she wove one end of the cravat in and out of two different strips and was finally able to get some leeway. With a few more gentle tugs and a bit of careful unwinding, she had the cravat undone.
“Matthew,” she said. “Look at me. Can you breathe?”
He inhaled deeply, added a few short breaths, and eventually nodded. “Yes. Thank you. I don’t know what happened.”
“I think I do,” she told him softly. Taking him by the arm once more, she talked to him while leading him along. “We’ll cross the street up ahead. You’ll be back home in no time at all. Don’t worry.”
“I’m sorry, Sarah. I didn’t mean to ruin your afternoon like this. It’s completely unacceptable and...” He was quiet a moment before he admitted, “I’m quite embarrassed.”
“Think nothing of it. I had no real plans anyway, and even if I did, I would never abandon you when you’re not well.”
