He glanced across at Lady Emily, who sat on a bench roughly ten yards away while he leaned against a tree. Of course he’d greeted her and the maid she’d brought with her when he and Peter arrived. Anything less would have been unbelievably rude. But it hadn’t amounted to more than a nod and a tip of his hat since he’d every intention of honoring her request. As such, he’d kept his distance when Peter went to collect the leash Lady Emily held toward him.
She’d dipped her chin in acknowledgement of Callum’s greeting, after which she and Peter had entered the park while Callum and the maid followed behind. The entire situation had felt rather awkward. Something he’d like to avoid if they met again, as Peter had asked that they do as soon as they’d started their homeward trek.
Callum scratched the nape of his neck. Surely there had to be some way for him and Lady Emily to overcome their differences. Knitting his brow, he opened his desk drawer and retrieved the missive she’d sent in response to his own. He unfolded it and read it once more, acknowledging this time that her point was no less valid than the one he’d attempted to make in his missive to her.
They were both responsible for their unfortunate interactions with each other over the years, and in order for them to get past the wariness this had instilled in each of them, they’d have to talk.
With this in mind, Callum placed another piece of foolscap on his desk, dipped his quill in the inkwell, and proceeded to write.
* * *
Emily considered the most recent missive Stratton had sent her with some apprehension. He wanted to meet with her for a private talk, which obviously meant coming into close vicinity of each other. She flattened her mouth while pondering this. Their last outing had gone well enough. Nothing untoward had happened. She’d been fine.
Then again, Stratton had remained at a safe distance throughout the park visit.
Emily tapped the side of her mouth with a finger. She wondered what he wished to discuss. Clearly, something he’d rather say in person than put into writing. Perhaps a matter regarding Peter? Or something else?
She’d no idea. But what shedidknow was that if she agreed to this rendezvous, there was a good chance she’d end up in yet another sprawl. Or worse.
Then again, she was curious. And besides, it would be unkind of her to deny him when he had insisted it would mean a great deal to him if she would accommodate this wish.
Very well then. But it would be on her terms.
This request saw her seated at one end of a park bench the following afternoon while Stratton sat at the other. Close enough to chat but with enough separation between them to hopefully prevent a calamity. Emily’s maid, Georgina, remained nearby for propriety’s sake, allowing Emily to speak with the duke without being overhead, though for the moment, neither uttered a word.
After greeting each other politely and taking their seats, silence followed. Emily smoothed her skirt over her knees and waited. The leaves from a nearby tree rustled in the breeze. She watched a few people stroll by some distance away – a group of ladies walking their dogs and a husband and wife with their three children.
“You may not believe me when I tell you this,” Stratton finally said. Though his voice was soft, he applied a serious tone that drew her complete attention. “But it has never been my intention to cause you harm. Every accident you've been subjected to while in my company, has been precisely that. An accident.”
“As much as I’d like to take your word for that, an accident is something that happens once. Possibly twice. Not every time two people meet.” She shook her head while thinking back. “And besides, you always seemed annoyed with me for some reason. It’s only natural for me to wonder if all the incidents our chance meetings led to were calculated in nature.”
“I can assure you they were not. And if I ever spoke to you curtly, it was only because I allowedyourreaction to rile me.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“This was wrong,” he hastened to add while angling himself toward her. “You were right to be vexed when our every encounter led to disaster, but your unwillingness to accept my apologies rankled. Especially since I am not the only one at fault. After all, you were there too, reacting to my every move.”
“Go on,” she urged, shivering slightly when a cool breeze brushed the nape of her neck. She didn’t like what he implied, but she wasn’t too proud to concede that one could easily overlook one’s own faults. So if she’d played a part in their unharmonious relationship, she needed to know. Especially if she’d unwittingly wronged him.
“When you and I danced at your debut, you turned the wrong way more than once, causing several of my missteps.”
“I suppose that’s true,” she said, recalling how nervous she’d been that evening. Could it be that he’d felt the same way?
“When I knocked you into the fountain, it was because you happened to move to the right at the same exact moment I turned to the left.”
“I never realized…”
“When we met that one time during our morning rides, your skirt would not have been caught in my stirrup had you remained where you were. But you were impatient to be on your way and started forward too soon while we were too close.”
She swallowed and forced herself to meet his gaze. Was it possible Stratton’s point was valid? Could it be he was not the only one to blame for the various mishaps she had endured while in his company? “What about Vauxhall?”
“Vauxhall, I'll grant you, was entirely my fault. Since I'm at least partially to blame for the rest, however, and you never allowed me the chance to apologize, I'd like to do so now. Properly. Hence my reason for asking you here.” He paused for a second and when he spoke next, his voice was filled with endless sincerity. “Please forgive me for any bodily harm and embarrassment I may have caused you since our introduction.”
Taken aback by his sudden show of integrity, Emily gazed at him for a moment until the expectant look in his eyes made her blink.
“Of course.” She appreciated the apology and could not avoid the niggling guilt taking hold of her conscience. Even if she had been increasingly frustrated by him and every incident his presence led to, she’d been wrong to deny him the chance to apologize. It had been unkind, she reflected.
“If you'd like to push me into a pond in return, you need only name the time and place.”
