“Youknow she’s here for you, don’t you?” Ash said.
Of course heknew. Why else would she be here? He rubbed at hischest.
“What happened, Farlisle?”
“Nothing,” he said shortly. “Nothing happened. I lost thewager. There is nothing more to speak of.”
“Iwould believe you, but you’ve been glancing at her this entiretime, just as she’s been seeking you out. Maybe you should speakwith her.”
“Andmaybe you should mind your goddamn business!”
The shoutedwords hung between them. Stunned, Ash stared at him. With amuttered curse, Stephen hung his head.
“Farlisle, you clearly feel something for her, as she doesyou. She is here, within reach. I would not recommend leaving suchthings unsaid.”
Stephen glancedup sharply. Ash wore a peculiar expression. “Ash?”
His friend shookhimself. “Talk with her. At the very least, you will wonder nomore.”
“Howdo you know I wonder?”
“Because we always do.”
Stephen shookhis head. “There is nothing to talk about. We are done.”
“Farlisle—”
“I’mgoing back to the hall. Enjoy the skating, Ash.” Ignoring hisfriend’s protests, he took off.
He took care toskate as far from the others as possible, but his boots were withthe others under the canopy. He kept his gaze down as he steppedoff the ice, and he managed to get his skates off and one boot halfon before someone approached.
“Stephen?” Sera asked hesitantly.
He swallowed.Christ. He’d missed her voice. Keeping his head down, he focussedon pulling his boot the rest of the way.
“Youlooked well on the ice.”
Still hepretended he ignored her, even as a voice inside him screamed tolook at her, to drink her in. His chest felt as if squeezed by ironbands, and it became difficult to breathe.
“Youwere so fast, but I thought perhaps the action might have tugged atyour muscle, as you looked as if—”
“Lady Seraphina, was there a point to this?” he interrupted,the bands around his chest tightening.
She fell silent.“No.”
“Then we are done.” He stood. He dared not look at her. “Goodday.”
Between them,awful silence. Christ, he wanted to leave, he wanted to run, hewanted away from her. So much built inside him, emotions he didn’twant to feel, and she was the cause of all of it. She would makehim feel all of it. If he stayed here, if he let her speak, hewouldn’t be able to keep it all inside. He would... Maxim...Harbor...
“Good day,” she finally said.
Relief cascadedthrough him. With a sharp nod, he turned on his heel and strode tothe house, away from the lake, away from her. The tension, though,that remained, coiled tight inside him, and it didn’t matter wherehe went, what he did, it was still there. But, if he was away fromher, he could pretend it didn’t exist. No. No, itdidn’texist...and if he avoided her, he would never have to believeotherwise.
Chapter Twenty One
FROM THE BEST VANTAGE of the drawing room, Sera watchedthe other ladies. They laughed and gossiped, and chief among thetopics were the ceremony tomorrow, the celebration after, and howin love the bride and groom were. In the centre of this gossip andlaughter sat a beaming Lydia Torrence, her sister at herside.
The gentlemen ofthe party had departed after dinner to smoke cigars, drink brandy,and no doubt indulge in gossip of their own. Stephen had beenamongst them, though she’d noticed how he’d held himself separate.Only when his friend the Earl of Ashburton had jogged after him hadanother person stood by his side.
