She offered him a blank look, and he realized subtlety wasn’t his strong suit, at least not with his wife.
When they crossed onto Shrewton Road, he gave up glancing at her fine neck, the fichu shawl that covered the lush swells of heaven. Maybe it was he who needed training to understand her. She was cautious and restrained. That wasn’t Cilia. That’s what these months away . . . what he’d done.
More training was at hand for him to restore a star’s light. “Look, the ancient stones are finally in view.”
The carriage slowed, then stopped. They’d arrived at the closest place he knew that she’d love. Green pastures and ancient monuments. Stonehenge.
“Ready for adventure, Lady Gantry?”
Cecilia tore away from the window and wrapped her arms about his shoulders. “You were serious this time. You meant to do it.”
Felton forced a smile to cover what would be a guilty frown. He didn’t realize how his broken promises had affected her.
She looked confused. “But are we making good time? I know we must get to Warwick.”
“Tramel will hang on, gripping every gust of breath just to see you.”
Her lips flattened and she pulled away.
And he hated, hated that he was still jealous of a dying man.
To be the bigger man, to act as a liberal champion, all rubbish. “I burn with jealousy. It can’t be helped.”
She leaned against him, gripping the revers of his indigo coat. “Nice to know you care.”
“Our walk to the barn didn’t convince you? The kisses in bed, left you in doubt?”
Her eyes narrowed. “We haven’t kissed in bed.”
“Oh. Those were my dreams.”
With a shake of her head, she folded her arms. “We’ve always been good with passion, Felton. That wasn’t our problem.”
“I think you need to be sure. Practice makes perfect.”
A laugh fell from her lips, ones he hadn’t touched in three days. The darn Repington was right about restraint.
Moomoo stood up, lolling as though the calf readied to be walked like a pup.
She released Felton and offered her attention to the cuter beast.
He put his small gun into his pocket. “Watson will attend her. You and I have practice, practice with weapons.”
He picked up a picnic basket and put it on her lap. Then he took up his gun case from the compartment under the seat. With it in one arm, he popped down and raised his free hand back into the carriage. “Come, Lady Gantry.”
Basket at her side, she clasped his fingers and joined him.
“Watson, come back for us in the morning. Take care of my lady’s calf too.”
His man’s eyes went wide but he nodded. “Of course. I was born for such work.”
The carriage slowly moved forward, then disappeared down the long road.
“My lord, you told him tomorrow. We’re going to be out here all night?”
“You need training. And since you have a penchant for ancient monuments, I thought you could be inspired as we commit to your plan of revenge.” He started walking toward the raised stones, but Cecilia was still on the side of the road.
“Now is not the time to dawdle. Come along, my dear.”
