Her brow tightened at once. “Is something wrong? Are you unwell?”
He glanced at her briefly, almost puzzled by the concern. “No. It was a social call.”
Amelia let out a breath she had not realized she was holding. “Oh. Good.” The relief escaped her before she could stop it, and instantly, she wished she could gather it back up and hide itsomewhere more dignified. “I mean… of course it is good. I did not mean to imply I was worried.”
Gabriel’s mouth twitched faintly, though whether in amusement or curiosity, she could not tell. They walked on together in silence for a time, the path narrowing as it curved toward the brook that wound through the estate.
Amelia became painfully aware of his presence beside her, the steady rhythm of his steps matching her own in a way that felt entirely too deliberate to be accidental. Every so often, his sleeve brushed hers, and each time it happened, she found herself pretending it had not affected her at all.
“You seem distracted,” Gabriel observed at last, his voice low as he looked ahead rather than at her.
“I am thinking,” she replied carefully, which was not precisely an answer but was close enough to the truth that she hoped it would suffice.
“Dangerous occupation,” he said dryly.
She glanced at him, startled into a small laugh. “I am beginning to suspect you believe all occupations are dangerous unless they involve strict rules and ledgers.”
“That would be a fair assessment.”
They continued walking, the brook now audible ahead of them, water slipping over stone in a quiet, restless rhythm. Amelia slowed slightly, watching the way the light caught on the surface. Gabriel matched her pace without comment, which somehow made her more aware of him than if he had spoken. She wondered, not for the first time, how a man could feel so controlled and yet so impossible to read at the same time.
“You spoke to Dr Hunt,” she said after a pause, unable to let it rest entirely.
“I did.”
“About anything important?” she asked.
His gaze flicked to her then, sharp and brief. “Nothing that concerns you.”
She nodded, though the answer did not settle comfortably. “I am relieved,” she admitted, then immediately regretted it. “Not that I assumed there was cause for concern. I simply…”
“You worry too easily,” he interrupted.
“And you do not worry enough,” she countered before she could stop herself.
A faint exhale of something that might have been amusement escaped him. “Perhaps.”
They reached the brook where the path narrowed further, the ground uneven and softened by moisture. Amelia stepped carefully, lifting her skirts slightly as she crossed a shallow dip near the edge. Gabriel moved closer behind her without warning, his presence suddenly too near, his hand hovering as though prepared to steady her should she stumble. The awareness of him so close behind her sent an unwelcome heat rising to her cheeks.
“I am quite capable of walking,” she said, though her voice sounded weaker than intended.
“I have noticed,” he replied.
She shot him a look over her shoulder, but he was already watching the water instead of her, as though her near-misstep had not required his attention at all. It was infuriating how composed he always appeared, as if nothing in the world could ever disturb him, least of all her.
They walked on again, the brook now running parallel to their path. Amelia tried to focus on anything other than the fact that he was close enough for her to feel the faint warmth of his presence even without touching. Her thoughts, however, had developed a worrying tendency to betray her.
“You are quiet,” Gabriel said suddenly.
“I am listening,” she replied.
“To what?”
“To the water,” she said quickly, though she was fairly certain that was not what she had been doing at all.
They turned a bend where the path narrowed further, roots curling across the earth like grasping fingers. Amelia stepped forward, distracted for only a second, and felt the ground give way beneath her foot. There was a brief, breathless moment where she realized she was falling, followed immediately by the shock of cold water as she landed in the brook.
Her gasp echoed sharply as the water soaked through her dress, the shock stealing her breath entirely. Before she could gather herself, strong arms were already around her, lifting her effortlessly from the water as though she weighed nothing at all. Gabriel’s grip was firm, unyielding, as he carried her back onto solid ground without hesitation.
