Page 44 of Courting the Vicar’s Daughter

“I hope yours will, too.” His head full of wool, nothing wittier came to mind than to return her sentiments. The conversation would not last long if all he did was echo her words back to her. “Would you care to walk?” he asked, gesturing to the tall bushes hiding the road from view. “It would be good to keep moving in this cold weather.”

“That is a very good idea.” She folded her arms against her middle and took a step. Harry fell in with her, the two of them walking together at an easy pace. They went to the bushes and Harry reached out to pull the branches aside for her.

“Let us stay on this side,” she said quickly. “I have no wish to encounter anyone on the road today.”

“Ah, yes. Avoiding gossip.” He let the branch fall, and with it some of his enthusiasm. Would it really be so terrible for her name to be linked to his? If she thought so, his heart had little chance of finding happiness with hers.

Then she erased his momentary disappointment. “Not at all. I am avoiding a certain person who may walk by on his way to the village.” She kept walking along the side of the bushes, at a slower pace than before.

“I see.” He tried to think who it might be she hoped to avoid, but gave up on that line of thinking. If she evaded the man, whoever he was, that man posed no threat to Harry’s hopes. He kept to her slow pace, hands tucked behind his back though he longed to reach for her.

The wind rustled by, stirring up the scent of wet leaves and cold earth. There would not be many more times when he might meet Daisy out of doors, whether accidentally or contrived. It grew too cold, and people throughout the country huddled closer to their fires rather than take a step outside.

“How is your estate business? Have you and Mr. Ellsworth made a great deal of progress?” Daisy kept her eyes on the path in front of them.

“I feel I learn one thing only to discover my ignorance in several other directions,” Harry admitted, watching her from the corner of his eye. “But I am determined to get the management of my property correct.”

He must do so, for Daisy would never approve of him otherwise. Kind-hearted, intelligent, forward-thinking Daisy Ames deserved nothing less than his best efforts.

“That is wonderful to hear. I am glad you will stay in the neighborhood for a time.”

“Perhaps forever.” He spoke softly, not even certain she heard him. But he meant the words. If he wished to be linked to Daisy, her dedication to the school must be considered. If she wanted to teach and see to the education of the local girls, he could not take her away from that.

Daisy’s expression turned inward, her eyes dimming as she lost herself in thought. Harry did not mind studying her from the corner of his eye, watching the play of emotions on her lovely face. What must she be thinking? Had she any idea of how he felt? Did she wrestle with her own emotions as he did?

It would be arrogant to presume so, yet he hoped she did.

“I need to visit London,” he said, ending the comfortable silence between them. “I will be away for a week.”

“Oh?” She kept her eyes ahead, but he quite easily saw her frown. “Only a week?”

“Yes. I do not wish to be gone from here any longer.” He did not speak his true sentiments. He did not wish to be gone from her any longer. Their meetings were few enough as it was.

“I hope everything goes well.” She stopped walking and looked up at him, her gray eyes a reflection of the sky above them. “I will miss you.”

He stared at her, thoughtfully, taking in the pink of her cheeks, the slight part of her lips, the confusion in her eyes. Had she not meant to make such an admission?

“You will?” he asked, somewhat surprised by the bold statement. But he did not try to keep from saying what he felt. “I will miss you. I fear if I am gone you will put me from your mind completely.”

Her blush deepened and turned her face away. “One does not forget one’s friends.”

“Ah. Friends.” Her words did not mean what he hoped. His plans to ask her if he might court her, might try to build something beyond friendship with her, drifted back to the forefront of his mind. Realizing he already felt more than friendship made the question of courtship more important. More fraught with danger to his heart.

Their steps, hers lighter and his heavier, crunched a few leaves and twigs fallen from the bushes and trees.

It might be wiser to wait until he returned to bring up the subject. Yet—he did not want to wait. Would it not be best to speak right away and face possible heartbreak than live in fear of her denial?

“Daisy,” he said, hazarding a glance in her direction. Her expression was solemn, her profile reminding him of a Greek statue. “Before I leave, there is something I would ask you. That is—I have a thing I would like you to consider.” He let out an agitated puff of air. “Advice, if you will.”

Daisy, an organized woman with a practical mind, would likely dismiss him if he asked her directly what she thought of a future at his side. A plan formed in his mind, hastily and untidily, but entirely possible.

“Yes?” She blinked and the distance left her eyes, her attention returning to Harry. “You know I will always help you if I can.”

“I have been considering other ways to help the people here, to solidify my future, and I have come to a conclusion that may sound somewhat drastic.” He made a show of frowning and kicked a stone out of their path. “I think I ought to marry.”

Daisy’s step faltered, and he stopped a step after she did and peered down at her. She had a great deal of pink in her cheeks, put it faded quickly.

“Marry? But—”