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Lark and Mr. Branok remained in their hiding spot, though they straightened in silence before looking at one another.

“That was…” she began, shaking her head.

“Incredible,” he finished.

Lark had to agree.

She stared at the snare the owl had left behind, Mr. Branok’s jacket crumpled to the side of it. “How did you know how to do that—hold her, I mean?”

“Our guide did the very same to a pelican while we were in Hudson’s Bay. I had no idea if it would work with an owl.” He smiled. “Thank heavens it did.”

She breathed out a laugh of relief. “Thank heavens, indeed. I don’t believe she would have been alive for much longer had we not helped her.”

“No.” Mr. Branok’s brow creased. “Although, it never should have happened in the first place. More care needs to be given to snares and where they are placed. You were fortunate to have found her out here.” Then he paused. “Why are you out here? And on your own?”

“I needed an escape.”

“From being indoors?”

She hesitated. “From being with my own thoughts.”

He watched her, clearly waiting for more of an explanation, but she wasn’t certain she was ready for that. “Why did you return so early? And in the back entrance?”

He hesitated then, too. Rain had soaked through his shirtsleeves while holding the owl, and now, the see-through fabric clung to the contours of his arms.

“I needed an escape, too.” He averted his eyes. “And I needed to speak with you.”

Her stomach tightened. He hardly sounded pleased.

“About what?” she asked, attempting indifference.

He stared at the grass between them, water droplets clinging to the ends of his dark blond strands. “A delicate matter. And slightly awkward. But I must be honest, for I have learned from my mistakes before and will not avoid you again.”

She waited for him to continue as he drew a deep breath, his blue eyes soft, though weary. “It would appear there are some in our party who have misinterpreted our friendship and suspect there is something more between us than there is. Unfortunately, I believe your uncle is one of them. Not only does he seem upset with the very idea, but he also appears quite troubled due to my involvement with Blackstone’s…” He trailed off, shaking his head before continuing. “However, I would hate for his assumption to encourage him to act recklessly—specifically, to force the two of us to wed.”

Lark reeled at his words—not over the information, but over the very fact that Mr. Branok was speaking about such matters with her. Did his honesty know no bounds?

“Furthermore,” he continued, “I recognize the coincidental timing of all of this. Directly after I assure you the rumors about me being a scoundrel were untrue and that I would never intentionally involve you in anything that might sully your good name, this just so happens to occur. I cannot tell you how greatly upset I would become should anything adverse happen to you, or should you be persuaded to believe I was speaking anything other than the truth. I only pray this does not create mistrust between us, for I should like our friendship to continue. However, I will respect your decision whatever the outcome.”

He stopped, facing Lark directly with a tight jaw.

Lark replied at once, anxious to soothe his concerns. “Sir, I thank you for your transparency, but you must allow me to settle your troubles immediately. I assure you, I trust you now more than ever. And I appreciate your honesty more than you’ll ever know.”

Relief shone in his eyes as she continued.

“As for my uncle, I meant what I said before, about him not being cause for concern. He is merely protective due to…to my past.”

He watched her, his gaze heavy. She tried to hold her tongue, but his honesty before about his past produced the desire within her to share about her own.

“I do not wish to intrude,” he said softly.

“I know. But I am ready now.” She drew a deep breath. “You once asked me why my opinion of gentlemen is so poor. It is due to one man in particular. A man I’d once planned to marry.”

His jaw, still wet with rain, twitched. “I see.”

“When I was eighteen,” she continued, “I thought I had fallen in love. Mr. Yates was charming, handsome, and came from a well-respected family. At first, he doted on me, but little by little, he revealed his true self. In every way, he controlled my actions. I was no longer allowed to observe birds, walk around my own estate, or even speak with my aunt and uncle. Matters became worse when he defended the fact that he was…fraternizing with other women all while expressing his love for me.”

Mr. Branok’s brow hung dangerously low over his eyes, a subtle shaking of his head revealing how exactly he felt about Mr. Yates’s actions. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I’m sorry you ever experienced such a betrayal.”