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“Thank you, my lord.” She turned slowly to take in the view. “It is truly magnificent.”

He smiled. “I have always thought so, but as it has been in my family for generations, I am slightly biased.”

She returned his smile. “Rest assured, my lord, your judgment is not the least bit clouded.”

He offered her his arm. She took it, grateful to note that Alice had already alighted from the carriage and had claimed one of Asher’s hands firmly in her own. The little boy was skipping with excitement.

“I apologize for Asher’s overly enthusiastic greeting, my lord.”

“No apology needed,” he said. “As someone who has become far too comfortable with his present situation, it is a poignant reminder of what I am missing by not having children in the house.”

The ache in Jane’s heart was all too familiar, but this time, its intensity caught her by surprise, and she stumbled.

“Forgive me,” the earl said. “I was not paying sufficient attention to our path.”

Jane shook her head as she pushed past the pain. Of course Lord Bloxley wished for children. He was so marvelous with Asher. And he would want an heir to inherit this incredible house. “It was nothing, my lord. I am well.”

He studied her face, and she saw confusion in his hazel eyes. “You are sure?”

“Yes.” She looked away. It would not do for him to realize how much his words had hurt. Especially as he had done nothing wrong.

“Are we going to the pond now?” Asher said. He was still skipping.

“If that is acceptable to Miss Hadford,” Lord Bloxley said.

“Of course.” Jane forced cheeriness into her voice. This was to be a happy day, after all.

“We will need to cut through the gardens and a rather large field to reach our destination. I have a well-behaved mare in my stables, if you would prefer to ride.”

Jane’s stomach twisted. It seemed that the long-term effects of her injuries were destined to torture her even further today. “That is very thoughtful of you, my lord. Unfortunately, after my accident, my father forbade me from mounting a horse again.” At the earl’s stunned expression, she felt compelled to continue. “I hope it will not always be so, but when it comes to my relationship with my father, there have been other battles more important to win.”

“Such as allowing Asher to stay in your home,” he guessed.

She inclined her head. “That was certainly one of them.”

“May I inquire what else would be so important that it would prevent you from fighting to ride again? I may be presumptuous, but I would guess you were a fine horsewoman.”

“I was. I am,” she said. “And therein lies the problem. I was galloping extremely fast when I fell. My father fears that once in the saddle, I would not be content with a leisurely walk and would, therefore, put myself at risk again. Unfortunately, I tend to agree with him.” She gave a sad smile. “I watched my father endure his own torture during my painful and slow recovery. If possible, I would rather not put him through that again, so I shall not mount another horse unless I deem it absolutely necessary.”

“And a trip to the nearby pond does not qualify?” he said.

“Not unless your field is riddled with crocodiles.”

“What’s a cwocodile?” Asher asked, bounding up in time to hear the last part of their conversation.

“A creature far bigger than a newt and that does not live anywhere near Bloxley Hall—or England, for that matter,” Lord Bloxley said. He pointed to a basket at the top of the steps. “If you and Alice look in that basket, I think you will discover a net and a couple of jars just right for catching newts and tadpoles.”

Asher needed no further encouragement. In seconds, he was running up the steps, with Alice valiantly attempting to keep up with him.

“We can wait here, I think,” the earl said. “Then we shall make our way around the house.”

“Thank you for your consideration, my lord.” She hesitated. She had never told anyone else what she’d told him about her father. Phoebe and Aunt Millward had surely guessed, but Jane had never voiced her struggle before. And so, for the last few minutes, she had waited, expecting the impression that she had acted foolishly to come. But it had not. For some reason, she felt that she could trust Lord Bloxley.

“You asked about my other battles,” she said. “They will sound very minor, but they were huge hurdles at one time.” She looked away, not wanting to see pity in his eyes. “I fought to prevent the physician from bleeding me whilst I was immobile. I fought to descend and ascend the stairs unaccompanied. I fought to allow my younger sister to attend social events even though I was not well enough to go. And when I was improved, I fought to enter and exit the carriage without being carried.”

Asher’s and Alice’s voices filled the air, but complete silence hung between Jane and Lord Bloxley. Jane kept her eyes averted, but she could feel his gaze upon her.

“And you have been battling thus for five years?”