Oh bloody hell.
She sat next to her friend, exchanging smiles. The vicar shook hands with Knightly and bowed to Mrs. Knightly before joining their table.
Nathan couldn’t stop looking at his Nymph. Smiles abounded at the table, gestures overflowed and laughter was in abundance. She did not speak often, but it was enough to rivet Nathan with the way her lips formed her words. He swallowed, wondering how she would taste if he were to walk over there and kiss her senseless in front of everyone. Would the inevitable facer from Knightly be worth it? I would stake a monkey on it.
Their meals arrived, but did not slow their conversation. He watched as Miss Collins picked at her food, taking small bites, each one disappearing into her mouth. Several times her eyes closed in a slow blink as she ate, as though she was consumed with ecstasy, a look that caused his mouth to dry and his trousers to tighten.
She must have felt his unwavering gaze, for at one moment she glanced his way and froze when their eyes connected. He didn’t move, didn’t smile, didn’t do anything but hold her gaze. Her gray eyes widened and a mixture of fear and uncertainty entered them before being washed away by something worse: kindness.
Miss Collins offered him a small smile and with a slight gesture with her hand, unnoticed by her companions, invited him to join their table. Why would she do that after how I treated her? How could she forgive me for being so damned callous with her?
For one moment, a need so strong overtook him, blinding him with the desire to be the vicar, to be a man good enough for her. To be able to come to her as an honorable man and claim her as his own.
Reality crashed over him when their connection was broken by something said to her. When she looked away, Nathan felt his face twist into what was becoming his customary scowl. Standing, he jammed his hat on his head and retrieved his cane, ignoring the hollow feeling in his chest. He left his half-eaten lunch and made his way out the pub door, feeling her eyes on him but refusing to look at her.
By the time he passed outside the window, she was once again laughing with her friends.
And the goddamn bloody vicar.
CHAPTER SEVEN
* * *
“Goodbye, Miss Collins!” The row of young children curtseyed and bowed appropriately before turning and running out the front door of Ridgestone, ruining the effect of their proper farewells.
“William Bishop, be sure to wait for your older brother,” Sara called out after the disappearing children. The boy in question waved as he continued to run down the driveway, racing the others to the gate. She smiled and shook her head ruefully.
She made her way back into the manor, stepping out the way of more exiting students, all rushing home for lunch. “Robert, your brother is already racing to the gate.” The fleet-footed boy was gone in a flash, dust kicking up from his heels. She saw a young lady slip on the marble stair. “Maisie, mind your step.” Sara rushed to ensure the girl was fine.
“Miss Collins, me mam sez I kin have a cake for me birf-day Saturday next!”
“Is that so, Dudley? Aren’t you lucky!” Sara turned when she felt a sharp tap, almost a push, on her back, to see two of the older boys running down the hall, laughing over their shoulders. She called out for them to slow down, but they ignored her. Furrowing her brow, she turned back to see Maisie looking at her.
“It was Henry, miss,” Maisie said, her voice almost a whisper and her eyes wide.
“What was?” Sara asked.
“He put ink all over his hand when Mrs. Knightly was teaching us sketching. He pushed you so his handprint is on your back.”
She twisted to see if she could locate the handprint, but to no avail. “Thank you, Maisie. Enjoy your lunch.” She escorted the girl out, waving the last pupils off.
Turning to make her way to the morning room, Sara pursed her lips and sighed. Henry was a bane of her existence and the primary reason she had not been able to teach the older students. Constant disruption and general disrespect were his common behaviors, and once he’d discovered he could best her in controlling the other students, he became even worse. Sara ended many days in tears before Claire and Louisa stepped in. Claire appeared to be doing a better job with him, but he was still their most difficult student.