“That’s ridiculous! They want a successful training center and stables, not gossip.”
“Gossip isexactlywhat they want.”
She felt the life drain out of her. “I can’t do gossip,” she half-whispered. She reached for a pew for support but his hand shot out and grabbed her hand instead. Whether to control her or to support her, she couldn’t have said. He gripped her hand and his other hand smoothed over hers.
“Tell me why.”
She shook her head. “I can’t.”
“Then you must come with me now because, unless you do, the finances of the estate will be severely compromised and you’ll be out of a job.”
She blinked back the tears which her fears had prompted and nodded. “I’ll come, but you don’t know what you’re doing.”
“Not unless you tell me, I don’t.”
Still with a tight grip on her hand, as if he feared she’d make a run for it—but where would she go?—they walked out of the church, through the trees, and emerged into the throng of people whose laughter and loud calls of greeting to one another filled the usually peaceful gardens.
He leaned down to her and whispered in her ear. “Smile, for goodness’ sake. And look like a happily married woman in love with her husband.”
His words nearly broke her heart. He was her husband, and he didn’t love her. She returned his gaze, steady now. “I can’t lie. Whatever I do has to be from the heart. Or not at all.”
He looked away quickly. “Then we’re doomed before we’ve begun.”
They were soon in the midst of clusters of people all wanting to meet her, and Indra found herself smiling and enjoying talking with them. Because, while Indra avoided the world outside the gates of Richmond Estate, she genuinely loved people and was soon chatting easily to everyone. Meanwhile, Sebastian never released her hand while he listened to her, adding a few comments here and a few there, but mainly just watching her. They moved between groups until everyone appeared satisfied that they’d met the happy couple at the heart of this prosperous Richmond Estate.
The afternoon passed more easily than Indra had imagined and the guests drifted away. As they farewelled more guests—a few still sat around on picnic rugs enjoying the champagne—the sun dipped lower in the sky and the heat of the day disappeared, fading into a balmy evening. But still, he didn’t relinquish her hand, and she didn’t try to tug it away anymore. Somehow, it felt right.
“For someone who doesn’t like crowds, you sure charmed our guests,” he said, waving goodbye to another couple as they drove past.
Indra also waved and smiled at the couple she’d enjoyed talking to. “I like people.”
“And they like you. As I said before, your presence sealed the success of the event.”
She turned to him. “You think so?”
His eyes narrowed as they followed the car down the avenue of trees towards the gatehouse. He looked more relaxed now than he had all day. He seemed to have enjoyed taking a back seat to her. She suddenly realized that what she’d taken for arrogance was, in fact, a natural reserve. Combine his reserve with the uncompromising bone structure of his face and he came across as someone very hard. But that hardness, she now realized, hid the real Sebastian.
“I know so,” he eventually said. “You have a natural warmth with people, which makes it all the more surprising that you shun them.” He shook his head as if perplexed. “And I don’t have a clue why.” He brushed her hair from her face. “You’re hiding something, Indra. You have secrets.”
She couldn’t deny it. But she could counter it. “As do you, I think.”
He smiled, understanding what she was doing. “Maybe. But I suspect mine are far more straightforward than yours.”
“Why? What are they?”
His smile broadened. “Darling,” he said exaggeratedly, “we still have guests around. I hardly think here and now is the time to expose my sorry story.”
“Why, do you think I’ll break down in tears?”
His smile fell. “No, butImight.”
She no longer wanted to tease, not with that glimpse of his hurting soul. “I’m sorry about what happened between you and your father, because you both ended up being hurt.”
He grunted dismissively. “My father, hurt? I very much doubt it.”
“Oh, he was hurt alright. I thought he was hurt because of how you shunned him, but now I realize the pain was worse because it was self-inflicted. I believe he suffered because he was sorry for what he’d done to you and because he couldn’t make things right.”
He shook his head. “You are a good woman, Indra, and I know you like to think the best of people, but you’re wrong in this case. I mean, come on, if he’d wanted to make things right, why would he insist on this marriage?”