“I hoped it wasn’t,” she assured him. “Is there something else you need?”
“Yes,” he answered but did not elaborate.
“I mean want.”
“Yes,” his eyes twinkled at her.
She didn’t even try.Is there something I can do for you?She knew the reply she would get, but she didn’t understand his levity. She closed her eyes again.
“I would be grateful if you would just leave me in peace.”Like you did the whole of last week, she could have added, but she didn’t.
“Perhaps I shall sit with you,” he said.
“No,” she replied.
“It is a lovely spot.”
“No!”
“I thought perhaps we should talk.”
“No!” That was the last thing she wanted to do.
“Okay, then we won’t talk. That’s fine. Whatever you prefer.”
“I am unchaperoned, Mr. Browning.”
“Thank god for that,” he said, and she felt his weight settle onto the bench beside her. He did not sit close enough to touch her, but she was very aware of his presence.
She opened one eye to look at him, and he was staring at the close-cut lawns and the towering rear face of the castle. She closed her eye before he saw she was looking.
“Did you really need to come to see the Duke?” Rose asked him, “Or did you just come to bait me?”
“Now you just know me too well,” he laughed and bumped her shoulder with his.
“Today is not a day for joking.”
“Really? Because I thought it was the perfect day to be happy. And grateful.”
Rose opened her eyes. He was looking straight at her.
“Which of us knew we would get this day?”
She did not reply.
“I thought the next time I saw you, you would be a married woman again.”
She looked straight back at him but again didn’t reply, even though she had so much she could say; little of it civil.
He turned to look out across the flowers. “I thought I would have to spend the rest of my days watching you on Barrington’s arm, wondering if you were safe. We have a lot to thank Lord Benson for.”
“Who?” Rose asked.
“The man who punched Ernest off the table. Apparently, he was paralytically drunk and was exceptionally rude about you before he picked on Benson’s wife. It is a good job I was not there, or the Duke might have more than a ruptured liver.”
“I can fight my own battles,” Rose said coolly.
“Well, let’s just hope this means you never have to,” Will replied.