Leticia was bent over in the garden, snipping stems of bluebells when she heard Richard’s voice behind her.
“Nonsense,” she replied with a toss of her head. “Why would I want to avoid you?”
“You tell me,” Richard replied as he crossed his arms over his chest. He stood just in front of her on the other side of the flower bed. He was so tall that he blocked out the afternoon sun, and so, Leticia was able to comfortably look up at him. “In the last four-and-twenty hours, I do not believe we’ve spent more than two minutes in each other’s company.” With the sun behind him, there was a sort of stark difference between his lovely dark hair and the fluffy white clouds in the sky. The contrast struck Leticia, and she felt her palms begin to perspire. She put down the shears she’d been using to cut the flowers.
“That’s simply not true,” she countered. “Just this morning, we sat at breakfast together.”
“Yes,” Richard murmured, “but when I asked if you had plans for the day, you claimed your social calendar was booked solid.”
Leticia gestured to the basket of flowers she had already collected. “I have been busy—just as I said I would be.”
“And could I not have joined you here in the garden?” Richard persisted. Her mind raced toward what happened between them the last time they were alone in the garden at Lord and Lady Estelle’s Estate, and without really meaning to, her eyes floated toward his soft, pink lips.
“Leticia, is something the matter?”
“N…no—” she stammered, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. “I find it interesting that I didn’t invite you out here into the garden, and yet, here you are, asking me why I didn’t offer to have you join me. It would seem that what I think on the matter is moot as you have done exactly as you wished anyway.”
Now it was Richard’s turn to shake his head. “I have no idea what you just said.”
“Neither do I,” Leticia returned with a simple smile. She wiped her sweaty hands on the sides of her plain white day dress and stood.
“Here,” he said moving forward and gallantly reaching out to assist her, “let me help you.” When his hand touched her elbow, she felt the same spark rekindle in her as all at once a tingle raced up her arm.
“I’m fine, thank you,” she said, jerking away from him.
He tipped his head to the side and examined her. “I don’t think you are. Something seems amiss with you today.”
She sighed. “Must you always lecture me? I am at my leisure in my own home. Should I wish to hike up my skirts and dance around, shouting at the clouds overhead, I would think I was perfectly within my rights to do so.”
“And is that what you wish to do?” Richard said as he moved a fraction of an inch closer to her. She could feel the heat radiating between them. “Shall we hitch up your skirts and—”
“No,” Leticia barked, scandalized by his forward behavior. She stumbled backward, tripping over the basket of bluebells she’d collected. “I never would have thought you would say such things to a lady.”
“Nor would I,” Richard agreed as he closed the distance between them once more. “But for some reason with you, I just can’t seem to help myself.” He reached for her, and as his hand moved to cup her chin, she shied away once more.
“Richard Olsen,” she breathed, “if you try to do that again, I’ll—”
“You’ll what?” The amused smile on his face told her that not only did he want to reach for her once more, but he was planning to, regardless of what she threatened.
“I’ll…” she searched her mind, “I’ll tell your mother.”
The shock stole across his face so abruptly that Leticia could not stop herself from bursting out laughing. “You’ll tell my mother?” He chuckled now at the absurd notion. “And what do you think she would do?”
“I’ve no idea,” Leticia admitted, “but I always used to say that when we were children, and it just popped to mind now.” She began to snort as she laughed, and knowing that it was unladylike, she raised a hand to cover her face.
“No,” Richard guffawed loudly now. “Don’t shield your laughter from me.” When his fingers reached for her hand this time, she didn’t back away, and as their hilarity melted away, they stood, gazing at one another. He held her hand loosely in his own. “Leticia,” he breathed, “I was thinking—”
“Hey!” Harry’s shout stopped Richard from saying what he was thinking, and Leticia was grateful for it. She did not trust herself with him anymore as he made her feel sensations she knew she shouldn’t. “What are the two of you doing?”
“I have something in my eye,” Leticia called. “Richard is just helping me get it out.” She took a tremulous step away from him then, and as he released her hand, she made a show of bringing it to her eye and pretending to rub away whatever had been there.
“Are you all right?” Harry asked as he came closer. His face was shrouded in concern, and Leticia immediately felt sorry for misleading her cousin, especially as he was doing her such a great service by appearing at just this instant, but sometimes these things cannot be helped.
“I am perfectly well now…thank you…both,” she said, nodding to make sure Richard knew he was included. Then, she stooped to gather the bluebells. When she had stumbled upon the basket, she jostled some of them, and a few were strewn about the ground which she had to hasten to collect. “If you will excuse me, I must take these blooms into the house.”
“Now?” Harry and Richard chorused. Having collected all the flowers, she came to a fully upright position and looked first at Richard. She could tell by the look on his face, he had been hoping to spend more time with her this afternoon.
“I came out here to see if either of you fancied a ride,” Harry said as he nodded toward the stables. “I understand Puck, Helena, and Hermia were brought to Pearl House early this morning, and I imagine they are just as anxious as I am to get out and take a long ride around the property.”