“Appley,” the Marquess greeted, stepping out of the front door to join them on the drive. “How are you, my friend?”
“Looking forward to our hunt. And you?”
“I am, indeed.”
The friends greeted each other heartily, shaking hands. It was clear that they felt genuine comradery for one another.
The Earl cannot be all bad if he has won the friendship of the Marquess.
Diana watched them converse about their coming hunt. The Marquess had asked Diana to join them and had arranged for Gabriel to ride along beside her to ensure her safety while the other men charged on ahead.
Tobias, Earl of Appley, was a handsome man with a firm square jaw, broad shoulders, nearly as tall as the Marquess, with bright deep copper- toned hair, and jade-green eyes that shined with such a light as to give the impression of glowing. Diana had not imagined him as such in her fearful musings. In her mind he had been a hook-nosed tyrant, not Adonis personified.
He is handsome indeed, but is he kind?
Diana watched the exchange between the two noblemen. One would never have known that the Marquess held a higher rank than the Earl, the way they treated one another with mutual deference and respect.
Perhaps I have misjudged the Earl. Only time will tell me whether I was right to avoid meeting him or whether I owe him and my parents an apology.
“Come, let us go inside,” the Dowager Marchioness invited. “I have instructed the cook to prepare all of your favorites for dinner this evening, but for now, she has made a lovely tea for us in the drawing room.”
“A delight, My Lady,” the Earl smiled at her words and offered the Dowager his arm to escort her back into the house. The Marquess did the same for Diana and they all walked together.
Tea was a lovely affair with scones, clotted cream, and strawberries. Gabriel’s mother was indeed a wonderful cook and Diana relished every bite. The Marquess and the Earl regaled her with stories of their past hunts together and shared with her their hopes for the coming days. Their excitement was catching, and Diana found herself actually looking forward to it. She was not certain how she felt about being paired with Gabriel in front of the others, as she feared she would not be able to hide her interest in him.
Wouldn’t that incite a lovely scandal.
Diana resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the thought. The Dowager Marchioness was not a woman to take such things lightly. Diana would surely pay a dear price were her secret attraction known.
You must banish all thoughts of Gabriel from your mind. He is a stable hand, and no matter how interesting you may find him, your family, and society at large, would never approve.
Diana thoroughly chastised her errant heart. Shaking her head in frustration with herself, Diana attempted to turn her attention back to their honored guest.
“I have been most anxious to meet you, Lady Diana. My mother and your parents have told me so many pleasant things about you. It is my hope that we might become better acquainted while I am here,” the Earl of Appley was saying, as Diana came out of her internal reverie. He was leaning toward her, attempting to speak privately, but everyone in the room could hear what he was saying, even though they pretended not to notice. It was clear that he was interested in pursuing a courtship with her.
“That is most kind of you, My Lord,” Diana replied, uncertain as to what else to say. She would not commit to anything with him, but she could not refuse to spend time with him while he was a guest of the house. Though she herself was a guest, it would still have been poor manners to refuse his invitation.
“I am certain that I will learn much from the both of you on the hunt.” She hoped that this last statement would be enough to appease him for the time being.
“I would be more than happy to teach you whatever you desire.”
The Marquess, apparently seeing Diana’s discomfiture, interjected himself into the conversation at this point.
“Shall we go out and see the horses? I have a yearling that I believe shows great promise.”
“Yes, indeed, let us sojourn forth. Show me this magnificent beast of which you speak,” the Earl agreed, rising. He extended his hand to Diana to aid her in standing. Left with little choice, Diana accepted and joined the men in their stroll to the stables.
As they walked, the Earl tucked Diana’s hand into his arm and led her along by his side. He was entirely too close in body for Diana’s comfort, but she was at a loss as what to do about it. It was clear that he was under the impression that she shared their parents’ desire for a match between them. To him, the matter appeared to be a foregone conclusion, while Diana was doing everything in her power to simply not run away.
She felt a moment of guilt for her thoughts as he had not actually done anything to earn her ire. He was handsome, charming, if not a bit presumptive, but that was common among their kind.
He is used to being sought after and getting his own way.
As they walked into the stables, Diana’s heart beat a bit faster. Part of her longed to see Gabriel again, as she had not seen him since their last ride together, but another part of her knew that it was not a good idea. She certainly did not wish for him to see her hanging on the arm of another man, but when she attempted to remove her hand from the Earl’s arm, he simply reached up to squeeze it affectionately, completely misinterpreting the movement’s intention.
Diana tried again, this time more forcibly, to remove her hand from his grasp but it was too late. Gabriel had already seen them and was rapidly approaching. Sighing, Diana straightened her shoulders and prepared herself to appear indifferent to his presence.
I fear that it would be easier to walk on water.
Gabriel was cleaning out stalls when he heard a small party of people approaching. Lifting his head, he caught sight of the Marquess entering the stables, followed by the Earl of Appley and Lady Diana. When he saw Lady Diana’s hand through the Earl’s arm, the Earl’s hand resting atop of hers, his entire being felt as if it had been doused in ice-cold water. His heart stuttered in his chest and he stepped out of the stall, before he realized what he was doing. He approached them faster than he should have.
“How may I be of service, My Lord?” he asked, forcing his gaze to the Marquess.
“We have come to see how the yearling is coming along.”
“Ah, she is doing very well, indeed. Give me but a moment and I will have her out in the paddock for you to enjoy in the light.”
“Excellent, Gabriel, thank you,” the Marquess smiled, pleased at the suggestion.
Bowing slightly, Gabriel turned away and went to retrieve the yearling. It was the same animal that he had been working with the day Lady Diana arrived. It took all of his strength not to turn around and pull her from the Earl’s grasp.
He is the man that she is meant to be with, not I.
Bracing himself, he turned to see if they were still behind him or if they had left the stables. He found Lady Diana staring after him, an unreadable expression in her eyes.
“Shall we go and wait at the paddock?” the Marquess was suggesting. The group turned and followed him outside.
Gabriel haltered the yearling and followed after them. He watched as the Earl led Lady Diana over to the paddock wall and lifted her up onto the stone so that she might sit comfortably and watch the yearling run. A surge of anger coursed through him that another man would dare to lay hands upon her waist. Gabriel remembered all too well how that waist had felt in his own hands and he could not help but feel a sense of possession. He knew it was not reasonable, but he could no more have stopped how he felt than he could have stopped the sun from rising.
He growled low in his throat, causing the horse to nicker back in return.
“Shh, all is well, young one,” he murmured soothingly. “All is well.”
He knew that the horse could sense his emotions and that the words he murmured were a lie, for it felt as if the world would never be right again.
How am I to stand by
and watch while she rides away with another man? How am I to remember my position in life, when she looks at me with those eyes? How am I to ever let her go?
Diana looked up at his approach and met his eyes. What he saw there shattered his heart.
Is that a tear I see in those amber depths?
Diana watched Gabriel approach the paddock with the yearling in tow and her heart felt as if it were breaking. The look in his eyes was undeniable. There was no hiding the pain and longing that they both felt, even though they had never spoken a word about their feelings for one another. They had not known each other for very long at all and yet there was an undeniable invisible string pulling them ever closer together.
Tears sprang to Diana’s eyes at the sight of the war in his eyes. She forced herself to look away, for fear that someone else in their party would notice.
“Are you well, Lady Diana?” the Earl asked, concern furrowing his brow.
“Oh, yes, it is nothing but a bit of dust in my eyes from the stables.”
The Earl produced a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. “Shall I return you to the house so that you might wash it out?”
“No, I will recover. Thank you.” She dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief for effect, as if she were wiping the imaginary dust away, then turned her attention to the now released yearling running and kicking in the open space.
“She is lovely,” she murmured, feeling a sense of pride in Gabriel’s work.
“She is indeed,” the Marquess answered, his chest puffed up in pride also. “Gabriel is the best horseman around. I could not have asked for anyone better to aid me in my quest.”
“Your quest?” Diana inquired, curious as to his meaning.
“To produce the fastest horse in all of England,” the Earl answered for his friend. “Ernest has been working on it for years. He has accomplished some very impressive things thus far with his breeding program. He is constantly telling me of his man Gabriel and how he can handle horses as well as I…” The Earl paused and flushed, unwilling to finish his sentence.
“As well as you handle what, My Lord?” Diana asked mischievously, already knowing the answer from the red tint of his face. Women…
“Never you mind about that,” the Earl patted her hand in reassurance. “Those days are long past. I am a settled man now.”
“I see,” Diana answered, a teasing light in her eyes. It was the first time since meeting him that she was able to truly smile. Unfortunately, it was at his expense and not in admiration of him.
“I should guard my speech more carefully,” he muttered, upset with himself for having revealed too much about his youthful activities.
“I wish that you would not,” Diana admitted. “I much prefer open honesty to well-guarded decorum, but it is that very quality that has brought me here, so perhaps you should not take my advice.”
“Oh, how so?”
Diana weighed just how much to tell him. She did not wish to hurt his feelings, but also did not wish to lie. She decided on a middle ground. “I have been sent to Westwallow to improve my sense of social decorum.”
“I cannot imagine that you would need any such help. Your manners are impeccable,” the Earl complimented sincerely.
“Thank you, but my parents and the Dowager Marchioness would disagree with you. I have a bit of a rebellious heart,” she admitted, shrugging her shoulders apologetically. “I have attempted over the years to temper it, but to no avail.”
“I admire spirit,” the Earl reassured her.
Diana smiled. “You may live to regret such admiration.”
“Ah, I might, but I sincerely doubt it. Even were I to do so, regret is not in my nature. Life is entirely too brief and should be savored to its fullest measure. A spirited person has simply realized this fact and acted upon it accordingly.”
Diana cocked her head to the side and studied his face. “You, my dear Earl, are far more interesting than I would ever have guessed. I fear I may have misjudged you before we ever met.”
“I take no offense.” He smiled warmly at her from his place leaning against the wall. “You did not know me then.”
“No, I did not.” Diana turned her eyes back out to the field where the horse was still running about. “Do you believe our parents to be right in their assessment of us?” She had not meant to ask the question, but honesty was a strange thing, in that once you began, it was difficult to cease from continuing on with it.
“I do,” he nodded, turning her gaze back to his eyes. They sparkled like emeralds in the light and she found herself being drawn in, in spite of herself. They were not the soulful blue eyes of Gabriel, but they held their own sense of mystery that was intriguing. She could easily see how he would have drawn the attention of many ladies within the realm.
“Now that I have met you, I am even more convinced that it is right and proper.”
“How can you be so certain of a person that you barely know?”
“All that a person must do to know you, beautiful Lady Diana, is to look into your eyes. Your spirit shines through with such an intense light that a man cannot help but be drawn in. I cannot imagine a more suitable bride. The thought of being able to gaze into those amber eyes every day for the rest of my life is the most appealing notion that I have ever been presented with. You do not share my certainty?”
Diana shook her head, her face apologetic. “I do not.” She proceeded to tell him the story of her sister’s love and loss so that he might better understand her reticence and not be offended by her reservation.
“I understand,” he nodded his head in genuine sympathy. “I am confident that such a love will come in time, if only we open our hearts to the possibility of its cultivation.”
Diana smiled at his optimism. “I admire your hopeful nature.”
“It is a start,” he smiled back at her.
A motion from the corner of her eye made Diana look up and she found Gabriel staring daggers at the Earl. The Marquess saw it, too, and looked back and forth between Diana and the stable hand. A dawning light of understanding came across his face and he met Diana’s eyes with such a look of sympathy that it made her heart turn over in her chest. A gentle shake of his head told her that her secret was safe with him and he moved away to go and speak with Gabriel about the horse.
The faintest whisper of voices drifted back to Diana from the paddock field. “She is not for you, Gabriel. Her fate is already decided.”
“I know, My Lord, but it does not change how I feel.”
“I know, lad, and I am sorry for it.” The Marquess laid a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder in consolation. “Perhaps it is time that you chose a wife for yourself. It would go a long way to removing such temptations.”
“I have been giving the matter similar thought myself,” Gabriel admitted, causing Diana’s heart to stutter in her chest.
No! Every fiber of her being cried out in protest.
“Shall I begin to make inquiries on your behalf?” the Marquess offered, his tone compassionate.
Gabriel nodded slowly. “Perhaps that would be best.”
“Very well. I shall do so upon the first opportunity. I would be happy to sponsor a servants’ dance if you feel that such would be beneficial.”
“I will give it some thought, but I am certain that everyone within the household would appreciate such a gesture, My Lord.”
“Very well,” the Marquess nodded and turned to walk back to his guest, who seemed not to have heard a word of the conversation as he was so enamored with the yearling’s antics.
Diana’s eyes met Gabriel’s and she felt as if her stomach had dropped down to her toes. She wanted to race across the grass between them and beg him not to wed another, but years of propriety and breeding held her feet fast in place upon the earth. Sighing, Gabriel nodded, accepting the marriage with anguish. He closed his eyes, and turned away, leaving Diana to stand in despair with her heart broken.
Chapter 11
When Diana re
turned to the house, the Dowager Marchioness was awaiting her in the drawing room to resume their lessons. The Dowager was particularly interested in making certain that Diana would be exceptionally well-mannered for that evening’s dinner with the Earl.
“We cannot allow anything to go wrong. You must show the Earl that you are a consummate lady in every respect. This evening must be perfect.”
Diana eyed the Dowager warily. She had never seen the woman so excited as she was in that moment. The older lady’s eyes practically glowed with anticipation. It was rather unnerving, given her prior behavior towards Diana. It was as if the mere presence of the Earl had lit a spark within her elderly heart and had the Dowager been a younger woman, Diana would have suspected that she was smitten with the Earl herself.
The Enigmatic Lady in the Ivory Tower Page 7