“Gal s. Oak apples?”
Chloe was truly lost now.
“You know the globular growths underneath oak leaves? You’d do wel to spend this time col ecting them, as they contain gal ic acid, the tannins needed for the ink recipe. There’s a ladder, should you need it, but you might be able to find them on the ground over there.” She pointed to a cluster of trees just beyond the formal gardens. “I’m afraid I must get out of this heat and put my feet up. Please, Miss Parker, don’t go beyond the oak trees. Gather five or six gal s and report back to me, without any tarrying. I shan’t expect you to be long!”
Chloe nodded, happy to get ahead in a task, to break away from Grace for a while, and thril ed to be making her own ink! The cameraman fol owed her as she bounded, in her day gown and half boots, toward the trees.
She found a few oak branches on the ground, but only discovered four gal s. Propping the wooden ladder against a sturdy tree trunk, she climbed up in her flimsy-soled boots. When she looked down at the cameraman, she saw he’d set his video cam down and was talking on his cel in the kitchen garden!
As she reached for the gal s she’d spotted, she realized that, already, she was thinking less and less frequently about the prize money, and worse, didn’t think as often about Abigail. What was happening to her? Her head swirled with thoughts of an excursion with Sebastian.
Then, as if she’d conjured him, he appeared on horseback, riding toward her, or more accurately, toward Bridesbridge Place. From her vantage point on the ladder, she had a bird’s-eye view of him, in his dark hat, broad- shouldered black cutaway coat, and ruffled cravat, breeches, and riding boots.
He did look the part of a Jane Austen hero on horseback. The pounding of the hooves seemed to move the earth beneath her and she steadied herself on the ladder, wondering whether she should climb down or just stay here and Watch. Him. Ride. His. Horse.
Before she knew it, he reared up his horse right below her, because the horse would’ve crushed the video cam otherwise.
The horse neighed, and she froze as Sebastian looked around for the cameraman and then spotted her on the ladder.
He tipped his hat and, gentleman that he was, made no comment about her so obviously ogling him from her perch.
Chloe realized this was probably not the most flattering of ways to be seen—with her butt hovering above him, but she found herself unable to move. The gal s slipped out of her hand and tumbled to the ground.
He dismounted and tied his horse to a nearby tree. “I see your cameraman has disappeared, and I’ve outrun mine for the moment.”
He picked up the gal s from the ground and stared at them in his hand. “Whatever are you picking here, Miss Parker?”
A real gentleman obviously didn’t have to make his own ink.
Looking at him from above, she couldn’t help but notice a bulge in his buckskin breeches, and a thought rang through her head:
He offered his hand to help her down.
She hesitated.
“The cameramen aren’t here, it’s quite al right. I know we haven’t been formal y introduced, but please, let’s take this opportunity. I want to know everything about you—everything.”
She took his gloved hand, and when she stepped onto the ground, he didn’t let go. He just looked at her, taking her in.
He had a woodsy aroma about him, but that could’ve been the trees they were standing under.
Heat radiated between their hands, although it was summer, and they were both wearing gloves.
“You came al this way, from America, and you’re like a breath of fresh air. I so look forward to getting to know you. I debated for a long while over what we should do on our outing tomorrow. We both love art, and for a while I thought perhaps showing you the gal eries at Dartworth Hal would be best, but you’l enjoy the castle ruins on a gorgeous summer day more, I’m sure.”
He stil held on to her hand and Chloe wanted to hold on to this image of him, in the dappled late-afternoon light, so intently focused on her. She looked over both her shoulder and his, afraid a cameraman would capture them.
“You’re right to be on the lookout, Miss Parker, because even though your cameraman appears to be gone, mine wil be here any second, the scoundrel.” He made a slight bow. “Until tomorrow. If I could’ve managed our excursion any sooner, I would have. I just want you to know that.”
Normal y so talkative and quick, Chloe found herself unable to say anything. But then again, she wasn’t to speak to him until formal y introduced.
He stepped closer, and the woodsy aroma turned out to be him after al .
“You have a beautiful face.” His dark eyes moved toward her heaving bosom, set off in her square- cut neckline. “Your profile intrigues me. I should like to capture your silhouette.”
Chloe just wanted to capture—him. “I’m sure you can arrange for that to happen.” An image of darkness, him, and candlelight flickered in her head. She was real y getting into this, into him! Wait a minute. She couldn’t forget about the money. But maybe the best way to win the money would be to surrender to these early feelings for him? She wasn’t sure.
He ran his thumb across her knuckles, released her hand, poured the gal s into it, untied his horse, and mounted. “It wil happen, Miss Parker, it wil .” He tipped his hat and trotted off, his timing impeccable, as his camera crew caught up to him instantly on their ATV.
He rode away from Bridesbridge, leading her to believe he must’ve come expressly to see her and tel her that
