Rebel Marquess by Amy Sandas Read Free Book Online Page B

confusion was charming and Rutherford scowled more fiercely. “How long have you been out here, Miss Terribury?”
    She paused in her attempts to smooth back the wispy strands of brown hair that had slipped from her chignon. Looking at him with round eyes, she blinked. Then she lowered her brows and tilted her head to the side as she peered up at the sky.
    “Well, the sun is not yet terribly high, so I imagine it is still somewhat early in the day. I can only hazard a guess to say it must be sometime around ten or eleven o’clock?”
    She finished with a question and a smile, making him wonder if the girl were ever out of sorts. When he didn’t answer, she continued. “If that is the case, then I have been here for approximately three hours or so.”
    “Do you often make a habit of falling asleep in unfamiliar landscapes?”
    Her eyes grew wide. “Oh, but this landscape and I have become quite well known to each other this morning.” As she spoke, she pushed herself to her knees and adjusted her skirts as if in preparation to rise.
    With manners bred firmly into his muscle and bone, Rutherford straightened and held out a hand.
    She paused and dropped her head back to look up at him with an odd expression on her face, as if she were surprised by his offer to assist her. The angle of the sun brought out flecks of gold in the depths of her muddy-green eyes that danced with gentle merriment. After a brief moment of consideration, her lips curved softly, as if she didn’t even realize she was smiling.
    Neither of them wore gloves. Her hand was warm and smooth and gripped his firmly as she rose to her feet. Then she turned to pick up her shawl. She kept the notebook tucked securely beneath her arm and he wondered what it contained to be treated with such care.
    “I will escort you back to the house.” It was the gentlemanly thing to do and his grandmother had made damned sure he knew his role as gentleman.
    “No, thank you.” She answered without even pausing in the act of shaking her shawl free of loose bits of grass that clung to it. She draped the length of wool over her arm and then lifted her gaze back to his face. Coughing lightly, she pressed the back of her hand over her mouth as her eyes danced with humor.
    “Goodness, you look positively dumbfounded. Hasn’t anyone ever said no to you before?”
    Dumbfounded? He cleared his throat. “Not in recent memory.”
    She lowered her hand and the flash of her grin drew his attention. The woman was unfortunately attractive when she smiled like that.
    “I am thrilled to offer you a new experience then.”
    She was teasing him.
    He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.
    “Are you expecting another escort?” he asked with a bit of annoyance in his tone. “Sir Randolph perhaps?”
    Her eyes widened comically. “Who?”
    He wished he hadn’t mentioned it. It didn’t matter to him if she was waiting for a mysterious beau. “You said his name as you awakened.”
    She appeared to hold back a laugh. “He must have been a remnant of a dream since I haven’t met anyone one by that name. To clarify my refusal, my lord, I am not heading back to the house quite yet.” She looked past his shoulder to where the hill sloped downward into a lightly wooded landscape dotted with sheep. “I would like to explore a bit more.”
    Rutherford heaved a sigh. Her amusement was curious, but it seemed he would be forced to play escort after all. Suddenly, his stomach felt terribly empty. He had not eaten before heading out that morning and was looking forward to some of cook’s wonderful smoked salmon.
    “Lead the way, Miss Terribury.”
    She laughed and eyed him with an earnest glint in her gaze. “Truly, it is not necessary for you accompany me. I am capable of traversing the dangerous Essex countryside on my own.”
    “That may be so, but Grandmother would have my head if I did not insist.”
    She shrugged then, but her lips retained a sort of half smile. “Well, I would hate