young age, and as you still appear to be in some kind of pain, the gentleman in me cannot allow you to carry anything that may inflict further discomfort.”
“Oh for pities sake.” Livvy glared at him. “We merely left you surrounded by silly young ladies. How bad can that have possibly been for you? Five years ago you couldn’t get enough of that sort of universal adoration.”
He regained his feet in a fluid gesture as she picked up the last dead flower, and then she felt his hands around her waist and suddenly she was standing.
“Please don’t do that, my lord!”
“Do what?” he said, looking as if he had no idea what she was talking about, however Livvy was fairly certain he did.
“Pick me up,” she snapped.
“I was merely assisting you, as your arms were full.”
Livvy was not fooled by his innocent look. “Do not toy with me, my lord, I am no longer a simpering young maid who will worship at your overlarge feet.”
He sighed, a long weighty one that started at his toes.
“I have apologized for leaving you without a word, Olivia, yet still you are angry with me.”
“As I have stated, Lord Ryder, I neither care that you left nor that you have returned, but if I did, then a handful of words carelessly spoken would not make up for the hurt that you caused. Not to me, you understand,” she rushed to add. “I have no need of your empty apologies, but your family, I’m sure, deserve more from you.” Livvy drew a breath hoping it would steady her.
He looked at her, eyes solemn.
“And yet I say again that your attitude towards me would suggest I did indeed hurt you, Olivia, and you insult me by suggesting my apology was empty.”
“Then you can take your leave, my lord, as we have nothing further to say to each other,” she added, walking away from him.
“Leave? When the company I am keeping is so delightful? Surely you jest,” Will said, following her for no other reason than he couldn’t seem to get himself to leave. She halted again, her cinnamon eyes looking up at him. Will had to clench his fists to stop himself from touching the bruises beneath. She was tired and worried and he wanted to know why.
“Don’t flirt with me, Lord Ryder, I am no longer available for your amusement.”
“Are we flirting?”
“We are not flirting, you are flirting, please note the difference.”
Will held her eyes for several seconds and he saw another change in her, she was stronger willed than she used to be—however so was he.
“I thought we were talking as old friends often do.”
“As I have already explained, my lord, we are no longer friends, merely acquaintances.”
“Would an acquaintance know about your love of butterflies and that your favourite book is the “The Aurelian” by Moses Harris, and the butterfly you most wish to see is the Purple Emperor?” Will fell in beside her as she began to walk away with the flowers. “Or that you cannot roll your tongue as I can and—”
“I have no wish to discuss the past,” Olivia interrupted him, her voice sounding shrill. “Go and meet whoever it is you were meeting, Lord Ryder, this is not work for men and certainly not a lord.”
Will thought about that as he trailed along beside her.
“So because I am both a man and a lord I am therefore exempt from carrying flowers?”
Her teeth snapped together so hard he feared they would shatter.
“Men do not traditionally do the church flowers, Lord Ryder, as you very well know.”
“Is the Derby still run on the 21 st of December, Olivia?” he said, changing the subject because it was a foolish one. She was walking fast to try to outstride him, which was ridiculous because his stride was two of hers.
“Yes.”
“Excellent, I shall be settled by then and look forward to an entertaining day, especially as you are to compete.”
“You are leaving Twoaks then?”
She wasn’t looking at him so Will couldn’t tell if she was happy or sad
“Oh for pities sake.” Livvy glared at him. “We merely left you surrounded by silly young ladies. How bad can that have possibly been for you? Five years ago you couldn’t get enough of that sort of universal adoration.”
He regained his feet in a fluid gesture as she picked up the last dead flower, and then she felt his hands around her waist and suddenly she was standing.
“Please don’t do that, my lord!”
“Do what?” he said, looking as if he had no idea what she was talking about, however Livvy was fairly certain he did.
“Pick me up,” she snapped.
“I was merely assisting you, as your arms were full.”
Livvy was not fooled by his innocent look. “Do not toy with me, my lord, I am no longer a simpering young maid who will worship at your overlarge feet.”
He sighed, a long weighty one that started at his toes.
“I have apologized for leaving you without a word, Olivia, yet still you are angry with me.”
“As I have stated, Lord Ryder, I neither care that you left nor that you have returned, but if I did, then a handful of words carelessly spoken would not make up for the hurt that you caused. Not to me, you understand,” she rushed to add. “I have no need of your empty apologies, but your family, I’m sure, deserve more from you.” Livvy drew a breath hoping it would steady her.
He looked at her, eyes solemn.
“And yet I say again that your attitude towards me would suggest I did indeed hurt you, Olivia, and you insult me by suggesting my apology was empty.”
“Then you can take your leave, my lord, as we have nothing further to say to each other,” she added, walking away from him.
“Leave? When the company I am keeping is so delightful? Surely you jest,” Will said, following her for no other reason than he couldn’t seem to get himself to leave. She halted again, her cinnamon eyes looking up at him. Will had to clench his fists to stop himself from touching the bruises beneath. She was tired and worried and he wanted to know why.
“Don’t flirt with me, Lord Ryder, I am no longer available for your amusement.”
“Are we flirting?”
“We are not flirting, you are flirting, please note the difference.”
Will held her eyes for several seconds and he saw another change in her, she was stronger willed than she used to be—however so was he.
“I thought we were talking as old friends often do.”
“As I have already explained, my lord, we are no longer friends, merely acquaintances.”
“Would an acquaintance know about your love of butterflies and that your favourite book is the “The Aurelian” by Moses Harris, and the butterfly you most wish to see is the Purple Emperor?” Will fell in beside her as she began to walk away with the flowers. “Or that you cannot roll your tongue as I can and—”
“I have no wish to discuss the past,” Olivia interrupted him, her voice sounding shrill. “Go and meet whoever it is you were meeting, Lord Ryder, this is not work for men and certainly not a lord.”
Will thought about that as he trailed along beside her.
“So because I am both a man and a lord I am therefore exempt from carrying flowers?”
Her teeth snapped together so hard he feared they would shatter.
“Men do not traditionally do the church flowers, Lord Ryder, as you very well know.”
“Is the Derby still run on the 21 st of December, Olivia?” he said, changing the subject because it was a foolish one. She was walking fast to try to outstride him, which was ridiculous because his stride was two of hers.
“Yes.”
“Excellent, I shall be settled by then and look forward to an entertaining day, especially as you are to compete.”
“You are leaving Twoaks then?”
She wasn’t looking at him so Will couldn’t tell if she was happy or sad
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