Chapter 14
Fourteen
“ I t looks like a sheet of crystal,” Audrey said as her gaze swept over the expanse of the frozen lake, sunlight spilling across the surface in dazzling patterns.
The ice shimmered, alive with refracted light, and for a moment, it felt as though the entire world had been encased in a delicate, glittering frost.
She waited for Cedric to respond. Surely, he would share her appreciation for the sight. But the only sound that came was the restless shift of his horse’s hooves in the snow. Turning her head, she found her husband still on his horse, his expression unsettlingly tense. His gloved hands were gripping the reins with a force that made the black leather creak, and his face—so often stoic—was unusually pale.
“Cedric?” she called softly, her eyebrows knitting together. His tension felt out of place, like a sour note in a melody. Without thinking, she reached over, her gloved fingers brushing against his. “Are you quite all right?”
His head jerked toward her, as though emerging from some dark reverie, and he blinked twice before responding, “I am.” His voice was brusque. Too brusque.
Audrey narrowed her eyes at him, unconvinced, but before she could press him further, he jumped down from his horse with practiced ease. He turned his attention to tethering the animal to a nearby tree, his movements brisk and efficient, and then moved to help her dismount.
For all his earlier distraction, his hands were steady as they gripped her waist, lifting her off the horse with far more care than necessary. She could feel his strength even through the layers of her cloak, his touch both grounding and disarming. Her boots crunched against the snow as she landed, and she looked up at him, her curiosity unabated.
“This way,” he said, his deep voice cutting through the stillness.
Without waiting for a reply, he gestured toward the lake, placing a hand on the small of her back to guide her.
Audrey allowed herself to be led, though she stole a glance at his face. The stiffness in his jaw remained, a reminder of the earlier moment that still hung between them. She resolved to let it pass for now. Cedric, after all, was a man who carried his secrets like armor, and prying at the wrong time would do more harm than good.
By the lake’s edge, a low stone bench sat beneath the bare branches of an old oak tree. Cedric gestured for her to sit, then knelt to open the satchel he had brought with him. From it, he retrieved two pairs of skates, their metal blades gleaming in the winter sunlight.
“Has this bench always been here?” Audrey asked, adjusting her skirts as she took her seat.
“No,” Cedric replied, not looking up from his task. “Cecilia had it placed here. She thought it impractical to lace skates while standing.”
Audrey smiled faintly. “A very practical woman, then.”
“She was,” he said simply.
The warmth in his voice as he spoke of his sister softened his otherwise stern demeanor, and Audrey felt a pang of curiosity. There was so much she wished to know about Cecilia, about the family Cedric kept so carefully guarded. But instinct told her to tread lightly. So, she changed the topic.
“When did you last skate, Your Grace?” she asked, her tone light.
He straightened, extending a hand to help her to her feet. “Eleven winters ago.”
Audrey’s eyes widened. “That’s an age ago. Do you think you’ll remember how?”
A faint smile spread across his lips. “It is said to be like riding a horse. The skill doesn’t leave you.”
“Well then,” she said, lifting her chin with mock confidence, “I trust I am in capable hands.”
“You’d better be,” he replied as he guided her onto the ice.
Cedric stepped forward with ease, his skates gliding over the surface in smooth, confident strokes. Audrey, however, wobbled almost instantly, her arms flailing for balance.
“Lean forward slightly,” Cedric instructed, skating back to steady her. His hands found her waist again, firm and reassuring. “And bend your knees.”
She followed his instructions, her cheeks flushing as she realized how closely he was holding her.
“Do you mean to keep hold of me all afternoon?” she teased, though she didn’t entirely mind the prospect.
“That depends,” he replied, his lips curling into a slow, teasing smile. “Do you mean to keep flailing like this?”
She laughed, breathless. “Perhaps I enjoy having you so near.”
His dark eyes locked onto hers, and the faint humor in his expression softened into something warmer, more intense. “Perhaps I enjoy it, too.”
Audrey’s heart fluttered, but before she could respond, Cedric released her, stepping back.
“Let’s see what you’ve learned,” he said.
She took a tentative step, then another, gliding forward shakily. Her arms flailed, but she remained upright.
“Look!” she exclaimed, her voice bright with triumph. “I’m skating!”
“Indeed, you are,” Cedric said approvingly as he followed her. “Though I’d advise against celebrating too soon.”
“Oh, ye of little faith,” she shot back, grinning as she attempted a more confident move.
But her newfound confidence proved premature. Her foot hit an uneven patch of ice, and she pitched forward with a yelp. Cedric caught her easily, his arms strong and steady as they pulled her against him.
“Careful, Duchess,” he murmured, his breath warm against her temple. “I’d hate for your first lesson to end with bruises.”
Audrey’s heart raced, her awareness of his closeness more acute than ever. For a moment, she could only stare up at him, her words caught somewhere between her brain and her lips.
“Thank you,” she managed at last, her voice quieter than she had intended.
His expression softened, his gaze lingering on her for a fraction too long. Then, he stepped back. “Shall we try again?”
They continued, their banter light and playful as Cedric guided her through the motions. Audrey found herself laughing more than she had in months, each slip and near-fall an opportunity for teasing and flirtation. She marveled at how easily he moved, his strength and confidence drawing her gaze time and again.
But then came the sound—a sharp, ominous crack that echoed across the lake. Audrey froze, her heart leaping into her throat as the ice beneath her shifted.
“Cedric,” she began, but before she could say more, the ice gave way.
A sudden, sickening plunge stole her breath as she was swallowed by the freezing water.
The cold was merciless, biting and suffocating all at once. Panic clawed at her chest as she flailed, her clothes dragging her down. The surface seemed impossibly far, the light above her growing dimmer with each passing moment.
But then, through the haze of fear and cold, she saw Cedric diving after her with a single-minded determination. His strong arms reached for her, pulling her close, and the sight of him filled her with a fragile, desperate hope.
The water closed in on her, and her strength waned. As darkness crept around the edges of her vision, she clung to the thought of Cedric’s grip, the only anchor in the freezing abyss.
And then there was nothing.