Chapter 22 #2
Gerald took the innuendo in stride. Quite literally. He took a few steps and stood before her as she was sitting in her armchair. It was clearly an intimidating tactic, since he was so tall that she had to crane her neck in order to look upon him.
“I came to personally invite you,” he said with an infuriating smile, “for a little stroll before dinner. The sun will be down soon.”
She blinked at him slowly to make sure she heard him correctly. His smug smile never left his face.
“A stroll,” Arabella repeated slowly, setting her book aside with deliberate care. “I see. And should I expect that we will speak during this excursion, or merely admire the scenery in silence?”
“Would you join me for a stroll, Arabella?” he asked and extended his hand at her.
Perhaps it was morbid curiosity, perhaps a good opportunity to scout where she could bury his body after she killed him. The result was that she took his hand and decided to ignore the satisfied look on his face.
She didn’t abandon his hand as they walked out of the room, and not long after that, he added another one on her waist as they were going down the stairs.
Arabella was quite suspicious because this was clearly not normal behavior for the Duke.
She decided to see where this was going, so she said nothing and, with a cold composure, accepted his escort.
They went outside, and the weather was indeed splendid. It was the first time that Arabella in her life felt so angry at such beautiful weather. If it were slightly chilly or overcast, she could have used that as an excuse to get out of his grasp and back into her room.
“It would be a waste to be inside on such a beautiful evening,” Gerald said.
Arabella decided it was prudent not to give him the satisfaction of being right, so she just kept on walking by his side.
And yet she felt the cool air on her skin and the smell of fresh grass calming her nerves.
She did not exaggerate when she said that she found the Albury estate utterly magnificent.
“Have you had the chance to visit the maze?” Gerald asked out of the blue.
“I only recently had asked our gardeners to take care of this,” Arabella decided to steer the conversation into estate matters. “I was told that it was quite inaccessible and unused for a time.”
“I believe the restoration is concluded,” Gerald responded with that same smile. “It is not that far; we can visit it now.”
Arabella turned and looked at him, squinting in suspicion. Granted, she didn’t know the Duke for many years to know all of his quirks, but she was sure that the Cruel Duke was not one to enjoy serene walks in his gardens and indulge himself wandering into hedge mazes.
“Is there something on my face, Arabella?” he teased her.
“You are smiling.”
“I have been known to do that from time to time.”
“I did not look at the clock, but I could say that you have been smiling for the past ten minutes at least.”
“I was not aware there was some specific timeframe one was to maintain a pleasant disposition,” he smirked at her.
“For other people, there isn’t such a timeframe,” Arabella bit down. “But for you, anything more than a momentary slip into a smile could be cause for concern. I am inclined to call the doctor.”
Gerald threw his head back and let out a laugh, a sight so rare that Arabella was momentarily stunned. It was the first time she had actually seen him laugh loudly.
“I assure you, Arabella,” he turned to her, “there is no cause for concern.”
Oh, but there was. Arabella was quite concerned about her self-composure, her restraint, and finally her sanity. But still, she followed him into the maze.
“This place,” Gerald said as he guided her through the corridors, “was supposed to be the jewel of the estate.”
“I have heard that it was legendary.”
“I never had any reason to return it to its previous glory,” he said suddenly, somber.
His tone made her look at him. He was not teasing or joking anymore. He sensed her look upon him and added, leaning closer,
“Not until now, anyway.”
The best course of action for Arabella, so she could preserve the basic functions of her mind, would be to ignore the look on his face and the soft tone in his voice. She found that endeavor quite challenging.
“We are almost at the center,” he murmured, mostly to himself.
As they walked, she got the sense that they were the only people in the world, secluded in that little fortress of hedges.
It was indeed a very beautiful maze, with little nooks and crannies adorned with intricate statues, the lanterns lit on each turn of exquisite taste.
It was a cunning plan to bring her here if he wanted to appease her, because the scenery was definitely working in his favor.
And then they turned and found themselves in the center of the maze. Arabella came to an abrupt halt.
There was a circular opening with a perfectly mown lawn. At the edges stood marble benches, and ancient Greek-style statues of nymphs added to the allure, their pale forms almost luminous beneath the soft glow of carefully placed candles. But it wasn’t that that caught her attention.
And there, right in the middle, there was a red blanket, secured with white round stones.
And on that blanket, there was a beautifully arranged picnic.
There were ivory pillows scattered, and the basket was filled to the brim with bread and cheese, fruits, and wine.
Glass lanterns surrounded the space, their warm light dancing across the scene, turning it into something almost dreamlike.
She took in the setting in total disbelief. Of all the things she was expecting from this day, this thoughtfully arranged picnic could not have been conjured even by the wildest imagination.
“Are you hungry, Arabella?”
Oh. She definitely was.