Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
The party set out for the village at a good pace.
Carriages carried them partway before stopping, allowing them to walk along a winding country lane that led to the charming village.
Insects buzzed in the air, and lush hedges lined the lane.
Fields extended far and wide, dotted with cattle, sheep, and horses.
Edmund stood among his guests, leading from the front.
Rose was behind, flanked by her parents, who kept flashing her reassuring looks that only made her more frustrated.
The weather was kind to them, and everyone was in good spirits, although some looked worse for wear, with sagging eyes hinting that the party had continued into the late hours of the night.
Plumes of smoke rose from chimneys, and a church spire pierced the sky. Edmund glanced back toward her and smiled. She did not return the gesture, so then he approached her.
“I wonder if I might steal you away for a private word,” he said.
Before Rose could utter a reply, her mother practically pushed her toward Edmund. They soon parted from the crowd and strolled down a branching path that led toward a farm, while the others continued on to the village.
“Are you well? You seem far quieter than usual, and I was surprised when you retired last night,” he said.
“Then clearly you are not the only one who prepared surprises for the party.”
“Have I done something to offend you?”
“Many things, Edmund, but nothing in particular today. I don’t know why everyone is concerned about me. Can I not choose to retire early in peace? It really does not warrant all of these questions.”
“I just want to make sure you are having a good time.”
“You have clearly put a lot of effort into this party, and I am sure that it will be remembered for a long time. But it does feel like a loophole.”
“Oh?”
“Well, you agreed to four promenades, yet on this occasion you have spent more time with other people than you have with me.”
Edmund tilted his head back as understanding came upon his face.
“Ah, so you are jealous.” The concern that had previously been etched upon his face now gave way to an amused look. Rose furrowed her brow, and color came to her cheeks.
“I am not jealous,” she snapped, then took a breath to compose herself. “I just do not want you to try and cleverly avoid your obligations, that is all.”
Edmund then closed the distance between them, just for a moment, but enough to shift the world.
Rose was suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of heat.
She became aware of his body close to hers, his hands that could so easily reach out and grab her waist, lips that could pluck a kiss, eyes that could gaze into her very soul.
“I swear that I shall not neglect you for another moment, Rose. Since you wish it, I shall be stuck to you for the rest of the day. I shall be your shadow,” his voice was low, and it made her heart shudder.
“I didn’t mean quite that,” she said, although the word came out as a whisper and she felt quite unsettled. Her mind was fraught with conflicting feelings. It was as though she wanted to push him away, yet at the same time pull him close. But she did not want marriage. She did not want love.
But as more and more time passed, it was becoming clear to her that she did want Edmund in some capacity, but she could never reveal this to him. She couldn’t bear the shame.
Edmund stepped back, laughing. Rose breathed freely, not feeling as stifled by his presence.
“Come, I am sure that something amusing shall present itself. The world is full of curiosities,” he said. They passed a hedge with many flowers growing. Edmund plucked one and placed it in Rose’s hair, the stem tucking behind her ear. His fingers were gentle and patient.
They suddenly heard a commotion.
“Get back here, you rotter!” a rough voice shouted.
“I say, I wonder if there is a thief,” Edmund said, stretching out his hand before Rose, silently warning her to stay back. He approached the gate, and as the field came into view, they understood the situation.
A muddy farmer was chasing after a stubborn goat that had broken free. The goat bleated angrily and was skipping away, while the red-faced farmer kept lunging toward it, getting more and more frustrated by the second.
“I am going to get you eventually. It’s going to be a lot easier for both of us if you just stay still,” the farmer said, before making another lunge.
Rose thought he was going to catch the goat this time, but at the last moment the goat nimbly skipped away, then turned and bleated, as if to taunt the farmer.
The farmer beat the ground with his fist.
“I say, what a terrible fix,” Edmund said. He slipped off his gloves and jacket, handing them to Rose before approaching the farmer.
“My good man, would you like some assistance?” Edmund called as he climbed over the gate. His boots got muddy as soon as they touched the ground, but he didn’t seem to mind. He rolled up his sleeves as he approached the farmer, revealing strong forearms.
Rose tried to ignore them, but she was not entirely successful.
“If you think you can, although I must warn you, I think the devil is in this animal,” the farmer said, his words burning with frustration.
“Then perhaps I should fetch a priest instead, but we’ll try to capture it first,” Edmund replied, pointing for the farmer to go one way while he went the other.
“If I didn’t need it, then I would fetch my gun rather than the priest. It’s a sorry state of affairs when a man depends on a goat to live.”
“We must simply teach it a lesson and quash this rebellion. I shall try to move him into your path. Are you ready?” Edmund said. The farmer wiped his hands on his thighs and nodded, bracing himself for another try.
Edmund held out his hands and approached the goat. He spoke loudly enough that Rose could hear.
“Now then, I have dealt with stubborn people before. There’s no need for us to butt heads. Just be reasonable, and you can go back home. I am sure you’re treated well, with lots of food and comfortable hay. There’s really no need for you to cause all this trouble.”
On this last word, Edmund exhaled a sharp breath and lunged toward the goat, seeking, if not to capture it, then to make sure it moved into the path of the farmer.
Rose gasped as the goat moved toward Edmund instead of away.
It lowered its head, clearly intending to butt heads with Edmund despite Edmund’s dissuading words.
“Ah!” Edmund cried as he twisted to avoid the goat.
He bent back, whirling his arms to try and keep his balance, teetering back and forth like a blade of grass in the wind.
Rose put her hand to her mouth, laughing at the sight.
For a moment, it looked as though Edmund was about to fall fully into the mud, but he just managed to regain his balance at the last moment.
Meanwhile, the farmer threw himself at the goat and locked his burly arms around it. The goat bucked and writhed, trying to break free. The farmer slid down the goat’s body and wrapped his arms around the goat’s hind legs, straining back to avoid being kicked in the face.
“I have got him!” the farmer cried triumphantly, but his voice was strained, and he was still struggling. It didn’t seem like it would take much for the goat to break free. Edmund raced toward the farmer and took one of the goat’s legs.
Together, they dragged the goat as though they were pulling a wheelbarrow that had suddenly come to life and was intent on making things difficult.
Edmund and the farmer kept having to twist and dodge to avoid the writhing goat’s hooves.
Their boots became soaked with mud, and as the goat kicked, flecks of mud shot up and stained their clothes.
Rose only stopped laughing when she was moved by the animal’s anguish.
By the time they finished and the goat was safely back in the paddock, both men were red-faced, their brows glistening with sweat.
“Thank you for that. The name’s Jenkins, by the way. Is there anything I can do to repay you?” the farmer asked, reaching out his hand. Edmund took it firmly.
“Nice to meet you, Jenkins. I am Edmund,” Edmund said, and Rose was surprised that he didn’t tell the farmer that he was a duke. “And there’s no need to repay me. It was just a simple favor.”
“But your clothes,” Jenkins said, gazing at Edmund’s attire. “They look expensive.”
“Indeed, I shall have to ask for my money back. The amount these clothes cost… they should be able to withstand a little trouble from a goat,” Edmund said.
He and Jenkins laughed heartily. Rose decided to join them, thinking that Edmund could use his coat.
However, as she tried to open the gate, her glove caught on a piece of wood.
It took her by surprise, and she gasped.
Edmund’s head twisted around immediately. He bid Jenkins farewell and came rushing to Rose’s side.
“Are you hurt?” he asked as he looked at her hand. He curled his fingers around her palm and gently pulled it away from the gate. The glove had been torn across the palm.
“I don’t believe so.”
“We should check anyway,” Edmund said, and peeled Rose’s glove away.
Today she was wearing short gloves that reached her wrist. Breath caught in her throat as his fingers peeled the fabric away from her skin.
His fingertips brushed against the inside of her wrist and then her palm, following the path of veins.
It felt more intimate than it should, and as his finger drifted across the middle of her palm, her fingers began to curl back involuntarily, as though they wanted to hold onto his finger.
“It seems that only the glove was damaged, thankfully,” he said, cradling her hand. He turned it over, inspecting it, and then let it go. She drew her hand back toward her stomach, feeling as though it had been burned. Edmund took his gloves and coat, then grinned.
“Perhaps we should return to the others. We should be away from these vicious pieces of wood that accost you,” Edmund said, waving farewell to Jenkins.
“Why didn’t you tell him who you are?”
“I did. I shared my name.”
“But not your title.”
“My title is not who I am, and what good would it have served? It would only have embarrassed the man and made him feel as though he needed to make a fuss. There was no need for it. Better that I am just a passing stranger who helped him. Anyone would have done the same.”
Rose nodded with understanding.
“I am not sure I agree with you there. I can think of many people who would have turned up their noses at helping him when there was no direct reward for themselves. They would have balked at damaging their clothes.”
Edmund pulled his gloves back over his hands.
“Clothes can be repaired or new ones can be bought. The only reward is helping someone. We should never ignore that, because one day it might be us who need assistance. He might have been out there for hours chasing that goat.”
“The poor thing, though; it was terrified.”
“Poor thing? Did you not see what happened? I was damned near knocked off my feet!”
“Yes, you were,” Rose said, and giggled at Edmund’s expense. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, but he was only teasing her. “Still, it didn’t understand what was happening. It can’t have been nice to be dragged around like that, not being given a choice.”
“No, I can’t imagine it is,” Edmund said.
Unlike his other comments, this one was not flippant.
She was about to ask him what he meant by that, but they emerged into the village.
The others saw them and waved, before surprised looks came upon their faces as they noticed the state of Edmund and Rose.
His boots and legs were covered in mud, while Rose was only wearing one glove.
It was Amelia who noticed that particular detail.
“My goodness, what on earth happened? How did you come to lose a glove?” she asked.
“The countryside can be so unkind to delicate fabric,” he said with a smirk. Then, he brushed Rose’s wrist again, indicating to her not to say anything further.
A great cheer rose up from the others as the crowd moved away.
Rose was left staring at Edmund, thinking about how he was a man who was not a slave to tradition, who had put himself in harm’s way for a simple farmer.
He might have been called a rake, and the reputation might have been well-deserved, but he was not cruel.
Others might have stood by and mocked the farmer as he struggled in the mud. Others might have taken bets between the farmer and the goat. But not Edmund. He did the right thing, and she found this endearing.
“What really did happen?” Margaret asked, sidling up to her.
“Nothing, Mother. Nothing at all,” Rose said. Margaret seemed disappointed, but Rose traced the smooth lines on her palm and thought about Edmund’s gentle touch.
Suddenly, one more promenade did not seem enough.