Chapter 12
Twelve
“With me?” exclaimed Aurelia, shock making her loud. “You’ve bonded with me?”
It took some time for the hubbub to die down, although Bramble seemed utterly bemused by all the fuss.
They finally resumed their journey toward the estate, Aurelia riding in a happy haze.
She knew there were details she should be thinking about, but she was too delighted to be weighed down by practicalities.
She had dreamed of one day having an intelligent companion, but something small, like a vendrillon, had seemed the best she could hope for. The possibility of a pegasus had never even occurred to her.
Bramble chattered happily most of the way, often darting off the path to investigate something of interest beside the way. It was starting to become obvious how she had landed herself in the crevice to begin with. The pegasus had far too much curiosity and an unfortunate lack of caution.
The black stallion had woken them all so early that, despite the dramatic happenings of the day, it was still mid-morning when they started back toward the estate.
Danton drove them hard enough that they reached their first campsite by evening, although Aurelia wasn’t looking forward to another night on a mat now that she was covered in scrapes and bruises.
But as they neared the spot, she heard Danton’s voice as he talked to his aunt. “With any luck, someone will have seen Echo flying over the estate, and Aunt Calliope will have sent the carriages back for us.”
“Of course she will have done so,” Lady Ophelia said with complete confidence, and she was proved right.
She was less cheerful about her nephew’s insistence that they continue traveling into the night rather than set up another camp. But Danton cast one look at Aurelia and insisted they continue on. She was too relieved to protest, and he soon had them well organized.
Lady Calliope had sent four closed carriages this time, apparently making use of some of those brought by the Earl’s guests. But Aurelia was glad everyone would get to ride inside, given they were traveling after dark.
She climbed gratefully into the first carriage and leaned her head back against the seat, closing her eyes. She didn’t open them until someone else climbed in and the carriage began to move.
As soon as she saw Danton instead of Phoebe, she froze, her face going white. The two of them weren’t supposed to be alone in a carriage. The darkness and solitude made the situation even more dangerous to her emotions than the back of the horse had been.
Danton was smiling, however, oblivious to her panic. “Do you have any idea how impressive you are, Aurelia?” he asked almost conversationally.
She stared at him. Of all the things he might have said, she hadn’t expected that.
“You met your first pegasus only days ago, and yet one has already chosen you.”
Despite everything, Aurelia laughed. “I don’t think Bramble is a normal sort of pegasus.”
Danton shook his head, leaning forward, his eyes alight. “She’s beautifully proportioned. She’s just young.”
“See, you’re the expert on pegasi, not me,” Aurelia said.
“That’s just it.” His voice held a tinge of wonder. “I learned everything I know through observing them as a boy and studying every book I could find about them as I grew older. You, on the other hand, seem to understand them instinctively.”
“I thought you didn’t approve of books,” she murmured, forgetting herself.
He looked bemused. “What do you mean? I’ve always put great value in books.”
Aurelia frowned. “Truly? I had the impression you don’t approve of your sister being such a bookworm.”
“It’s not her reading that I mind.” He gave Aurelia a piercing look that seemed to see all the way inside her.
“My sister uses her books as an excuse to avoid society because she thinks society is eager to shun her. Anyone would think our mother was scandalous instead of being merely heedless and flighty.” He shook his head.
“But you’ve already helped her,” he added. “She liked finding another bookworm at society events.”
“And you really don’t mind bookworms?” Aurelia asked slowly, her mind trying to grasp what that meant.
He shifted across the carriage in one fluid movement, sitting at her side and sliding an arm around her waist.
“I find them delightful,” he murmured, his eyes once again dropping to her lips. “Or at least, I find one bookworm utterly enchanting.”
His head dropped toward hers, hovering a mere breath away. “And now that you’ve bonded with a pegasus, I can see only two options before you. You can either become a royal groom, or you can marry me as soon as possible and become Countess of Windward.”
Aurelia swallowed, her mind spinning so fast his words couldn’t take root. She put both hands against his chest, holding him off.
“I could always become a recluse in the mountains,” she said, the words popping out of her mouth before she’d thought them through.
Danton laughed, delight in his eyes as his gaze jumped back to hers. “I should have remembered you always choose an unexpected path.”
He abruptly let her go, moving backward to put some space between them. And in a truly contrarian way, Aurelia slid instinctively toward him, hating the space between them.
He took her hands in his, but he didn’t pull her closer, instead looking earnestly down into her eyes.
“Of course you don’t have to marry me. Bramble will always be welcome to live at Windward, and you’ve recently become Phoebe’s closest friend.
You’d be welcome to visit her here as often as you like.
” His eyes dropped briefly away, his voice dipping so low she barely heard the words.
“However much that situation would torment me.”
Her hands tightened on his, and he looked back at her.
“I could see you constantly withdrawing from me. Always pulling back when I tried to get close. I just couldn’t understand why.
Did you truly think I disliked you? How could you think that?
” He shook his head. “Aunt Ophelia told me I was being very obvious.”
Aurelia laughed, not quite able to believe what he was saying. “I thought you were interested in what I could do to help with the pegasi. Not in me—the girl who prefers to read over talking to new people, and who often gets left to sit out dances.”
He slid closer to her. “Marry me, and I’ll dance every dance with you for the rest of our lives.”
She laughed again. “You can’t do that!”
“Why not?” he challenged, and she couldn’t think of an answer.
“The only reason you were able to help me and the pegasi is because of who you are,” he said.
“As far as I’m concerned, every part of you is equally fascinating, and it has been since the first time we danced.
I sought you out to thank you for your kindness to Phoebe, but you immediately enchanted me.
” He slid even closer. “And then I found you in the pegasus stable. I couldn’t believe my eyes. ”
“I was sure you couldn’t have any real interest in me,” she murmured. “So I was trying desperately to keep my distance and protect my heart.” Her voice dropped. “Trying and failing.”
“Do you mean it?” He leaned closer. “Even though I basically tricked you into coming here? I truly am sorry about that.”
She swayed toward him. “Are you really?” she murmured.
He gave a husky laugh. “Maybe not. At least not sorry you came. But I do wish I’d been more honest about it. If I’d just explained the whole situation and asked you to help, I’m sure you would have come.”
“Mmhmm,” she murmured, her eyes sliding shut.
She wasn’t sure what she would have done in that case. She could barely even remember her own name. She just needed to feel his lips on hers.
His arms circled around her, and he pulled her against him, crushing her lips to his. She slid her arms around his neck, kissing him back until he finally pulled away. She made a soft sound of protest, but he kept the small space between them.
“Just to be very clear,” he said, “you’re not choosing to become a recluse, right? You’ll marry me and be my countess and help me make a home for a new pegasus herd at Windward?”
Her eyes opened, and she pretended to consider.
“Aurelia,” he said in a voice that sent a delicious shiver down her spine.
“I suppose becoming a countess is the more appealing prospect.”
“Is the title the only attraction?” he asked plaintively.
She leaned closer, murmuring her words against his lips. “I would marry you if you had no title at all, Danton.”
“I like to hear you say my name,” he growled, and kissed her again.