Quarrels & Quills – by Olivia Huxley #4
Knox crept up behind her and blew on the tendril, chuckling when Augusta jumped. She whirled around with fire in her eyes, her bow and arrow pointing at his groin.
He caught his breath, petrified of moving lest her grip on the arrow loosen. He cleared his throat quietly.
“You really shouldn’t point your weapon at someone if you don’t intend to use it on them.”
Her eyes flashed, only stirring his growing lust. “What makes you believe that wasn’t my intention?”
Although he dearly hoped she wouldn’t, as he was quite fond of the targeted area, he wasn’t willing to further test her. “Perhaps you might consider lowering your bow before you, er, render me incapable of fulfilling my mother’s desire for grandchildren.”
She blushed furiously and lowered her bow, disengaging the arrow. “That’s what you get for sneaking up on a person when they’re holding something that can kill you, you nincompoop!”
Augusta was right. He’d been foolish to distract her while she’d held a sharp arrow at the ready. He didn’t know what had come over him.
He offered her an exaggerated bow. “Please accept my humblest apology, Miss Augusta. I am a simple creature, and that was an idiotic action. It shall not happen again.”
She didn’t answer him, her brows drawing together as her mouth opened, then closed. He’d rendered her speechless, something he didn’t recall ever having done.
If he’d known all he had to do was claim unintelligence, he might have tried the tactic before. “Are you all right?”
Augusta avoided his eyes. “Here,” she answered, shoving her bow and arrow at him and fleeing indoors. He stared after her for a few moments before realizing everyone was watching them.
Holding up the bow and arrow, he pasted on a charming grin and turned to the crowd. “Who’s next?”
Augusta poured water into the bowl of her washstand, wetting a flannel and wiping it over her face in a vain effort to cool herself.
First Knox blew on her neck. Then the impertinent comment about giving his mother grandchildren—the absolute nerve of the man, bringing up a subject like breeding in front of a lady!
However, it was his final remarks that truly flustered her. She’d never known Knox to humble himself so. And then he had called himself a “simple creature.”
The same thing that the letter writer said— men are by and large simple creatures .
Was that deliberate? She supposed it wasn’t implausible for more than one person to consider men to be simple; still, it was oddly coincidental.
If it wasn’t coincidence, that would mean Knox was the letter writer, and that would be ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.
She squared her shoulders and smoothed her hair back into its chignon. She didn’t want to give Knox a reason to tease her again. Her already flaming cheeks couldn’t bear it.
Augusta set her spoon down in her custard cup, her now unoccupied hands becoming fidgety. Dinner had been long this evening, and she was anxious about sneaking into the library to leave her next letter.
She’d thought about not responding to the impertinent gentleman before deciding she could not leave the letter unanswered. It would be rude, after all.
She caught Knox’s gaze as he pointedly watched her tapping fingers. She slipped her hand below the table and narrowed her eyes at his answering grin before turning to her dinner companion to pass the time until Mama finally dismissed them.
Hanging back in the hallway as most of their party went to their chambers upstairs, Augusta walked stealthily to the library, glanced around to ensure she was alone, then slipped the letter out of her pocket and into the volume on the table.
She would check in the morning to see if her mysterious correspondent had answered again.
Dear Sir,
You are under the impression that I was seeking counsel with my previous missive. I, however, am in no need of your advice. I merely wished to prevent one of your fellows from making a critical mistake due to doltishness.
Thank you for your concern, as I trust it was well-meaning even if misguided. You are, after all, a rather simple creature.
Knox laughed aloud, unsure whether he should be personally offended or take offense on behalf of the man Augusta thought she was addressing. Simple, he’d said, not a more insulting rather simple. He supposed he’d brought it on himself with his needling reply.
You are correct, though, that I couldn’t bear to be wed to someone who would not let me be fully myself. I cannot fathom spending the next several decades of my life suppressing myself for fear of injuring a man’s sense of pride or giving him cause to rule over me with a heavy hand.
Knox crumpled the paper in his fist. He despised the thought of her being tied to a man such as that. Augusta needed to shine, and that required a husband who would encourage and appreciate her many remarkable qualities and abilities.
Perhaps I have been hiding things about myself, or tempering them, in an attempt to fit in with other young women and appeal more to the men seeking a bride. And yet I have been unsuccessful, which now I count a mercy.
I would rather remain unmarried than compromise in such a way. No more hiding. I will let the chips fall where they may.
I suppose I may have, in fact, been in need of some small fraction of your counsel after all.
Knox’s brows raised. It wasn’t like Augusta to admit to being wrong — at least not to him. She didn’t know it was him, however. And he was the one who poked at her over the years in an effort to construct a barrier between them. He’d been far too successful, and he didn’t like it.
It might be time to consider why he was so uncomfortable with the thought of Augusta marrying someone else, and what he could do about that.
The next day’s activity was a picnic by the folly on the estate grounds. The sun shone in a cloudless blue sky, and a light breeze provided refreshing coolness. The group spread out blankets beneath willow trees along the bank of a bubbling creek.
Knox maneuvered himself so that he was facing Augusta, though she was seated with others. His mind was distracted as they feasted. He struggled to keep up his end of the conversation as his gaze wandered repeatedly to Augusta.
The sunshine brought out golden strands in her honey locks. He was nearly as mesmerized by them as he was by her sparkling eyes and the broad smile she wore. Knox wished he was close enough to hear her.
Markedly more relaxed today, she laughed with and teased those around her. He coveted those laughs for himself and had to quash a stab of jealousy.
He couldn’t help wondering whether she’d seen his reply to her most recent letter. Had she read it before they’d left for this picnic?
A gust of wind blew the napkin out of her hand, and as she turned to retrieve it, their eyes met. The smile on her lips slackened as she remained frozen for several seconds. Then she smiled brightly at him, grabbed the cloth and turned back.
After that, Augusta kept sneaking glances at him, and he stopped trying to be subtle with his attention. He was inexorably drawn to her.
He sensed someone watching and turned to find George with narrowed eyes, his gaze moving between Knox and Augusta. George leaned over, his voice low. “Is there something between you and my sister?”
“Of course not.” Knox gave George a careless grin.
“Why are you watching her like a hawk?”
Knox swallowed, willing his pulse to calm. “I simply wish to ensure that the young men vying for her attention aren’t taking liberties.”
George eyed him for several more seconds before nodding.
To be truthful, Knox was a little offended. “What if there was something between us? Would that be such a terrible thing?”
George took a bite of his ham sandwich. He chewed thoughtfully, deliberately taking his time as Knox tried to exercise patience.
“No, not terrible,” George finally answered. “It’s simply not something I thought likely. You’ve always teased her, and I presumed you didn’t see her in that light. Do you?”
Knox glanced around to ensure their conversation remained private. “I don’t know. She’s your sister, so it’s not something I’ve allowed myself to consider possible. Your friendship is important to me. I would never want to do anything to jeopardize that.”
George turned his considering gaze to his sister before looking back at Knox.
“When Augusta weds, I would prefer it be to someone with whom I’d actually enjoy spending time, not to mention someone who I know would treat her kindly and endeavor to be a devoted husband to her. I see no reason that someone cannot be you.
“Besides, I’ve always considered you a brother to me. If you married Augusta, you’d be my brother in truth.”
The elation that shot through Knox shocked him. He hadn’t realized he’d even been hoping for George’s blessing to pursue Augusta. Now that he had it, he was determined not to waste time.
George wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Plus, I know the best ways to cause you pain if you ever hurt her.” The look in his eyes showed that he was only half joking.
Knox gave him a solemn nod before returning his focus to the subject of his thoughts.
Augusta smiled distractedly at the young baron who’d just finished reciting a humorous anecdote. Although it was an amusing tale, she found her attention wandering when she noted the intent conversation taking place between Knox and her brother.
She’d caught Knox watching her a time or two when the picnic began. As it progressed, she’d found his gaze upon her more frequently, with more intensity, and her nerves had become increasingly frayed.
Augusta had never been under such unwavering scrutiny from any man. Knox’s stormy gray eyes on her made her skin prickle with awareness and the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. It wasn’t an unpleasant sensation, but the unfamiliarity of it discomfited her.