there might make you feel better.” Stepping forward, he offered her his arm and saw the look of surprise on the young lady’s face.
A complicated mixture of emotions shot through him, compiled from the pleasure of doing something useful and the knowledge that many of those who belonged to his set would not offer help to a servant. And that was clearly what this woman was – a maid, most likely, charged with acting as chaperone.
He guided her to the bench and helped ease her down onto the seat. “Better?” he inquired. The chaperone nodded. “Try taking a few deep breaths. Slowly. Not so fast.”
She did as he suggested and gradually managed to recover from her exertion. “Thank you, sir. I’m ever so grateful for your assistance.”
“As am I,” the young lady told him. She’d followed him and the older woman over to the bench and was now standing right beside him.
A jolt of awareness shot through Charles, most likely because she was closer than he’d expected. He turned to face her, his eyes meeting hers and...something indescribable tumbled through him, racing along every vein and snapping at each of his nerves. He’d heard his sisters talk about fated romantic encounters and falling in love at first sight and a slew of other fanciful notions that young girls dreamed of. What he hadn’t imagined was that he would ever have cause to wonder if such things were actually possible or if it might one day happen to him.
He did so now, however, for there was something about this woman that sparked his interest. But then the chaperone coughed, and Charles shook his head. He’d obviously lost his mind. There was no such thing as love at first sight, just physical attraction, which was hardly enough to call for courtship or marriage.
With this in mind, he took a step sideways, adding a bit more distance so as not to have his senses stirred even further by the young lady’s scent. It was far too sweet to be ignored and only served to tempt him with possibilities.
So he touched the brim of his hat with his hand and addressed both women. “It has been a pleasure, but I fear I must be going now since my family will be waiting for me to join them for breakfast.” What reason was there to linger?
“Do you live far from here?” the young lady asked. Her statement was met with a frown and a firm shake of the head from her chaperone. Realizing her error, the young lady bit her lip. “Forgive me. I am often chastised for being too forward, and since you are obviously a bachelor with no ring on your finger and—.”
“My lady,” the chaperone told her mistress tersely.
Charles smiled. He could not help it. “No need for apology,” he said, then touched the brim of his hat once again. “Indeed, I thank you for brightening my morning.” And with that he turned away, making his escape while he was still able – before he did something slightly improper, like give her his card. A gentleman did not offer personal details about himself to a lady with whom he wasn’t acquainted. A proper introduction would be required. Most especially when addressing what he believed might be a debutante.
BETHANY WATCHED THE tall, broad-shouldered man she’d just met walk away. He’d been handsome. Not classically so, perhaps, but there had been an air about him, a kindness in his coffee-colored eyes that matched his actions. His nose had been straight, his mouth a wonderful indication of what he was thinking, for it had twitched with amusement and curled with pleasure, more animated than any other mouth she’d ever seen.
She sighed, both with happy contentment and some frustration. She could not afford to like this man so well. Not anymore. Not since yesterday afternoon when the Earl of Langdon had come to speak with her father. The offer he’d made for her hand had been precisely what her parents had hoped for, and since Bethany had quite liked the earl and did not wish to disappoint anyone, she’d accepted. Even though there had been no spark.
This spark she’d felt only once in her life. About ten minutes ago when she’d met the man who’d rescued her bonnet. It made her wonder if rushing into a proposal before making her debut had been a mistake. But then she dismissed that idea on the basis of practicality. She was an earl’s daughter after all, raised to marry