Page 24 of The Scarred Duke's Bride
She ground her teeth. “Perhaps you enjoy it. Who knows what…perversions you enjoy?”
He grinned widely, taking a sip of his tea. “Are you asking? I’ll tell you if you are.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” She sprang to her feet, face burning, “Excuse me. I don’t think I’m hungry anymore.” She hurried away, feeling a little regretful because she would have liked to finish her eggs. They were delicious.
But she could not sit at that table with Eric for one more minute with him provoking her like this. With a growl of frustration, she decided to take a walk in the garden.
Perhaps when he is done with his breakfast, I can go back and finish mine.
She stepped out of the French doors that led to the back garden and looked around in awe. Someone obviously expended a lot of time and energy looking after the garden, judging by how well-tended it was.
She hurried down the steps, her hand trailing along the vines that bordered them. She bent down and smelt the flowers planted in a row along the wall of the mansion, reveling in their vibrant colors before she skipped further down the garden that was planted with fruit trees and flowering shrubs, bushes shaped like topiaries, and to cap it all, a small pond in the middle of the garden, surrounded by stone benches, lily pads, irises and reeds.
She felt as if she might have died and gone to heaven.
Sitting down on the stone bench beside the pond, she just took it all in. Pushing away thoughts of how her father made fun of her gardening efforts, she resolved to enjoy the peace and tranquility evoked bythisgarden and its carefully tended plants.
She heard footsteps and looked up to see Silver approaching, his hands clasped behind his back, his face solemn, dressed in an impeccable black suit with a white shirt and white stockings. He came to a stop by her bench.
“Mr. Campbell requests the pleasure of your company, my lady.”
Freya gave him a skeptical glance. “Did he now?”
Silver nodded.
Freya rolled her eyes. “And what, pray tell, does he wish to do with my company?”
“I believe he means to take you to a picnic in the Vauxhall gardens.”
Freya perked up. “Oh really? And who’s idea was that? Yours?”
Silver said nothing, merely waited.
Freya huffed. “Very well, I shall need to go and change. Have Diana bring the rest of my breakfast to my chambers. Then I’ll be ready to go.”
Silver bowed. “As you wish, my lady.”
He turned and walked away, and Freya sighed. She was happy to exchange one garden for another, but she really wasn’t looking forward to spending more time with Eric. She was quite put out with Silver for carrying out her father’s instructions with such diligence and determination. Whatever happened to not being able to find good help these days?
Oh well, if wishes were horses…
With a sigh, she got to her feet and went back inside.
Focus on the gardens and not the company,she told herself firmly.That’s the only way you will get through this— by finding the nuggets of joy where you can.
* * *
The butler did not even let Eric finish his breakfast before he pulled up a stool and deposited a basket on it, filled with — as far as Eric could see — various types of food and drink. He spotted a bottle of wine, glasses, and a few wrapped packages.
“What’s going on?” he asked with resignation, knowing full well he would not like the answer.
“You and Lady Freya are going on a walkabout at Vauxhall gardens, followed by a picnic.”
Eric frowned. “Is that so? I was not aware.”
“Well then, now you are.”
Eric just glared at him as the butler walked off, his back straight. He would have been tempted to stick his tongue out at the man were it not such a juvenile thing to do. With a resigned sigh, he put his fork and knife aside and got to his feet. “I suppose I shall go and change into something more suitable for walking,” he said to no one.
