Page 13 of A Wish Upon an Earl
Jack’s mouth snapped shut.He hadn’t come here to court.Just to apologize.
But as he looked down at the armor in his arms, he realized his actions did seem like that of a beau and not a friend.
Yes, Sarah was beautiful.And she’d filled his childhood with a lightness that he’d never been able to replicate.And he’d resisted every attempt of his mother’s to make a match for him, his thoughts increasingly settling on a red-haired beauty who sparkled in the moonlight.
Blast.
He sounded like a man intent to court.And he’d gone and compounded his mistakes by injuring her during his apology.“Sarah would never consent to my courtship,” he said as he searched the ground for any other pieces of the suit.He only had one of the gauntlets in hand.Where was the other piece?
“You’re an earl,” Amesbury answered as though that answered the question definitively.
“I’m an earl that she doesn’t particularly like.And I’ve done nothing but make that dislike worse this evening, I’m afraid.”
“As a man who just successfully married the right woman, may I give you some advice?”
Jack stopped.This was not in any way the conversation he’d expected to have when he’d left the room with Amesbury.“Please.”He forgot all about the other piece of suit as he looked at the duke.
“Find out what it is she wants and give it to her.”
Jack shook his head.The man made it sound so simple.He had no idea about their past history or how badly Jack had muffed this evening.“What did your duchess want?”
Amesbury smiled.“A puppy.”
“A puppy?”He started searching the ground again.“How fortunate for you.That’s a relatively easy request.”He had to confess that he hadn’t the faintest idea what Sarah wanted.Though he could see the truth in Amesbury’s words.And in fact, he’d already attempted to give her something that he thought she would like.That’s why he had the suit on in the first place.
“Even easier because I already had one.”The man grinned.It changed his entire face.Gone was the severe expression, and in its place was a man who appeared overjoyed.“It’s an interest we have in common.”
What did he and Sarah have in common?It used to be a love of her family.A joy at her ability to orate, a fondness for her company.
But now?
Now, he didn’t know.It had been too long, and if he were honest, she’d changed so much.Would they still even like one another?And what did she need right now?It wasn’t a puppy, that much he knew.
Perhaps it was time to find out.
5
Sarah stared out the window of her bedroom at the bright sunlight streaming in.
It was the perfect day for the nature walk and yard games she’d planned on the schedule for the house party.
Early this morning, her friends had trooped into her room, taking notes on all that she had planned and all that still had to be done.Her soon-to-be sister-in-law Camilla had a scientific mind, and she’d taken to the task of creating groups of partygoers with an analytical precision that had put Sarah at ease.
Ash would not suffer too much for her injury.
After her relief, however, a new thought had occurred to her.
What would her role be after her brother wed?
Supporting Ash had been her mission over the last year.She sighed as she settled back on the pillows, wishing she could get out of this bed.
She’d been angry at Jack last night because she’d worried that the party had been compromised.And because of their history, of course.But the party was going on without her.And the past…perhaps it was time to let that go.She wasn’t an insecure girl any longer.And though she doubted they’d ever be close again, she could likely progress to the point of looking the man in the eye and giving a pleasant greeting when they happened to cross paths.
A knock sounded at the door and then a maid entered her chambers.“My lady,” Rebecca said with a curtsy.“Lord Bentley has requested an audience.”
Jack.She tried not to groan.Or gasp.Because a little thrill did run down her spine at the idea of seeing him again.What had happened to distantly polite?“An audience?Where?Here?”she asked.
“I’ve obtained permission from your brother,” a voice called from the hallway.“Rebecca and I will help you into the sitting room.”
