Page 5 of A Wish Upon an Earl
She let out another breath.“No.My friends had this made for me, which was terribly generous but?—”
“But?”he asked.“It looks lovely on you.Better even.You look like a heroine from a story.A maiden or damsel?—”
Her stomach dropped.“Nonsense.”
“What?”The word seemed to echo in his mask, reverberating but sounding both harsh and a bit intimidating.
And oddly familiar.Despite the muffling, she had the distinct impression she knew that voice.
She shook her head, starting to gather the skirts in her hands once again.She needed to return to the party and the safety of the crowd she’d just left.This meeting was a bit unsettling, and how had it taken such a personal turn?The very topics that had been circling in her thoughts he’d touched upon in only a few simple lines.“I should be getting back inside.Ash will surely be looking for me.”
“Sarah, I just need a minute.”He stepped closer.
Sarah?Something in the way he said the name.It rang with a familiarity that made her startle.He’d sounded like…
But that was ridiculous.It couldn't be Ash’s friend Jack.Because she’d made a complete fool of herself in front of Jack when she’d professed her feelings toward him and he’d been so callous in his rejection.
The world would surely not be cruel enough to send him to her now, standing in the very suit of armor she’d dreamed of for her hero.“Jack?”she asked, his name coming out in a gasp.
“Yes,” he answered, moving another step closer, creaking as he did so.“I’ve been meaning to talk with you for some time.”
Sarah shook her head.She didn’t want to hear what he had to say.She was still embarrassed, of course, but beyond that…he’d hurt her terribly, and she didn’t want to have to pretend.It was easier not to speak than to have to feign politeness.“Really, I must go back inside.People will…” She turned away before she could finish, her skirts gathered as she started to move around him.He stood between her and the door, but she wasn’t concerned.He moved so slowly, even in her dress she could surely get past him.
But on her second step, she realized something was wrong.Her arm jerked back and her body halted.A quick glance and she realized he stood on her sleeve.Sarah gave a tug, but the dratted thing didn’t move.
He looked down and, realizing the mistake, he lifted his foot at the exact same moment she pulled again.
For a split second, Sarah smiled.She was free and she could leave this uncomfortable conversation, but her relief only lasted for that single moment until she stumbled back, her dress making it difficult to get her balance once again and her feet under her.
With sheer will, she kept her feet only to look up and see…
Well, to see the knight, or rather Jack, stumble to the side as well.He looked like a great lumbering beast who’d tipped too far to one side.In slow motion, he seemed to fall, and Sarah froze, trying to decide how to help when…when she realized her mistake.
As he swung out his arms for balance, his lance sliced through the air, heading straight for her.
With a strangled scream, she tried to jump out of the way, but the dress tangled in her legs and she only managed a half hop just as the lance crashed into one of her ankles.Pain exploded in her leg as she collapsed to the ground.
* * *
Jack had barelyrighted himself when he heard her scream of pain.Fear jolted through him as he tore off the helmet to see Sarah lying in a pool of fabric, her body bent as she clutched her ankle.
Tossing the lance aside, he hobbled over to her, being careful not to injure her further as he dropped down.“Sarah?”
She gasped in a breath.“Jack.My ankle.I…”
He ripped off first one gauntlet and then the other.“Oh, Sarah.”The wordsI’m sorryleapt to his lips, but he held them back.He’d yet to apologize for the first way he’d wronged her.Now he needed to apologize for another?Did he start with this and work his way back?How had he managed to make this situation infinitely worse?“What happened?”
Her green eyes rose to his, the pain only diminished by the anger that flared in them.“What happened?Whathappened?Your lance crashed into me.”
He winced, unbuckling more of his suit as he tried to take several pieces off.How could he carry her inside while wearing this monstrosity?
“In all those stories you told, it never once occurred to me to ask how a knight managed to save a woman and then lift her onto his horse to ride away into the sunset with one of these cages on.It’s not possible, I tell you.”
Sarah groaned.“Can we please not talk about the stories I told?I’m in enough pain.”
He squinted down at her.“Your stories weren’t painful.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but a voice behind him made her stop.“Sarah?Are you all right?”
