Page 36 of Bargaining for the Barrister
“Does it hurt?” she asked, stooping to see the wound.
“No. Bad luck is all.”
She met his gaze, her breathing slowing. “Bad luck? You prevented me from falling into the water.”
“You said yourself I could’ve just as easily pushed you in.”
“I was in jest,” she said, straightening. “I hope you look at this scratch as a badge of honor because, in my opinion, you saved my life.”
He chuckled first at the absurdity of their argument and then because of her incessant need to turn everything into something good and wonderful.It would do him good to be more like that.
“What’s so amusing?”
“You are, but don’t try to understand,” he said. “Let’s just start back to the house, shall we?”
She gave him a slow nod, taking a long glance at him and then the still water beyond him. He’d forgotten that she enjoyed nature, and he was rushing her again. He pointed to the water. “We can take our time going back so you can get your fill of the view.”
“No running?” she asked, a glint of humor in her eyes.
He drew himself up to his full height. “As long as you are not running from me. Apparently, it brings out my protective side. Feel free to dirty up your hem, though, or frolic with the flowers.” He motioned absently to the dots of wildflowers growing haphazardly here and there. “Your brother is not here to see you, and I care little for that sort of thing.”
He could tell she was biting back a laugh. “I think a walking pace will suit me.”
They turned back, and a contented silence fell between them as they retraced their earlier steps. Somehow, she’d forgiven him yet again for making a muck of everything. With the sun sparkling on the water on one side of him and a beautiful woman on the other, it was easy to like what he saw.
Clearing his throat, he asked, “Has your time with Lady Kellen been all you hoped it would be?”
Louisa raised her dainty shoulders into a small shrug. “We had a nice talk just before you arrived.” There was a lack of emotion in her words.
“I see. Is something amiss?”
Louisa chewed on her lip for a moment before responding. “It is nothing of great consequence. I just learned more of the history of my mother and Lady Kellen. They met at a ball and stayed close through letters until they drifted apart. I had hoped for hours of stories about my parents to pass between us during my stay, but it seems there is not much to tell. I admit I’m a little disappointed.”
It helped his pride to know she’d not fled Rothbrier Hall just to be away from him. But he sympathized with her dashed hopes. For all her smiles, she was likely still grieving. “I have some time just now.”
“Hmm?” She turned to him in confusion.
Under her scrutiny, he scratched his jaw, attempting for his appeal to come off sincerely but without any pressure. “If you’d like to tell me about your parents, I’d be happy to listen.”
Louisa stopped walking and stared at him. “You wouldn’t be bored?”
“Of course not.” Did he sound too eager? “That is, not if we keep walking while we talk,” he teased.
She laughed softly and started walking again. “You expect a great deal from me if you expect me to both walk and talk.”
When she said nothing more, he sensed she needed a prompt to share something with him, so he asked, “What do you miss most about your parents?”
“The companionship.” Louisa smiled through a memory Paul could not see but wished he could. “My mother and I were together nearly every day. Oh, we drove each other mad most of the time. When she wanted an adventure, I wanted to stay home and read, and when she wanted to study insects or flora, I wanted an adventure. But whatever we did, we generally did together.”
He chuckled. “I’d wager you were both a handful for you father.”
She gave him a knowing smile. “Yes and no. Father worked long hours, but when he was home, he’d listen to all our demands and try to appease us. He was the best sort of man. All the factory managers were devoted to him.”
“I’m sorry I did not meet them.” A small bit of curiosity nearly led him to ask about her father’s business, but the thought slipped away. It was no longer as important as what Louisa chose to tell him.
“Yes, well, if you had met them, I likely wouldn’t be here now.”
“You’re right,” Paul said. “Your father would have found me overqualified as a suitor for you since young barristers are most successful.”
