Page 24 of Tempting the Earl

“But the creatures wouldn’t attack, would they?” she asked.

The earl’s response was nothing but a low sound as he rushed forward, which did nothing to assure her.

Though she’d hoped to avoid exacerbating the scene by bringing more attention to it, she realized there was no help for it now. Bringing her fingers to her lips, she issued a sharp whistle that immediately caused Bramble to swing his head in her direction.

But it was too late.

The swans had nearly reached the shore and clearly intended to charge.

Thankfully, the earl stepped between the girl and the large birds, using himself as a shield as he swept off his coat in a swift, smooth motion and began to swing it in front of the swans.

Ainsworth stumbled as the sight of the lord so efficiently sweeping in to protect Caillie caused a rush of mixed emotions. Admiration for his decisive action. Surprise at how bold and...virile he looked in his current stance with his shoulders squared off and his feet braced wide. And gratitude that he’d so accurately ascertained the threat when she herself had missed it. The last was quickly followed by a flash of resentment for the exact same reason.

With an odd weight in her belly, she continued forward. Although the earl’s quick thinking worked to get the birds’ attention away from their initial target, it also made them even more aggravated.

As Caillie led Bramble farther up the bank toward Ainsworth, the earl remained behind to block any further advance of the angry birds. Even as a growing crowd of curious onlookers was gathering, not one of them did a thing to assist the man who was clearly outnumbered by his two attackers.

Cowards.

“Caillie, take Bramble over to that tree so he doesn’t try to interfere. Wait there.”

As the girl turned and ran with the collie toward a large sheltering oak, Ainsworth strode quickly to the shore, untying the ribbon tucked beneath her chin as she did so. Brandishing her bonnet as a shield and weapon at once, Ainsworth came up beside the earl and started shouting at the birds to shoo.

It took only a moment for the swans to see they no longer had the advantage. As a pair, they turned back to the water and swam away. Leaving Ainsworth and the earl panting for breath on the shore.

Once it was clear the swans wouldn’t be returning, Ainsworth risked a glance at the man beside her. He stood tall and strong in his shirtsleeves and waistcoat, which did nothing to disguise the breadth of his shoulders nor the trim lines of his fit torso. He was staring after the swans, a scowl darkening his brow and sweat beading on his forehead.

Now that all was well again, Ainsworth was struck by the humor of the situation. “Well, that was all verra exciting,” she noted brightly. “Who’d have thought such beautiful creatures could be so terrifying?”

The look he turned on her was intense. The blue of his eyes seemed extra vivid after his exertion and his breath still came swift. “Or that they’d have such sharp little teeth,” he noted dryly as he brought his hand up from his side to show a fair amount of blood dripping from his fingers.

“One of them got you?” Ainsworth grabbed his hand in both of hers and bent her head to get a better look at the wound.

He was silent as she swept her thumb over the source of the blood and saw small but deep cuts across the outer edge of his hand.

“This will have to be cleaned,” she muttered as she drew a handkerchief from the pocket of her jacket and expertly wrapped it around his hand.

He cleared his throat and she felt him stiffen. “It’ll be fine, Miss Morgan.”

She looked up to see his attention focusing over her head. When she glanced around, she noticed that not all of the curious onlookers had dispersed. Several people lingered and appeared quite interested in what was currently transpiring between the two of them.

She quickly dropped his hand and stepped back.

“Shall we join Miss Claybourne and head for home?” he asked as he shrugged on his coat and tried to smooth out the wrinkles caused by his heroic stand against the swans. Then he looked at her and offered a fair attempt at a smile before adding in a low murmur meant just for her ears, “I’d say we’ve stirred the gossip mills enough for one day, wouldn’t you?”

She wasn’t sure if it was the slightly crooked tilt to his lips or the momentary flicker of amusement in his eyes, but she experienced a sudden urge to give the curious crowd something even more scandalous to talk about.

And as she stared at him, doing her best to convince herself not to feel the things she was suddenly feeling, his expression shifted. The awkward smile slid away and something intense entered his gaze. As she watched, the muscles of his jaw tensed then released before he lowered his head very slightly.

“Miss Claybourne is waiting.”

It was the best thing he could have said to break her from the odd little spell she’d fallen under. She blinked and took another step back. “Right.” She cleared her throat. “Let’s be on our way, then.”

Turning away without another word, she strode swiftly to where the girl and collie were now patiently waiting. Though the earl kept pace with her, he remained a step or two behind.

Their party left the park in a much more subdued mood than they’d arrived. It wasn’t until they started down the street that Ainsworth realized she still carried her bonnet by the ribbons.

When she muttered in annoyance and lifted the offensive thing to put it back on her head, the earl stopped her with low-spoken words. “Don’t bother. It doesn’t suit you.”

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