Page 15 of Seven Swans a Swimming

Now she was here, in a large manor house in which she could shout at one end and no one would hear her, which was rather alarming.

Arabella had not written to them yet. She would as soon there was something worth writing about. But the last thing she wanted was to admit to all those at Chalcroft enjoying Christmas that she was miserable.

“You would never have to endure an arranged marriage,” Arabella murmured to the swans, in no expectation of a reply. “You can simply do whatever you want.”

“Swans mate for life, you know.”

Arabella froze. She had thought herself entirely alone, or she would not have spoken aloud. But even though she had only heard the possessor of that voice speak a handful of times, the exact timbre was seared into her mind. Into her heart.

Stomach twisting most painfully, Arabella turned to see Lord Nathaniel standing behind her.

He was dressed once again in the ridiculously strange outfit he had been wearing when she had first met him, though this time the greatcoat was unbuttoned, giving Arabella immediate visibility of his throat, that tantalizing hair disappearing down his smock.

Arabella swallowed. She was not going to permit herself to be attracted to Nathaniel Cartier. He did not deserve that. He did not deserve her.

Such a shame he was so handsome.

“I beg your pardon?” she said stiffly.

“Swans,” said Nathaniel, pointing unnecessarily at the large white birds. “They mate for life.”

Arabella could not help it; at the word “mate,” her cheeks flooded with heat and presumably, color.

Well, really! It was not seemly for a gentleman to say such a word to a lady, let alone a lady alone with him, a lady who was engaged to be married to said gentleman!

It made all sorts of ideas rush through her mind, ideas that Arabella knew she certainly shouldn’t be thinking about. About touching his cheek and feeling the roughness of his beard. About kissing that cheek, his lips, tasting him. Feeling his hand on her waist, pulling her closer. Removing that smock slowly—

“Miss Fitzroy?”

Arabella started and flushed even darker as she saw Nathaniel’s curious expression. Well, it was his fault to begin with!

“I did not know that,” she said coldly. “About swans.”

“Oh, yes, they are fascinating creatures,” said Nathaniel curtly as he stepped toward the lake shore to stand beside her.

Arabella shivered, but Nathaniel made no movement to touch her or even acknowledge her presence. He merely stood there, looking out at the lake. Watching the swans swimming.

She cleared her throat, inviting him to say something more, but silence continued.

Eventually, she took matters into her own hands. Well, if they were to be married, and that felt less and less likely with every passing moment, they were going to have to get accustomed to each other.

He would have to accept that she was talkative, that was all.

“M-Mating…mating for life,” Arabella said, her tongue slipping over the first word. “Not too dissimilar to humans then, I suppose.”

Nathaniel snorted. “Hardly.”

She looked up at him. What made a man so prickly and unfriendly as Lord Nathaniel Cartier? Perhaps she had been wrong about the mistress. Perhaps he did wish to marry his harlot, but she had no wish to marry him. Perhaps she had thrown him over when Arabella’s visit was announced.

It would certainly explain his animosity to her.

“I suppose there are some people who do not stay faithful,” Arabella said pointedly, looking back at the swans. It was easier to watch the graceful birds than look at Nathaniel. “But I like the idea, nonetheless. ’Tis a noble pursuit, the pursuit of true love.”

Nathaniel snorted, but said nothing, and Arabella felt her ire only grow. Well, she was doing her best! It was not as though any other Cartier could claim to have done as much to continue conversation as she had—and besides, they were betrothed, even if it was a marriage that had been arranged.

She was the one doing everything right, and Nathaniel? Handsome though he was, infuriating though he was, needed to do something. Do better.

“Have I done something to offend you?” Arabella said suddenly, unable to hold herself back. She turned to Nathaniel, staring pointedly up at him. “You have been nothing but rude and insensitive since I arrived here—as your guest, I may add—and you have been avoiding me ever since.”

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