Page 29 of Seven Swans a Swimming

She sighed, a little embarrassment flushing her cheeks as she said, “Well, when I first arrived here, you were not…not as welcoming as you could have been.”

Nathaniel laughed. “Understatement. Go on.”

Arabella smiled. There was a connection between them now, one she could not have conceived of even a day ago—one she had no desire to lose.

She hesitated. Was she doing the right thing by revealing this?

But they could not enter into married life with these sorts of secrets, Arabella told herself. They needed to be able to be open, honest with each other…otherwise what was the point?

“Well, I was sure that you were keeping a secret,” Arabella began.

“Which I was.”

“But not the sort of secret I had guessed,” she said.

“Dear God, what did you think I was doing?”

“It was not what I thought you were doing,” Arabella said slowly, hardly knowing how she was brave enough to say this, but certain she was going to, “but who.”

Nathaniel blinked, and Arabella flushed with a deeper heat. She had gone too far. A lady should not be saying such things, and certainly not to a lord!

But then he laughed. A low chuckle grew into a deep laugh, and Nathaniel grinned at her as he said, “My word, you believed I had a mistress somewhere on the grounds and was disappearing off to her!”

“I-I did!” said Arabella, hardly sure whether she should be pleased or panicked that Nathaniel was laughing.

Did he believe the whole idea nonsense—or was it actually true, and he was amused that she had finally found it out?

“You…you don’t, do you?”

Nathaniel ceased laughing, though a smile still danced upon his lips. “Oh, Arabella. I have underestimated you.”

“And I you,” Arabella said honestly. “All of this, this barn, the way you care for birds and animals, your dreams to be an animal surgeon…I do not believe I could have ever guessed there were such depths to you.”

She was surely not imagining it; perhaps it was the fading light. But no. Arabella watched as Nathaniel dropped his gaze, his cheeks flushed.

Was the great and previously aloof Lord Nathaniel Cartier…embarrassed?

“The truth is, I…I knew that it would be unlikely that someone else would…would understand,” Nathaniel said in a low voice, so low that Arabella had to step forward to ensure she caught every word. “I could not believe that a young miss from London would ever sympathize with…with what I wanted from life. And you…”

Arabella’s heart fluttered painfully in her chest, and she was suddenly very aware that they were still holding hands. Still connected. Even if it wasn’t enough.

“You are so beautiful,” Nathaniel breathed, looking up to meet her gaze with his light blue eyes. “So beautiful, Arabella, but more than that, you are witty and kind. I…I knew I would not be good enough for you, knew I would not impress, and you have confirmed that with every minute of your presence here.”

Arabella’s breath caught. Did he mean…

Nathaniel had been worried that he would not be enough for her? But she had spent the entire time since she had arrived here at Oxcaster Lacey worried that she would not be enough for him!

Had they both been circling each other, certain that they would not be able to make the other happy?

“You are…you are more than I had expected, and more than I deserve,” Nathaniel said quietly, raising his free hand to stroke her cheek, then cup her face. “Arabella, I—”

She did not permit him to finish. Arabella knew what she wanted and could see in Nathaniel’s eyes that he wanted it, too. This time, there was no hesitation.

Arabella leaned forward, used her free hand to grab the lapel of Nathaniel’s great coat, pulled him toward her, and kissed him passionately on the mouth.

Chapter Eight

For a heart-stoppingmoment, Arabella was not sure whether Nathaniel would recoil from her sudden kiss.

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