Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

" G ood morning." Arabella offered the duke a small smile as she stepped into the dining room. Jasper was already seated at the table. When she approached, he glanced up and offered her a curt nod.

"Good morning. I trust you slept well?"

"I did, thank you. And you?"

Jasper nodded. Then, as one of the servants passed by him, he stopped the man and informed him that they were ready for their meals. The man nodded and refreshed Jasper's cup of tea.

Arabella watched all this with a growing sense of familiarity. Over the last several days she and the duke had fallen into a strained sort of rhythm, meeting only for meals and occasionally when their paths crossed in the hall.

But when Jasper turned back to face her, Arabella got the strangest sense that things were about to change.

"How are you settling in?" he asked.

"Well, thank you."

"You have everything you need?"

She nodded. Jasper nodded, too, taking another sip of his tea. "I suppose it is time, then," he continued, "that I begin to introduce you to your duties as duchess."

Arabella took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Of course."

Jasper nodded satisfactorily. "Good. We shall start with breakfast and then I was thinking of taking you around the estate to show you the grounds. How would that sound?"

"I would like that very much," she admitted.

Plates of food were set before the couple. Jasper took up his knife and fork, cutting away at his breakfast as he spoke. "Very well. It is settled. There will be time after breakfast, of course, for you to change into better walking shoes, should you need."

Arabella hesitated, watching Jasper carefully. Was he teasing her? Testing her?

But he continued to eat his meal contentedly. He had said several similar things over the last several days. Little comments or questions that were far more thoughtful and considerate than Arabella would have expected of him.

Indeed, given his display of arrogance since she'd first met him, Arabella would have expected quite the opposite. She was still so taken aback by such a small show of consideration, that, when Jasper glanced up, she was caught staring at him.

"Is something the matter?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

Arabella quickly shook her head. "No. I was only thinking how nice it will be to see more of the estate."

Not quite convinced, Jasper returned to his meal.

After they both had finished, Arabella went upstairs to put on a dress more suitable for walking the grounds. Miss Margaret, the young woman who had taken over dressing her, quietly helped Arabella change.

"Thank you," Arabella said to her, looking over the new gown in the mirror as she fussed with a strand of hair that had come loose.

"Of course, Miss. Do you need anything else?"

"No, thank you."

Arabella expected the young woman to depart. But, when she remained where she was, Arabella frowned. "Is something the matter?"

Margaret blushed. "No, Miss. I only wanted to say that if you have need of anything, please ask and I shall fetch it for you."

"That is most kind, Miss Margaret. I think I am quite content for the time being."

"Very well, Miss. But if you have need, do not hesitate to ask. His Grace would be cross with me if he found you were wanting for anything."

For the second time that day, Arabella found herself taken aback. The duke would be angry if her maid was not looking after her? Again, she wondered why he should care. She was here to keep out of his way and look, for all intents and purposes, like any normal wife. Why should he worry about her day-to-day comfort?

"I, yes, I will let you know."

The maid bobbed a curtsey and hurried from the room. Glancing back at herself in the mirror, Arabella put a hand to her cheek. She did not understand the duke, she decided. She did not understand him at all.

On her way back downstairs, Arabella caught a glimpse of the estate out of the window. It was a large piece of land with rolling green hills and several gardens tucked up near the manor. Despite everything, Arabella was indeed eager to get the lay of the land. One of her best pleasures in life was taking a ride in a sunny afternoon, feeling the wind in her hair and whipping through her skirts, moving with the canter of her horse, and enjoying a sense of freedom that nothing else in this world could give her.

They would simply be walking today, but Arabella would soak up as much of the beautiful sunshine as she could. It truly was a perfect day for a walk. No matter who her walking partner might be.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, Jasper was waiting for her. He looked her up and down. "You changed."

"Yes. Is that all right?" she asked, sensing that there was something behind his words.

But the duke, glancing her up and down once more, his gaze lingering ever so slightly, shook his head hesitantly. "Perfectly."

When he turned and strode out the door, Arabella hesitated only a moment before following him out into the bright sun.

Instantly, she felt at peace. The fresh air, the sunlight, the gentle breeze which cut the heat of the day and left her walking through the perfect temperature, all refreshed her spirits.

Jasper was quiet as they walked. Occasionally, as they passed a particular part of the gardens, or some spot of interest, he would give Arabella a brief history it. Arabella would nod and ask a question or two, and Jasper would give her a short reply.

The conversation was polite but lacked any sort of depth. Arabella found herself recalling that now long ago conversation she had with her mother. Emily had hoped that, for Arabella's sake, the husband and wife would grow to appreciate one another. That, if they could not foster affection between them, that they might at least form a friendship. In reply, Arabella had assured her mother that as long as she could have children, she would be happy simply raising them as her mother had raised her.

Her spirits suddenly flagging, Arabella glanced around for a distraction. Then, she saw it. "Stables!"

The word was out of her mouth before she knew it. Jasper paused and glanced back at her. "Sorry?" He followed her gaze back over his right shoulder. "Oh. Yes. Do you wish to see them?"

Arabella nodded eagerly.

Jasper frowned. "Do you ride often?"

"I do. Any chance I get," she admitted. "My brother and I used to ride together nearly every day, when we could."

That was perhaps an understatement. Ever since she was old enough to sit atop a horse, she had been nearly melded with the saddle. Peter had first instructed her as a child, laughing joyously as she wobbled atop horses that were far too large for her. But he had kept a close eye on her, giving her only the gentlest of mares to ride until she had grown.

After that, Arabella had helped her father teach Thomas. Together the siblings would race around the grounds of their home, never happier than when they were shouting back and forth to one another and exchanging well-meaning taunts.

Those, Arabella realized, were some of the happiest times in her life.

Her husband nodded slowly, betraying his surprise. "Well. We shall view the stables, then."

Leading her toward the large structure, Arabella tried to contain her excitement. This, finally, was a glimpse of something enjoyable that might occupy her time. Indeed, it would be difficult to bemoan her sorry fate from in the saddle, riding away from husband, home, and all the rest of it.

Inside the stables, Arabella let out a gasp. "They are beautiful," she murmured, crossing to one of the nearby horses, her gaze going from this incredible beast down to the six or seven other animals that now whinnied and stomped their hooves at their approach.

Arabella held out a hand, her palm flat. The brown mare before her sniffed it and nudged her hand with its nose. Then, gently, Arabella placed her hand on its nose. The mare did not object. Petting it gently, Arabella smiled.

"You must indeed be a keen rider," Jasper mused, coming to stand beside her, just on the other side of the horse's lowered head.

"Nothing in the world is more freeing," Arabella murmured, entranced by the animal's deep, wide eyes.

"I have never before met a lady quite so keen on the sport," he mused. "It might be considered somewhat unladylike to be so taken with it."

At this, Arabella shifted slightly, catching Jasper's eye. She did not know whether it was the sunny day, the chance to be outside the manor, or the promise of future rides, but Arabella chose not to be offended by her husband's statement.

In fact, she decided to give him a little taste of his own medicine. "Indeed? And how much should a woman enjoy horse riding?"

She met his gaze unflinchingly and Jasper's frown deepened, obviously understanding that there was something else behind Arabella's words. "I suppose she might only ride once a week," he offered cautiously.

"Once a week? Oh, no. That could not be possible. Otherwise, how would she be practiced enough to beat her husband at a horse race?"

"Beat her husb -?" Jasper narrowed his eyes. "I beg your pardon?"

Arabella allowed herself a sly smile. "I do not think you are allowed to judge me until you see how accomplished a rider I really am. And what better way to prove that than to race you?"

"Are you challenging me to a race?" he repeated, astonished. "Riding one of my own horses, you propose to beat me? You do not even know what kind of rider I am." The corner of his mouth twitched. If Arabella had not known him better, she would have thought that he was fighting back a smile.

"I do not need to know. I promise you, I shall come out on top all the same."

Arabella stood before him, hands planted firmly on her hips. She held his gaze with as much confidence as she could muster.

Then, amazingly, Jasper let out a short, loud laugh. Arabella blinked in surprise. "A skilled rider is not all that you are," he laughed. "You are an expert at bluffing."

Arabella gasped in mock outrage, a smile creeping onto her own mouth. "How dare you, Sir! I am not bluffing in the slightest."

"Oh yes you are," Jasper grinned.

Without thinking Arabella reached out and playfully smacked his arm. It was the gentlest, most genuine of gestures – something she did all the time with her family. But the moment she pulled back, Arabella realized she had made a grave mistake.

Jasper found himself grinning down at his wife, laughing for what felt like the first time in years. It should not have been as funny as it was. But the way Arabella was looking at him, that flash of utter confidence mingled with playful defiance in her eyes warmed him in a way he had not expected.

Then, all at once, the moment was ended. Arabella's hand was on him before he knew it and sheer panic washed over him. Jerking out of her touch, Jasper stepped back, anger and shame swelling in his chest in equal parts.

As he moved away, Arabella's smile faltered.

"You are not to touch me," Jasper warned her, his voice low and hardly more than a growl.

He expected Arabella to shrink from him. To apologize. Cower even. When she straightened up and held his gaze, Jasper hesitated.

"Or what?"

The words were simple and straightforward, yet Jasper's reaction to them could not have been more complicated. Anger, closely followed with dark excitement, heated the blood in his veins.

He took a step toward her, towering over her. "What did you say to me?"

Arabella gazed up at him, still unmoved. "I asked what you were going to do if I touched you again?"

At his sides, Jasper flexed and relaxed his hands. He was suddenly filled with the desire to reach out and touch her. Not in anger or violence – far from it. And that was even more terrifying.

As his blood continued to burn, stoked into simmering lava by the look in Arabella's eyes, Jasper warred with his sudden, unexplainable desires.

Then, finally regaining control over himself once more, he turned on his heel and began to walk away.

He offered Arabella no explanation. No apology. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there and fast.

To his relief, Jasper's wife did not follow him. She remained where she was as he strode out of the stables and back toward the manor. She would find her way back when she was ready, he reasoned.

But it was difficult to think clearly. In the span of only a few minutes, Arabella had pulled Jasper through a variety of emotions, drawing from him a myriad of reactions to her strange words and behavior.

Even now, putting distance between them, Jasper was unsure what control Arabella had exerted over him. He did not want to think about it too closely.

He had sworn to himself that this marriage would not interrupt his day to day life. He had expected whomever he married – Arabella included – to fall into a vague, distant co-existence, speaking to one another only when necessary, and keeping their distance at all other times.

Only Jasper himself had not been able to abide by such an arrangement. Over the last few days, he had found himself concerned with how Arabella had been settling into life at the manor. He found himself consulting her new maid, and requesting that she tell him if anything seemed to be amiss with his new wife, or if Arabella had need of anything.

Even at mealtimes, he could not refrain from asking how she was.

But just now, their words to one another, that heat between them… it was far more dangerous than anything he had yet encountered.

Jasper needed to keep his distance from his wife so that neither she nor anyone else found out about his condition. But that was proving far more difficult than expected. Not only because Arabella seemed set on pushing the boundaries of their relationship, but because Jasper found himself almost wanting her to.

Jasper reached the manor and paused in the doorway, scanning the grounds for a sign that Arabella had followed him back.

This will not do, he told himself. This would not do at all.