Her faithful squire.
Her pulse skittered, and she withdrew her hand from his, needing to regain some distance. Needing to ignore the tumultuous feelings the simple touch of his hand evoked. Like a gentle caress, it stoked buried yearnings. Ones he could not answer.
She gripped her fishing rod with both hands. “I appreciate your helping me. If Edmund will not listen, you don’t perchance have any other ideas of what we can do?”
He shifted his position on the hard bench. “Well, we still have the ace up our sleeve.”
“What ace?”
“You. Edmund has a right to reject my interference, but you are his fiancée, who can be very persuasive when she wishes to be. You got me to kiss—”
“Yes, yes. Let us not revise that.” She ignored his low rumble of laughter.
“Edmund must know of and admire your fine head for business. He has to be aware of how much of an asset you will be to him.”
“Well, I am not sure . . . That is . . .” Her voice trailed off.
Daniel continued. “I can imagine that at the beginning of your courtship, Edmund, like most men, was dazzled by your beauty. That is understandable, but as he got to know you better, I am sure that, like myself, he saw how clever you are, so it is little surprise that he asked for your hand.”
She did not think Daniel should be saying such things. He should not be discussing her dazzling beauty or her cleverness, but she could not summon up the will to stop him.
“Edmund clearly perceived you to be an intelligent woman who spoke her mind. One he would want to keep at his side at all times.” He shrugged. “That is where I would keep you. If you were mine, I would never let you out of my sight. I would be afraid someone might steal you from me, for you would be my most valued asset. I would have to keep you under lock and key.”
The sweet tenor of his voice was low and seductive, and like trailing a tantalizing aroma, she followed his words off topic and into dangerous territory. Riveted, she struggled to remember what they were discussing. Hadn’t a clue. All she heard was intelligent woman and most valued asset. Cheeks burning, she needed to end things before she couldn’t circle back to safety. “Please, you should not say such things.”
“Why? It is the truth. Doesn’t Edmund tell you the same? Tell you how lovely you are and incredibly talented, being able to manage estates, wash dishes, sweep floors, and if asked, you probably could rebuild Lakeview Manor.” A huskiness entered his voice. “Or does he talk about the color of your eyes, how they shine like blue diamonds, or that your skin looks satin soft and how he must yearn—”
“No, no, he does not,” she snapped, desperate to quiet him, for she could bear no more. “Please, what Edmund does or does not say is not relevant. What is important is that you cannot speak to me like that because I am marrying your brother, and—”
“So you keep reminding me, which makes it difficult to forget,” Daniel grumbled. “And I really want to forget it.”
She stared at him. When his eyes met hers, she froze, for she read in them things she shouldn’t see. The smoldering intensity in his expression stirred feelings she didn’t want to feel. Touched places that had never been touched. Forbidden feelings and dangerous places. Her breath hitched and her heart ached.
She looked away. This would not do. “You need to try,” she whispered. “For me. For the sake of our friendship.”
Silence fell and Daniel said no more. He reeled his line in, lifted it from the water, and recast into the lake.
She resisted the urge to press her hand to her chest, where a throbbing ache pulsed.
She sought to appreciate the beauty of the crisp day, the windswept lake, and the distant cry of a songbird. She used to steal away to Lakeview Manor, its tranquility settling her during those years when her life had been in turmoil. She prayed for it to settle her now.
But she couldn’t focus. It was all a blur as Daniel’s words wrapped around her like a warm blanket. Eyes like blue diamonds. Satin-soft skin. Dazzling beauty. They were more compliments she would add to the keepsake box deep in her heart, where she could take them out and savor later, when she had no others to fill it. When she sought to recapture this moment, the touch of his hand, the sound of his voice . . .
“I have a bite,” Daniel cried, jarring her from her thoughts.
Daniel jostled her as he stood, severing the spell that had woven around her. She shook her head and stood on unsteady legs.
“He is strong.” He struggled to reel in his catch.
“Hang on,” she said, finding her voice. As she watched his line stretch taut, her nerves settled. The wind whipped her skirts around her and cooled her overheated body. She resisted the urge to reach out and grasp his fishing rod and tug with him as she would have with Jonathan. “Don’t let it get away.”