Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82982 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 277(@300wpm)
“I shall begin immediately.”
“Use great discretion. I do not wish for him to catch wind of this.”
“Of course.” He regarded me. “What will you do with this information?”
I smiled without warmth. “Ruin him. Completely. He will pay for the transgressions against my wife.”
He looked pleased. “Consider it done.”
I pulled down my sleeves and adjusted my collar, wanting, for some reason, to look nice for my wife.
“I am taking Maddie for a picnic,” I announced.
Edward startled. “A picnic? Alexander, I have never known you to have a picnic.”
“You have never known me to have a wife either.”
His countenance changed. He almost beamed at me.
“Enjoy yourself, my lord.”
“I plan to.”
Maddie had changed into a linen dress, the soft yellow of the gown complementing her dark hair and lovely eyes. She wore a bonnet perched on her head at an angle that covered her face unless she lifted it to me. I frowned at it, and she paused.
“My lord?”
I tutted, and she smiled hesitantly.
“Alexander,” she corrected herself. “Is something amiss? My gown displeases you?”
“Your gown pleases me very much, but that hat hides your face. I like to gaze on your loveliness. It brings me pleasure.”
She blinked, appearing shocked at my words.
“It is to protect my skin,” she explained.
“If we sit in shade, then you will remove it for me?”
“Yes.”
I crooked my arm. “Let us be off, then. I am suddenly anxious to venture into the dimness of the forest.”
Her pleasant laugh was an ample reward.
So was the feeling of her arm crossed with mine. I liked how it felt. How she felt.
We strolled toward the forest, the perfect destination already in my mind. A small brook was nestled not far into the trees, surrounded by flat boulders and grasses. I had spent many an hour there as a child and after returning here later in life. It was one of my favorite places on the estate.
The basket I carried was heavy, and I hoped the cook had included items Maddie liked. I was still concerned with how thin she was and how little she seemed to eat. I wanted to tempt her appetite, make her comfortable enough to express her desires and wishes.
To my satisfaction, Maddie removed her hat quickly, staring around in obvious fascination and delight. She reached out to touch the leaves on the bushes and trees, stopping once to bend at a flowering shrub, remarking on its loveliness.
“You have such beauty here,” she breathed out.
“It is yours now too, Maddie.”
She glanced up at me, her eyes wide and filled with emotion.
“It is still a dream.”
“A good one?” I questioned.
“Yes,” she replied with an emphatic nod. “Very good.”
We came to the brook, and her glee could not be contained. “Alexander!” she gasped, running ahead like a child. “How wonderful!”
I felt a warmth to my chest as I watched her. Such a simple thing. A spot to sit and enjoy the early summer warmth. The sound of water rushing over stones was nice, but to her, it seemed more so.
I felt the swell of sadness, knowing something as easy as a picnic or time spent enjoying a simple pleasure such as this had no doubt been denied to her. I was determined to give her as many of these small gestures of happiness as I could offer.
I set down the basket, spreading out the blanket close to a spot I liked the best. The flat boulders could be leaned against or sat upon, the shade was welcome, and the water was easily seen. All of which I knew would please Maddie.
I strode toward her, wrapping my arm around her waist and drawing her back to my torso. It pleased me greatly when she didn’t startle, but instead laid her hand on my forearm, patting it in a fond gesture.
“Such a treasure,” she murmured.
Unable to resist, I bent and pressed a gentle kiss to her neck, smiling at her shiver. “It is,” I murmured, not even looking at the brook, but instead at her. “A king’s ransom.”
For a moment, I stood behind her, feeling as if I were seeing the vista with different eyes. The way the branches bent in the breeze. How the water skipped and danced over the rocks. The feel of the wind on my face and the sound of the birds chirping happily in the trees.
It felt like a gift. And the gift was because of her.
“Come, Maddie mine. Let us see what the cook has sent us.”
Maddie exclaimed in happiness over the array of foods the basket contained. Small pork pies and cold chicken and beef. Cheese and bread. Jam puffs and biscuits. Fresh fruit. A container of lemonade—something I knew Maddie enjoyed. I spread out the food, offering her a plate I filled with her favorites. She accepted it, spreading the linen napkin over her lap and waiting until I filled my plate before starting to eat. She picked delicately, observing her plate with almost confusion on her face.