Courting Miss Hughes

Chapter 4

"We must head back now." Arthur declared with a decisive air and offered her a hand. She gave his ungloved hand a skeptical look and after some reluctance used it for support, as she stood up.

Her hand was much smaller than his own he noticed and was as smooth as her facial skin that he had examined earlier. The tips of her fingers were little rough though, as if she had engaged in some sort of needlework. He reprimanded himself inwardly for dwelling on the subject of her skin more than he ought to.

She soon started looking around as if she was searching for someone. This raised Arthur's suspicion. Who can she be expecting in the middle of the meadow at this hour? Was she meeting with someone, perhaps a lover? That would explain the guise she put on. Then a fearsome thought occurred to him. What if this was an ambush and she was waiting for someone to discover them in the middle of the forest, alone? This would surely ruin her and he'd be forced to offer for her hand.

Arthur promised himself he wouldn't let any such thing happen. If this chit thought she would entrap him so easily, she was gravely mistaken. But he couldn't simply leave her stranded. Because if his suspicions were wrong then he would have left behind a blameless girl in the forest to fend for herself. He already felt guilty for the dreadful fall he had caused her to endure, he wouldn't guilt his conscience further by leaving her alone.

"Who are you expecting here at this hour Miss Hughes?" he asked with directness. "Just my horse, sir," she said without glancing back "if we are to head back immediately I would need my horse. You surely do not expect me to walk"

"We can ride my thoroughbred. He is sturdy enough to carry us both." She paid no mind to his suggestion and kept walking further into the forest

"Please do not wait on my account, my lord. I will head back as soon as I find the horse. I am sure you wouldn't want to incur the loss of such a fine stallion." She replied when he eventually started following her.

"Thank you for your concern Miss Hughes, but I have a stable full of stallions. I am sure loss of one wouldn't be greatly remiss" He said getting hold of her wrist, in an attempt to halt her motion

"I fear, however, I cannot leave you here in the forest, in this state madam. You'd be wise to accept my assistance and come with me" he said in an aristocratic tone as he turned her to face him.

"Perhaps you should head back without me, my lord. I shall be fine, truly. Do not wait on my account. I am sure you have more important business to attend to and I shall be sorry to keep you from it." She said with resolved composure. But he wasn't going to give up so easily.

"Miss Hughes, I urge you to be reasonable. Come with me" he inched closer and looked deep into her eyes with a piercing gaze, daring her to defy him "now!"

He could see the pink flush return to her cheeks again. And just when he thought his intimidation tactics were working she fought back. "Let me reassure you, sir, I shall be fine. I am sure there are other ladies who are waiting for you back at the manor, who would be much more obliged to receive such attention and care from you, so you needn't waste them on me."

"Do not be so stubborn Miss Hughes, do consider your own safety. You have just endured a tremendous fall. I am not entirely sure you haven't developed a concussion. You cannot be left alone." He replied.

"And what about the stallion? Are we to abandon him, in this wilderness?"

"Horses are wild animals, Miss Hughes. He would fare far better than you would." He said tightening his hold on her wrist. His features were etched with apartment annoyance.

"Unless your wish is to either display your elegance in male attire when the whole manor wakes up or wither away in the wilderness while searching for a stallion. I suggest you make haste and come with me at once." He scolded her.