Page 34 of Her Heartless Duke
He had truly bewitched her, it would seem.
They finally reached a place that appeared to have attracted a great deal more people than usual. Colorful streamers waved gaily in the soft breeze and a short distance away, she could see some targets had been set up beyond a line marked in the grass.
There was a general air of excitement amongst the crowd and beside her, she saw that Fiona could hardly stand still, shifting from one foot to another with a huge smile on her face, her eyes shining bright as she looked towards where a few people appeared to be testing out several bows laid out on a rack.
“I am so happy you agreed to come with me today, Livvy,” she gushed excitedly. “You know Mama would never allow me out here on my own and she would never allow me to join this contest.”
Olivia looked at her cousin in surprise. “I never thought you would be so interested in joining an archery competition, Fi.”
“There are a lot of things you do not know about me yet,” her cousin winked mischievously at her.
“One can only hope that they will not land us both in hot water…” Olivia teased her.
“Well, not as much as pretending to—”
Olivia hurried to cover her mouth before she could blurt out their secret and Fiona let out a muffled laugh.
“Well, it seems like the young ladies of the Bennet household are exceptionally cheerful today.”
The low baritone sent tingles skittering down Olivia’s smile and she froze. Fiona quickly slipped from her grasp and with a bright flush, hastily smoothed out her clothes.
Isaac was standing before them with an eyebrow raised in amusement, while Miles stood beside him with an affable grin on his face.
“Your Grace,” Fiona murmured with a polite curtsy. “Lord Westmore.”
Miles reached out to help her up. “Come now, Miss Bennet. This is a meeting between friends. It hardly necessitates a curtsy.”
“As you say so, my Lord.”
Olivia saw the flush on her cousin’s face had not dissipated yet, while Lord Westmore’s gaze remained fixed on her.
Is there something going on here that I am not aware of?
“Are you ladies here to watch the archery contest as well?” Miles asked them, although his eyes hardly left Fiona.
“Well, actually, I intend tojoinit,” she replied, her tone firm and her eyes bright.
Lord Westmore looked pleasantly surprised. “Truly? You seem to be a young woman of many talents, Miss Bennet.”
“Not as much as my Lord believes, but I shall endeavor to do my best to meet your expectations,” she smiled at him.
“Believe me, Miss Bennet, my expectations have been met andexceeded.”
Olivia looked from her cousin to the Earl and then back again. Therewassomething going on between them!
It seems that Fiona and I have a great deal to talk about later…
“Shall we proceed to the registration then?” Isaac suggested, waving his hand towards a table where several young gentlemen had lined up to add their names to the roster of competitors.
Seeing none of the other young ladies had the intention of participating, Olivia noted her cousin’s smile seemed to have withered slightly.
“On second thought,” she murmured to Olivia. “Perhaps Mama was right. Perhaps I ought not to participate in a rather unladylike competition.”
“Nonsense, cousin!” a jovial voice remarked.
They turned around to find Daniel smiling as he strode towards the group with his hands clasped behind his back. He nodded towards Fiona. “Archery is a perfectly good hobby for ladies and gentlemen alike. Do take part as you wish,” he told her.
“I really do not think I should—”