The Langley Sisters Trilogy Boxed Set (75 page)

“Make fun of me at your peril,” Phoebe said, taking a slice of ham off his plate and putting it into her mouth.

Bella studied her sister as she nibbled the ham. Of course she didn’t look like a whale. Her skin had a healthy glow, and her hair seemed to have more luster. Her eyes sparkled, and she looked, if possible, more beautiful than she usually did. Dressed in deep rust, the color should have been too much on her rounded figure, but instead enhanced her beauty. Livvy and Bella had often commented that if she didn’t have so many character flaws, she would be unbearable to have as a sister.

“Would you like to come with me to the stables, Phoebe? You can stand by the railing and yell orders at me as Moses gives me my first lesson. After all, it has been many years since I sat a horse, so that should provide you with some amusement.”

Phoebe’s eyes lit at the idea. “And you won’t be pathetic if I say something you don’t like?”

“I promise.” Bella picked up her cup to hide her laugh as Finn winked at her.

“I shall wear my new cloak because the buttons on my emerald coat no longer meet in the middle.”

“And you shall look fetching, my love.”
Phoebe’s eyebrows met in the middle as she turned to scowl at her husband. “Fetching is for a woman under the age of fourteen, husband, not your wife.”

Finn just smiled. “I had no idea there was an age limit to looking fetching, love, but I thank you for enlightening me.”

“I’ll have you know I’ve never been called fetching in my life.”

“Now that doesn’t surprise me.”

Bella ate, enjoying the banter between Finn and Phoebe. For so long Phoebe had been almost brittle. Determined to let no one close to her but Livvy and Bella, but now she had Finn, and he had softened her. It was wonderful to see this love both she and Livvy had with their husbands.
 

Leaving the house with Phoebe an hour later after visiting Livvy, who looked tired but happy, they walked towards the stable.
 

“It’s nice to be outside even if it is a bit brisk.” Phoebe took her arm as they made their way along the driveway.

“Livvy looked happy, didn’t she? and Henry looked like—”

“A wrinkled little prune.”

“Phoebe!” Bella laughed. “He does, but only you would be rude enough to say it.”

“But he is the most beautiful little prune I have ever seen,” she added, sniffing.

“Lord, you’re not going to cry again are you?”

“Probably, and then I’ll likely cry again when you start riding about in front of me, so prepare yourself. Did you know that one of Henry’s names will be Luke?”

She hadn’t known, and it took her a few seconds to form a reply. “That’s very nice of them, don’t you think? I’m sure Luke will be surprised, but proud.”
 

“Will is closer to no man than he, Bella. You must know that.”

“Of course I know that.” She didn’t want to talk about Luke, so instead she asked Phoebe if she and Finn had come up with any names yet. “The reason I ask, Phoebe, is because Will was bandying about some very unflattering ones in the carriage on the way back from Scotland and he’s sure to have told Finn.”

“Like what?”

“I heard Horatio.”

They continued this discussion until they arrived at the stables.

“I shall pick both names, but let Finn believe he has helped,” Phoebe said to finish the conversation as Moses led a little chestnut horse forward to greet them.
 

“This little mare should be just the thing for your first ride, Miss Langley.”

Bella saw Luke in the distance; he was bent at the waist, inspecting the hoof of another horse. Looking to the stable she had found him and Stella in last night, Bella tried to shut out the memory of the woman naked, her body arched towards his. The worst part was that during the night it had constantly been her breast in his hand not Stella’s.

“I’m excited to sit a horse again, Moses, and as my brothers-in-law, are otherwise occupied, now is the time for me to re learn, before they can start worrying.”

“Well, it’s a mite chilly, but the air is clear, so we should have a good ride. As long as you keep your feet in the stirrups then I can see no problems.” This was accompanied by a look from the man to Phoebe.

“You miss those days, Moses, admit it.”

Moses had once ridden tricks on horseback in a carnival and Phoebe had made him teach her a few.
 

“I gave your life a sense of adventure that is now lacking; in fact, you’re suffering from boredom because you are no longer teaching me to stand on my horse’s back,” Phoebe teased him.

“It’s certainly better for my heart,” Moses muttered as Luke approached. He was wearing the clothes he used to, the ones for working with horses. His sleeves were rolled up, exposing his muscled forearms sprinkled with hair.
 

“Good morning, Bella, Phoebe.”

Horrified, Bella felt color fill her cheeks, so she mumbled her greeting and kept her eyes on the horse, stroking its neck. She’d always been aware of him, but lately and especially after what she had seen last night, she was suddenly aware of what lay simmering between them.
 

“You are going riding?” He appeared as calm as he always did.

“Yes.”
 

“Lilly is a sweet-natured little mare, Miss Langley, and perfect for your needs. Now do you want me to lead you about for a while, or will you take the reins?” Moses said, unaware of the currents vibrating between Luke and Bella. Phoebe however, was watching avidly.

“You never offered me a sweet-natured mare, Moses.”

“That’s because you’re not sweet-natured, Phoebe.”

“I can be sweet natured, Luke Fletcher, and how dare you state otherwise!” Phoebe gave him a look that would wither most men. “Why, just this morning I lied to my sister and told her that my nephew is the cutest baby I have ever seen. If that fabulous lie is not showing my sweet nature, I fail to see what is.”

“Phoebe!” Bella moaned. “Henry is cute in a…wrinkled, old man way,” she finished lamely.

***

Luke returned his eyes to Bella. She was nervous with him near, aware of him as he was of her.
 

“Babies all look like that. Yours will be no better,” he said, looking at Phoebe, before turning back to Bella.

“Take that back at once, Luke Fletcher.” Phoebe feigned mock outrage. “My child will be born handsome or pretty. How can you state otherwise, knowing the parents?”

“Of course,” Luke drawled. “How foolish of me to question you.” He then bowed deeply before Phoebe. “And there is also the matter of a mother’s failing eyesight when first she lays eyes upon her child.”

Phoebe didn’t speak, instead punching him, hard, on the arm, before wandering away to see the other horses, which allowed him to focus on Bella once more. Dressed in green, her coat was fitted and the exact match for her eyes. She wore black boots and a fetching little black hat, which would do nothing to keep her warm.

“I trust you slept well, Bella?”
Did you dream of me as I did you?

He knew she hadn’t ridden a horse for years, but would not question her about that because she would not welcome his interference. Bella wanted him to see the changes in her and he was going to try, even if that included taking a step backward and not helping her, which he instinctively wanted to.

“Very well, thank you.” She didn’t look at him, which told him she was lying.
 

“Allow me to help you up.” Luke placed his hands on her waist and lifted her onto the horse. He could feel her through the clothing that separated him, feel and want her, and he saw the need reflected in her eyes. She understood what lay between them, and he wanted to run his hand up her leg under her skirts just to see her shiver from his touch; instead, he fitted her foot into the stirrups.
 

“Thank you.”

“Promise me you will take care, Bella.” Their eyes met and held as he cupped her ankle and squeezed it gently.

“I promise.” She looked at Moses, who was talking to Phoebe about one of their horses. Lifting one hand, she brushed his hair from his forehead.
 

“I’m not sure I want to go to London now, Luke.”

He caught the fingers, bringing them to his lips. “Yes, you do, Bella. Because if you don’t, you will always wonder, and while I don’t relish the prospect of watching you enter society, I want it for you, because if we are to have a future it must be free of regrets and you must know what you would be leaving behind to be with me.”

She bit her lip but said nothing further. Releasing her, Luke then made himself walk away. Reaching the rear of the stables, he then climbed up into the loft so he could watch her. “You are a bloody fool, Fletcher,” he muttered, lying in the hay to wait for her to appear.

He could have asked her to stay here in Twoaks, asked her to marry him, and at that moment she would have said yes, but he wouldn’t do that to her. He wanted a future with her, but she needed to do this first.
 

He watched them appear, Moses walked at her side on his mount, taking her around the paddock several times, before letting her trot. She handled the horse well, and did everything she was instructed, too. She sat tall, shoulders back, and when she passed beneath him he heard her chatting to Moses, who in turn talked back gently, giving her instructions about what to do next. When she cantered, Luke watched, heart in his mouth, but she did that well also.
 

“Luke Fletcher, come here at once and help me onto this mounting block. I have a need to sit!”

Phoebe’s summons was loud enough for them to hear in the stables, and as he was directly above her, he couldn’t ignore it. Making his way down, he moved to where she stood.

“You called, Your Majesty?”

He’d grown closer to the Langley sisters in the past few months. They had always been part of his life, yet now they had become friends. It happened when Bella went away to Scotland and he had been desperate for any news of her. His being in the house now, working for Will, had given him reasons to approach and engage them in conversation.

“I am quite sure that I will in due course give birth to an elephant.” Phoebe grunted as he lifted her and placed her gently on the mounting block. “One loses all dignity, you know, Luke, and if you call me Your Majesty once more, I shall clout you.”

He laughed as he stood at her side and watched Bella. “You could never lose your dignity, Phoebe, and I say this because it is the truth, not flattery.”

“Thank you. A woman enjoys hearing things like that when she cannot see her feet. You have no idea how lucky you are to be born a man.”

Luke snorted. “Tis a blessing to be sure.”

They talked as they watched Bella, Phoebe tossing insults at him and Luke batting a few back gently.

“I cannot believe the difference in her.”

The change in conversation threw him, as she had just been insulting his jacket. “I beg your pardon?”

Her eyes were not the same color as Bella’s but he saw the resemblance just the same as she gave him a steady look.

“Bella has changed, Luke, and for the better.”

“Yes,” was all he said because part of him wanted the woman who had needed him back, the selfish part of him.

“She has grown up, and will soon make her entrance into society. I do believe that she will become one of society’s darlings in no time. In fact, I should imagine by season end, she will be inundated with offers.”

Phoebe wasn’t looking at him, instead showing him her perfect profile. If her words had been intended to cause him discomfort then she had succeeded. Still, he did not say anything by way of return as he and Bella had not discussed mentioning their feelings to the family, although if he was being honest, he wondered how they could not have noticed what lay between him and the youngest Langley.
 

There was also the concern that perhaps they wanted more for Bella than he could offer her. He doubted it, knowing what he did of this unconventional family, but the doubt was still there, and lay deeply rooted in his insecurities.

“She needs to have a family and feel loved, needs to feel secure after what we endured. It was her, more than Livvy or I, that suffered the most, because there was nothing she could do about our plight. She believed herself worthless.”

“She is not worthless.” His words were a soft growl, and he’d spoken them before he could stop himself.

“I know that, Luke. However, I’m still not quite sure she does. Perhaps you could tell her?”

She was looking at him again, her brown eyes filled with shrewd intelligence, and Luke knew then that she, like Thea, was very aware of how things lay between Bella and he.

“Will you excuse me now, Phoebe? I have things that I must see to.” He needed to leave before she began to question him further about his feelings, which she was more than capable of doing, as the middle Langley sister was not one to hold back.

“Yes, if you must. Moses and Bella are finished now anyway. They will help me down.”

He went back inside and into the tack room. Looking at all the leather around him he grabbed the first thing he could reach and gathering what he needed; he started cleaning. When Will wandered into the stables a few hours later, his arms had a pleasing ache as did his shoulders, and his mind was still filled with Bella.