Page 80 of A Single Obsession

Eliza had hardly spoken a word to him since he had lost his temper. He wanted to kick himself for behaving in such an uncivilised manner. It did not matter how much she had scared him, riding like that. He should have been comforting her, not showering her with abuse.

But surely the fact she had turned up for their ride was a good omen.

“Good morning,” he said with a tentative smile, daring to hope Eliza had forgiven him.

“Good morning,” she said with the slightest upturn to her lips. It was a tight expression, but at least it was vaguely positive.

Beau was about to begin his apology when he realised she had raised her eyes and was looking at something—or someone—behind him.

“Are you ready, Anthony?”

Beau turned to see his best friend already mounted, and his smile faded. He had not been forgiven.

“You won’t mind if we go ahead?” Eliza said over her shoulder as she urged Whisper forward.

Anthony shrugged in his direction and then followed her out of the yard.

Yes, Beau did mind. He minded very much. But there was nothing he could do about it. He was the one who had erred.

Perhaps he should let her go. He didn’t deserve her. He deserved to be rejected. The thought of her marrying another man made him feel sick, but he had brought it on himself.

Is this what love felt like? No wonder Anthony avoided it.

Once mounted, Beau hurried to catch them up. He rode alongside Eliza and in response to his beseeching look, his friend rode on ahead to allow them a little private conversation.

“I’m sorry,” he said, looking across at her, but she refused to meet his gaze and did not reply. “I did not mean—”

“It is of no consequence.” She chivvied her horse into a canter and sped away from him.

He scowled after her fleeing form. Why wouldn’t she give him a chance to explain? He had to make her understand.

Determined not to accept defeat, he tried again, but still Eliza refused to listen. As soon as he drew alongside, she fell silent. It was as if she had erected a barricade between them, which she would not let him cross.

After several further attempts to engage her in conversation, he gave up and rode on ahead.

Anthony did not help. He chattered away to Eliza and she, much to Beau’s irritation, gazed up at his friend in the same manner he had been accustomed to her gazing up at him.

By the time they reached the stables, Beau was in a fair way to losing his temper again.

When Eliza dismounted and Ant offered her his arm to walk back to the house, his control broke.

“May I remind you Eliza is engaged to me?” he snapped, removing her hand from his friend’s hold and taking it possessively in his own.

Eliza didn’t object, but cast Anthony a conspiratorial glance that lowered Beau’s spirits even more.

They returned to the house in silence, Ant following behind with a wry smile on his face that did nothing to assuage his friend’s temper.

Once inside, she disengaged her arm and hurried up the stairs to change for breakfast without saying a thing.

Beau stood at the bottom of the staircase, staring up at her retreating form, wondering how he was ever going to put things right.

Anthony came alongside him and opened his mouth to speak, but Beau gave him such a scowl that he raised his hand as if in self-defence.

“Don’t say a word. You may be an expert in the art of dalliance, but you are not an expert on love.”

Anthony’s expression hardened, grimacing as Beau’s words struck home, but in a moment the grim look passed, and he gave a mock smile in sympathy.

“To judge from the pain it is causing you, I am well out of it.”