Amelia awoke to heat—soft, solid, and amazingly warm heat. She rolled slightly to the side, sensing the regular ebb and flow of breath against her face. Her sleep-dulled brain took a few seconds to clear.
And then it hit her.
She was lying against Claude.
Her head lay on his chest, his arm lying loosely across her waist like it was meant to be. The morning light was dim, with a warm golden color on the room. She could sense the slow rhythm of his heartbeat under her cheek, a calming one that made her feel an unwelcome warmth crawl up her neck.
Panic set in for a moment, but instead of scrambling off, she shut her eyes tight. Just pretend to be asleep. Yes, good plan, Amelia. Very clever.
Claude shifted. His breathing altered, and his body stiffened. There was a sudden gasp of air, followed by an unnatural silence.
Amelia, pretending to still be asleep, could sense him attempting to process what was occurring. His hand jerked on her waist, and his body shifted minutely, but he didn't leave. She could sense him coming to an understanding of the situation, processing it.
Not being able to pretend anymore, she opened one eye.
And caught Claude staring back at her.
Wide-eyed.
Frozen.
If Amelia wasn't already flustered, she would have burst out laughing. But instead, her lips curled into a mischievous grin, her brown eyes twinkling with amusement.
Claude, still unmoving, turned an impossible shade of red. As if realizing he had been caught, he groaned and covered his face with his free hand.
"You're acting like a maiden, Claude," she teased, voice thick with amusement.
Claude glanced at her over his fingers, his embarrassment giving way to something more mischievous. "Well, you are being a scoundrel."
She pretended to be offended, leaning up on her elbows. "Excuse me? Who was holding on to me in his sleep?"
Claude scoffed. "I was not holding on."
"Uh no, not at all. Just hugging me as close as can be." Amelia smiled more as Claude groaned again, looking absolutely regretful about it.
"You are so objectionable," he grumbled, ruffling his messy hair.
Amelia laughed, tossing a pillow at him before slipping from the bed. "Come on, Duke Everthorne. We have a day's work to get through."
Claude grumbled something under his breath, but he stood up and stretched along with him before they both headed off in different directions to begin their work for the day.
The morning slipped by swiftly, filled with meetings, estate concerns, and dealings with the household staff. Amelia was just getting through some estate paperwork when she turned to find none other than her uncle, Lord Francis, standing behind her with an all-too-satisfied smile.
"I must say, dear niece, you've taken to your duties well. I wasn't sure you had it in you," he chided, stroking his beard.
Amelia, not having much patience for his mischief, only gave him a courteous smile. "What do you want, Uncle?"
Lord Francis laughed, obviously not deterred by her lack of excitement. "I thought, as we're all so *dreadfully* busy, why not have a break? A nice day out, a picnic in the countryside. Fresh air, nice food, and a bit of entertainment, perhaps?"
Amelia hesitated. Spending time with Francis was never pleasurable, but. if it meant keeping him occupied, maybe even boring him enough to get the manor out of his system sooner, it was worth it.
"That does sound. lovely," she said guardedly.
"Splendid! I'll have the staff arrange everything. We depart before dusk."
She stood and observed as he walked away, looking pleased with himself. There was something about his urgency that bothered her, but she pushed it aside. It was a picnic. Nothing was going to go wrong.
The picnic was laid out in a grassy clearing near the river, under the canopy of tall trees and colorful wildflowers. A large blanket was laid on the grass, laden with an assortment of dainty food made by the manor kitchen. The staff had accompanied them, including the master of the stables and his young son, Timothy, who had insisted on accompanying them.
Amelia discovered herself to actually like the moment despite being wary from the start. The atmosphere was serene, and the air cold and fresh. She even unbent a little, laughing lightheartedly with Grace while the stable master's boy frolicked nearby.
However, the quiet was broken abruptly.
A sudden rustling arose from the line of trees. Amelia initially assumed it was a beast, but when shadowy figures stepped out of the bushes, her heart jumped.
"AMBUSH!" someone on staff shouted.
Bedlam broke out.
Sword-wielding and crossbow-carrying men came running towards them. The household staff rushed to guard Amelia, intervening between her and the attackers. Screams and the ringing of steel echoed through the air.
And then—
Lord Francis fled.
Instantly, without even taking a second glance around, he took off for the nearest horse, mounted it, and rode away, leaving all the rest behind.
The betrayal burned like acid in Amelia's veins. "That coward!"
But she had no time to dwell on it.
An attacker lunged toward them. In the chaos, young Timothy tripped over a basket, falling directly in the line of danger. Amelia acted before thinking, diving forward and shielding the child just as an arrow whizzed past.
Pain burst in her arm as the arrow brushed against her skin, creating a searing wound.
"RUN!" one guard bellowed.
Amelia took Grace's hand. "We have to go, now!"
Hold-ing Timothy, Amelia and Grace ran towards the trees. The forest stretched before them, their sole chance to escape. The battle raged behind them, but the attackers did not relent.
Amelia's breathing was in ragged gasps as they pushed through the thick cover. Her hurt arm ached, but she didn't dare slow down. Timothy whimpered, holding on to her for dear life.
At last, after what seemed like an eternity, they came to a thick stand of trees, where the underbrush was thick enough to offer cover. Amelia leaned against the trunk of a great oak, gasping for breath.
Grace knelt down next to her. "We should be safe here for now."
Amelia closed her eyes for an instant, still trembling. "Coward," she growled.
Grace shook her head. "He left us without hesitation."
Amelia gritted her teeth. "Claude is going to kill him when he finds out."
Survival, for the time being, was all that mattered. Shadows of the forest closed in on them, sounds of their followers fading into the distance.