Captain Wentworth swiftly dismounted his horse. As he swung open the carriage door, Anne involuntarily trembled from the bitter wind and snow sweeping through the interior. She lifted her eyes and saw the deep concern and relief etched on his handsome face.
"Anne - " He glanced at Lady Russell and corrected himself. "Miss Elliot, Lady Russell, are you both well?"
"Yes, Captain Wentworth, we are well," Lady Russell said coolly, displeased to see him. Her opinion of his imprudent and dangerous character remained unchanged, and his use of Anne's Christian name had not escaped her notice. "Where is Wilcox?"
"He arrived at the Great House, but when he saw the weather had worsened, he refused to come back out. He said his wages were not enough to risk his life in this snowstorm."
Captain Wentworth made no effort to conceal his contempt at such cowardly behaviour. Although it was not his place, he had severely upbraided Wilcox when the man declared no intention of returning to the carriage. If Captain Wentworth could have arranged a severe flogging for such an act of desertion, he would have gladly done so.
"We must find shelter from the storm," he continued. "I know of a small shepherd's hut not half a mile from here. I saw it in the autumn while riding these parts."
"A shepherd's hut?" Lady Russell echoed incredulously. In all her life, she had never set foot in a place unfit for a woman of her rank, and she had no intention of starting now.
"Yes. A shepherd's hut. Wait here a moment," he said in a commanding tone before closing the door.
Lady Russell turned to Anne. "I do not like his manners. We are not crewman on his ship to be ordered around. Has he forgotten that I am the wife of a knight, and you are the daughter of a baronet? He ought to speak more respectfully, and he cannot be serious about going to some labourer's hut!"
Outside, Captain Wentworth pulled their trunks off the carriage; he placed them behind some trees off the road, then camouflaged them with snow and branches.
Anne rubbed her forehead and sighed. She did not like being in the middle of a disagreement, yet with her abundant patience and good sense, she all too often found herself in that very position.
"Lady Russell, we should be grateful that he has come to help us. As for the shelter, I do not see what other choice we have. It would be better than remaining in the carriage."
Lady Russell eyed Anne carefully, noticing that she was discomposed and flushed. Is Anne still in love with him? Well, it does not signify; she told me he has formed an attachment with Louisa Musgrove.
Captain Wentworth returned to the door. "We must go now. The storm is worsening and will not be stopping anytime soon."
"How can you be so sure?" Lady Russell demanded.
"The wind is blowing from the east, the temperature is dropping, and the clouds are darkening," he responded matter of factly.
Anne smiled inwardly, admiring his abundance of practical knowledge, whilst Lady Russell made no reply other than a slight wave of her hand and inclination of her head.
"Please allow me to assist you, Lady Russell." Captain Wentworth motioned to his saddled horse.
She pulled back, her eyes glowing with indignation. "Captain Wentworth, I will not sit astride on a horse!"
"Then perhaps I should just leave you here!" His thundering voice reverberated through the desolate woods around them.
For a few moments, Lady Russell and Captain Wentworth silently glared at one another. They appeared to be engaged in something akin to a staring contest, each one daring the other to blink first.
Seeking to defuse the volatile situation, Anne said, "Would not riding a horse be better than walking?"
Her gentle voice pierced through Captain Wentworth's anger-induced haze, and he willed himself to calm down. No matter how tempted he was to abandon Lady Russell at the side of the road, Anne certainly would not allow it, though he was of half a mind to try anyway. He took a deep breath and tried to keep his voice neutral.
"Forgive me, Lady Russell. I should not have spoken so. I had limited space for provisions and supplies." He indicated the overstuffed saddlebags on his horse.
"There is too much snow on the ground," he continued. "We will travel much faster if we ride the horses, and it is imperative that we get you and Miss Elliot to shelter as soon as possible."
Lady Russell contemplated the vexing situation; she understood the urgency, but she also prided herself on her strict notions of decorum. When her silence persisted, Captain Wentworth felt his impatience rising again.
"If you prefer, you may take the unsaddled horse instead." He pointed to the horse still harnessed to the carriage.
Immediately, Lady Russell stiffened and directed another glare at him. "Very well, Captain. I will go on the saddled horse."
After helping her up, Captain Wentworth went to unharness the other horse and brought it over to Anne.
"Miss Elliot, you and I will ride the unsaddled horse together. We will go slowly so you need not worry."
"Ride the... unsaddled horse?"
She could hear the slight panic in her voice. She only rode horses occasionally, and never an unsaddled one, much less in a snowstorm. To her surprise, he began leaning toward her as if to kiss her, and her heart started beating wildly. Before she knew it, his cheek was within inches of hers. The familiar, intoxicating scent of leather mixed with sandalwood drifted into her nostrils, stirring up old memories and desires. Had he any idea what effect he had on her?
"Anne," he said softly into her ear, his deep voice sending tremors down her spine, "I promise I will not let anything happen to you."
He pulled back and studied her face. As she lost herself in the depths of his dark eyes, she mused that he could have asked her to jump off a cliff at that moment and she would have happily obliged.
"I trust you," she whispered. And I want to kiss you.
He nodded. "I will need both of my hands to guide the horses, so you will have to sit behind me and hold onto me."
He helped her onto the horse, then quickly swung himself up using a tree stump nearby. Feeling unsteady on the slick horse hair, Anne immediately wrapped her arms around him. The heat of his body emanated through his great coat, and she unconsciously pressed herself into his delicious warmth.
She heard his breath catch and felt a shudder go through him. Lightly tapping his heels, he nudged their horse to a slow walk. Lady Russell's horse felt its reins pull and obediently followed.
~~END OF CHAPTER~~