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Isabel took a deep breath. “Perfect. How am I to get home?”

Vane grimaced. “Millie!”

“Yes?” The girl appeared behind the marquess, her lips pursed, but her eyes shone with glee. Oh, the fiend!

“Run back to the field and ask Jack to send one of the boys with Lady Isabel’s horse here. And let Jack take you to his home. His wife will feed you some of those buns you like so much.”

“I don’t want to go,” Millie pouted.

“I am sorry, moppet. Lady Isabel needs your help. Please, do as you’re told. And take the dog with you.”

Millie threw one last pouting gaze toward Isabel and scurried away.

Vane looked around. He took a blanket from the picnic basket and spread it on the ground. “The ground is wet and cold. You might freeze while sitting on the grass,” he explained, then he unceremoniously scooped Isabel into his arms and settled her on the blanket.

“Do you mind if I take your stocking off? Might help me to ascertain the extent of your injury.”

Isabel shifted uncomfortably, heat rising in her cheeks. “Um… is this necessary?”

Vane raised his brow. “It’s best to take it off now before it swells even further.”

“You… Well…” Isabel stumbled. “I don’t know. But I don’t feel comfortable with you doing this.”

Vane smiled. “I am your husband. I am going to be doing far less comfortable things to you soon.”

Isabel’s entire body heated at his words. Did he mean marital duty? And what did that mean if he did? Had he finally acknowledged that she was not with child?

As tumultuous thoughts ran through Isabel’s head, Vane reached under Isabel’s skirt until he grazed the intimate skin above her stocking. Isabel’s eyes closed, and she stifled a whimper.

Vane untied the garter and started slowly rolling the stocking down her leg.

Gooseflesh covered her skin, and Isabel clenched her thighs together, for a peculiar tingly feeling originated at her center.

“Doesn’t seem like you hurt it terribly,” he murmured. The low timbre of his voice caused Isabel to shiver again.

What is happening?

Vane sat perpendicular to Isabel and placed her leg on his thigh. “I hear it’s best to keep it elevated,” he said, his hand still on her shin.

Isabel looked around. Surely this was not right. She was bare from her knee down. Someone would see!

She sat up and covered her leg with her skirt. “It should be better in a few days. No need to fret. It is not the first time I have rolled my ankle.”

“I am certain it isn’t. You seem quite accident-prone,” he said with a smirk.

“Accident?” Isabel was affronted. “First off, I have not been tackled this many times in my entire life before I met you! And secondly, this was not an accident.”

Vane frowned. “You are not trying to imply that Button did this on purpose!” He gestured to her foot.

Isabel clenched her teeth. “Not Button.”

“Millie?” Vane let out a laugh. “Do not be ridiculous. She isn’t malicious enough to hurt somebody on purpose.”

“Of course, she didn’t hurt me on purpose!” Isabel threw up her hands. “That enormous monster you call a dog has never caused her injury, so how would she know what strength he truly possesses? She just wanted to divert attention away from me or perhaps the governess talk.”

“By siccing Button on you?” Vane’s clear skepticism grated on Isabel’s nerves.

Paired with her ankle’s dull pain, it made Isabel all the more irritable. “As I said, she most likely didn’t think Button would tackle me. She just thought to stop me from speaking about the governess and didn’t want you to leave her. And by the way, what person names a dog as large as a horse Button! If anything is ridiculous, it’s that!”