Married to the Rogue (Season of Scandal #3) - Mary Lancaster Page 0,36
“Because it fits everyone’s view of me as a reckless young man about town?”
“Aren’t you?”
He scowled, then his brow cleared, and he laughed. “I can’t really defend myself when I almost rode you down.”
“And are now hiding your cousin from the law and the excisemen.”
“But mostly from my grandfather.” He held her gaze. “You don’t think I’m serious at all, do you?”
“Of course, I do. You are quite determined about the school and about politics.”
“Just not in my personal life?”
“That is none of my business.”
“Would you like it to be?”
She frowned, uncomprehending, and he smiled, rising from the bed and walking toward her. Her stomach tightened, for barely dressed with his rumpled hair and gleaming eyes, he looked now every inch the dangerous young buck. Attraction battered at her, drawing her to him so that when he held out his hand, she gave him hers, and he drew her to her feet. Too close to him. Much too close.
He seemed to be waiting for an answer. Wildly, she dredged up his last question.
Would you like it to be?
“Would I like what to be?” she asked breathlessly.
“Would you like my personal life to be your business?”
In that instant, she wanted to be his personal life. All of it, shutting out the past and the future and leaving only this moment, when he stood so close to her, holding her hand and gazing down at her as if she were the only woman in the world.
But that wasn’t their agreement.
“Of course not,” she managed. “I am happy to abide by our agreement.”
“Then I must let you go,” he said lightly. And yet he didn’t release her for a long moment. His blue eyes stared down into hers as though looking for something. It felt like drowning, and yet it wasn’t unpleasant. She could have stood there forever.
It was he who moved first, slowly and, she could almost have imagined, reluctantly as he walked with her to the door. He only released her hand when he relit her candle and gave it to her.
“Sleep well,” he murmured and dropped an unexpected kiss on her forehead before he opened the door.
She was halfway along the passage to her own chamber, feeling as though she were walking on air, before she wondered if she had actually disappointed him.
Now that was a heady thought.
Chapter Nine
When Deborah walked into the breakfast parlor the following morning, she was surprised to find everyone already there. However, it did not seem to signify Lord Hawfield’s early departure from Gosmere. On the contrary, he observed what a difference she had made to the house already.
“It needs very little,” she replied. “Just to be aired and brightened and lived in.”
“Well, I believe I am happy to help with the last,” he said jovially. “I’ll stay a day or two.”
Carefully, Deborah avoided looking at her husband. “You are most welcome. So long as you don’t object to the upheaval going on around you.”
“Not in the slightest. I am quite happy to potter about and keep out of the way.”
“Come and see the school, if you like,” Christopher invited.
The old man curled his lip. “I suppose you have destroyed the old place already. The dower house was a fine building in its own right, you know.”
“It still is,” Christopher argued. “But now it will have a purpose. After all, I have no mother to put in it. Shall we go, Gates?”
Christopher smiled at her on his way past, causing her heart to flutter for no obvious reason. She tried not to think of her relationship with Christopher, for it seemed to be changing on her part, and that way led to misery. Fortunately, Hawfield and Dudley began to leave the parlor shortly after Christopher and Deborah returned to the sideboard as though for second helpings and more coffee.
As soon as they left, she whipped a napkin over her plate of smoked fish, toast, ham, and tomatoes, and crept to the door. She could still hear Dudley and his grandfather outside the door.
Dudley was saying, “…glad to see you coming around to her, for—”
“Not coming around to her at all,” growled Lord Hawfield. “I want to find out what she’s up to.”
Dudley groaned. “Does she need to be up to anything? It’s my belief she’s actually a very fine girl, and, moreover, good for Christopher.”
“Nonsense. He married her to spite me, but I’ll still find a way to part them. Do you see their chambers are at opposite ends of the house?”