a hard line. A crease appeared on his forehead. “You are the most desirable woman I’ve ever known and I cannot…” He stared down at her and it seemed he struggled to breathe. “I cannot stand the thought of you possibly walking away in another few days.”
“Why not?”
“Surely the kisses we’ve shared offer some indication.”
“I, um…” If only she hadn’t taken their conversation in this awkward direction. She gulped a breath and hastily told him, “My experience with such things is limited.”
“As well it should be,” he practically growled.
“What I mean,” she went on, determined to get her point across before her courage failed her, “is that, given your resolve to convince me to marry you, you could have used the kisses as a ploy with me being none the wiser.”
His eyes widened. “Do you honestly think me capable of such trickery?”
“I do not know what to think.” Unsure of herself, she forced the words out before she could change her mind. “But I am certain that had we met in London at some grand ball, you would not have looked at me twice.”
Randolph muttered something she’d never thought any gentleman would ever dare say in the presence of a lady. He loosened his grip on her arm and slid his hand down to hers. “All things considered, you have every right to be suspicious.”
When she kept quiet, he filled the silence while twining his fingers with hers. “My sole purpose was to procure a wife who would give me the heir I require without besmirching my name. So yes, I chose ladies no one else seemed to want because that felt like the safest option. Picking a wife I find attractive was not even something I let myself hope for until you entered the parlor that very first evening and captured my interest.”
He raised her hand to his lips for a tender caress. “Since then, you have proven yourself to be more than I ever dreamed possible – a woman whose company I crave with ever increasing intensity.”
It wasn’t a declaration of love, but it was enough to appease Angelica’s concerns and give her some hope. “I feared I might be the only one who was smitten.”
The smile that slid into place on his face made his eyes glow like moonlight. “Then I am to understand that you return my regard?”
“I do. Most assuredly.”
His smile turned so roguish, her skin started tingling. “I am half tempted to break my own rules and propose straight away.” He dropped a look at her as they resumed their progress. “How would you respond to that, I wonder?”
Delighting in the more playful mood they’d managed to find, Angelica told him wryly, “There’s only one way for you to find out.”
He chuckled, but when he spoke again, his voice was sober. “I would not deny you the last four days you’ve been given to make your decision. It is a serious, life altering one and, in light of recent events, more complicated than most. I want to be sure you will have no regrets.”
In Angelica’s heart, her mind was already made up. When the time came, she would accept Randolph’s proposal in spite of the drawbacks for one simple reason: she’d fallen in love with the man and could no longer picture her life without him.
Chapter 7
The days that followed were so perfect Angelica almost allowed herself to forget she’d experienced anything out of the ordinary during her stay at Colchester Hall. With scarcely a cloud in the sky, she’d visited Randolph’s tenants two days earlier, bringing baskets of goods she and Rose had prepared. And with the lovely weather persisting, she’d even been able to attend a garden party with him at a neighboring estate yesterday. It was unusually late in the year for such an event, so the guests had all been local, allowing her to become acquainted with the people she’d soon have to associate with on a more regular basis.
Now, sitting adjacent to Randolph at the dining table with her mother directly opposite, Angelica savored the dinner the cook had prepared. It wasn’t duck this time, but rather lamb, roasted to perfection, with parsley buttered potatoes and crisp vegetables flavored with spiced oil and vinegar dressing.
Taking a small break from her food, she sipped her wine and listened to Randolph’s account of his visit to Rome. He’d gone right after finishing his studies at Cambridge, and he spoke of his travels with so much enthusiasm it made Angelica yearn to