Chapter 7
“Sit down.”
Genevieve quickly did as her father demanded. It wasn’t often he called her into his study, but when he did, she obeyed. The man had little to no patience, and she’d tried to perfect the ability to become unnoticeable by him. Unfortunately, she had no idea how she’d gained his interest this time.
“How may I help you, Father?” She kept her eyes downcast as he preferred.
“I wish to know exactly what happened today with the Earl of Andel.”
Clenching her skirts to contain her shaking hands, she tried to think of an excuse for disappearing in the garden. She couldn’t believe the maid had told her father what had happened. Certainly, the girl had been worried when they’d returned, but considering the distance Christopher had put between them as they’d approached Judy, her concern quickly vanished. Genevieve bit her lip. His withdrawal after such an amazing kiss had hurt then, and now it seemed she would hurt again with a punishment from her father.
“Lord Andel arrived today for an unexpected visit,” she began.
He let out an irritated sigh. “I know that. Whose idea was the garden? The chaperone? And, why did the man leave so quickly?”
Relief caught her, but she showed no outward sign. So, he hadn’t heard about her disappearance. She would have to remember to thank Judy for her silence.
“The earl requested a walk and Mother assigned Judy to chaperone us. As to Lord Andel’s manner, I can’t say. He didn’t seem distressed when we spoke.”
Her father leaned back in his chair and ran a hand along his ample chin. “When I saw him leaving, he was direct and anxious to make his exit. I didn’t appreciate that at all. The earl and I are working on an arrangement, and I’ll not have you ruin it. I want him happy, do you understand?”
“Yes, my lord.” She spoke the words she knew he wanted to hear, but she truly did not understand. Christopher never mentioned speaking to her father, and she couldn’t imagine what they would have in common.
“From this moment forward, you are to be as accommodating as possible. Whatever that man wants, regardless of what it costs you, he gets.”
She swallowed, not liking the sound of that. “I—I’m not sure I understand.”
“I don’t know how to be clearer,” he practically growled. “If he wants a walk, you take him on one. A ride, you go. Tea, you pour. A chat, you talk. A kiss, you give. Whatever he wants, you make sure he gets. Now, do you understand?”
Confusion and fear swirled through her mind, but she nodded.
“Good girl. Now, leave me.”
On shaking legs, she stood and left her father’s study. Obviously, this arrangement her father had with Christopher was quite important to him, and she was being sacrificed for it. She could hardly believe this was occurring. Was that why Christopher had come to see her today? Why he had kissed her? Anger blossomed in her chest. She hadn’t believed him capable. Had she been so wrong about him?
The following day as she waited in the room for him to show up for his French lessons, she couldn’t contain her anxiety. A large part of her wanted to ask him, but the other part demanded she stay silent lest her father find out.
When he walked in, she rose to her feet, still not sure how to handle him. “Bonjour, mon seigneur.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Is that a sign you are wanting an apology?”
She shook her head. “Non, je suis simplement prêt à commencer notre leçon.”
“Considering we haven’t covered those words, I’m assuming you don’t want me to know what you are saying.” He crossed his arms. “I’m not going to apologize. You kissed me back, and I’m not sorry.”
Heat warmed her cheeks, but she couldn’t give in. If she did, her father would be furious. “You do want to learn French, ai-je raison?”
“You know that I do, however, I can see there are more pressing matters to attend to at the moment. We have already discussed honesty and demanding answers. If you have a question or something to say, do it.”
Allowing her anger from yesterday to surge, she straightened her back and glared at him. “Very well. Did you kiss me because of some dealings you have with my father?”
“What are you talking about?” His eyes were wary.
“He informed me that I was to be accommodating to you. That I wasn’t to deny you anything. He wants you happy in order to conclude your dealings. I can only assume he has told you I was to be at your disposal.”
Christopher’s brown eyes darkened to black as his face turned red with fury. “He told you this? When?”
His words were clipped, and he began to pace the room. Fear gripped her. She hadn’t often seen this level of anger, but she remembered it well. And, she had brought it upon herself. She never should have said anything.
Unbidden tears filled her eyes, but she squeezed them shut. Her father hated when she showed any signs of weakness. Likely, Christopher wouldn’t appreciate it either. Her pulse raced. Blood thrummed in her ears. Had he said her name? He expected an answer, but she couldn’t make her mouth work.
Her entire body shook. It took every ounce of effort to remain on her feet. She wished he would simply begin her punishment. The worst part was waiting for it to happen. When it didn’t come, she succumbed to her weak knees, and braced herself for impact.
Instead, she was encased within warm, strong, comforting arms. Although she knew it was wrong to take comfort in the man who would hurt her, she laid her head on his shoulder and relished every second. For once, she felt cherished and she would savor every minute of it.
“Genny, talk to me.” His voice was soothing yet panicked as he gently placed her on the sofa, kneeling beside her.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, staring up into his concerned eyes. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”
His hand ran down the side of her face. “You don’t have to apologize. I want you to talk to me. I love your honesty. And, I want to give you the same.”
“Thank you.” She could hardly concentrate with his thumb running over her cheek.
“Are you all right? What happened?”
She swallowed. Honesty. “You were angry.”
“Justifiably so. But, I wasn’t mad at you.”
“Sometimes that doesn’t matter.”
His brow knitted. “I don’t know what that means. But, even if I was mad at you, I would never hurt you. You know that, right?”
She fought with herself. She wanted to believe him. “Everyone is different. They react to anger in different ways.”
“I don’t care about anyone else.” His eyes burned with sincerity. “You have nothing to fear from me.”
A lump formed in her throat. She couldn’t doubt the truth shining in his words when he looked at her like that. She licked her lips. “I shall hold you to that.”
All his attention centered on her mouth. “In response to your question, I want to make something clear to you. When I kiss you, it’s because I want to. No other reason. Whether I should or not is irrelevant. In that particular moment, nothing else matters, but you and me and that second. I don’t give a damn about your father or what he wants.”
“Good. Then, I will continue to let you kiss me.” She smiled, loving the way his hand gripped her face, as if preparing to pull her to him and to do just that.
“And, why should I continue to kiss you?”
She leaned forward, until her mouth was only inches from his. For some reason, her prostrate position and his hesitation made her feel powerful. She knew he wanted to kiss her, and the knowledge did strange things to her insides. It made her want things she didn’t understand.
“Because you want to. Even now you’re thinking about how it feels. I can see it in your eyes. And, the best part is that my kiss comes with no expectations or
obligations. I already know your plans for the future. I only have one request.”
His eyebrow lifted as he leaned back and dropped his hand from her face. “Of course you do. So, what do you want?”
Deflated by his sudden withdrawal, she looked away. “I just don’t want you to run away afterward. It seems to be a trend with you.”
“That is your only request? That I don’t leave immediately?”
She nodded.
“You have no idea what—”
“Dear heavens! What is going on here?” Lady Regina’s horrified voice rang out in the room.
Christopher shot to his feet. “Miss Jubal nearly fainted. Luckily, I managed to get her to the sofa before she could harm herself.”
The lady rushed in. “Oh, my dear. I will fetch the doctor at once.”
With embarrassment stinging her cheeks, Genevieve tried to sit up. “That’s not necessary. I’m feeling slightly better. I believe I just needed to lie down a bit.”
“We can continue my lessons another time.” Christopher backed away as if terrified that he would be forced to wed her after being caught so close. “I’ll leave you in Lady Regina’s capable hands.”
Genevieve would have been hurt by his sudden departure had it not been for the wink he gave her as he walked out the door. Although she had no idea how to feel at that moment it seemed like something had changed in their relationship. Something that she fully intended to pursue.
~ ~ ~
“I think I like this new person you have become.” Jacques stretched his legs out and tossed his cards on the table.
Christopher laughed as he threw his own cards down. “You just enjoy winning a few hands. The atmosphere here in the club is a bit more distracting than in my drawing room at Andel Hall.”
With a knowing smile, Jacques shook his head. “No, mon amie, it’s much more than that. Back there you were only existing. Here you are living.”
Although Christopher could feel the difference in himself as well, he didn’t like that he suspected the change was due to one woman. Every day when he woke, it was as if he did it in order to see Genny. Then, she was the last thought he had before he fell asleep. His obsession with her was getting out of hand.
So far, his plan to get to know her hadn’t gone very well. Every word that fell from her lips simply made him want to kiss her more. If only he could find out more about her. Then, he would realize how very different they were. Only then he would be able to put her from his mind.
“Perhaps you were right, your language has changed me. I must warn you, I’m learning rather quickly and looking forward to meeting Miss Auclair.” The untrue words nearly clogged in his throat.
“It warms my heart to hear your love of French, but I fear it’s your English culture that has brought about this change. These parties and gatherings affect a man, not dry words on a page.”
“Are you going to deal the next hand?” Christopher looked around the crowded club, not wanting to have this conversation any longer.
“I’m not certain. Perhaps there is somewhere you would rather be. Your attention has moved to the door on more than one occasion.” Jacques smirked.
Truthfully, there was. However, he knew if he went to see Genny at the townhouse again, he would have a conversation with her father. The man had crossed the line by telling his daughter to allow someone to use her in such a way. The thought fired him up, and he wished he could help her get away from her father. She needed a husband.
“There is no where I need to be.” Then, a thought struck him. “Tell me, why is it that you have never married?”
Jacques laughed. “Your English parties have filled your head with l’amour. You have no need to worry about me. I am waiting for one special woman who will fill my heart with joy and my loins with lust. Nothing less will do.”
Eyeing the man, Christopher realized he’d be perfect for Genny. The language certainly wouldn’t be an issue. Jacques was a fine man and knew how to treat a woman well. And, if they wed, she would live nearby and Christopher would be able to keep a close watch on her. This was definitely a good plan.
“Part of this living thing you mentioned should be done with friends. Tonight, you will attend a ball with me. And, I refuse to take no for an answer.”
“If that will help you seize your life, then I shall be by your side.”
Hours later as he watched the man twirling a smiling Genny around the dance floor, Christopher began to second-guess his decision. He wasn’t sure he liked the gleaming spark in Jacques’s eyes when he looked at Genny. Didn’t the man know she was an innocent?
When the dance ended, he hurried to intercept the couple before his friend could make any inappropriate moves toward the terrace or any side rooms. After all, Jacques did have a reputation as a womanizer. Why hadn’t he thought of this before now?
“Enjoy your dance?” Christopher asked as soon as he was close enough.
“Very much. Mademoiselle Jubal is an excellent dancer and she speaks my language with the tongue that was made for French.” Jacques’s accent was more pronounced.
Christopher clenched his fists. He didn’t like the man referring to any part of Genny’s body, least of all her tongue. And, he certainly hoped Jacques was only talking about speech. Glancing at Genny, her blush was high. He couldn’t be sure if she appreciated the compliment or not as she didn’t look at him.
“I couldn’t agree more,” Christopher intoned.
“If you would excuse us, mon amie, we were on our way to get some refreshment. The lady is parched.”
Not being able to deny something for Genny, he nodded. “Of course. Please, don’t let me hold you up.”
The couple moved on, and again, Genny didn’t meet his eyes. He stood there, watching them walk away with an empty feeling in his chest. Something felt wrong about this. Not like with Callum, but nonetheless wrong. When she looked back over her shoulder, and their gazes met, he felt full again. Then, she turned back to Jacques, and he lost the sensation.
“I never saw her with the French gentleman, but I suppose you never can tell.” Countess Rivers appeared at his side. “What do you think?”
He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you are talking about.”
She laughed. “Of course you do. And, I suspect you are just as surprised as me by her choice. I’ve been checking in on the lessons lately, and from what I saw, I definitely thought her feelings led in a different direction.”
Shocked, Christopher studied the blond woman. “What are you saying?”
“Absolutely nothing. When it comes to relationships, I’m the worst. As for a judge of character, I don’t think there is much better than Miss Jubal. The girl is a treasure.”
“True.” He couldn’t do anything but agree.
Genny was something special. Could the countess have been trying to say Genny had developed some feelings for him? The thought both elated and frightened him. Mostly frightened, though. He’d tied himself up with emotions with his first wife, and he didn’t intend to have himself anywhere near that for anyone else.
Frustration gnawed him. How could he have let this happen? But, maybe it hadn’t. After all, she’d gone off with Jacques easily enough. Perhaps she only felt a friendship for him as he did for her. Yes, that was it.
Now, they needed to become better friends so he could stop thinking about her. Then, he could see her married off to Jacques while he married Miss Auclair. It was a simple plan. Easily attainable. He just couldn’t explain why the thought made the emptiness inside his chest expand.
~ ~ ~
Genevieve looked around with bright eyes as she rode in the phaeton with Christopher. This was the first time she’d been asked to go for a ride through Hyde Park, and she intended to enjoy every moment of it. Over the
past week, her life had changed drastically, and she couldn’t help but feel overwhelming gratitude for Christopher’s part in it.
“Thank you for inviting me today.” She cast a glance at him. “Ever since Lady Regina has increased her surveillance of my class, we haven’t had much time to talk.”
“I know.” His voice sounded sad. “What about Jacques Auclair, Baron Goulet? I noticed you have spent some time with him at recent gatherings.”
Her cheeks heated to think he’d been watching her. And, he was right. The baron had become attentive to her. As had two other gentlemen ever since the ball when she and Baron Goulet had run into Christopher. That night he hadn’t seemed pleased and she’d been afraid he would pull her away from Lord Goulet the way he had from his brother. However, he hadn’t, and the increase in attention from other gentlemen since that night had been rather strange.
The last At Home had been quite a scene with two different gentlemen vying for her attention. She couldn’t understand what had happened to attract them, but she couldn’t complain. Both her mother and father seemed pleased, so she would be as well.
“No more than I have spent with Lord Callum.” She sniffed in the air as if none of it mattered to her.
Christopher abruptly turned to look at her. “Then, he’s not to your liking?”
Her happiness at being asked out for such an outing instantly dimmed. So, he hadn’t done so for the simple reason of spending time with her. He had hoped she would have selected his friend to marry. Had Lord Goulet sent Christopher to ascertain her feelings? She hoped not. In truth, he was the most logical choice, but she still felt something missing with the Frenchman.
“If you have asked me to join you in order to talk about other gentlemen, I respectfully request that you take me back home.”
He let out a deep sigh. “No. The last thing I want is to talk about your horde of gentlemen.”
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