by Darcy Burke
Clearly, it wasn’t.
Gabriel strode toward the woman, his movements full of purpose as he stopped before her. She lifted her face, and Poppy recognized her from Hartwell House. Mrs. Armstrong had taken her in as a girl.
Why was she at the cottage? And why was Gabriel going to see her? A knot of unease twined in Poppy’s gut.
Judith laughed—a warm, gentle sound that carried to Poppy on the wind. Gabriel joined in. Jealousy knifed through Poppy’s chest, and she told herself she was being ridiculous. But then he touched Judith’s arm, and she turned, leading him into the cottage.
Poppy ought to go and confront them, but she was rooted to the ground. A dozen scenarios swirled in her mind, but she kept coming back to one—they were having an affair.
The roots came free, and Poppy walked toward the cottage. With each step, the knot in her belly tightened.
When she reached the door, she froze, her resolve weakening. What was she going to do? If he was having an affair, this was going to be a very ugly—and awkward—confrontation. Did that mean she should walk away?
No, she was not going to endure one more thing. She lifted her hand and loudly rapped on the door.
A moment later, Gabriel answered, his eyes widening as he saw her standing outside. “Poppy?”
“What’s going on here?” She hadn’t meant to ask so forcefully or indelicately, but her patience was simply gone. Pushing through the doorway, she looked around the small main room. “Where is Judith?”
The young woman came from the back of the cottage. She tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “Lady Darlington!”
Gabriel and Judith glanced at each other, lending them an air of guilt or conspiracy. Poppy folded her hands over her chest. “Judith, why aren’t you at Hartwell House?”
“I—”
Gabriel cut her off. “She’s here taking care of a woman because there were no more beds at Hartwell House. Rather than allow Mrs. Armstrong to give up her bed, I insisted the woman come stay in the empty cottage. Furthermore, she is ill, and this way, she can’t spread her sickness to anyone else.”
“Except for Judith.” Poppy pursed her lips at him. “And you, apparently.”
“Who’s there?” a feminine voice called from the back room. This was followed by a coughing fit. Whoever was there was truly ill. There was no affair, then. Poppy felt foolish for even thinking it—Gabriel wasn’t that type of husband.
“My goodness,” Poppy breathed, striding past both Gabriel and Judith and making her way into the single bedroom.
The woman in the bed struggled to sit, but Poppy was frozen by the sight of her round belly. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, Poppy went to the bed. “Let me help you.” She grasped the woman’s arm and slid her other hand behind her back as she shimmied up against the headboard.
“Who are you?” The woman narrowed her eyes at Poppy.
“This is Lady Darlington, my wife.” Gabriel came into the bedroom with Judith on his heels. “Poppy, this is Dinah Kitson. As you can see, she is expecting, as well as being sick. She went to Hartwell House, but Mrs. Armstrong didn’t have room for her. I offered to let her stay here, and Judith volunteered to come and nurse her until the babe comes.”
Poppy turned her head toward him. “How long has she been here, and why didn’t you tell me?”
His jaw tensed, and his gaze flicked toward the bed. “Only since yesterday. You’ve been busy.”
Except she hadn’t been, not really, and he’d called her on it last night. Which meant he’d kept the information from her on purpose. Because Dinah was pregnant.
She returned her attention to Dinah. “Perhaps you should come stay in the house so I can look after you. Then Judith can return to Hartwell House, where she is needed.” Poppy could only imagine that Mrs. Armstrong was now shorthanded. And here Poppy had avoided going there. She suddenly felt very selfish.
“What if she gets everyone in the household sick?” Gabriel had a point.
“Very well, but I can come stay here to care for her so Judith can return,” Poppy offered.
Gabriel came forward and gently clasped her elbow, then guided her from the room. “Poppy, I don’t want you to fall ill.”
She pulled her arm from his grasp. “You can’t protect me from everything. This woman needs help, and Mrs. Armstrong needs Judith.”
“Mrs. Armstrong had no problem with Judith coming here. It won’t be for very long anyway. Dinah is already showing improvement after taking medicine, and her time is likely near.”
There was that word again.
His gaze was cool. “Since you’re so concerned about Mrs. Armstrong, perhaps you should start visiting Hartwell House again.”
“I plan to. After the house party. In the meantime, I’ll make sure Dinah is well situated. The physician should come see her.”
“He will be here tomorrow,” Gabriel said, the muscles in his jaw working. He lowered his voice. “Poppy, I didn’t want to expose you to her.”
“Because she’s sick?” Poppy asked innocently, knowing she was likely pricking his ire and unable to stop herself.
“You know why. You said so just a little while ago—you’re trying to become accustomed to disappointment.”
“Yes, I am. Oddly, I think helping Dinah—and returning to Hartwell House—is exactly what I need.” Yes, devoting herself to others would make the time pass. And maybe time would cease to be her enemy.
“If you think so.” He didn’t sound convinced. But it wasn’t up to him.
“I do. Now let me make sure our patient is comfortable. Then we must prepare for the babe.”
The thought of having a baby to care for, if only for a little while, filled Poppy with joy. Gabriel’s brow creased, and Poppy turned away from his worry. She went back to the bedroom, to the woman who had finally pulled Poppy from the pit of grief.
Poppy removed her hat and smiled at Dinah. “I’m so glad you came. Is there anything I can bring for you?”
This was not going the way Gabriel had planned.
He stood in the corner of the room as Poppy talked with Dinah and Judith about fetching more blankets and pillows from the house.
“How about books?” Poppy asked.
Dinah looked suddenly…shy. That wasn’t a word Gabriel would have thought to attribute to her. “I like books about nature if you have any of those. And maybe plays?”
Poppy nodded, then turned to Judith. “Before I go, why don’t you tell me what I can bring to supplement the kitchen here? Food, cookware, whatever you need.”
“Thank you, my lady.” Judith listed a few items, and Poppy said she’d have them delivered before the end of the day.
A few minutes later, she and Gabriel departed. Gabriel felt as if he were being swept out on a whirlwind. It was thrilling to see Poppy so engaged, but also frustrating since he wasn’t able to accomplish his goal of speaking to Dinah about the baby.
And he wasn’t about to do it in front of Poppy. What if Dinah rejected his proposal out of hand? What if she accepted it and then changed her mind? If Dinah decided to give her baby to him and Poppy to raise, Gabriel wanted to be certain it happened. As certain as he could be, anyway.
As they walked from the cottage, Gabriel looked over at his wife. The lines of her face were incredibly delicate, from the arch of her cheekbones to the tilt of her nose, but the lush fullness of her lips anchored the whole. She appeared serene, her slate-blue eyes trained forward as dark curls grazed her temple. He marveled at how her beauty could still make his heart pause and then speed before taking flight.
But what was going on behind that beloved façade? Was she still upset with him? Based on her irritation in his study earlier, he’d assumed she was. Then she’d come to the door of the cottage and had seemed even angrier.
“How did you come to be at the cottage?” he asked.
“I followed you. I went to your study to apologize for snapping at you, but Walker said you’d gone for a ride.” S
he slid him a quick look. “Clearly that was not the case.” She still sounded annoyed.
“I changed my mind.” He decided it was better to clear the air between them. “What were you thinking when you came to the cottage?”
“I was wondering why you would come here to meet Judith of all people. I also wondered why she wasn’t at Hartwell House. Seeing the two of you together…” Her lips pressed together, and her jaw tightened.
They had just walked out onto the narrow road. He stopped and gently clasped her forearm, turning toward her. “You thought I was meeting her for an assignation?”
She pivoted, facing him, her brow creasing. “I didn’t know what to think. And since you didn’t tell me she was here—or about Dinah—I had to ask.”
He let go of her arm. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I wanted to help Mrs. Armstrong. After last night and what you said, I worried Dinah’s presence might upset you.”
Her gaze held his for a long moment, her face tense. “I wish you’d told me straightaway, but I understand why you didn’t.”
Gabriel moved, lessening the distance between them. He cupped her face, tracing his thumb along her cheekbone. “I would never have an affair. You have to know there is no other woman anywhere who could take me from you.”
Desire pulsed through him. He wanted to show her how true those words were, how deeply he wanted her. Needed her. Loved her. He lowered his mouth to hers, sliding his hand back to her nape and holding her firm as he kissed her.
Tension arced through him as he awaited her reaction… She didn’t pull away. Her hands lightly clutched his waist, and she tipped her head to mold her lips to his.
Overcome, he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue against hers. She met him eagerly, her fingers digging into his sides. He pressed forward, and she moved her hands back, pulling him against her. His cock rose, hardening. He wanted to make sure she knew…
He pulled his lips from hers and grabbed her hand. Without a word, he glanced about, then stalked the way they’d come toward a stand of trees that would offer at least a modicum of privacy.
When he veered from the road toward the trees, she stopped. “Where are we going?”
He inclined his head. “There.”
She looked at him as if he were mad. “Why?”
He pulled her against him. “Because I want you to know that you are the only one for me. Now and forever.” He kissed her again but wasn’t gentle about it. He claimed her mouth, clashing lips and tongues and teeth.
She drew away with a gasp. “I am not wearing boots, and the ground—”
Kissing her again, he didn’t need her to finish. He swept her into his arms and carried her behind the trees so they weren’t openly visible to the road. She curled her arms around his neck as he surveyed the area. One of the trees had a large exposed root system.
He set her on the root with the tree at her back.
“You don’t have to do this,” she said.
He brought his hand up beneath her cloak and grazed his thumb across her breast. The nipple was impossible to feel beneath her clothing. He cupped her instead, squeezing gently. “I think I do. I want to banish any question you could ever have.” He looked into her eyes. Her pupils were starting to dilate.
He bent his head and kissed her neck just beneath her ear. Licking along her flesh, he moved down her throat, then cursed her cloak. “You’re mine, and I am yours.” He nipped her and sucked, making her cry out.
Lifting his head, he stared at her with naked need. “Tell me to stop. If you want to.”
She shook her head. Then she splayed her hand against his neck and dragged her thumb over his mouth. “Don’t stop.”
He sucked the digit between his lips. She closed her eyes and moaned softly, her head falling back. With a low growl, he kissed her again, this time with a savage, desperate need. Her fingers curled into his flesh, and he wished she wasn’t wearing gloves. Or anything else.
His gloves were going to be a bloody nuisance. He quickly stripped them away, then lifted the hem of her skirt. Grasping the layers of her clothing took effort, but he managed to bunch them up at her waist.
She gasped into his mouth, pulling back slightly. “Cold.”
“I’ll make you warm.” He skimmed across her thigh and found her sex. God, she was so wet. As he sank his finger into her heat, he was glad he’d abandoned the gloves. Her hips moved, drawing him deeper as she clutched at his shoulders.
This was insanity, but he was past the point of rational thinking. “Hold your skirts,” he rasped as he withdrew from her body and worked to unfasten his breeches.
She did as he asked. “Hurry.” Compounding matters—in the best way—she lifted one leg and wrapped it around his hips.
He freed his cock and pressed himself to her sex. She let go of her dress and clasped his hip, pulling him forward. He thrust up into her, and her moan filled the air with erotic promise.
Grabbing her backside, he lifted her. “Wrap both your legs around me and don’t let go.”
Pinning her between his body and the wide trunk, he prayed this would work, that they wouldn’t tumble to the ground in an ungainly tangle. But with the second thrust, he realized this wasn’t going to last terribly long. Pleasure raced through him, and her muscles were already beginning to contract around him. Letting go, he drove into her as an overwhelming feeling of passion and possession seized him.
He stared into her enraptured face. “Look at me.”
Her eyes came open, the gray blue a haze of seductive desire. “You are mine, and I am yours,” he repeated. “Say it.”
“You are mine, and I am yours.”
He drove deep, hating her womb in that moment—or his cock, whatever was preventing her dream. Even if it was a dream that scared the hell out of him. “Now and forever.”
She moved her hand to cup his face. “Now and forever.” Her lids fluttered, and her long, dark lashes brushed her cheeks as she closed her eyes. “Preferably now.”
Her muscles clenched around him fiercely, and her cries rent the air. He grunted, then cried out as he came apart inside her. They both held on as if the power of their climaxes would do what he feared and send them to the ground.
He buried his face in her neck, inhaling her sweet honeyed scent. She held him to her, her hands a powerful anchor for his trembling body.
Easing her down, he withdrew from her and drew deep breaths of air into his lungs. Her skirts fell between them, and she pressed back against the tree, taking deep breaths.
While he refastened his breeches, she turned from him and put herself to rights for a moment. When she faced him once more, she was again the serene beauty who’d left the cottage. His wild, ardent lover was gone.
Tension stretched between them, and he began to wonder if it would ever go away.
Guarded, he asked, “What’s wrong? Are you still upset about Judith and Dinah?”
“Sexual gratification doesn’t solve anything.”
“I’d argue with that,” he said, feeling supremely satisfied. He sobered. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“Thank you.” She pressed her lips together and sucked them in briefly before exhaling. “I need some time to adjust—to what you told me last night. Not having children has been—is—incredibly painful for me. To learn that it isn’t for you, that you’re content to remain childless is also painful. I need…time.”
He offered a faint smile. “We have forever.”
She didn’t smile, but she didn’t frown either. “Yes, we do.”
He offered her his arm and was glad when she took it for the walk back to the house. “Content isn’t the right word. It isn’t that I don’t want children, especially because I know what a wonderful mother you would be.”
She stiffened, and he wished he hadn’t said that. Actually, no, he didn’t. It was the truth. And if he’d learned anything in recent days—and today—it was that he should always tell her the truth, even when it was painful.
And perhaps he should focus on repairing the rift between him and his wife. “How much time do you need?” he asked softly.
“I don’t know. Let’s talk again when I return from Thornhill.”
Gabriel hated the uneven ground between them, but acknowledged that he alone couldn’t make it smooth. He’d have to be patient. There was simply nothing else he could do.
Chapter 4
After Gabriel left the following day for Hartwell House, Poppy walked to the cottage. She carried a basket with biscuits from the cook and a play she hoped Dinah would like.
Though Judith had told her the day before that she needn’t knock, Poppy did anyway. A moment later, Judith answered. “You don’t have to—”
“Knock, I know. But I don’t think I can break the habit. I brought biscuits from the cook.” She handed Judith the basket as she stepped into the cottage.
“How lovely!” Judith peeked inside. “What else is there?”
“A play. I thought I might read to Dinah if she’s amenable.”
Judith’s fair brows arched briefly. “She’s a bit disagreeable since Dr. Fisk’s visit earlier.”
“Oh, he’s already been?” Poppy had hoped to be here when he arrived.
Judith nodded. “He told her to rest as much as possible, so the play, whether she allows you to read it or not, will not come amiss. He also left some milk of sow thistle to help with her cough. I was just about to make some tea with it. I’ll fix you a cup—without the sow thistle,” she added with a grin.
“Thank you. I’ll come back for the play if things go well.” She winked at Judith before walking back to the bedroom. “Good afternoon, Dinah,” she called in warning before stepping over the threshold.
