Chapter 17
The next morning Lord Eynsford slept late, having attended a ball that left him weary with boredom, followed by a visit to a very exclusive gaming hell, where he had consumed large amounts of brandy and lost a considerable amount of money. To his dismay, none of this drove the charms of Lady Morgan from his dreams, and he woke to find her fair countenance still very much on his mind. Knowing that he should not, he rang for Boothby, who entered looking apprehensive.
Lord Eynsford smiled at him gently. “The black suit,” he said.
With a long-suffering sigh, Boothby dressed his master in the detested suit, and his lordship was soon on his way to Kensington, Chisholm in attendance. They travelled and arrived in silence, and when his lordship leapt down from the curricle, Chisholm spoke before he did.
“Aye, I’ll walk them,” he said. “I’m thinking you might be some time.”
“I might indeed,” said his lordship with the glimmer of a smile, and strode off. He was not sure exactly what he thought yesterday’s kiss indicated, or what he hoped might come of it, but he knew that it was very important to find out the answers to these questions.
After some minutes he saw Letitia and her children in the distance. He paused for a moment, enjoying the sight of her golden curls peeping out from a grey poke bonnet. He was uncertain exactly how to approach her, and wondered if she might have reconsidered the wisdom of her friendship with Mr. Markham, who was far beneath her in the eyes of the world. But as he hesitated, Letty looked up and saw him, and a spontaneous smile lit her face. Forgetting his worries, Phillip approached her.
“Good afternoon, Lady Morgan,” he said, bowing politely.
Letitia looked up at him, very aware of the sudden quickening of her pulse. “How nice to see you, Mr. Markham,” she said. “How are you this afternoon?”
The nursemaid, eyeing the two of them dubiously, took Jamie’s and Emily’s hands firmly in hers. “If it’s all right with you, my lady, I’ll walk them down to the pond to see the ducks,” she said.
“Oh, yes, what an excellent notion,” said Letitia absently. “Thank you.”
Violet marched the children away, and Letty indicated the bench next to her. “Won’t you sit down?” she asked.
“Thank you.” Eynsford sat next to her gingerly, finding himself, unusually, at a loss for words. He was not generally tongue-tied in front of women; indeed, he was renowned for his easy address and charming ways.
“It is a lovely day,” Letty observed, wondering frantically what topic of conversation a solicitor would find interesting. Previously they had talked easily and naturally, but today seemed different. She glanced sideways at him, noting the muscular thighs under his breeches, and she flushed slightly.
“It is indeed,” he responded. He reflected that he could hardly take her in his arms in the middle of Kensington Gardens, as much as he wished to do so. He was amazed at how badly he suddenly wanted her; he was accustomed to the pull of desire, of course, but Letitia made him feel as though he were eighteen again, and anxious about his first encounter with a woman. Conversation, he thought fiercely. It was necessary to converse with her.
“Tell me about before you were married,” he said. “I have so little knowledge of the world in which you move.”
Letty smiled at that. “This is the world in which I move now,” she said, waving her hand to indicate the gardens. “And I find it far more amusing, truthfully.”
“You do?” asked the marquess, in a startled tone. She was clearly cynical about the ways of the haut ton. Their conversation then turned to the latest doings of the Carlton House set, and eventually Letty looked at him, her curiosity pricked.
“You seem to know a great deal about the Regent and his friends,” she ventured.
Eynsford blinked. In his enjoyment of their conversation, and her reaction to his stories, he had momentarily forgotten about Mr. Markham. “My sister is much fascinated by the Regent, and keeps apprised of his doings through the scandal sheets. She frequently shares her knowledge with me, and I have to admit that the tales can be entertaining, although rather shocking,” he said hastily.
Letitia nodded, and the comfortable silence that can only exist between good friends fell. The pair sat quietly, enjoying the sunshine and the warmth of the day. Young couples and nannies with children walked in the distance, small dots of color splashed against the green landscape.
“It is quite lovely here,” said Letitia finally. “I could wish that every day would be this pleasant.”
“There is a certain peacefulness here,” Phillip agreed. “It is comforting to sit in the sun and watch others go about their day. I fear I am a lazy fellow.”
Letitia laughed. “Not at all,” she said. “I am the villain of the piece for taking you from your honest labor. I feel a mere grasshopper to your ant.”
Eynsford felt slightly embarrassed at Lady Morgan's belief that he labored for his money. “You work very hard, my lady, raising your children and seeing to your home. I know it is difficult for you.”
“Perhaps it is, but I enjoy it more than I had thought possible. It is a good feeling to be able to take care of oneself and not to rely on others,” said Letitia. “All my life I have depended on my father or my husband or my friends to help me, and now, though I would be much less well off without Lord and Lady Exencour's kindness, I feel that I have some control over my own life.”
“I had never considered that women must necessarily feel somewhat hedged about by those who would take charge of them,” said Eynsford. “You are being unfair, Lady Morgan. You are forcing me to think, and on such a beautiful day, too.”
Letitia attempted to suppress a giggle and failed. “How reprehensible of me,” she said. “I am sorry to have blighted your day.”
“Your apology is accepted,” Phillip answered solemnly. “Now you must pay for your transgression by spending the rest of the afternoon talking nonsense with me.”
“I am afraid I do not have much experience at that, Mr. Markham,” said Letitia.
“Then I will have to teach you. The point of the exercise is to make as little sense as possible, and to avoid any topic which might be regarded as serious.”
“Oh, then it is exactly like spending an evening at Almack’s,” said Letitia with a solemn air.
Eynsford was greatly amused by this statement, but Mr. Markham had to respond differently. “That I would not know, but if it is true, then you should be a master of the task.”
“A pretty picture you have of me, sir!” declared Letitia. “I will have you know that in my Season in London I was known as a young woman with an unusually serious turn of mind.”
“No, were you?” asked Eynsford, laughter in his eyes as he recalled the merry creature he had danced with. “How interesting. And I had thought you to be one of those giddy females, entrancing the young men and dancing all night.”
Letitia tried not to smile. “Not I,” she vowed. “I wore the plainest of gowns and danced only with young men of sober character.”
“You are deceiving me, Lady Morgan,” said Phillip. “I think it far more likely that you were considered the loveliest young woman in London. I venture that you dressed delightfully, danced divinely, and had many a young man eager to walk with you in the Park. I would not hesitate to state that I believe you were a Toast!”
“How very skilled you are at talking nonsense,” said Letitia primly. “I could never hope to rival you, sir. You would fit in marvelously well with Society gentlemen.”
“Now I fear you are insulting me,” Phillip answered. “I know what you think of those them.”
Letitia finally broke out in laughter. “I see there is no getting around you, Mr. Markham. Very well then, have it your way. I was indeed a Toast, much admired by all, including the Regent. I never came home before three o’clock in the morning and never rose before noon. Dozens of young men were at my feet, all swearing their undying devotion. I had my pick of all the most eligible men in the king
dom.”
“That I can believe most readily,” said the Marquess.
“And then what must I do but pick Alfred, Lord Morgan to be my husband,” she concluded.
Lord Eynsford looked at her closely, but she did not appear to be unduly upset by this conclusion. She still smiled, and her eyes were untroubled.
“We are all permitted to make mistakes,” he observed.
“I made a very serious one,” said Letitia. “But now it is past, and I have my children, who I can never regret.”
“I am glad to see you so reconciled with your past,” said the Marquess. “Am I right in believing that you have found some happiness of late?”
“On a day such as today, how can one be unhappy?” asked Letitia. “Today I can even feel a little sorry for poor Alfred, for he was always too concerned with his hunting and his gambling to enjoy a day in the sun with his children, in the company of an understanding friend.” She stopped and looked slightly shamefaced. “I must sound dreadfully sentimental,” she went on. “Perhaps I have read too many novels of late.”
The Marquess laughed. It gave him great pleasure to see Letitia so comfortable with her surroundings, herself, and, most of all, his companionship. “Not at all,” he replied. “Your feelings do you honor, but I admit it is more than I can do to forgive your husband. You deserve far better.”
Letitia looked thoughtful. “He meant well, at least at first, I believe,” she said. “It is just that he was weak and could not control his impulses, and after a time, he had no desire to do so. I do not know that I can forgive him, but I can feel compassion for him.”
Lord Eynsford felt a rush of tenderness as he watched Letitia. Her clear blue eyes were gazing off into the distance, her hands folded in her lap, a small smile on her delicate lips. The breeze just stirred the wisps of pale gold hair that peeked out from her bonnet, and she presented a picture of almost celestial beauty and fragility. He was not sure exactly how it had occurred, but he realized he had possessed himself of one of her hands and now he pressed it gently.
“Your spirit does you much credit, Lady Morgan,” he said. “I wish could be of greater service to you.”
“You are too kind, Mr. Markham,” she said. “I must make my own way, but knowing you wish to help eases my heart.”
The two sat for a moment, hands and eyes locked. Phillip leaned forward slightly, and Letitia did not draw away. There was a breathless pause.
“Mama...Mama, make Jamie give me the ball,” intruded a small voice. Lord Eynsford dropped Letitia's hands as though he had been stung, and the pair turned confused eyes on Miss Emily Morgan. She tugged again at her mother's skirt.
“Mama, he's being mean,” she said.
Eynsford was the first to recover his composure. He had not previously realized the nursemaid had returned with the children. “Mean, is he? Well, we will see about that. Come along, Emily.” He offered his hand to the child and led her to where her brother sat, the desired ball clutched in his hands. Letitia watched, rather dazed, as he resolved the quarrel in a few short minutes, with the end result that the children played together in harmony. She blinked her eyes. For a moment it had seemed to her as though there were no one in the world except herself and Mr. Markham.
The marquess made his way back to her. “Your children are delightful,” he said.
“How can you say so?” she asked with a rueful smile. “You just now averted a quarrel.”
“But how quickly I did so!” he answered. “My nieces and nephews would have been much more difficult to reconcile.”
“Now you are speaking nonsense again,” declared Letitia.
He smiled down at her, his blue eyes crinkling at the corners. The last hour had convinced him that he had not been mistaken in Lady Morgan’s charm and kindness, nor in her desire for him. Whether or not it was wise to involve himself with a virtuous woman, newly widowed, with small children, was a niggling doubt, but every time he looked at Letitia’s clear eyes and sweet smile, he could feel the tightening grip of desire.
Letitia gazed back at him, and something in his expression seemed to give her courage. “Would you care for some tea today?” she asked, wondering if she sounded as stupid as she felt.
“Thank you, I would,” he said smoothly.
Chapter 18
Letitia locked eyes with Phillip for another moment, and then turned her head, looking at the nursemaid.
“Violet, I think we should take the children home,” she said.
“Yes, ma’am,” said the nursemaid, and set about readying the children to return home.
“I hope I’m not keeping you from your duties,” said Letitia hesitantly.
“I am entirely at your service,” he responded calmly. Their eyes met, and he smiled at her in a way that she hadn’t seen from him before, slowly, with a wealth of promise in his eyes. She drew in her breath and looked away. It seemed that Mr. Markham understood her intentions, and had no objections to them.
In a daze, Letty took James’ hand, and Mr. Markham obligingly swept up Emily, speaking to her gently as she whimpered slightly, over-tired from her play. As they strolled through the gardens toward her home, she wondered frantically if she was making a terrible mistake. She looked over at Mr. Markham and saw that he was watching her gravely. Feeling slightly weak in the knees, she walked on. She deserved to have something for herself, she thought defiantly. And Mr. Markham was definitely something she wanted.
The group entered her house, and after divesting herself of her pelisse and bonnet, and the children of their coats, Letitia paused. Violet glanced at her, then smiled. “I’ll take the children up for their naps, my lady,” she volunteered. “But first I’ll see that tea is brought to the parlor.”
“Thank you, Violet,” said Letty gratefully. The maid took Emily from the marquess, giving him a knowing look, and took Jamie’s hand in hers, leading the children off. Eynsford reflected perhaps he should make sure that Violet received a reward of some sort for her assistance. In his experience, it never hurt to have the cooperation of the servants.
Letitia set her shoulders, and then opened the door to the parlor. “Won’t you come in?” she said.
“Thank you,” he murmured as he followed her into the room. He noted the graceful sway of her hips under her skirt as she walked, and the proud way she held her head. He fought back the urge to take her instantly into his arms.
Letitia sat down on the settee, and indicated the place next to her. “Won’t you be seated, Mr. Markham?” she asked.
Phillip joined her gingerly on the edge of the settee, and turned to Letitia with a warm smile.
“It’s very kind of you to invite me here again,” he said.
Letty wondered vaguely how she could make it clear to him that he might come closer. She had never in her life encouraged a man to make advances to her; her only experiences with men had been in ballrooms and with Alfred, and for the past few years her contact with even him had been extremely limited. And, as her husband, he had not needed to be encouraged to touch her; it had been his right.
She turned towards Mr. Markham, and found him watching her intently from under his lazy eyelids. “Mr. Markham—” she began.
He shook his head slightly. “The tea tray will be here soon,” he said pleasantly. “We should wait for it before moving forward. We don’t wish to shock the servants.”
Letitia gasped slightly. This was plain speaking indeed. She had not misunderstood the look Mr. Markham had given her in the park; he knew precisely what it was that she wanted. Of course, he had kissed her only the day before, and her reaction had made it more than clear to him that she was susceptible to his advances.
“Oh yes, you are right, of course,” she said. The thought entered her head that perhaps her pleasant solicitor was not unskilled in the art of dalliance. He was very handsome, of course. He probably had any number of female acquaintances, a thought which immediately made her feel discontented.
As she hesitated, a noi
se was heard in the hallway, and the housemaid entered, once again bearing the impressive tea set. She put it on the table and looked at her mistress and Mr. Markham.
“Will there be anything else, my lady?” she asked.
“No, that will be fine. Thank you,” said Letitia faintly.
The maid whisked out of the room, shutting the door behind her with a click that sounded deafening to Letty, and she found herself once again alone with Mr. Markham.
“May—may I pour you a cup of tea?” she asked.
“If you would like to,” responded Eynsford. He found her confusion charming. She so clearly had designs on Mr. Markham, but had no idea how to proceed. It was a far cry from the experienced and predatory women he was accustomed to, and he felt oddly tender towards her.
Letty hesitated, and Eynsford reached out and took one of her hands in his. “We could drink tea,” he said softly. “Or we could do something far more pleasurable.”
Letty’s hand returned the pressure of his, but she was silent. “Would you like me to remind you of how you felt yesterday?” he asked gently.
She nodded, and slowly, so as not to startle her, he moved closer to her. His muscular thigh brushed up against hers through the foaming muslin of her skirt, and he slipped one arm around her waist, marveling at how delicate she felt, and pulled her slowly towards him.
As Letty sensed the warmth and strength of his leg pressing against hers, and the pressure of his palm against her back, a rush of desire shot through her. She could smell him, the scent of lemon and sandalwood that clung to his clothing, and that of a healthy, virile man, unique to him, underlying it. She breathed it in deeply and turned her face to his, a smile trembling on her lips.
Phillip gazed down at her, taking in her dewy complexion and the plump pink lips that welcomed him, and felt his body clench with eagerness for her. Firmly reigning in the impulse to pull her bodice down and fall upon her urgently, he lowered his head and placed his lips on hers. He nibbled softly at her mouth, until she opened to him with a little moan of anticipation. He slanted his head a bit to attain the perfect angle, and then felt the soft warmth of her tongue against his, and the silky feel of her tender mouth.
An Indecent Charade: Letitia's After Dark Regency Romance Page 10
