“I do trust you, but I am afraid,” Annabelle said.
“Don’t be; I won’t ever let anything harm you again,” came the firm promise.
Chapter 16
Frederick saw that Annabelle was tiring and left her to sleep. The emotion of the morning had probably exhausted her, and the after effects of the laudanum would not have helped. He freshened up before seeking out his guests. His thoughts were buzzing around his head, but one thing had sprung to mind that he needed to speak to Stuart about.
He found Frances and Stuart sharing lunch in the dining room and happily joined them. There was a pause in the conversation as he was served and then he turned to Frances. “Miss Latimer, Annabelle is having a rest now, but I am sure she would appreciate a visit from you when she wakes. She did not need the second dose of medicine.”
Frances was a little wary of Frederick. She had said some things she stood by and was not sure how he felt about her outburst. “Thank you. I will sit with her,” she responded quietly.
“You have been a good friend to my wife, and I appreciate it. Thank you,” Frederick said.
“She is a lovely person and deserves to be happy,” Frances said, still annoyed at her host because of his behaviour.
Frederick smiled, fully aware of what Frances was thinking. “She does and, hopefully, thanks to Mrs Adams’s advice, we will be able to have a long and happy marriage. There is work to do, but we both want to make it work.”
Frances nodded. “I hope so, but if you don’t mind I shall wait until I hear Annabelle’s opinion on the matter.”
Frederick laughed, more so because of Stuart’s horrified expression. “I understand completely.”
“Frances, I think Lord Stannage’s word is to be trusted,” Stuart could not help adding.
“I’m sure it is, but after the last few days, I shall be happy for them both when I hear the words from Annabelle. I’m am not being purposely argumentative,” Frances said primly. “If you gentlemen would excuse me, I shall write a letter before I visit Annabelle.”
Both gentlemen stood as Frances left the room. Stuart started the conversation after the door had closed behind her. “I really don’t know what has got into Frances these last few days,” he said with feeling.
Frederick laughed. “What with Miss Latimer taking me to task and then your mother, I feel exhausted! Luckily, they both have the interests of my wife as motivation, so I can’t fault them for their actions.”
“I’m just sorry you’ve had to go through it. Frances may have surprised me, but I know all too well what a talking-to from my mother is like,” Stuart said ruefully.
“I can imagine. I do want to speak to you about Miss Latimer and yourself though,” Frederick said.
“Oh?” Stuart asked, alert at what was going to be said.
“I’ve been told things this morning that, although hard to hear, give me hope that my marriage will survive and eventually prosper as I had hoped on my wedding day. It does mean I will be spending most of my time with Annabelle, and I have been wondering particularly about the propriety of keeping Miss Latimer here. I know no one knows we are in residence as such, but these things have a tendency to seep out,” Frederick said.
“Yes, thanks to the doctor,” Stuart said with feeling.
“I don’t want Miss Latimer’s reputation affected by people coming to know she will be spending most of her time with you as her companion, chaperoneless. I know you are old friends, but she is a single young woman,” Frederick said, always one for propriety.
“She wouldn’t be if she had accepted my marriage proposal,” Stuart muttered darkly.
Frederick was surprised. “Well, I didn’t know, but I’m astounded she refused. Have you some dark secret I should know about?”
“If only!” Stuart said “Apparently I am too good for her!”
“There’s not many who would turn down a proposal because the proposer is too good for them,” Frederick said with a laugh.
“Yes, what the devil does she expect me to do with that obstacle in order to change her mind? I wouldn’t mind, but I’ve even managed to choose a woman my mother approves of!” Stuart said with feeling. “I never expected that, so it’s even more of a frustration.”
“Perhaps your mother approves because she reminds her of herself when she was younger?” Frederick asked. “They both know how to take someone to task; I can vouch for that!”
Stuart laughed. “Maybe I have chosen someone who is similar to my mother, but I don’t know how to use it to my advantage. It appears Miss Frances Latimer is a force to be reckoned with.”
“I was going to suggest now that neither myself nor my wife is voluntarily putting ourselves into exile, you can return home with our thanks; but perhaps you would like a few days longer of being in Miss Latimer’s company?”
“I would appreciate it, but I have no idea how to turn it to my advantage. I used to think boys on the brink of adulthood were sometimes hard to understand, but I was never at a loss as to how to improve a situation as I am now,” Stuart said with a shake of his head.
“I wish you luck, but I’m afraid I cannot offer a solution; I can’t pretend to be an expert in the laws of wooing young ladies: I seem to have made a hash of it myself,” Frederick responded, willing to suggest that the conflict between himself and Annabelle was of a less serious nature than it actually was.
*
If Stuart had been able to overhear the conversation that occurred between Annabelle and Frances, he would have taken heart.
Frances had written her letter and sat with Annabelle while she slept. After waking, Annabelle was far more refreshed than she had been earlier. She was able to eat and drink and sit up, happily talking to Frances, assuring her friend she was happy with Frederick, and there appeared no ill effects caused because of the cut on her head. Annabelle did feel as if a weight had been lifted from her and, for the first time since meeting Mr Wadeson, could smile without the fear that seemed to have dogged her.
Frances told Annabelle of the letter Stuart had received from his mother, explaining she had chosen someone for him, and it appeared he was happy with her choice.
“But how could he be asking you to marry him one moment, saying that he’s waited years to ask you and then be happy with whomever his mother has chosen for him?” Annabelle asked. “I can’t pretend to know him well, but he did not strike me as fickle.”
“I would have said the same, but in reality I have not seen him in these almost two years and, even before then, he was away such a lot of time. I suppose he has always been a figure in the background, so I thought I knew him; but perhaps I didn’t,” Frances replied. “He always seemed to be there: wherever I was, he wouldn’t be far away, but I just didn’t realise it at the time. It’s only since I refused him and thought he would no longer be there that it’s become apparent it was important to me.”
“That behaviour from him would support what he said when he proposed, but it doesn’t explain his sudden change of heart,” Annabelle mused. “Have you regretted refusing him?”
Frances flushed. “I still feel the same: that he is too good, too worldly for me, but it doesn’t prevent me…..oh, you will condemn me!”
“Go on,” Annabelle urged.
“I was so enormously jealous when he said Mrs Adams had chosen someone whom she was happy with as his bride that it nearly overwhelmed me,” Frances admitted with a grimace. “I never expected to marry: I had accepted my lot; I don’t bring a huge amount to a marriage after all, but now the proposal has been uttered….”
Annabelle laughed. “I think you should be telling him this. It appears you have feelings for him; you just haven’t realised them.”
“I could not tell him!” Frances gasped before becoming serious. “And my original worries are still the same; he would tire of me quickly.”
“This is where we will never agree,” Annabelle said firmly. “I did not understand your reasoning when you first said it, but the more I
think about it, I understand it even less. You have a lot to offer Frances; I can’t see why you don’t see it.”
“I suppose I spent too much time in the shadow of Lady Joan just as Mrs Adams said time and again. If you are told you have little to say, I suppose you believe it after a time,” Frances admitted.
“And she was your friend?” Annabelle gasped. “Goodness me, what were your enemies like if she was a friend?”
Frances smiled, “In a lot of ways she was the one who was vulnerable.”
“She sounds horrible and, believe me, I have had the pleasure of being entertained by three sisters who each have their own talents, and you match any one of them,” Annabelle said loyally.
“Thank you; I’m sure I don’t deserve your praise,” Frances responded.
“See, there you go again! Don’t dismiss a compliment, Frances, especially when it is true!” Annabelle said exasperated. “I think you need to think of a way of showing Mr Adams how you really feel.”
“I’ll try,” Frances said, unconvinced that she could be so bold.
*
Frederick entered Annabelle’s room. He had left Frances and Stuart together after they finished their evening meal. Annabelle smiled at him when he walked through the doorway, but it was a shy smile as if she was no longer sure of how to be with him. She was seated on her chaise lounge adjacent to the fire, which was crackling in welcome.
He walked over and kissed the top of Annabelle’s head before sitting next to her. “How has your day been? I didn’t want to overtire you by spending the day with you, but I wanted to.”
“It has been quiet. I will return downstairs tomorrow,” Annabelle said not used to so much inactivity.
“You still have a cut to the head,” Frederick said. “I don’t think it’s wise to rush things.”
“I won’t, but I feel very lazy,” Annabelle said. She looked at Frederick, her demeanour changing from the light-hearted to a more serious one. “Have you thought more about what I told you?”
Frederick picked up her hand and then reached for her. Annabelle looked alarmed. “Please sit on my knee; I want to feel close to you, and the promises of this morning still hold: I will not force you to do anything you don’t want. I just want to hold you,” Frederick reassured her.
Annabelle felt nervous, not because she didn’t trust him, but the fear emerged as it always did. She was wearing only a nightgown and dressing gown, so she felt vulnerable, but she knew she had to trust Frederick. She climbed onto his knee and put her head on his shoulder.
Frederick wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled into him. She felt warm and smelled of bedding and sleep. He threaded the fingers of one hand through hers and brought it to his mouth to kiss. “I have thought of little else today,” he admitted. “There are so many feelings I experienced that it has been a devil of a ride!”
“I need to know what you’re feeling,” Annabelle said quietly.
“There is no need to worry; my feelings will never change towards you,” Frederick said with a squeeze of her hand. “But I admit I do want to kill the man!”
“No!” Annabelle said, sitting up to face Frederick, her eyes widened in alarm. “I can’t risk anyone knowing what has happened. I wouldn’t be able to face anyone if they knew! I would be so ashamed! Anything but that!”
“Sshhh,” Frederick said, kissing Annabelle gently. “You don’t need to tell anyone; it’s our business, no one else’s; but it will not change the fact that I do want to kill the man and will want to until my dying day. He hurt you; he deserves to suffer for it, but he has got away with it.”
“I don’t care as long as Grace or Eleanor don’t marry him!” Annabelle said with feeling.
“Only if that appears to be a possibility will we have to consider taking someone else into our confidence, but we shall try and avoid it at all costs,” Frederick reassured her.
“I just want to stop talking about it; stop thinking about it, but I don’t know if that will ever happen,” she admitted.
“It will in time, if we make our own memories,” Frederick said and smiled when he received another look of alarm. “You did say that we could kiss….” He left the sentence hanging, to see if Annabelle would react in a positive way to him. He would help all he could, but some of it had to come from her.
Annabelle looked at Frederick, before speaking. “I did.”
“But I’m not going to kiss you,” Frederick said with a smile.
“Why not? I thought you wanted to?” Annabelle asked confused.
“Oh, I do, more than you could possibly know; but I’m afraid I will frighten you by pushing you beyond what you are happy to do. But if you were to kiss me….” Frederick shrugged his shoulders, the smile playing on his lips.
Annabelle stared at him for a second or two. “You would let me stop whenever I wanted to?”
“You would be the one to stop it; I will not force you,” he assured her.
“I suppose I did kiss you in the study,” Annabelle acknowledged.
“You did; it came as a surprise, but I’m glad you did it, so if you feel like kissing me….”
Annabelle smiled and leaned forward a little. The kiss she gave was gentle, just a brush across Frederick’s lips. He smiled in return but did not move.
Annabelle felt strange: it was a mix of fear and trepidation but also excitement churning in her stomach. It had been weeks since she realised how strong her feelings were for Frederick. Now that he was giving her control of their level of intimacy, she felt a sort of freedom she had never felt before. She believed him completely when he said he would not force her.
She kissed Frederick again; the kiss was longer but still reserved. Frederick returned the kiss but did not encourage anything further.
“I’m not going to touch you, but feel free to touch me however you would wish,” Frederick said quietly.
“Touch you? I don’t know what you mean,” Annabelle said, the trepidation immediately becoming more prominent.
“You have before you a fine specimen of a man,” Frederick said with a smile. “If you should wish to touch my hair, to feel the expert way that it is cut and styled, I shall not object. If you should wish to test the skill of my tailor by examining with your hands the line of my frock coat or the quality of my shirt, I shall bear it as best I can. I shall leave the decisions up to you.”
Annabelle laughed, relaxing. “And if I should wish to inspect the folds of your cravat?”
“I’m sure Simms would regret it being crushed, but personally I think he needs more practice in repairing a dishevelled cravat,” Frederick responded in mock seriousness.
Annabelle turned more toward Frederick while still remaining on his lap. Frederick tried not to respond to the feelings the movement made, concentrating on Annabelle instead. She tentatively touched his hair; it was as thick as it looked, flowing softly through her fingers. She followed the line of his hair along his neatly trimmed sideburns and along his jaw. Frederick took a sharp intake of breath and closed his eyes; remaining still was more difficult than he had anticipated.
Frederick missed the smile Annabelle wore when she saw his reaction. For the first time she felt she was truly in control, and it made her want to explore more; she was not unmoved by what had passed between them previously.
She kept her fingers touching Frederick’s jawline and kissed his lips, making the kiss longer than the others. Frederick moaned and opened his mouth a little. Annabelle moved on instinct, bringing her other hand up to Frederick’s face and cupping his cheeks gently. She deepened the kiss, happily following what Frederick did. She touched her tongue against his and was once again rewarded with a gentle moan.
Frederick was being driven insane; he had to touch her. “Annabelle, can I wrap my hands around you? Please?” he whispered breathlessly.
“Yes,” Annabelle said without hesitation. She leaned into him more when he placed his hands on the small of her back, moving them gently, brushing the top of her bo
ttom, but not moving lower. Annabelle had breathed in sharply at the start of his movement, but she relaxed once more when the movement remained gentle and steady.
Annabelle had discovered while they were staying in Hedley House that she liked kissing Frederick. What she had not realised was how much she missed the contact between them. She continued to kiss him, determined to make up for the time they had been apart.
Slowly, Annabelle gained courage and moved her hands to his cravat. She made Frederick laugh when she whispered “Sorry, Simms,” before untucking the complicated folds. Slowly she threw the cravat on the floor.
With the cravat missing, Annabelle was able to tease her fingers through the buttons of Frederick’s shirt and, for the first time, feel his chest and the hair that covered it. Frederick wriggled to allow her more access, and it seemed to make Annabelle notice the effect she had been having on him since they started kissing and snuggling.
She sat back. “I think we had better stop,” she said, her voice a little shaky.
Frederick looked at her, realising what had caused her alarm; but her eyes were dilated: he was confident she was wary but not really afraid of him. He hoped not anyway. “Annabelle, you’re a beautiful woman who is doing things to me I have only dreamed of you doing. I’m a healthy man and respond to you; it doesn’t mean anything will change. I’ll never force myself on you no matter how good anything is between us. If you want to stop now, we will stop.”
“It isn’t very fair on you, though, is it?” Annabelle asked.
Frederick laughed. “No, not fair at all, having a gorgeous woman in my lap, kissing me and, it seems, undressing me. No, it isn’t fair at all.” He gently nipped her bottom and Annabelle laughed.
“If you put it like that….” Annabelle said before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him more passionately than she ever had before.
Frederick was nearly ready to explode. He had made a promise, and he would stick to it, but as Annabelle grasped his hair, he thought he might die in the process.
Annabelle: A Regency Romance (The Four Sisters' Series Book 2) Page 16
