by Fanny Finch
Chapter 22
Myles was pleased to receive the letter from Lavinia. She had sent it hand-delivery and he could only assume it was because she wanted an immediate answer. So he had sent one.
Her letter gave him a sense of urgency. His first thought was that she had spent the last two weeks with Sir Henry. Had he won her heart?
Myles was annoyed by the anger that thought caused. Why would he be angry? Sir Henry might be a lay-about but Mr. Gentry had found nothing to indicate he would harm Lavinia. They were friends. Just like she was with Jasper.
He shook his head, pushing away his petty jealous feelings. She was not his woman and he was not in love with her. He was charged with her safety until she married the right man. And that man would not be him.
But Jasper’s words continued to ring in his ears these past ten days since his visit to the Federline country estate. He seemed certain Lavinia was in love with him. He had gone so far as to give the union his blessing, saying he could not think of two finer people who deserved to be loved by one another.
His words had only confused Myles even more. He did not know when he had given any indication he thought of Lavinia as more than his late good friend’s daughter.
He had made a promise and he was completing his obligation.
The more Myles argued with himself, the less inclined he was to believe what he was thinking. Lavinia had become more than just his charge. He had been thinking about her the entire time she was away, seeking information about Sir Franklin, narrowing down evidence to determine who was trying to kill Lavinia’s suitors…
She had never left his mind.
Now that he thought about it, it was a bit irritating. He frowned.
Regardless, he had sent back an acceptance to meet and they would be together in a little over an hour. He would continue to do his duty as he was supposed to.
And now she was standing beside him, the two of them walking in the Kensington Gardens with Lavinia’s maid following behind at a discreet distance.
She seemed strangely nervous and he was now overcome with worry that something had happened to her.
“My lord, I must ask you something,” she finally said
“Miss Bronson, How was your holiday? Did you have a lovely time? Did you see many new sights?” Myles said trying to figure out what was bothering her. Lavinia smiled.
“I did, yes. Many wonderful things. There is a waterfall in Newcastle that is simply astounding. You must go sometime,” she said.
Myles grinned. “I have been there, Miss Bronson. It is a fascinating place with a great amount of beauty and wonder.”
Lavinia nodded. “Yes, it is. It was amazing. I was able to relax and not think about what is going on here in London. Not think about…” She stopped, her smile fading. Myles was sorry to see it go. He sighed.
“Tell me what is troubling you, Miss Bronson. I can see you are distraught.”
She cast sorrowful eyes toward him. “I must beg you to tell me what you know. I am having a devilish time trying to sort it out. Please, my lord, tell me what it is you are keeping from me. Why would my father not want me to know something so important?”
“Your father was only doing what he thought was best to protect you, Miss,” Myles responded, leaning forward in his chair to keep his voice low. “You must know that he would never do anything to harm you or make things difficult for you.”
“But I do not understand!” Lavinia wailed. “What am I supposed to do?”
“You must piece together the puzzle yourself, Miss.” Myles regretted telling her that. He wanted to tell her what Sir Edward had told him but he had to keep it a secret until the time was right. If Lavinia figured it out before then, then the odds would be in her favor. She would be able to make her decisions free and clear.
He understood Sir Edward’s reasoning behind keeping it a secret but he desperately wanted to tell Lavinia. He knew she could handle it.
“I have no clues to follow,” Lavinia said in a desperate voice. “I only know that I must be wary of any man who seeks my hand in marriage. My mother wants my answer soon and has given me a new list of suitors to consider. I must know what it is you are hiding from me.”
Myles felt a new streak of irritation slide through him. She only wanted to glean information from him. That was why she had asked to meet with him?
He shook his head. “I must assume that you turned down Sir Henry’s proposal?”
Lavinia glared at him. He looked back with a blank face.
“I know he must have asked you while you were on holiday with him.”
“I was on holiday with Anna,” Lavinia retorted hotly. “Not with Sir Henry. And, yes, I did turn him down. How did you know?”
Myles gave her a sarcastic look. “Miss Bronson, if you were to be married, you would have told me the moment I stepped near you. And it was quite obvious to everyone that Sir Henry was going to ask you.”
“How was it obvious to everyone?” Lavinia asked, the pitch of her voice rising.
“Please keep your voice down, Miss Bronson. You do not want to bring shame upon us, do you?”
Lavinia looked around sheepishly. When her eyes returned to Myles, they were not angry. She looked hurt and afraid. It was not him that she was afraid of. He could tell.
He observed her closely when she turned her eyes back to him. He looked for the love that Jasper said he and everyone else could see.
But Myles did not know what he was looking for. He saw her desperation, her sadness, her anxiety. He even saw traces of happiness in her eyes. But he did not see love. He did not know what it would look like.
“I do not understand,” Lavinia looked like she was going to cry. That was the last thing Myles wanted to happen.
“My lady," the voice of the maid interrupted them at that point.
“Yes Helene?” Lavinia replied immediately turning towards her.
“May I take a few minutes to take a look at those flowers? They look so lovely and you know how fond I am of flowers Miss,” the woman said lowering her head with respect to her lady.
Lavinia smiled a bit and replied, “Of course Helene. We will continue with our walk. You should find us easily in a few minutes.”
“Thank you my lady,” the woman replied with a small bow to her mistress.
The two of them continued with their walk and Lavinia’s earlier mood came back as if the maid had never interrupted them.
“I am glad you turned him down, Miss Bronson,” Myles said in a quiet voice. “You must be selective. I am glad you are being selective. It is important that you are. You do not know how much.”
Lavinia looked aggravated. She pulled in a deep breath and stared at him from under her eyelids, leaving her head hanging down.
“You are giving me nothing to work with, my lord,” she murmured.
He suddenly stopped and turned to look at her directly.
“Miss Bronson, I know you are capable of figuring this out. Your father told me to keep something a secret until you are safely married to a good man. I have been working to make sure none of them are avaricious and materialistic. You cannot marry a man who does not treat you as a woman should be treated, as a lady should be treated. There should be no other reason for you to marry than love. If you cannot find love, you should not marry.”
Lavinia’s eyes opened wide as she listened to him. “But, my lord, that is what I am trying to do.”
Myles nodded. “If you want to know what it is I am keeping from you, you have to think about the men you choose and what they are like. What do they truly want from you? If your mother has given you a list to consider, you should consider it. But you must first ask yourself the question: why do these men want to marry me?”
Lavinia frowned. “Perhaps they think I am pretty,” she said in a childish tone. He sensed she immediately regretted it by the look that crossed her face once the words were out.
He could not help the humorous smirk that came to his face. “Miss Bro
nson. Is that truly enough for you?”
Lavinia seemed to come to life in front of him, leaning forward and saying in a harsh voice, “You have been no help to me at all! I cannot determine what it is my father has told you by what you have told me!”
Myles shook his head. He was having a hard time believing Lavinia could not figure it out. He had warned her so many times not to marry a man who showed any signs of greed. What more could he tell her without giving it away?
“You can discover the truth, Miss Bronson,” he said softly. “I know you are smart enough to figure it out. And if not, then hopefully, you will not marry anyone until you do. Or not at all. Which is preferable.”
Lavinia’s frown returned and deepened. She leaned toward him until they were almost too close for comfort. “So I am not a smart woman if I do not follow your haphazard clues that are leading me absolutely nowhere? You do not think I am a smart woman?”
Myles had not meant that in any way. He cocked his head to the side and gave her a confused look. “That is not what I said, Miss.”
“It is what you implied. You seem to think that if I cannot come up with the solution to a puzzle you refuse to help me with I must not be smart. I suggest if you choose to marry, you do not marry a smart woman like me. There are many women of the ton who would be enough of a simpering dullard to meet your standards, sir!”
Myles felt a streak of anger pass through him. He did not even know where she was coming up with these words. They made little sense to him.
“You should not marry any of these men,” he said gruffly. “None of them are your equal. None of them deserve a woman like you.”
Lavinia’s eyes opened wide and she blinked at him. She opened her mouth to speak but before he knew it, Myles found himself drawing her close and pressing his lips on hers with a passion he had never felt before.
Chapter 23
Lavinia was utterly shocked when his lips touched against hers. The passion in his kiss was overwhelming. But instead of feeling insulted and scandalized by his sudden move, all she could feel was joy. Unexpected and sweeping joy.
Being kissed for the first time was exactly what she had thought it would be and more. The sensation was new and yet she felt a reassuring warmth, she had never felt before.
When he pulled away from her, she felt the sudden need to look down and give herself a moment to regain her composure. If she did not, she was sure the look of complete adoration would show on her face and no doubt it would send him running for the hills. And now that he had kissed her, she never wanted him to leave her side.
“That was part of what wanted us to talk about my lord,” she said trying to ignore what had just happened between them. “I do not want to give my mother an answer,” she continued, lifting her eyes to gaze directly at him. It was finally time for him to know how she really felt about him. Her heart was pounding hard and she felt her cheeks flushing like she was on fire.
She paused for a couple of minutes just to give him the chance to say something and for her to catch her breath. She was trying to decipher the look on his face as his eyes were directly on her. He seemed to be was studying every feature on her face unable to speak for himself.
When he continued to remain silent with the puzzling look in his eyes, she decided to carry on, “My lord, I am sorry for everything that has happened. But I do not care for any of the suitors asking for my hand.”
As soon as the words had left her mouth, she dropped her head again quickly, her cheeks flushing more intently than ever.
She could not believe she had just said what she did. Where had she found the courage to be so forward with him? This was completely out of character, yet accepting a kiss from a man who was formally associated with her was also unlike her
Lavinia fell quiet, thinking there was nothing more she could say to him at that moment. Did he have nothing to say? He had just taken the liberty to kiss her, yet the Marquess had remained uncomfortably silent.
Right then he felt his fingers on her chin, raising her face bringing her to look right into the Marquess’ eyes. They were filled with emotions she still could not decipher, but there was something different this time. He stared at her for a minute and then finally spoke after all these moments of silence.
“My dear Miss Bronson. The way I see it, there is only one way to resolve this situation.”
Lavinia tilted her head a bit to the side and blinked at him questioningly.
“And what is that?” she asked anxiously.
“Miss Bronson, would you like to marry me?”
What? Lavinia could almost feel her heart beating as fast as ever, shock running though her. She had been waiting for those words, wanting him to ask her, and when he did, she was overcome with shock. Elation zipped through her, charging up her nerves. She grinned from ear to ear. “I would like that, my lord. Very much.”
She was thrilled to see the relief and happiness on his face when she said yes. She thought about the letter she had hidden in her dresser. She would show it to him. On their wedding night. She would let him know that she was thinking the very things he was the whole time.
She knew there was no going back now. She was in love with the Marquess of Kent, the man who had been asked to keep her safe from unsuitable prospective husbands. She would be married to him. It seemed so ironic.
She scanned his handsome face, unable to take her eyes off him. It would be difficult to function normally for a while. She would be preoccupied with thoughts of him, longing to see him, enjoying her time when she was with him.
“You must tell me, my lord,” she said softly. “What is the secret you have been keeping from me? Surely you can tell me now that we are to be married.”
Lavinia hated the dark look that crossed the Marquess’ face. He sat back a little and shook his head.
“I cannot tell you yet, Miss Lavinia. I will tell you when we announce our engagement to your mother. Does this satisfy you?”
All Lavinia wanted to do was get back the look he had on his face before she asked the question. She regretted having asked it. The secret could wait. She did not want the Marquess to think she had only said yes so he would tell her the secret.
She vowed to review what he had told her with more depth. Perhaps she would be able to guess what it was before he had a chance to tell her and her mother.
“Miss Lavinia, would you like to take a walk with me?” The Marquess asked the question in the softest voice Lavinia had ever heard him use.
She smiled. “I would like that, as well.”
He stood up and offered her his arm. She took it as she lifted from the chair. She reached back to take the shawl from where it was draped over the back of the chair.
“If you get too tired, I would be glad to get a curricle and we can go for a ride.”
She looked up at him, thinking how wonderful it was to be on the arm of the man she would marry. She was ecstatic that it turned out to be the very man who was supposed to protect her. She had been in love with him for some time. She had just never let herself admit it.
Lavinia could not wait to give him the letter. Perhaps she would read it aloud to him. That way she could put all the emotion into it she could.
Her mother was going to be thrilled. She would no longer have to worry about their home, finding her a suitor, or going to balls and parties she did not want to attend. Lavinia smiled to think that perhaps her mother would find her own suitor, a second husband to spend the rest of her life with.
Lavinia would not mind if her mother found another man to love. Her father was a wonderful man and she missed him every day. But her mother deserved happiness, too, and Sir Edward would not want his beloved wife to be alone and miserable the rest of her life.
Lavinia laughed inside. Now that she was in love and engaged to be married, she would probably start trying to match up her other female friends. Her mother included. And Anna. Who would be a good husband for Anna?
She walked beside the Marquess pr
oudly, hoping as many people of the ton saw her as possible. They could spread their rumors now. Let them talk. She was engaged. There was no scandal to speak of. They would soon find that out.
“My lord,” she said suddenly, pulling on his arm. “I think we should go speak to my mother now. We should tell her right now!”
The Marquess furrowed his brows. “Why so soon?”
Lavinia laughed. “Why not? It would be a wonderful surprise for her as she does not believe you are interested in courting me.”
