What if she had decided to go away with Billingsworth? The man was a complete cad and scoundrel. The man would take whatever Avis offered and leave her alone and pregnant or worse, alone and battered. He looked up at the sound of gravel crunching under the wheels of a plain black carriage.
“Lord Selby, what a surprise to see you here,” Avis said, stepping down from her carriage. “Is your sister with you?”
He turned at the soft sound of her lilting voice. “No, Jennette is still in town, Miss Copley.”
Her coachman frowned. “Ma’am, I know it is not my place, but I would never forgive myself if some harm came to you—”
“We have been over this many times, Smith. Lady Elizabeth may even be here already.”
“Still, we should wait to make certain.”
Avis glanced over at Banning. “Lord Selby is here. Lady Jennette’s brother would never let any harm come to me.”
Banning took his cue. “Of course not, Miss Copley. Actually, I do believe Lady Elizabeth arrived a short while ago and now rests in her room.”
“Thank you, my lord,” she replied with a slight nod. “There, it is settled. You may take my valise up to my room and then depart. I shall be home in a fortnight.”
“As you wish, ma’am.” The coachman gave Banning a look that said he knew exactly what had just transpired. He took the large valise down and carried it inside.
Banning released a long held breath. He looked around but noticed no one familiar to him. “You’re late,” he whispered harshly.
“Your darling sister paid me a visit this morning. Perhaps if you had prevented the call, I would have been on time.”
“Where are the rest of your things?” he said, now irritated with both himself for getting angry, and Jennette for delaying her.
“Smith took my bag inside already.”
“That’s all you need for two weeks?” He’d expected a trunk, or two. His sister rarely traveled without two trunks, sometimes even three.
“I didn’t believe I would need that much. Unless you have a ball or soiree planned that I wasn’t aware of?”
He smiled at her cheeky tone. “No. Ever practical, Avis, bringing only what you need. We shall stay the night and continue on in the morning.”
“Very well.” She started to walk to the inn. “Goodnight, then.”
So much for starting their liaison tonight. Then again, Chelmsford was a much larger town than where they would stop tomorrow night. There was far more chance of being seen here. He would have to wait until they reached Stowmarket.
“We could have supper together?” he asked, surprising himself.
She stopped and turned toward him with a frown. “I hardly think that would be wise, my lord.”
Perhaps not. “Still, you do need to eat.”
“I will have a tray sent up.”
Damn. “Tomorrow we shall dine together.”
“We shall see about that,” she replied with a smile and then opened the door to the inn.
Banning blew out a frustrated breath as she slipped inside the inn. He had hoped to have some time alone with her even if it was just a quiet conversation over dinner. Anything to get to know his future wife better.
Banning awoke before dawn and ordered a large basket of breakfast items to be packed. By leaving early and eating on the road, they could get to Stowmarket before nightfall. And he had great plans for tonight. He glanced around the hallway before knocking on her door.
Nothing.
“Avis,” he whispered. He heard a groan from in the room. “Wake up. We need to leave. I shall wait for you downstairs.”
He waited for an answer but only received another groan in reply. His coachman had readied the carriage by the time he walked back downstairs. After another fifteen minutes, Avis strolled out of the doorway, yawning, and then clamored into his carriage. Leaving before the sun rose afforded them the most privacy.
“I had them pack us a breakfast.”
She nodded but did not look terribly happy with the prospect of eating in the carriage. Or perhaps it was the idea of eating with him.
“Are you ready?”
Her brown eyes looked away from him and clouded with apprehension. “I believe I am.”
They departed in silence. Avis looked out the window as they headed east toward Southwold. He could only see the profile of her heart-shaped face, but he didn’t need to look at her. He knew her face like his own.
She’d dressed in her usual conservative fashion. The neckline of her high-waisted, sage gown was cut so high that barely the hollow of her slender neck showed. He closed his eyes and imagined her in the emerald dress she’d worn the night of her cousin’s party. He would never forget how beautiful she looked that evening.
“Selby?” she whispered.
He blinked and smiled at the confusion on her face. “Yes?”
“I didn’t mean to wake you—”
“You didn’t. In truth, I was remembering you the night of your cousin’s party.”
“Why?”
“Because you looked more beautiful than I had ever seen you, Avis.”
She swallowed visibly.
He loved watching her face as she realized just how much he wanted her. Her brown eyes widened and a pale rosy color tinted her cheeks.
“Selby—”
“I think you should call me Banning.”
“Right. Banning, we need to come to some agreements about this…this affair.”
What was she up to now? “Agreements?”
“Yes. I cannot get—get pregnant. I brought some personal items that should prevent that from happening, but I was told I can’t use them the first time.”
“What exactly do you want me to do, Avis?”
Her cheeks flushed bright red with embarrassment. “I—I need you to…”
“Yes?” he prompted, hiding the smile that threatened to give him away.
“To withdraw your p—pe—”
“Ahh, I think I understand,” he interrupted to stop her stammering.
“Good. Then you will do the appropriate thing the first time?”
“I shall do whatever you wish me to.” He stared at her until she understood his sensual meaning. Crooking his finger, he said, “Come here.”
She shook her head. “I don’t believe that is a good idea.”
“You want to learn about passion, don’t you?”
“Yes,” she squeaked. “But not in a carriage where the coachman might hear and people passing might see and—”
“I have no plans to make love with you in a moving carriage,” he murmured. “I just want to kiss you.”
She bit her lower lip as she appeared to think this over.
“Avis, what exactly are you afraid of?” Certain she would never admit her fear he expected no answer.
She raised her gaze to meet his. “You,” she finally whispered.
“Me? Why?”
“I am not quite certain. I can’t seem to figure out who you really are. Jennette always told me you were such a gentleman and overly nice to women. But you’ve never been that way with me. You kissed me to win a wager. You blackmailed me when I tried to get out of an arrangement you coerced me into.” She threw her hands up in exasperation. “And every time we’re in the same room we end up making rude comments to each other.”
All right, he definitely had to make some changes in his manner with her. “You don’t make it easy.”
“What do you mean? I am a very easy person to know and like! You are the only one I cannot seem to get along with.”
“Perhaps that is because we both have always known what might happen if we did get along.”
“Oh? And that would be what?” she answered in a sarcastic tone.
“This,” he said, sliding to the seat next to her. Slowly, he brought his mouth down to hers.
Avis knew she should push away from him and deny his accusation. But his mouth caressed hers in such a sweet manner she had to respond. Slowly, he pa
rted her lips and they tasted each other. The action drew a moan from deep in her throat. She let her hands move up to his hair and touch the silky, dark strands.
She wanted him to be wrong about their attraction to each other, but at least from her perspective, he was right.
She had been attracted to him since that first kiss over eight years ago. She had thrust away from him that night, terrified by the sensations he invoked. This time, she wouldn’t have to push him away.
He pulled back, smiling down at her. Her cheeks blistered with heat and disappointment.
“I think we had better stop before I go back on my word and make love to you in this carriage,” he said in a husky voice.
Expecting him to move back to his seat, she didn’t know what to say when Banning dragged her up on his lap, holding her against his chest. She thought about scrambling off, but the clean, spicy scent of him and the motion of the carriage were lulling her to sleep. And sleep would keep her from the motion sickness that always plagued her when she rode in carriages. She’d deliberately stayed awake most of the night just so she might be able to sleep during their trip. As she drifted off, she realized just how nice a man Banning could be, for a blackmailer.
Chapter Seven
The carriage came to a halt in front of the coaching inn Banning used whenever he took this route. Normally, he would enjoy the good food and even better women the inn had in service, but tonight he would have Avis. His cock twitched in anticipation.
She turned toward him with a frown. “Why are we stopping?”
“It will take us another day to get to the cottage. We have to rest the horses so we shall stay here tonight.”
“We will do no such thing!”
He cocked his head at her. “Oh?”
“If someone sees me getting out of your carriage, I will be ruined.”
“You weren’t overly concerned about getting into the carriage with me this morning.”
“It was barely light when we left this morning. And no one was around then.”
“We have no choice. I will take care of everything.” The coachman opened the door. “Wait here.”
Banning walked toward the inn, dodging a mother duck taking her ducklings for a stroll. The familiar scents of meat pies and ale engulfed him as he entered the coaching stop.
“Lord Selby.” The owner greeted him with an overly large, semi-toothless grin.
“Mr. Owens, I hope you have a room for me tonight.”
“Only the best for ye, milord.”
Mr. Owens shuffled through his papers and then found his register. Banning took the time to glance around for any familiar faces. His luck held. There seemed to be no one of his acquaintance in the tavern or the dining room.
He walked back to the small table where Mr. Owens waited for him. With little thought, he signed the register Mr. and Mrs. Talbot. He tossed Mr. Owens more than the appropriate fee for the room and board.
“We would like dinner in our room.”
“I understand, milord,” Mr. Owens replied with a nod. “I shall bring yer supper up personally.”
“Thank you.”
Banning headed back out to retrieve his wife for the night.
“Selby,” a man’s voice called at a distance.
He recognized that voice. Banning looked up as a shriek erupted from his carriage. Dammit! Somerton must have opened his carriage door thinking he was inside and seen Avis. Of all the rotten times to meet up with a man like him. Running toward the coach, he heard Somerton’s reaction to finding her.
“My, my, this is a surprise, Miss Copley.”
“Somerton,” Avis replied in a cool tone.
Banning clamped his hand down on Somerton’s shoulder and pulled him away from the carriage. The grin on Somerton’s face said it all.
“Interesting company you’re keeping these days, Selby.”
He continued to drag the viscount away from the sputtering Avis. “Not a word of this to anyone, Somerton.”
Somerton threw his head back and laughed soundly. “Now what fun is that?”
“And what fun would it be if the entire ton learned of your background?”
“As if I cared,” Somerton answered with a nonchalant shrug. “Most of them realize I’m not good enough anyway.”
“But would they be pleased to learn that the somewhat respectable Viscount Somerton makes his money from renting buildings to brothels?”
“It’s only one. And besides,” he said with a chuckle, “I get a discount that way.”
Banning struggled to keep his control. Somerton was a cunning scoundrel, and Banning doubted he could trust the man. Perhaps a better threat would do the trick.
“Keep my secret for now and you can continue to live,” Banning stated calmly.
Somerton only laughed. “You’d never kill me.”
“Don’t tempt me.”
“And with what would you kill me? That small dagger you keep in your boot?” Somerton eased away from him. “We both know you’d never use a pistol.”
Banning’s fists clenched tight. He could not think about what had happened in France or in London. He had to focus on the present. “Just keep this quiet.”
“Very well.”
He hated to ask this question, but Somerton was the best person for this type of work. Leading him away from the carriage he said, “I need some help that you have the expertise for.”
“Oh?”
“I want to know everything about Emory Billingsworth. I know some things from his past but I want to know about his financial conditions and what is happening with his writing.”
Somerton smirked. “I can do that, but I expect a favor in return.”
“What favor?”
“I may need some business advice in the near future. You will give it to me.”
Business advice? Good Lord, this most likely had something to do with that brothel he owned. “Very well.”
Somerton walked toward his own carriage. “I shall keep your secret as my own.”
Banning could only hope he would. Now to settle Avis down. With the door to the carriage still cracked open, he peered inside to see Avis with her arms crossed over her chest. She mumbled something about a cur. He could only hope the cur was Somerton and not himself.
He opened the door, and noting her hard gaze, realized he was, in fact, the cur in question. If her eyes were daggers, he’d be dead by now. And perhaps he should be. After all, this was hardly the best way to catch a bride.
“Shall we?” he said, holding out his hand for her to take as if nothing had happened a few moments ago.
“No, I don’t believe we shall.”
“Avis, I talked to Somerton. He will keep this quiet.”
Her eyes widened to the size of saucers. “And you believed him? Everyone knows what a scoundrel he is.”
“True. But he wants something from me, so we made a pact.”
“Take me home, Selby.”
He scrambled back into the carriage and shut the door. “No.”
“This was a mistake,” she cried. “I should never have tried to do something so impulsive. I’m not an impulsive person. I’m just boring, plain, old, spinster Avis. The one everyone turns to when they need someone to listen to their problems.”
He grabbed her hands in his own. “Avis, you are not old, not plain, and certainly not boring. You are one of the most exciting and interesting women I have ever met.”
“You’re only saying that to get me into your bed,” she replied with a sniff.
“Maybe,” he said with a smile. “But I want you there because you are none of the things you just said you were.”
He brought her hands up to his lips and gently kissed them. “You may not be impulsive. But for once in your life, do something rash and see if you like the results.”
“I don’t like to take risks,” she whispered.
“I know, but try it anyway.”
She looked up at him with her soft amber eyes, and he was lo
st in their depths. He drew her closer to him. Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers. A low simmering heat suffused him as she responded to his kiss. Every time he kissed her his control went out the door, his brain concentrated on only one thing—getting her into bed.
She ended their heated contact far too soon. “I think we should go inside now.”
“Put the veil down on your bonnet so no one will recognize you.”
For once, she did as he requested without an argument. As she tied the blue ribbons under her chin, he jumped down from the carriage to assist her. Even with the veil covering her face, she kept her head down while they walked into the inn.
“Do you think anyone saw us?” she whispered to him as they reached the stairs.
“I don’t think anyone took notice. We appeared to be just another couple seeking refuge for the night.”
“Thank God,” she mumbled under her breath.
He led her into their bedroom. The room was light and airy, although the bed appeared lumpy. Since he did not intend to sleep tonight, it would not matter.
“How far away is your room?” she asked after viewing the room.
“You’re standing in my room.”
Her eyebrows lowered into a deep frown. “Then where is my room located?”
“You are here, with me.”
“Oh,” she whispered. She walked to the window and with a trembling hand moved back the curtain to stare outside.
Noticing her nervousness, he didn’t know what to say. He’d had great plans for tonight and that lumpy bed. Damn.
“I shall sleep on the floor,” he said.
She turned and gave him a curious look, then a small smile. “No. I slept for quite a while today in the carriage. You take the bed. If I get tired, I’ll sleep in the chair by the fireplace.”
He could never let a woman sleep in a chair while he slept in the bed. Before he could tell her that, a knock scraped the door.
“Mr. Talbot, it’s Mr. Owens with yer supper.”
“Come in,” Banning called.
Avis turned herself back toward the window so the proprietor could not see her. Mr. Owens entered the room and quickly glanced about for a table to set down the food. Unfortunately, the only table large enough was right next to Avis.
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