He seemed overly interested in the pattern of the parquet floor and didn’t answer immediately. “I’ll take your suggestion under consideration.”
Charlotte raised her eyebrows. “Have you spent any time with her this week?”
“I’m afraid she’s too…perfectish.”
She stopped and turned toward him. “Perfectish?”
He lowered his head and gazed into her eyes. “Yes, perfectish. It’s a clear indication that some horrible fault will come to the surface the moment you’ve irrevocably declared your intentions.”
She allowed one corner of her mouth to curve upward. “Well, then. I guess it’s a good thing I could never be considered perfectish.”
His eyes darkened as he leaned closer. “No, you are certainly not too perfectish.”
She struggled to catch her breath and turned away from his intense gaze. “Where are we?” They had been walking much longer than should have been necessary. Marley Hall was exceptionally large, but surely they should have reached the main stairwell by now.
“In the east wing.”
“I thought you were concerned about leaving the duke and duchess waiting. Have you lost your way in your own home?”
Sebastian shot her a sheepish smile. “They’re not actually waiting. I was the one impatient to get started, but now that you’re entertaining me, I feel no particular need to hurry.”
“Odious man,” Charlotte mumbled under her breath, turning away to hide her smile from him.
…
A few hours later, they had toured several of the outdoor gardens, and Sebastian was still stewing over Horace’s behavior toward Charlotte. He fought the urge to return to the house and pummel the man. His temper wasn’t improved by the addition of several other members of the house party who made a last-minute decision to join the garden tour. Nor was it improved by Charlotte’s incessant prattling about her seemingly never-ending list of possible matches for him, none of whom he was remotely interested in.
He had yet to approve of a suitor for her. Determined to hold up his end of their agreement as well, he had invited several eligible gentlemen to spend the week at Marley Hall. Though there was nothing conspicuously wrong with any of them, he couldn’t bring himself to recommend even one of them to Charlotte.
Not wanting to be accused of neglecting his duties as host, he attempted to focus his mind on the tour of the gardens he was meant to be conducting.
“What would you like to see next?” He addressed his question to the Duchess of Chadwick, the highest-ranking female member of the party.
“What do you think, dear?” she asked the princess.
A line formed between her brows. “What are our options?”
“Well, there’s the conservatory, the greenhouse, the orangery, and of course, all of the other outdoor gardens. We couldn’t possibly see them all this afternoon.”
The princess deferred to Charlotte. They exchanged a look before Charlotte responded. “I would like to visit the greenhouse and the orangery. Perhaps we could tour those first, and if we have time, you can show us a few of the other gardens.”
“Lord Marley, I believe I have seen enough gardens for one day. Would it be agreeable for us to try our hand in your trout pond?” asked Sir Eckley.
“Of course. I must continue with the garden tour, but if you go back to the house, Hudson will assist you.”
“Much obliged, my lord.” Eckley bowed and left with most of the rest of the party.
As soon as they reached the greenhouse, his head gardener Mr. Norris rushed over to welcome Charlotte. “Miss Lightwood, we’ve finished with all of the arrangements. They’ve been sent to the house as you requested.”
What the devil was Norris talking about? Sebastian was momentarily puzzled until he remembered how she was forever fussing over flower arrangements.
“Excellent. And you had enough purple ribbon?” Charlotte asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” Mr. Norris said. “The housekeeper was enchanted by your design. We made them all exactly as you instructed.”
Sebastian stepped in front of Charlotte to get her attention. “Should I take this to mean you’ve involved yourself in the decorations for the ball?”
“My lord.” Mr. Norris bowed. “My apologies. I didn’t see you there.”
Ashdown barked out a laugh, which he promptly converted to a cough. “Happens all the time.”
Sebastian ignored Ashdown and raised his brows at his gardener. “So I noticed.” He wasn’t accustomed to being overlooked, but he found that he didn’t much mind. She tended to have the same effect on him. He turned back to Charlotte. “Well?”
She traced a pattern on the floor with her slipper. “I didn’t mean to overstep.”
“Of course you didn’t,” Sebastian agreed. He bit back a smile.
“It’s just that Mr. Norris was working on the arrangements when I came seeking herbs for Oscar, and one thing led to another.” She met his gaze and pulled her bottom lip in. “You don’t mind, do you?”
“Not at all.” He studied an unusual orange flower in front of him. “Have you interfered in anything else I should know about?”
“I’ve taken the liberty of providing Mr. Norris with a list of medicinal herbs you ought to grow in the greenhouse. You have a large selection of dried herbs, but some are more effective when used fresh.”
Her excitement was contagious, and he found himself grinning at her like an imbecile. He cleared his throat. “Did you include those needed to keep Oscar in good health? I don’t wish to get on his bad side. Or Gran’s for that matter.”
“Of course. I also included a few that should be of use to Lady Marley during the winter months.”
“Excellent.” He had long since felt superfluous to the management of his estates, but she inspired him to want to become more involved, to be known for something other than being wealthy and attractive. He would schedule a meeting with his steward as soon as they returned to the house. It had been several months since he had visited the tenants. He would determine whether any of the older boys needed employment. Perhaps they could grow more fruit trees or exotic flowers, or maybe even experiment with crossbreeding plants to create some new varieties. He would have to speak with Mr. Norris about it, but for now he had other, more pressing concerns.
“Are you ready to move on to the orangery now?” He directed his question to Charlotte.
Charlotte brushed a leaf from her skirt. “I would be content to spend a week in here, but I’m certain the others are ready to move on.”
Indeed they were. The princess expressed a desire to explore the topiary garden. The duke and duchess accompanied her, and Ashdown offered to escort them, so Charlotte and Sebastian were left to explore the orangery on their own.
The fragrance of orange blossoms, fresh and sweet, embraced them when they entered. Many of the outdoor servants had been commissioned to assist with preparations for the ball that evening, so they were unexpectedly alone in the building. Sebastian gave Charlotte a tour of the fruit trees and indulged her when she wished to study the series of flues they had installed to keep the tropical plants alive through the winter. As she crawled along the floor to study the heating system, it hit Sebastian like a hammer to the head. He wanted to spend the rest of his life helping her remove dried leaves from her skirts and being exasperated by her flower rearranging, Gran’s approval be damned.
When she stood, she had several flower petals and dried leaves in her hair. She continued her explorations, touching leaves and leaning in to smell each flower. “How did you come to have so many tropical varieties?”
His head still whirling, he struggled to produce a coherent response. “Gran enjoys having flowers available all year long, and the gardener has gone out of his way to please her.”
Charlotte grinned at him, and he fought the urge to pull her against him and kiss her until she was as overwhelmed as he was. “Sebastian, your home and grounds are the most beautiful and competently run I’ve e
ver seen. I couldn’t imagine a more wonderful place.”
His stomach tightened as he imagined what it would be like to have her living here with him. “You really shouldn’t be allowed to go anywhere without proper supervision,” he said, moving closer.
“What do you mean?”
He pulled a flower petal from her hair to show her. She smiled and turned her head to facilitate his ministrations. When he removed more of the offending debris from her hair, his touch released the lavender scent that had beguiled him the first time they waltzed, confirming he would never again pass a bouquet or garden containing lavender without thinking of her.
Charlotte turned to meet his eyes and placed her palm against his cheek. She had removed her gloves in the greenhouse, and the feel of her bare skin pressed against his sent a frisson through him.
She took a deep breath, then her lids fluttered shut and she pressed her lips to his. “Seduce me, Sebastian,” she murmured.
“What?” he managed to squeeze out before her lips covered his again.
“Seduce me. Since you kissed me I haven’t been able forget the feel of you. I can’t think about anyone but you. I know we have no future together, but please give me something to remember before I’m forced to marry another.” She tugged at his cravat with trembling fingers.
He grabbed her wrists. He was nearly undone, but she didn’t understand what she was asking. He had never wanted anything as much as he wanted to oblige her, to lay her down on a bed of flower petals and have his way with her. But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t. “Charlotte, you don’t know what you’re asking of me.”
“Just once is all I’m asking. No consequences, no regrets.” She kissed his neck.
Sebastian groaned in desperation. It was difficult to resist her when she kept heating his blood to boiling. “May I point out that we are in a building made almost entirely of glass? We will be seen.”
“No one is around,” she whispered in his ear. The warmth of her breath caused his entire body to tighten.
“The duke and duchess, Lord Ashdown, and Princess Tarasova are about.”
“I saw them walking toward the house several minutes ago.”
Sebastian restrained himself from crushing her to him and taking her up against the glass. She deserved better. “One of the servants could come at any moment.”
She tossed his cravat to the floor and kissed her way to his throat.
He bit the inside of his lip until he could taste blood, hoping to distract himself from the sensations she was creating.
“Your servants are well trained. They will protect your privacy.” She pushed open the collar of his shirt and his control nearly snapped. He was grateful for Charlotte’s state of innocence. If she were more experienced, she would know there were places she could stimulate that would render him incapable of resisting her advances. Even without that knowledge, she was making an excellent job of driving him mad with longing.
“We are holding a ball tonight. Even as we speak, people are likely arriving by the dozens,” he said in one last, desperate attempt to deter her.
“It seems a bit early, but even so, they’re not likely to wander this far from the house.”
Napoleon’s army couldn’t have dissuaded this woman once she set her mind to something. Clearly reason was not going to work. In desperation, he grasped her shoulders and gently pushed her away. “Charlotte, I will not dishonor you by taking you on the floor of my orangery.”
Her face lost all expression, and she turned from him. She clutched her arms across her chest, as if holding herself together. “I’m sorry, my lord. I did not mean to offend you.”
“Damnation. Don’t you dare get all formal and reserved with me.”
She turned back. “I know there can be no future between us, but I thought you of all people could see past wealth and status to the person underneath.” A sob caught in her throat. She wiped at the tears streaming down her face. “Apparently I was wrong.” She turned and ran for the door.
Her words hit him like a sword piercing his heart. “Charlotte, wait.” He reached for her, but he was too late. She was already outside, running toward the house.
She was the only woman who had ever wanted him for himself instead of his wealth and status. He was a fool. A fool who had badly mishandled the situation.
Sebastian marched back to the house and entered through the kitchens. Hudson intercepted him as he started up the back staircase.
“My lord.” He bowed stiffly. “Miss Lightwood arrived a few moments ago and Maisy is assisting her with her preparations for the ball.”
“Thank you, Hudson.” He turned to continue upstairs.
“My lord, is there anything the staff might do to assist Miss Lightwood?”
Sebastian turned to face him, and Hudson shifted his gaze toward the wall. A signal from the time Sebastian was a boy of Hudson’s displeasure with him. “No, thank you. Please send word that I request her presence in the library as soon as she is available.”
“Very good, my lord.” He bowed and moved off.
Sebastian bathed, dressed quickly, and went to the library to wait for Charlotte.
Too restless to be still, he stalked across the floor while he waited. He had been a fool to ignore what had been obvious for so long. He was in love with Charlotte, and the Earl of Marley could marry whomever he damn well pleased. If only he find a way to convince her that her lack of title and fortune didn’t matter to him. Gran loved Charlotte and would get over her disappointment that he hadn’t made what would be considered a good match. Hang what society thought. Except for Princess Tarasova. Hopefully she wouldn’t think he had been leading her on and would instead be happy for her friend.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts and he lunged to open the door.
Maisy bobbed a curtsy. “My Lord, I’m concerned about Miss Lightwood. I was helping her dress for the ball earlier, but when I went back to her chamber just now, she didn’t answer my knock.” She clutched a fold of her skirt. “The door was locked.”
Unease slid up his spine. Something was amiss. He rushed into the corridor and gestured for Hudson to join him. “Maisy, find a footman immediately. Tell him to locate Sir Lightwood and bring him to Miss Lightwood’s chamber straightaway.”
Chapter Ten
Charlotte was planning what she would say to Sebastian in his library when there was a knock at the bedchamber door. Assuming it was Maisy returning, she called, “Come in.” She studied the sculpture garden as the door opened and closed, hoping for inspiration from Venus or Pandora. Apollo would certainly be of no use.
A chill swept over her. Why hadn’t Maisy said something or moved to finish her hair? She turned around. Horace stood in front of the closed door, blocking her only means of escape.
“What are you doing here? Leave at once.” She shoved past him to open the door.
He grabbed her elbow. “Don’t be too hasty, now. You wouldn’t want anyone to see me leaving your chamber, would you?”
She met his gaze, her fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms. “Why are you here, Horace?”
“You didn’t respond to my note. I’ll leave as soon as you accept my offer.” His clammy fingers dug into her.
She jerked her arm from his grasp and stepped back. “Why do you want to marry someone who doesn’t want you?”
“You overestimate your appeal.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the door, staring at her bodice. “I suppose you’ll do as well as the next girl, but what I want is the annuity Elizabeth promised me if I marry you. Granted it is but a small apportion of Elizabeth’s allowance, but the value of guaranteed income cannot be discounted.”
She went cold. What could Elizabeth have been thinking? “But…why would she agree to pay you an annuity?”
His lips twisted into a gruesome smirk. “Because that is the bargain we struck. I agreed to take you off her hands in exchange for an annual payment that will aid me in refurbishing a small family estate n
ear Burwick-upon-Tweed that has fallen into disrepair.”
Her thoughts swirled so quickly she was barely able to respond. “Burwick-Upon-Tweed? That is the—”
“Northernmost town in England. Its most desirable quality as far as Elizabeth is concerned. The remote location, combined with our rather paltry finances, will prevent us from ever attending the season in London, I’m afraid.”
Charlotte knew Elizabeth had always disliked her, but this—this was a nightmare. To be forever bound to Horace, a man who clearly loathed her as much as she loathed him, trapped in an unfamiliar place away from her friends and family. It was not to be borne. She had to get him out of her bedchamber before they were discovered.
She pointed at the door. “Get out of my chamber now, or I’ll call for help.”
“Go ahead. What do you think the result will be if we are found alone together in your chamber? Especially with you looking like that.” He waved toward her bodice, which was loose because Maisy hadn’t finished fastening her gown before she left to retrieve flowers for Charlotte’s coiffure.
Her pulse leapt to a frenzied tempo. He was right. If anyone saw him in her bedchamber, she would be forced to marry him.
Horace’s mouth twisted into a smile. “Checkmate.”
The thump of rapid footfalls was eclipsed by the click of a key being inserted in the lock. Horace slid away just before the door swung in and banged off the wall. Charlotte put a hand to her heart. They were discovered. She was ruined.
Hudson and Sebastian barreled in. Horace turned back to Charlotte, his eyes wide before his face went blank, and he assumed a disinterested mien. She’d thought the situation couldn’t possibly get worse. Sebastian was the last person she wanted as witness to her downfall. What must he think of her after the way she’d behaved in the orangery and at the ball just weeks ago?
Hudson shut the door and stationed himself next to it. Sebastian headed straight to her and took her hand. “Are you all right, Miss Lightwood?”
The murmur of his voice acted as a balm to her frazzled nerves. Tension radiated from him, belying the calmness of his voice. Horace obviously had no sense of self-preservation, because if someone had looked at her the way Sebastian was looking at him, she’d have the wherewithal to run away.
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