“Yes. He accepted my offer more for his family’s sake than for his own, although he was humbled and it clearly hurt his pride to do so. He is a miserable man, Louisa. Seeing him today, it was hard to believe him to be the fine, debonair rake one sees about town, who has seduced half the women in London. When I left him he was so unlike himself in both words and looks.”
Louisa gave him a long, thoughtful look. “Alistair, did it never occur to you that you might not have won when you challenged him at cards?”
“I was willing to take a chance.”
“And as I know to my cost you have played before,” she said, with a hint of cynicism. “But so has Sir Charles.”
Alistair grinned, his eyes twinkling wickedly. “I’ve had a little more practice, that’s all.”
She gave him a reproachful frown. “As to that, I prefer not to go into it at this moment. But what will he do now? I still cannot bring myself to like him, Alistair—especially when I think of what he would have done to Sophie. It will be no easy matter coming face to face with him again—as we must at some time or other.”
Louisa sank to her knees on the rug in front of the fire, sitting comfortably back on her feet and staring into the flames, her face rosy and warm. Seeing her troubled face, Alistair removed his coat and loosened his neckcloth and sat beside her in his shirtsleeves, one leg propped up and an arm resting lightly about her shoulders.
“You are not likely to meet him again, Louisa.”
She turned and looked at him. “Oh?”
“Before I left he told me he is to go to America to stay with his sister. He hinted that, if it appealed to him, he might consider staying out there.”
Joy and relief sprang to her eyes. “Then let us hope in a new country with new diversions he will let old grudges and bygones fade away. I, for one, will not miss him.”
Alistair grinned, a wicked gleam entering his eyes. “Maybe not, my love, but I can name an army of ladies who will. The drawing rooms of fashionable London will not be the same without his colourful and vibrant presence. Not everyone is as opposed to his charms as you.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” she sighed. “When can we return to Huntswood, Alistair? London holds no attraction for me just now. Are the matters of state that are discussed so laboriously in the House of Lords so important that they must keep us apart?”
“My presence or absence will not affect the way the country is run—or the war with France. We can return to Sussex any time you like. We will stop off in London for a while when we travel to Oxfordshire for James’s marriage to Amelia in two months’ time. Does that make you happy?” he whispered, kissing her warm cheek softly.
“Extremely,” she said, wriggling her legs from under her to enable her to sit closer to him. “But what about Sophie?”
He sighed. “I admit that I am baffled by her behaviour. Despite her unpleasant ordeal at Meredith’s hands, I am relieved to see she suffers no ill effects. In fact, she has recovered remarkably well and has made it plain that she has no desire to return to Huntswood for the foreseeable future. She stressed to me when I saw her earlier that she wishes to remain at Richmond with Julia indefinitely.”
“And you have no objections to this?”
“None whatsoever. I suppose we must be thankful she has come out of all this with her reputation intact. She may be only seventeen, but the sooner a suitor is found for her and she is wed, the better I shall sleep at night.”
Louisa’s lips quirked in a little, knowing smile. “I do not think you will have too long to wait for that to come about,” she said quietly.
Alistair looked at her sharply. She had her eyes lowered, as if what she had just said were the most ordinary thing in the world. “And what, might I ask, do you mean by that, pray? Who?”
Her lips widened into a full smile. “Timothy Hacket,” she told him, raising her eyes to watch his reaction.
At first he was stunned, finding what she had said incredible, and then his face broke into an expression of disbelief. “Hacket?”
“Yes.”
“But they have not yet known each other twenty-four hours.”
“What does that matter?”
“But is it possible that she can feel a tug to her emotions romantically so soon after being obsessed with Meredith?”
“Why not? They are captivated by one another. Watch them together when he comes with James and Amelia tonight and you’ll see what I mean. You don’t object, do you, Alistair?”
He laughed lightly, drawing her close. “Not in the slightest. After Meredith, I would find anyone else a blessing.”
Louisa turned in his arms and kissed his lips lightly. “Thank you, Alistair. It would seem that everything has been resolved happily at last.”
“The happiest thing of all is that the situation between us has been resolved,” he answered, the scent of her perfume making his senses reel. He looked at her face, so close to his own, unable to take his gaze from her. The glow from the fire was shining on her, warming the amber light in her eyes. He had never wanted her more and he longed for the moment when they could be together in the privacy of their room and he could awaken all that was sensual in her nature.
Louisa knew exactly what was going through his mind. There was so much adoration blended with passion in his narrow eyes that she thought it was a good thing she was sitting down or her legs would have given way. Their lips met in a kiss. Unable to control his longing, Alistair devoured her mouth and she responded, as frantic as he, their passion flaring as strong as ever. Her fingers drove into his thick hair and gripped it tightly to prevent him moving away, and his arms were around her, crushing her to him as if he would never let her go.
When they paused to draw breath, they smiled in mutual happiness.
“What are you thinking?” she asked in serene contentment.
“What a delight it would be to make love to you here, on this rug, in front of the fire.”
“I wouldn’t object,” she whispered, leaning over and finding his lips in a gentle kiss, “but the servants might if they were to walk in on us.”
Hearing a sound behind them, they turned simultaneously just as the door opened. The nursemaid stood there with Constance cradled in the crook of her arm and her free hand holding Mark’s. Louisa and Alistair looked at each other and smiled.
The children! The final touch to the perfection of their love.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-6129-0
AN INNOCENT PROPOSAL
First North American Publication 2002
Copyright © 1999 by Helen Dickson
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