Foolish Bride

by A. S. Fenichel

  “If you were my wife, I can assure you that you would always be treated with respect and you would, of course, be well cared for. You would want for nothing and would live by standards much higher than those you were raised with.”

  Elinor’s heart pounded, and she had to catch her breath. Had he just insulted her father?

  Her thoughts must have flashed across her face, for he addressed her concern. “I am certain your father has always provided for you amply, but this cannot compare to what my level of wealth can provide. I am exceedingly rich.” Middleton took a deep breath and looked down. “My word, but I sound like an ass.”

  Elinor wished she didn’t like him so much. It would make what she had to do so much easier. Preston Knowles was a fine catch and wanted to marry her. A large weight settled on her shoulders. “Is that it?”

  His back straight and, wide-eyed, he looked about to laugh. “Except to say that I think it would be best if you did not answer me now. I realize that you have a great deal to think about. I wanted you to know my intentions at the start, and now you may have as much time as you need to make a decision.”

  “That is very kind of you.” It sounded like a business dealing.

  He sat next to her and took her hand from her lap. “You understand that I am proposing, don’t you?”

  The giggle that escaped was an accident, but the entire thing, her entire life, had become a tragic comedy and she couldn’t help it. “You think we would be a good match because you are fond of me, and I seem to like you. You see, your grace, I heard you clearly.”

  He groaned and dropped his head in his hands. “I have really botched this, haven’t I?”

  She patted his arm. “Well, it was not the most romantic proposal a girl might gain during a given season.”

  “I apologize.”

  “It was well thought-out, though. And it could not come from a more worthy gentleman. I thank you very much, Preston. I am exceedingly flattered by your offer.” It was the truth. If she had never met Michael Rollins, she would be jumping for joy at Preston’s proposal no matter how unromantic.

  He took her hand and met her gaze. “Then you will consider being my wife, Elinor?”

  She wouldn’t have thought her answer was important to him. He was a duke and could gain the hand of almost any young lady of the ton, but he really did wish to marry her. “I will think about all you have said, Preston, and I will give you an answer soon.”

  His expression relaxed, and the smile returned to his eyes. Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed her gently. “Thank you. Shall we join the picnic before we are too badly missed?”

  * * * *

  Michael watched from the shadow of the line of trees. He couldn’t hear what was said, but he imagined that he was in trouble. When Middleton sat and dropped his head in despair, elation shot through him. Not gentlemanly, but he hoped Elinor had refused Middleton. Then she touched her suitor’s hand, and he kissed hers.

  Michael neared his breaking point. He was tempted to rush out of hiding and challenge Middleton to a duel, but he held his position. If Preston was what Elinor wanted, then Michael would have to learn to live with her decision. Though, he had no idea how he would manage the task. He watched as they left the privacy of the gazebo and walked together toward the gathering on the lawn near the pond.

  The pond was large and fed by a creek, which in turn led to a larger river that ran through the Marlton property. The river brought him back to his school days, when he would go home with Daniel rather than face his drunken father. As boys, they’d loved the spot where the creek met the pond.

  He sought to be alone, but when he approached the place where he and his friends had gathered as boys, he heard voices. His brothers had found the best spot on the pond. “What on earth are the two of you up to? You are supposed to be picnicking.”

  Everett colored, but Sheldon spoke up. “We could take no more adult talk of nothing, Mike. Really, is that what we have to look forward to, sitting around eating and talking of the weather?”

  The description was perfect. Michael laughed. “I am afraid so, Shel. Once you reach the age of majority, you will have to learn to speak of things of little or no importance in order to be accepted into society.”

  “Dash that,” Sheldon said. “I had better join the army. I do not think I could take a lifetime of such rubbish.”

  Michael frowned. “The army is a very hard life, and one from which I had hoped my fortune would save you.”

  Everett said, “But you were in the service, Mike. You are a hero. We heard of little else at school before your injury.”

  Sitting on the bank of the pond, Michael took off his boots and let his toes dangle in the cool water. “I had Father buy my commission so that I could stay away from his embarrassing behavior. I could not stand to watch him spend every penny that our grandfather had made over the years. He let the house go into disrepair, and when I commented or offered advice, it would send him into a rage.

  “As your guardian, I would like to think that the two of you do not have that same anxiety. I hope that you know that I shall never be publicly drunk or take to the whorehouses.”

  “Of course, Mike,” Everett said. “But do you regret your choice?”

  The river flowed quietly, and he watched it for a few moments, listening to its soothing sound. “I have no regrets, save for my final mission. It was foolish, with so much to lose, to risk my life. And even though my wounds appear to be healing, I hurt the person who means the most to me, and I do not know if the damage can be repaired.”

  “She’ll come around.” Sheldon sounded like a wise old man rather than a boy.

  Michael smiled. “What makes you think so?”

  Sheldon shrugged. “I see the way she looks at you when she knows you do not see her. She loves you still.”

  “Shel, you really should mind your own business,” Everett warned.

  He wished he hadn’t let so many years go by without seeing his brothers. He pointed up the creek. “I’ll bet you that I can beat you both swimming up river to that old oak.”

  The two younger boys took one look at each other and began stripping off their clothes. Sheldon was the first in the water, followed closely by Michael. Everett took longer, as his concern for the condition of his clothes required him to take more care. Still, he gave Michael a good run and succeeded in a second-place finish.

  The following hours were spent splashing around in a way that the three of them had never done together.

  Chapter 15

  Something was wrong.

  Elinor had gone to bed early, claiming a headache. Now the fire dwindled to ash, and she wasn’t alone in the room. She felt eyes on her. She rolled over. A man sat in one of two large chairs by the hearth.

  “Michael?”

  “How could you be sure it was not Middleton?” He faced the dark fireplace.

  She took her wrap from the end of the bed, put it on, and walked toward him. “He would never do something so inappropriate.”

  Laughing, he nodded. “That’s true, I suppose.”

  “What are you doing here, Michael?”

  He looked at her now. The wildness in his eyes reminded her of the man he’d been a year earlier when he’d courted her, but the joy hadn’t returned to his gaze. “Have you accepted an offer from Middleton?”

  “That is none of your business.”

  He stooped forward and added a log to the fire. With a few pokes of the iron, the log caught and firelight filled the room. “He asked you to marry him, didn’t he?”

  “He did, but I do not know what business it is of yours. You should not be here, Michael.” It would have been better if she managed some venom, rather than sounding as if she wanted him there.

  “Did you agree?”

  “Not yet.”

  “But you’re considering it.” His voice stung with anger.

  Why did he always find the thing that would enrage h
er? “Why should I not consider a gentleman of good standing? A duke, for that matter. He is smart, kind, and seems to like me quite a lot.”

  The light in his eyes dimmed. “Of course, you are right. Preston is a good man with a lot of money and power. As his wife, you would be quite comfortable. So why have you not accepted his offer, Elinor?”

  She turned her back on him. “You know perfectly well why not.”

  He came up behind her and pressed his body to hers. “Tell me, Elinor. Tell me why you haven’t said yes to Middleton.”

  “Don’t, Michael.” She should slap him. She should run away, but he was an addiction she never wanted to break.

  His hands rested on her shoulders, soothing the muscles she hadn’t realized were tight.

  She leaned back against his strong chest, reveling in his touch. Loving the feel of him.

  “Don’t ask you, or don’t touch you?” He kissed her collarbone and up the side of her soft neck.

  “Don’t ask.” Longing for his touch, she tilted her head to the side.

  “I must know. Will you accept his offer?” Urgency rang in his words.

  She turned the tables. “Why does it matter to you, Michael?”

  “You know why.”

  “Tell me.” Even as her mind screamed for her to break away, her body betrayed her. She couldn’t keep her legs under her and leaned further into his strength.

  His mouth was behind her ear, his warm breath on her neck, and just the slightest touch of his lips on the sensitive skin there.

  “Because I love you, Elinor. I have always loved you, and I will always love you. You are my entire reason for living. I cannot imagine myself in a world where you are married to another man.” Love and rage echoed in his words.

  She should have been afraid, but she wasn’t. He would never harm her physically, but emotionally this man could destroy her. Pulling away, she turned to face him. “How do I know you won’t abandon me again? Twice you have left me to be the fool, both publicly and privately. Twice you have deserted me for the easy road.”

  Elinor still harbored the old anxiety relating to his disappearance. When caught in a scandal, he had fled London, leaving her to suffer the gossips alone. He had returned weeks later with an explanation, but by then her friends had come to her rescue. Still, he’d forced her to endure the sneering ton alone.

  He squared his shoulders and narrowed his eyes, opening his mouth to speak. But no words came out. Slumping, he sat in the chair and shook his head. “I do not know how to convince you, Elinor. I love you with all my heart. The first time, I left you so I could settle my father’s debts and earn enough money to be worthy of you. Perhaps I could have done that in some other way, but at the time, I could think of nothing.

  “Then, after my injury, I was so angry and hopeless I did not want to ruin your life by saddling you with a crippled husband. I thought I was being kind, but I see now I was only being selfish. I thought that your father’s wishes reflected yours, and I was too embarrassed to confront you.”

  Michael appeared genuinely distraught, but Elinor had waited a long time to say certain things and get certain answers. She wouldn’t waste the opportunity. “It occurs to me, in both cases, you did not consult me on your course of action. I did not even receive a note from you when our engagement ended, and the note I received when you left London last year was not adequate. Should I expect that if we are married, this same disregard for my feelings will continue? Am I to be discarded at the whim of your character?”

  Looking at her with wide blue eyes, he might have been lost. “I…I do not know what to say to this. I was a fool to think you would need no more information, and arrogant to have believed you would wait for me no matter the circumstances. It was cowardly and now all I can do is beg your forgiveness and swear that I will stand by you no matter what choices you make going forward.”

  This declaration piqued her curiosity. “Even if I decide to marry Preston?”

  His expression filled with pain and anguish. “Even then, you may always count on my support. I shall stand down my efforts and respect your decision. If ever you should need me, you will only have to ask. Regardless of whom you marry, I am at your service.”

  She had to consciously make an effort to close her mouth. She dropped to her knees in front of him. Placing her hands on his cheeks, tears filled her eyes. “I have not accepted Middleton because I am in love with you and I always will be. Michael, how do we reconcile all that has happened? How do we go forward in society with all we have done? My parents will never allow me to accept you over Middleton, no matter your title.”

  She sat back on her heels. It was impossible.

  “All these things can be overcome if you still love me.” He brushed away her tears.

  “It has just occurred to me that you have not said a word about marriage. It is customary to wait for the gentleman to ask before…”

  Pushing back the chair, he fell to his knees and lifted her by the waist so that she was back on her feet. He looked up, his eyes brimming with tears. “It is I who should kneel before you, Elinor. You should always be above me. I know that I am not worthy of you but, by God, I want you so badly that I do not care about my worth. I am begging you to say no to Middleton and marry me. I will do whatever it takes to make you happy. If you want me to conquer countries, then I will do it. If you want jewels, then I shall sell everything to see you sparkle with diamonds and rubies. Tell me what you want, and it will be yours.”

  His eyes were liquid pools of blue.

  She looked down at him and could think of nothing. She had never seen any man cry before, and Michael had always been so soldierly. He was strong and hard, and his emotions always hidden from everyone, including her.

  She touched his short dark curls. Emotion shot through her, leaving pain and longing in its wake. The firelight danced on his skin and in his eyes. The warmth of the room was a cocoon around them. “I want babies.”

  His head fell forward. Tears finally escaped. “I am not sure I can give you babies, Elinor. My injuries…”

  She cut him off. “I do not care where they come from, Michael. There are scores of children who need homes and love. If we cannot make them ourselves, then I want us to find them elsewhere. I want a lot of children. I love the way your brothers are together. You and I both missed that; I because my parents had only one child, and you because you were so much older than Everett and Sheldon. I want our children to have siblings, and a lot of them.”

  He smiled, dashing his tears away. “It is a relationship I am sorry to have missed, and I hope to gain with the time remaining. Having brothers is more important than I ever expected it to be.”

  “Then you would not mind having a few babies?”

  “I would not mind.” He took her hand and kissed the palm. “Does this mean that you will be my wife, Elinor?”

  She knelt, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her face to the crook of his neck.

  His arms enveloped her.

  “I am yours, Michael.”

  His kiss was hard and bruising at first, but then more gentle. “Mine,” he said against her lips. He pushed the light material of her wrap off her shoulders, and she adjusted her arms so that the garment fell to the floor.

  He was still in his dinner clothes.

  Desperate for more of him, she tugged at his neck cloth and pressed her lips to the base of his throat. His moan encouraged her, and she pulled at his blouse, kissing the sprinkle of hair on his chest.

  “Elinor, do you know what you’re doing to me?”

  She looked, a wave of desire mingled with the excitement that they might be caught in her room so late at night. “I think so. Should I stop?”

  His lips captured hers again, and he pressed his tongue deeply into her mouth.

  Desire surged through her, settling between her legs. She touched her tongue to his and joined the dance.

  His hands were on her hips, a
nd he pressed her hard against his erection.

  She gasped.

  “Should I stop?” Though his words mimicked hers, there was no teasing from him. Breath frantic, sweat beaded on his brow. “I will stop this now if you wish, my love. I can wait until we are wed.”

  No one touched her heart the way he did. Nothing would ever be as perfect as the moment he’d shown her his true emotions. She never wanted anything more than she wanted Michael in that moment. “But I cannot.”

  He groaned and stood, lifting her into his arms. He took her to the bed and eased her against the plush mattress.

  She expected him to put her on the bed. She’d expected him to immediately jump on top of her and she relished the notion. While some women complained about the act, she did not fear being with Michael.

  He left her standing next to the bed.

  She shifted, uncertain. Should she get herself onto the mattress? Should she wait for him? She leaned back onto the mattress.

  He shook his head. “Do not move, Elinor.”

  In the flickering light, he removed his clothes one piece at a time. He wasted no time, but he did not tear at his clothes, either. Methodical and efficient like a soldier, his fingers moved deftly, and soon he stood before her naked.

  Unable to take her eyes away from him, her cheeks burned. He was beautiful. Covered in muscles, but not bulky muscle like the strong man she had seen at the carnival, Michael was lean and powerful. His stomach rippled with strength, and his chest bulged and spread out to wide sinewy shoulders.

  She touched the whitish puckered skin and traced the scar on his left shoulder.

  “A bullet in Spain.” He shrugged.

  She looked in his eyes for a moment before touching a deep scar at the center of his chest. She pressed her lips to it.

  A soft moan rumbled in his cheat. “A French spy a mile outside of London.”