by Dalia Wright
A slip of a girl who had intrigued him enough all those years ago to keep her memory alive in his mind. When his grandfather had approached him with the betrothal he had readily agreed thinking of the impish, spirited girl with the wild tangled hair and wide blue eyes. And now he was anxious to head to home and speak to her, to see her and to woe her. When the last of the trunks had been strapped to the carriage he climbed atop his horse and with few final instructions to the valet he was off. At the last minute he had decided to ride part of the way because it would be faster and he would be able to get on an earlier ship crossing the channel. All his belongings would follow suit at a slower pace on a cargo ship. As he rode down the streets, his handsome set in determination, his dark eyes focused on his end goal, he was unaware of the admiring looks from the ladies in their carriages. The gangly, shy youth that Bella remembered had disappeared completely, leaving in its stead a breathtakingly handsome man that ladies swooned over.
Within a few days Thomas was sailing to London on the Fleurette, Lord Archambault’s personal ship, with every passing hour getting closer to home and Bella unaware his fiancée was busy figuring out how to get away from him.
CHAPTER FOUR:
“I need to disappear for a while Mavis, won’t you please help me?” Bella asked Mavis the question two evenings later when she popped by for a visit.
The word disappear sounded alarming. Mavis tried not to sound too anxious when she asked her friend hesitantly,
“What exactly do you mean by disappearing Bella? Do you mean you want to be kidnapped by someone?” As ridiculous as the idea was she wouldn’t put it past Bella to stage an elaborate scheme to get her out of this impending marriage.
“Of course not Mavis!” but even as the words left Bella’s lips her mind was whirling with the possibility of staging her own kidnapping.
Mavis caught the glint in her friend’s eyes and she shook her head,
“Absolutely not, don’t even think about it Bel! Imagine the scandal! Think of what it would do your family!”
“But Mavis I don’t care about scandal, scandal might be exactly what I need to break the engagement. What Duke would want to tarnish his family name by associating himself with someone scandalous?”
“Be serious Bella, you know you can’t ruin your reputation just to spite your parents.”
Bella knew Mavis was right but she was still hell bent on disappearing for a while.
After a few moments of intense concentration during which Mavis hoped her friend would see to reason, Bella announced,
“I could stay with Edith for a few weeks!”
“Edith? My older sister Edith?”
“Why not? Didn’t you say they were going to be spending the summer in the country? She’ll think it’s absolutely brilliant and nobody will think to look there.”
Mavis rolled her eyes and resisted the urge to list out the numerous holes in the plot and pointed out only the most obvious one,
“Everyone will know if she has you staying with her Bella, you know she does quite a fair bit of entertaining even if it’s in the country, she can hardly keep you a secret you know or lock you up in a room every time someone stops by for a visit.”
Mavis’ observation deflated Bella’s bubble and her face fell as she considered this obstacle. Mavis satisfied at putting an end to her friend’s insane plans started to talk about more interesting things like what she should wear to the small dinner party hosted by Lady Ophelia the next evening. It was only a small gathering of fifty or sixty people and would be a fairly informal affair but Mavis was taking it very seriously because gossip had it Lady Ophelia’s oldest son was back in town after spending three years abroad and Mavis had secretly been in love with him for ages. Although he had been home sporadically on visits Mavis had never run into him and she didn’t know if he would be around long enough to participate in the season so the supper was even more important.
“So,” Mavis asked, “do you think the lavender gown with the silver lace or my new white one with the white beaded work along the bodice?”
CHAPTER FIVE:
Word of Bella’s impending nuptials had spread among the ton almost overnight and on a fine Saturday afternoon the Barrington home was suddenly flooded with guests. Well-wishers and gossips alike who had decided to stop by and hear the news from the horse’s mouth. Lady Jane, always the perfect hostess had graciously invited everyone to stay for dinner and had hastily thrown together an impromptu dinner party and so on that particular evening Bella found herself sitting across from half a dozen ladies forced to answer questions about a wedding she didn’t want, one she was still scheming to get out of.
The atmosphere in the room in parlor was stifling and Bella found herself being unable to breathe properly, she felt unnaturally hot and the lacings on her dress seemed to be tightening by the minute suffocating her. All anyone seemed to want to discuss with her were her wedding plans or gush over how truly lucky she was. Some of the young ladies who had doubts about how much success they would have during their season were secretly relieved that Bella was off the market while others felt jealous that not only would Bella not have to go through the uncertainty of making a match but she had caught the best fish in the pond! If their mothers were disappointed or indignant they hid it well behind innocent smiles and gushing warmth all the while hoping something would go wrong so their daughters would have a chance to win the impressive prize.
Even though Thomas Chambray had been abroad for many years, all the gossips knew he was extremely wealthy, yielded quite a lot of power and mingled with the royals. He was a dream catch for any woman. But Bella couldn’t have cared less about any of that. She didn’t care if he was the King of England himself! And she was tired of being told how lucky she was. Although she understood in material terms that she was indeed very lucky, in her heart and her mind she didn’t feel lucky at all.
Finally, unable to take any more questions, she murmured her apologies and excused herself before hurrying down the main hallway towards the hothouse. Once there, she slipped out into the garden and took in a long, deep breath. As the cool night air filled her body, the cobwebs around her throat loosened and disappeared and she felt in control once more.
She walked around the twisted path artistically lined with shrubs and exotic flowers, her path lit by the glow of an almost full moon. This particular garden, the Garden of Lilies as she called it, was the one place Bella loved more than her bedroom. It was smaller and more intimate than the much larger, formal garden on the other side of the house where her parents often hosted summer dances. It was a truly enchanting sight with hundreds of candles flickering in the darkness and soft music filling the air as people mingled, ate and danced. But Bella had always preferred the Garden of Lilies for herself. As her feet walked along the well-worn, familiar paths she was lost in her thoughts trying to reason with her stubborn heart.
“It can’t possibly be that bad Bella…” she murmured to herself, “everyone seems to think he’s a fine catch and will make a wonderful husband. I don’t see how since he’s been too busy serving the King all these years to even visit home. But who needs the friendship and company of a husband? I should be content with all the mansions he has and fill my days with buying gowns and going for drives, after all why would any woman want more than that. Why should she want more out of life than how many children she can give and how well she can throw a ball?” She couldn’t help the bitter and sarcastic tone which crept in her voice. Because the idea of living such a life was simply intolerable, money was lovely. She had grown up with oodles of it and life without money and privilege was also quite unimaginable but being saddled to a man who would see her as nothing more than an ornament to dress his home was too depressing.
CHAPTER SIX:
Lost in her thoughts she failed to notice the dark figure standing quite still near a rose bush a few feet away. He seemed to be watching her intently. Bella only noticed him when he moved towards her and said,
<
br /> “If you ask me I don’t think you’re ready to get married.”
The deep, surprisingly melodious voice startled her so much Bella jumped back a step and cried out in alarm as she saw the figure steadily advancing towards her.
“Who are you? Don’t come any closer,” she warned, “I’m going to scream.”
The man didn’t seem remotely threatened by her warning and continued to walk towards her until they were so close she could reach out her hand and touch him if she wanted to.
“And who’s going to hear you?”
“The house is full of people and I can have half a dozen servants running here the minute I sound the alarm that a thief is sneaking around the garden.”
“You think I’m a thief? Go ahead, sound the alarm.” He sounded amused by her words. As he stepped closer, Bella could see his face more clearly and all thoughts of thieves and robbers fled from her mind because she couldn’t imagine a criminal possessing such smoldering, beautiful eyes. In the semi-darkness she couldn’t decipher exactly what color they were but they were dark and magnetic and right now were boring into her own with such intensity Bella felt like he was staring right into her soul. She tore her eyes away from his gaze with some difficulty and took a step back. She was finding the closeness between them alarming, an uncomfortable, hot feeling was spreading through her body and she had an overwhelming urge to fan herself. She didn’t understand that the heat she was feeling was an uncontrollable attraction to this complete stranger. She covered up her confusion and uncomfortable feelings by asking imperiously,
“If you’re not a thief, what are you doing snooping around my garden so late at night?”
“Your garden? This is your home?”
“My parents’ home, so yes my garden. Now who are you and what are you doing here.”
“If I tell you who I am will you tell me why you’re so distressed at the idea of marriage and buying new gowns?”
Bella’s face grew hot with embarrassment. This stranger had eavesdropped on her inner most thoughts!
“That is none of your business!”
“But my identity is your business?”
“When I find you sneaking around in my garden? In my home? Yes, it very well is my business!”
Instead of responding he took a step closer and rapidly closed the gap between them until they were standing so close together she could feel his warm breath along her cheekbones. She made a move to step back but he wound an arm around her waist and pulled her towards him until she was pressed flat against him. He felt hard and solid. A powerful man.
CHAPTER SEVEN:
Bella cried out in indignation and struggled against his hold. Her eyes flashed dangerously.
“Let me go this instant! How dare you treat me in such a cavalier fashion! Do you know who I am?”
“No, and you don’t know I am either.”
“Who are you?!”
“I’m the new gardener your parents hired. But definitely not a thief.” He added with a chuckle. “Although after what I’m about to do...maybe you could call me a thief.”
A sudden fear gripped her heart at his words, what did he mean by what I’m about to do? What was he going to steal?
“Unhand me right now!” Her voice rose in anger and she struggled harder.
Heedless of her fury, he wrapped his other arm around her until she was encircled in an ironclad embrace. Even as fear for her safety mounted, she was shocked to discover that a small part of her was enjoying the feel of his arms around her body.
“I’ll have your head for this.” She swore, “My parents will kill you, no in fact…” she amended as inspiration hit, “my betrothed will kill you when I tell him of this manhandling.”
“This would be the fiancée you don’t want to marry right?” his voice dripped with amusement, making Bella feel both embarrassed and angry. She stamped her foot and glared at him,
“That is none of your business!” she cried, “But I’m telling you he won’t stand for your…”
That’s as far as she got because his mouth came swooping down upon hers cutting off the rest of her cries and furious protests.
It took Bella a moment to realize she was having her very first kiss, she knew the right thing to do was to step out of the embrace and slap the man for his audacity but as his lips molded against hers, all rational thought fled her mind. It was the most wondrous feeling in the world. He worked on her gently, his lips firm and demanding on moment, soft and tender the next. All of a sudden she felt him thrust his tongue inside her mouth and she almost stepped away from his embrace then in distaste but to her shock she found herself liking the way his tongue explored her mouth. With a moan she felt herself sinking into his arms and into the kiss. Her body screamed for him to do more. He must have sensed she was at a vulnerable point because the kissing stopped abruptly and he moved his face away from hers to ask in a hoarse voice,
“Shall I stop? Or go on?”
This was her chance to escape she knew, but somehow her legs seemed incapable of movement. She stood rooted to her spot, drowning in his dark eyes and without a word she threw herself into his arms, hungry for more of his kisses.
She pulled away from him only when his hands began to move from around her waist down towards her bottom. A hand grazed soft flesh of her backside. The sensation was so pleasing and so delightful she almost didn’t care; who knew some much pleasure could be derived from such a simple graze? An involuntary moan escaped her lips and she wanted the delicious feelings to continue an image of the faceless Thomas Chambray floated in her head, with a start she recalled she was spoken for to someone else. Shocked at her own careless behavior she wrenched herself away from the stranger’s arms.
“I’m sorry, I can’t. This is wrong. I have to go.”
The man reached out and grabbed her hand,
“Wait, don’t go, I want to see you again.”
“That’s impossible.” She whispered hoarsely, “This was all wrong.”
Without a backward glance she picked up her skirts and ran as fast as she could back the way she had come.
Bella would lay awake for more than half the night replaying the moments in the garden, what had possessed her? What was it about this man...this simple gardener, who had evoked such a strong reaction within? She knew she should feel shame and regret, but she felt neither. If her mother knew she had allowed such liberties with a commoner, a gardener! She would have a heart attack and her father would probably disown her. After hours of muddling it over, she stopped trying to understand her actions and finally drifted off to sleep to dream off dark eyes, firm lips and scorching kisses.
CHAPTER EIGHT:
When she woke up the next morning, it was with a smile on her face and it took her few moments to remember the events of the night before. As the handsome face of the stranger she had kissed flashed before her eyes she felt a deep well of shame pool within her. Thank goodness he was only a gardener and not someone important she thought to herself, if word got out of about her scandalous behavior her reputation would be shattered…suddenly her brain began to work in overdrive as a possibility occurred to her.
She might not be in a position to break the engagement but the Duke certainly was! If he decided not to go through with the wedding, the whole thing would be called off, she thought bitterly, because he was a man and thus had a say whereas she was expected to obey everyone’s whims. Well not if I have anything to do about it, she swore grimly. If she could somehow hint at a scandal without actually causing one, chances are the Duke of Chambray wouldn’t risk being saddled with a damsel of questionable repute and he would call the whole thing off.
For the first time since hearing about her betrothal Bella felt like she was finally in control of her own destiny. Smiling widely to herself, she got out of bed and rang for her maid to help her bathe and get dressed. She was suddenly ravenously hungry and knew Mavis would be stopping by before long to rehash the details of last night’s dinner.
&
nbsp; As predicted Mavis arrived in the early afternoon brimming with questions about where Bella had disappeared to the night before. Bella told her the whole story, relieved to be sharing the truth with her friend.
“Oh Mavis I’ve behaved wretchedly; I simply threw caution to the wind.”
“Well I’m sure it doesn’t matter,” Mavis said soothingly, “it was just one kiss after all and you haven’t even met the Duke yet…and you could always tell him about it if you feel that badly about it.”
“But Mavis that’s the thing, I don’t feel badly about it. I don’t
even regret it! I would do it all over again tonight if I had the chance to.”
Mavis seemed a little dumb founded by this alarming statement and didn’t know to approach it. Kissing random strangers in the dark and feeling no regrets? That certainly didn’t sound like her friend, even though Bella had always been a bit of a wild card she had never done anything so…so scandalous! At the least Mavis had expected her to show remorse but there was none. But her concerns were overshadowed by a more pressing question, which she asked hesitantly,
“How did it feel?”
“What?” Bella asked.
