by Jane Charles
She stared out the window and he wondered what was going on in her mind. Finally, she turned to him. “I’ve only traveled between the school and Felding’s home in Mayfair. I’ve yet to see any of London.”
“My dear, there is much to see. We must get you out of the school on occasion. Especially on days as nice as these.”
“You do not need to get me out of the school.” Bianca looked down and blushed. “I’ve already presumed upon too much of your time.”
“Ah, Bianca.” He lifted her hand and kissed the back. “Have you not yet realized how much I enjoy spending time in your company?”
Her eyes widened and she practically yanked her hand away.
Had he miscalculated? Was his heart the only one involved?
Bloody hell, what was he to do now? If she didn’t return his affection, he’d have to suffer through the whole of the Season being hounded by mothers and their daughters.
A nightmare in the making.
* * *
Bianca fought the urge to rub the back of her hand, but the skin fairly burned from where his lips had scorched her. Why had he done so? Did Mr. East consider her more than an employee and possible friend? As much as the idea that he might return even some of her affection thrilled her, Bianca also knew how impossible for there to be more.
Yes, she’d fallen in love with him. But, he could not feel the same about her. It would be disastrous.
“I apologize if I overstepped,” he said after a moment.
“No, I was just surprised, that is all.” And thrilled and confused.
“You must know that I’ve come to care for you, Bianca.”
Her chest tightened just hearing the words and she nearly blurted out that she’d come to care for him as well, but she couldn’t. Oh, why did he have to care for her? Even if he didn’t know that it was impossible for a future, she did. But, why should she deny herself a few moments, or even days, of happiness? This may be all she had and she should take it to enjoy and for memories of the future.
“I enjoy your company as well, Mr. East.”
He took her hand in his and their fingers entwined. Such a foreign experience not only warmed her hand, but her arm, breasts and areas too private to think about and all it did was make her want his kiss more than ever. Perhaps she may have one, before their time together came to an end.
The hackney slowed and pulled up before a tall building. Mr. East asked him to wait before escorting her inside. Every type of instrument was on display, but he led her directly to the violins. Such fine instruments with smooth wood and tight strings. She had no idea how to go about choosing such an instrument. If they were pianos, she’d know exactly what she wished for, but she knew nothing about violins other than the one Mr. East played and those she’d heard in orchestras.
He however, seemed to know exactly what he was looking for as he studied each, then lifted one. “Ah, this is it.” He carried it to her then placed it on her shoulder, adjusted it so that her chin rested where it should than lifted her hand and pressed her fingers against the strings. “Perfect.”
Bianca blinked up at him, not certain what she should do.
“How does it feel?” he asked.
“Odd.”
He laughed. “It will until you become used to it.” He turned. “Now, for the bow.” He lifted the delicate item of wood and horsehair and positioned her fingers at the stem then bent her arm so that she was in the position she’d seen him hold his instrument.
“Still odd?”
“Yes.” She laughed.
“Not for long.” He took both from her and approached the proprietor.
As soon as the man announced the cost, Bianca’s stomach turned and she took a step back.
Mr. East turned toward her and lifted a quizzical brow. “What is wrong?”
“I cannot afford that,” she whispered.
“You do not need to”
What was he saying?
“It’s my gift to you.”
“No.” She took another step back. She could not accept such a gift from a man. It was not right.
Mr. East turned to the proprietor. “Please return it to its case and wrap it up. I will return in a moment.” Then he came after her. “Allow me to give you this.”
“I cannot. It is far too expensive.”
“It doesn’t begin to cover the cost of what you have given me. That is priceless.”
Whatever did he mean?
“I’d let music go from my life. I had no idea how much it was missed until you.”
“That is no reason for you to give me such a fine gift.”
“It is the very reason. I need for you to have this as much as I need to hear you play the piano. As much as I need to continue to play my violin. I hadn’t realized how much I was missing it until you.”
No one had ever said anything so kind to her before, but that didn’t mean she could accept the violin as her own. “I’ll learn on yours.” Then one day she’d save enough to purchase her own. By then, Mr. East would no longer be in her life, but a very pleasant memory.
“Please?” he practically begged.
“I cannot. It is not proper.”
He started into her eyes. His filled with sadness and disappointment before he finally nodded and turned from her. She could not hear what he said, but the proprietor took the violin away and Mr. East escorted her from the establishment. One day she would possess such an instrument, but it would be when she was able to purchase it for herself.
Chapter 15
“That is it, then.” He brushed his hands together and came back toward the piano. “No more students ever again.”
Bianca’s grey eyes grew wide, almost as if panicked. “I thought you said there were some that would require lessons up until the very first ball.”
“In retrospect, they’ve had lessons for five weeks without improvement. A few more days will not make a difference.” He’d made the decision last night, after he’d returned her to Feldings. He’d not been willing to declare himself to Bianca too soon, which may have been in error. Acker claimed Bianca might have fallen in love with him, but she nearly bolted from the carriage when he kissed the back of her hand and then refused his gift.
In retrospect, it was an expensive gift and an innocent miss should never receive presents from gentlemen beyond a nosegay, at least until they were betrothed. But he’d wanted her to have the violin.
And she would. It was back in his home, wrapped in a light blue ribbon.
The first ball was less than a week away and he was not going to waste another moment with students who held no interest and were beyond hope, not when he could be concentrating on Bianca instead. He needed to determine where her feeling lie for him before the season began.
She stood as sadness filled her eyes and began gathering her music.
He touched her elbow. “Where are you going?”
“You no longer have a need for me.”
He slowly smiled. “Ah, but you have a need for me.”
She blinked up at him and then glanced at the violin case. “We will continue to work on my composition?”
“After I teach you how to play the violin.”
Relief shown in her pewter eyes and she blew out a breath. “Thank you.”
He opened the violin case and took out the instrument. “Shall we begin?”
* * *
It was all she could do to concentrate on the notes and what he was saying. Perhaps if he wasn’t directly behind her, his breath near her ear, his left arm along hers, guiding her fingers, or his right hand over her fingers, making sure she held the bow correctly and at the right angle.
His presence engulfed her, and each time his chest connected with the top of her back, heat scorched through her.
Another screech and missed note and Bianca cringed. “This is impossible.”
He merely chuckled in her ear. “It’s a new instrument. I’m sure you felt that way with the piano.”
But she h
ad wanted to learn to play the piano. Learning the violin came out of need, not desire.
“That sounds like the cats in the back alley where I live.”
She looked to find young girls standing at the door. They were from another one of Lady Acker’s classes. As they were just learning and never required music, those lessons were taught in a smaller room across the corridor.
“Excuse me.” Mr. East stepped away and she immediately cooled.
He walked to the door. “We are conducting a violin lesson,” he explained.
“Come away, girls,” Lady Acker called as she came toward them. “I’m sorry.” She glanced in the room and an auburn eyebrow rose when she spotted Bianca holding the violin.
“Mr. East has been kind enough to try and teach me to play.”
“That is very kind of him.” With that she ushered the girls into the corridor then Mr. East closed the door.
As he returned to her, it was almost as if he were stalking, predatory, and a thrill ran up her spine. He looked as if he wanted to devour her, yet it didn’t scare her in the least.
He took up his stance behind her and she waited for him to place his hands on hers again. Instead, he placed them on her shoulders. “Much too stiff, Bianca.”
She’d not given him permission to call her by her given name, yet he had been. She didn’t dare use the same familiarity. Besides his name not fitting him, it was far too intimate.
“Your posture should be erect.” He pulled gently back on her shoulders. “But not tense.” He began to massage. “You need to relax.”
Her knees nearly gave way when he expertly rubbed away her tension with the tenderness of his touch. If he continued, she’d be a puddle at his feet.
His hands fell away and he stepped closer and his arm came around and he flattened his hand against her stomach.
“Mr. East!”
“It’s part of the lesson,” he said quietly in her ear. “Erect posture in the back as well as the front.”
Heat swamped her body. “I believe I understand.”
“Do you, Bianca?”
His voice was so close to her ear, his breath warm on her neck and awareness tickled through her body causing her breasts to tighten directly above where his palm pressed against her midriff. Goodness, taking violin lessons was rather, um, disturbing and pleasant.
He shifted, and the back of his fingers brushed the underside of her breast. Bianca sucked in a breath, so sensitive to his touch.
Mr. East moved and once again placed his hands on hers and directed her in the proper way to hold the violin, pressure on the strings and movement of the bow. She followed, but was certain she retained none of the knowledge.
Chapter 16
He could have seduced her yesterday. She was not unaware of him as a man, not with the way her breaths hitched, and the goose pimples that rose on her arms when he was close and touching her. It was all he needed to know before he pursued Bianca further. Had she no reaction to him, Mark would have needed to reevaluate his plan where Bianca was concerned.
It was also beginning to gnaw at him that he hadn’t told her the truth. She did have a right to know before he pursued her further, but after weeks of being one person, how would she react if he confessed the truth?
He’d lose her. Mark knew that without a doubt, which was why he was going to continue his seduction, without taking full advantage, of course. That would occur on their wedding night. He had to have her wanting him as much as he wanted her so that when the time came and she learned the truth she’d love him too much to leave. The anger would be acceptable, and she might wish to never speak to him again, but they’d both know she wanted him as much as he wanted her, and it would only be a matter of time before she agreed to be his.
At least he hoped it went so well.
“Another lesson, Mr. East?” Lady Acker asked as he entered the school.
“Yes. One cannot learn the violin in one day.”
She narrowed her eyes on him. “Be careful, Mr. East.”
He blew out a sigh. “I am.” He did not need Lady Acker echoing the concerns in his mind.
Bianca was waiting at the piano when he entered. A breathtaking sight with her auburn curls loosely secured behind her head and a gown of light blue that hugged her breasts in a manner he wished to. Soon, very soon, she would be his.
“Good morning, Bianca.”
“Good morning, Mr. East.”
She was also so formal with him, but he hadn’t asked her to call him by his first name. He was waiting until the truth was out and she’d call him Mark, not the name he invented for himself.
“Let me see your hands.”
She held them out to him and he smoothed the tip of his finger over the pads of yours. “Tender?”
“Yes.”
It was what he feared. “Most lessons are short in duration, until callouses build up or your fingers become accustomed to the strings.” He continued to hold her hand in his. “I do not believe we should continue today, but wait until tomorrow.”
“But we have so little time.”
She may think so, but Mark already knew they had a lifetime for her to learn the violin and anything else she wished.
“To continue could only make your fingers sorer and we don’t want them blistered and painful.”
Bianca’s shoulders slouched. “I suppose you’re correct.”
He smiled down at her, wishing he could ease her concern, but it was still too soon. “We can, however discuss music and the notes.”
Her eyes brightened.
“I can show you the chords and we’ll compare the piano music to violin music. I’ll believe you will find that it isn’t much different. Just in how it’s played.”
She grinned. “I’d like that very much.”
He gestured to the piano bench and she sat, facing the keyboard while Mark bit back a smile, thankful for narrow benches. He took a seat beside her, and she scooted over to accommodate him. Though it seated them both, the bench was hardly long and it was impossible to sit next to her without his leg pressed against hers. Not that he had any objection and welcomed any situation that allowed him to touch Bianca.
* * *
It wasn’t right that they should be touching like this but if she moved further away, she’d fall right on the floor.
Bianca glanced at Mr. East as he put his music before them. It’s as if he wasn’t even aware they were touching. He had confessed he had a liking for her, but otherwise, he hadn’t given any indication of there being more. Which was for the best, of course, but how could he have his leg pressed against hers in such a manner and not notice?
It’s all she could concentrate on. Yesterday it had been her arms, hands, back and stomach. Today her thigh.
Warmth flowed through her body when she wondered what he might touch next.
Face heating, Bianca glanced away. This was not good. Not good at all, she should not be thinking of Mr. East touching any part of her person. In a few days, she would no longer see him again and he would be but a pleasant memory.
She took a deep breath, blew it out and then concentrated on the music and what he was trying to tell her.
It was useless, of course, and she’d simply need to find a book that explained everything he was trying to teach her. Once he was gone from her life, she’d read it and then maybe all of this would make sense because it certainly didn’t now. How did he expect her to concentrate when he was so near?
“So, do you see how the notes are similar?”
Bianca blinked up at him. What notes? She had no idea what he was talking about.
He smiled down at her, a slow, almost seductive smile coming to his lips. Though she wasn’t sure if it actually was seductive, but that was how it appeared to her.
“Woolgathering while I impart my vast violin knowledge?”
Mr. East saw her simply as a student. How disheartening, even it was for the best.
“Um, yes.”
“Or,” he l
eaned in toward her. “Are you too aware of how close we are to concentrate on anything?”
Her face flamed. How had she given herself away?
“I’m in the same predicament, Bianca.” He brought his hand up to caress her cheek. “Otherwise, I would not have been spouting such nonsense since I sat down.”
“Nonsense?”
“I’ve no clue what I was telling you. All I could think about was doing this.”
With that, he lowered his lips to hers.
All the tension she’d apparently been holding released the moment his lips touched hers. So gentle and strong. Tender and loving. She nearly melted on the spot. Mr. East tilted his head, as his hand slipped behind the back of her head. He teased her bottom lip with his teeth. She opened and he swept in. heat shot through her body at his invasion and she had to grasp onto his arms to remain upright. No longer was it a sweet, chaste kiss but demanding, taking. The need inside her built, and she returned his kiss, tentatively touching her tongue to his. He groaned. She moaned, a sound foreign to her ears
An arm went around her back and Mr. East pulled her close and then onto his lap.
She should get up, run away, but her body would not respond to her mind’s commands. He held her enthralled as he took and she gave.
His hand was on her midriff again, sliding up her side and then his thumb brushed across her breast.
Her eyes flew open. What the blazes was he doing? It didn’t matter how pleasurable any of these new sensations were, they were still wrong. Bianca scrambled from his lap and stood. Her legs nearly gave way and she grasped the piano for support while trying to catch her breath. Goodness her heart and pulse were racing as if she’d just run a race.
“I suppose I should apologize, but I can’t find it in me to do so.”
She simply stared at Mr. East. He wasn’t nearly as disturbed as she was except that his eyes were very dark and intense.
