Her core began that familiar throbbing that made her yearn for relief.
“Edwin…” she murmured.
His gaze darkened. “Be careful, my darling. If you speak to me in that voice, I do not know that I will be able to maintain my control with you.”
She did not want his control. She wanted him.
Yet she knew now was not the time. Her sisters had given them space to talk, but there was no room for them to be intimate.
She needed to focus on something else. Anything else, before she threw discretion to the wind and begged him to take her.
“You had something you wished to speak with me about,” she whispered. “Did it have to do with those rumors?”
He appeared momentarily confused, as if he had completely forgotten his reason for bringing her out here in the first place. His eyes lit up the next second, and he looked suddenly nervous.
“Ah, yes, well…I…I had a question for you.”
She furrowed her brow, curious as to what he could want of her.
“Oh? And what is that?”
She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he gulped. She was a bit taken aback by how anxious he appeared. In the short time they had known each other, she could not recall seeing him in such a state. Even when confessing the truth of his supposed scandal just moments before, he had not looked so frazzled.
Taking a deep breath, he grabbed her other hand and gathered both against his chest.
“Tabitha, I must confess, over these last few months, I have grown to care for you immensely.” He stumbled over his words and had to pause a moment before he could continue. “In fact, I…I find that I have fallen totally and completely in love with you.”
All the air in her lungs rushed from her as she gazed up at him in shock and delight.
“What…what did you just say?”
He squeezed her hands to him and replied in a low voice, “I love you. I have grown rather obsessed with you, in truth. Every moment I am not with you, I am thinking about you. I have never felt this strongly for a lady before. I do not think I ever thought it possible.”
This was a dream. It had to be. Just as she had realized her true feelings for him, here he was confessing his own to her. It was too perfect not to be a dictation of fate.
“I…I love you too, Edwin,” she murmured, feeling suddenly bashful. She cast her gaze from his, too embarrassed to look him in the eye as she continued, “I have always been intrigued by you. I fought it at first, when I believed you a scoundrel, but you have proven the truth of your character again and again as we have come to know each other. I fell in love with you without realizing it was even happening.”
Silence followed her words, and she worried she may have revealed too much of herself to him. Yet, her anxiety melted away when he gently took hold of her chin and turned her eyes back up to his. His smile was radiant, and his eyes shimmered with joy.
“Say it again,” he ordered softly.
It took her a moment to form the words once more. “I love you.”
“You love me.” He moved his hand so he cupped her cheek, then dropped his forehead to hers. “You love me, and I love you. The next part should be easy enough, then.”
“What next part?” Her heart was beating a hard rhythm in her chest, and her breathing grew heavy as his heat surrounded her.
Pulling back enough that he could look her in the eyes, he said, “Marry me, Tabitha. Be my wife.”
She gawked at him, unsure which was more shocking. The fact that he loved her, or his proposal.
“I…I…I do not know what to say.”
That was not true. She knew exactly what to say, but her mind was too muddled to actually say it. Luckily, he did not appear deterred by her hesitation.
His grin widened and he said, “Might I suggest you say yes?”
Her mind caught up to the situation, and she cried, “Yes! Yes, of course I will marry you!”
Throwing her arms around his neck, she hugged him tight. When she pulled back, she only then realized she was securely in his embrace. They stared into each other’s eyes for long moments, and she wondered if he might kiss her.
She slid her hands across his shoulders and up his neck to cup his jaw.
“Tabitha…” he murmured.
Slowly, he guided him down so that his mouth met hers. She kept the contact light and gentle, offering a tasting rather than a feasting. Anything more, and she would lose the last of the control she possessed. Edwin groaned against her lips and she gasped in delight when she felt his hardening manhood pressing against her.
The wind suddenly picked up and carried her sisters’ voices to them from the other side of the hill. It sounded as though they were drawing closer. Edwin and Tabitha quickly disentangled themselves from each other and moved a respectable distance apart. They could not stop staring at each other, however, even as her sisters came over the grassy hill to join them.
“Ahh, we lost sight of you two for a moment.” Sophia’s eyes bounced between them, her suspicion clear.
Tabitha cleared her throat. “Yes, well, we thought it best we wait for you both to catch up.”
“Indeed?” She did not like the way her youngest sister was eyeing Edwin. It was as though she thought him some kind of villain, guilty before she had even considered the proof of his innocence.
This is what he has had to endure. The scrutiny and disdain he has suffered in order to help his friend.
“Shall we return to the house?” she snapped, glaring at Sophia.
“Have you had enough exercise?” Unity asked. Her own gaze strayed between Tabitha and Edwin, but she did not look at him in at all the same way as Sophia. She appeared merely curious, no doubt wondering what they had managed to discuss during their brief bout of privacy.
So much more than I could have imagined.
The urge to tell her sisters, especially Unity, of her engagement was overwhelming, but she remained tight-lipped. She wondered if it would not be best to keep it a secret for the time being. Her Papa would not like her attached to a gentleman with a scandal darkening his name, no matter that he was innocent of all that he was accused of.
It might serve them better to wait until the worst of the gossip had died down somewhat.
She wished she could ask him his thoughts on the matter, but that was impossible now that they were no longer alone.
“Yes, I believe I have had more than enough,” Tabitha nodded, answering Unity’s question at last. Turning to Edwin, she asked, “Does that suit you, My Lord?”
He nodded and grinned. “That suits me very well.”
Turning back the way they had come, the four of them began making their way across the field toward the house. Unity and Sophia walked ahead, and Tabitha slowed her steps enough to put a little more distance back between them.
“Edwin, I was wondering if we might keep our engagement a secret for the time being?” she asked in a low voice, careful to make it so only he could hear her. “I am afraid my father will not be thrilled with the rumors surrounding you, and he is sure to hear them soon.”
To her relief, Edwin nodded. “That is probably wise. As much as I wish I could shout it from the rooftops that you are to be mine, I do not want to anger the Baron in any way. You just have to promise me one thing, Tabitha.”
“What is that?”
“When your father asks if you would be willing to marry Lord Burrows, you must insist on declining, no matter how persistent he is.”
She nearly tripped over her own feet at his unexpected request.
“Marry Lord Burrows? Where would you get such a ridiculous idea? My father would never agree to a proposal from Lord Burrows!”
He cast her a long look out of the corner of his eye. “It seems you have proven yourself too difficult when it comes to marriage, sweetheart. The Baron is worried you will be an old spinster, and though he does not like Lord Burrows in the least, he is torn about the proposal.”
This was all news to Tabit
ha. “This is ridiculous! He cannot think to dictate such a thing to me…”
Edwin chuckled. “He can, and he will, unless you remain firm in your resolve to refuse until we can make our engagement public. No matter what he says, Tabitha, you cannot give in and accept his request.”
“Believe me, you have nothing to fear,” she growled. “Rejecting Lord Burrows has become somewhat of a hobby, and I have grown quite skilled at it. I will refuse him, and he will retreat as always. That I can guarantee.”
Chapter 31
When they returned to the house, Tabitha did not want Edwin to leave, but knew it was impossible for him to stay. After her sisters said their goodbyes and returned inside, she lingered on the threshold and smiled at him. He stood close enough that their hands could touch if they reached for each other, but they did not dare. Anyone could see them from the row of windows above.
“I will miss you,” she softly confessed.
“I will miss you too, sweetheart.”
How she wished she could reach out to him. Touch him. Kiss him. Anything to soak in his warmth and love.
“This is tortuous,” she hissed, clutching the doorframe so hard, her knuckled turned white. “How long do you think we will need to keep our engagement a secret?”
He let out a sigh, picked up his hat from his head, and ran his fingers through his hair in agitation.
“I pray not long. Just until things quiet down. The scandal is already old news in London.”
But it will be brand new to Laurelborough.
She did not give voice to her worries, however, knowing he was feeling strained enough by the weight of this scandal.
“We will endure,” she said in a strong tone. “We wish to be together, and so we shall. It does not matter when it happens, so long as it happens.”
He gazed up at her in awe.
“I am the luckiest person on this earth to have won the loyalty and love of such a tremendous lady.”
Her cheeks heated and she could not fight her grin.
“You may be right about that,” she teased.
He chuckled and shook his head. “Shall I call on you again tomorrow?”
She released a happy sigh and nodded. “I would like that very much.”
He turned to walk toward his waiting carriage, but before he climbed inside, he shot her one last lingering look. She waved at him, her heart humming with joy. She waited until his carriage disappeared down the drive before she turned to go into the house.
“You are engaged?” a heated whisper stopped her in her tracks as she was crossing the foyer.
Dread settled in her stomach like lead. Slowly, she turned around and found Sophia standing in the doorway of the neighboring sitting room, her eyes round, and her jaw dropped.
“Were you eavesdropping?” Tabitha demanded to know. She glanced around, but was relieved to find Unity was nowhere in sight. Dealing with one sister was always easy than dealing with the both of them allied against her.
“Not intentionally…at first,” Sophia replied. “I was waiting for you because I am burning with curiosity to know what you have learned from him, and I stood close enough to the door to hear.”
Tabitha curled her hands into fists at her sides. “You cannot say a word to anyone.”
“Because of the scandal?” Sophia snapped. “Because Papa would not approve of you marrying a rake?”
“He is not a rake!” Tabitha cried. Then, catching herself, said more quietly, “He explained the scandal to me. He is innocent of what he is accused.”
“Oh, indeed?” Sophia folded her arms, looking unconvinced. “If he is so innocent, then does he know how the Countess of Pimperton came to be with child after five childless years with her husband?”
“He does.”
“Then what is the truth? Did she have an affair with someone else?”
Tabitha took a deep, steadying breath to gather all the patience she possessed.
“It is not my place to say.”
Sophia gawked at her. “Not your place to say? Does that mean you know the truth, but Lord Morrington has sworn you to secrecy?”
“I will not betray his trust, so do not think to try.”
“Have you lost all sense of reason?” Sophia sputtered. “Do you not find it the least bit suspicious that he would tell you some alternative story to the gossip surrounding him, but then not allow you to share it with others in order to save his good name?”
“He does not care about his reputation.” Or, at least, did not care overly much. “He is not protecting himself in this.”
“Well, he certainly is not protecting you!” Sophia snapped. “Do you know what people will say when they find out you are engaged to him?”
“Not too long ago, you were pushing me toward him,” Tabitha countered back. “You were the one insisting I admit to my feelings for him, and now that I have, you are telling me to abandon him?”
“I did not know his true character before. I do now.”
Tabitha was growing more frustrated and angrier with every word spoken.
“You do not know him! Not really. Not like I do.”
“You are more reasonable than this, Tabitha. Can you not see that he has every motivation to lie to you? You are beautiful, wealthy, and unattached. What gentleman would not do whatever it took to win you? He is clearly not the person we thought him to be, Tabitha. I do not believe that he was not involved with the Countess.”
Incensed, Tabitha stormed past her sister, determined to end the conversation before she grew so furious, she did or said something she would most likely come to regret.
“Do not walk away from me, sister!” Sophia hurried after her, and Tabitha snarled in irritation. “I swear I will tell Papa you are engaged!”
Tabitha stopped and whirled on her sister, pointing her finger at her.
“If you tell Papa, I swear, I will never speak to you again. You will destroy any feelings of affection I have for you.”
Sophia’s eyes widened at her harsh words, and Tabitha wondered if maybe she had gone a little too far. Yet, she could not be sure that Sophia would understand the fully gravity of the situation if she did not force her to.
“I am only trying to protect you,” Sophia insisted. “Why will you not listen to me?”
“Because you are a child who does not know what she is talking about.” Where did she get the nerve to speak to Tabitha this way? Tabitha was her eldest sister. She should show her more respect.
Sophia gnashed her teeth in fury. “You have always sought my opinion on things, but you refuse to hear what I have to say in this hugely important decision. That is not fair, Tabitha!”
“Well, such is life. You will find many disappointments along the way.”
Sophia stared at her for several moments, and Tabitha could not quite discern what she was thinking. The only thing obvious about her was that she was angry.
“You will regret this decision, mark my words.” Without saying another thing, she turned and marched away from Tabitha. Walking out the front door, she slammed it shut behind her.
Tabitha watched her go, not bothering to call her back or chase after her. She decided to let her stew for a bit, until she could think more rationally. Turning from the door, she marched further into the house, her earlier elation crumbling in the face of her sister’s disapproval.
* * *
Edwin returned to Cantham Manor in a state of euphoria. He could not remember a time when he had been so incredibly happy. Tabitha had not only admitted to loving him and agreed to marry him, she had believed him when he had told her the truth about the scandal.
He did not deserve her, he knew that in his soul, but he would cherish her every single day of her life as soon as she was his. He hoped that day came much sooner than he anticipated it would. Edwin was not certain how long he would be able to maintain the façade that they were not intended for each other.
Walking into the manor, he was wearing a wide grin on his face. He made
his way to the study, where Habtage was sitting by the window, reading a newspaper. He looked up when Edwin walked in.
“Ah, Morrington, back already? How was your visit to the Walters’s household?”
Edwin sat in the chair across from Habtage and released a contented sigh.
“Quite well.” He wanted so badly to tell his friend his happy news, but was determined to maintain his silence, as he and Tabitha had agreed. “Miss Walters and her sisters were very pleasant company.”
Improperly Enticed By The Rascal Earl (Steamy Historical Regency Romance) Page 24
