The Marquess Who Adored Me

by Rachelle Stevensen

  Burk noticed who was standing on the porch and he stopped scowling. He focused on Eden first, seeing the redness of Eden’s face, his fists balled. “Sterling did this didn’t he? What else did he do?”

  Eden shook her head. “Not out here Burk.”

  He nodded and moved back and let them all into the gym. As soon as everyone moved inside and the light hit who all was there, that he noticed Lily behind the two of them. He smirked at her, but Lily didn’t see the smirk he threw her way. Because Eden watched Lily’s eyes crawl over every single inch of Burk’s unclothed form.

  She let out a small cough, and Lily startled. She blinked, shook her head and looked away. Her face turning a shade of pink. When she looked back up, Burk had a grin that took over his entire face and Eden bit her lip to keep from laughing.

  “Hello Lily, how do you fare this evening?” Burk said and she stolidly refused to acknowledge him.

  Burk chuckled and led them to his large office, where he sat down behind his desk, gesturing for them to have a seat. Cole led Eden to a chair and helped her into it.

  Lily sat in the chair furthest away from where Burk sat with his hands behind his head, making his muscles stand out in his arms and she immediately stared down at her hands.

  Cole stood behind Eden and put his hand on one of her shoulders. “Tell me what happened.” Eden looked down in shame, and Burk cleared his throat. “I need you to look at me Eden when you tell me this.”

  She looked up and saw the compassion in her big brother’s eyes. “It’s all right Eden. Please tell me.”

  She swallowed and told him everything that had happened with Sterling.

  Burk curled his hand into a fist on his desk, and Eden could see his eye twitch and his jaw flexed. She told him how Herbert had snuck her out of the house and how she had run to Cole, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out why they were there.

  Cole broke in, “I knew you would need to know Burk. That’s why we came here. She needed to let you know. Eden will stay at my home with me while I get a special license acquired. She and I will be getting married as soon as possible.”

  Eden gasped and whirled in her chair, “Cole! What on earth? We just cannot get married. It is much too soon. What will people say? Oh, there are going to be many tongues wagging about this. They will all believe there was a scandal, or that I trapped you into marriage because I am increasing. Or something.”

  Cole knelt in front of her, and Eden saw Burk stand, and walk to Lily’s side. He pulled her to her feet and dragged her out of the room while she protested every step.

  The door shut, and Eden and Cole were alone. He put his finger under her chin and kissed her. “Peace Eden. This is not something you need to stress over. I care not what people say about me. Or us. Their words are nothing but that. Words. They don’t matter. They don’t know how long we have wanted one another. They know nothing about our story.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, “If you wish to wait to be married, then we will. I care not when the day is, so long as I get to call you mine. And Eden, all that matters is that before your brother can try take you from me, that you become mine. I love you Eden. I have loved you for many years. And, I will apologize over and over that I was a complete ass and never said anything, literally nothing to you for years, but I am saying it now. I love you, and I will not let you get away from me. Not knowing how you feel now. Not knowing that you are mine. It may be too soon for you, but it isn’t soon enough for me. After my brother talked some sense into my skull, and after seeing my sad, lonely, pathetic life flash before my eyes, I won’t waste another moment without you by my side.”

  He kissed her softly, “But I will leave it all up to you. If you want to court slowly, go to however many balls you wish so that people will know of my love for you and your love for me, we will do that. If you want us to go and have the banns read and do all that we can. It is all your decision. And I will never push you. Ever. I just want your happiness. That is all I have ever wanted and will ever want.”

  Eden watched him his face fierce as he told her of his love for her. She knew he was right and that it was the best way so Sterling would never get the idea to try to sell her again, but it was still hard when she grew up the way she had.

  The propriety of it was not something that was done. Not unless you trapped the man into marriage, or you slipped up and found yourself increasing and your parents needed you married as soon as could be arranged so that no one knew of your shame.

  This wasn’t just some man she didn’t know, like the man Sterling wanted her to wed. This was Cole. The man she had loved from afar for years.

  She melted, “I don’t wish for us to wait either. If someone wants to say something about us, let them. It is just their jealousy and greed that is speaking. Besides, it isn’t the first time I have learned to deal with their hate and small-minded words. I love you too Cole. And, I don’t want to have my brother try to marry me off to some disgusting old man, now or in the future because I was too afraid of other’s small minds. It won’t happen. Not when I have my love kneeling in front of me.”

  She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. Hard. Their tongues dueled and fought for dominance, but neither minded relinquishing it to the other. They were both winners. With her hands buried in his wealth of hair, she wished he was closer, but settled for kissing him. For feeling his strength in her arms.

  When they pulled back, Cole put his forehead to hers, “Will you move into my house with me? If it is still too much for you, you know that Lily is there to act as our chaperone. And I would never do anything untoward. Yes, we may have kissed, but I would never push you for more. Never.”

  She smiled, and he kept going, “Tomorrow, we shall attend the ball together, where we will spend the evening with each other and then we will announce our engagement. I will finally get to hold you in my arms and dance with you. As I have longed to do for three years.”

  Eden lightly kissed him, “If you are certain? I know it isn’t proper, but nothing about our courtship or our love is proper.”

  Cole laughed, “I apologize for that. I just couldn’t stay away from you. Not any longer. It couldn’t be done.”

  Eden giggled, “I can forgive you Cole.”

  Cole pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly, and then put her back on the chair. They heard a noise out in the hallway, and Cole went to the door and opened it.

  Burk had Lily backed up against the far wall, his arms over her head in a cage, and she was breathing hard, looking up at him with dazed eyes. Cole cleared his throat.

  Burk whipped around and smirked at him not moving. Lily however took the distraction Cole had offered and moved out from around Burk’s large body, and into his office, where she sat down in the chair she had occupied earlier.

  She was flushed and was sucking in lungsful of air. Cole leaned down and whispered to her, something Eden was unable to hear. Lily shook her head, and softly whispered to him back.

  He smiled down at her, and she glared back at him. She shook her head again, and Eden said, “Is everything all right Lily?”

  Lily nodded but didn’t look at her. Cole cleared his throat, “I told Eden that she should move into our house with you acting as our chaperone. If that is all right with you?”

  Lily smiled, “I love that Cole, yes I will act as your chaperone. And, I am happy for you both. I will help you in any way I can.”

  Burk came into the room again he was smirking, and Lily once again studied her fingers. He spoke up, “Brooks and I will also help with anything that needs to be done. We will come and get you anytime you wish to come to the orphanage, or if you wish to go shopping. Since you can now. And I won’t take no for an answer on it this time Eden. I don’t want anything to happen to you because of your brother. So, when you go into public with her, either he or I will be there to help you, until you are married.”

  Eden stood, “Burk, you don’t need to do that. You do too much for me
as it is.”

  Burk held up his hand, “Yes, I do. Don’t argue Eden. If something happened to you because I wasn’t there to protect you, it would kill me.”

  Eden nodded, “All right.”

  Cole said, “We are going to a ball tomorrow night. She and I were both invited, although separately, and I want to announce our engagement there.”

  Burk nodded, “Just let me know when it is and where, and I will be outside the entire time.”

  Cole nodded, “I will send you the information tomorrow. As soon as possible.”

  Burk said, “That is fine. Cole, do you still need me to help with your father? I have some time tomorrow afternoon, and I would love to get all the information I can so I can help you find him.”

  Cole put his finger to his chin, “In all the excitement, I completely forgot. Of course. Come tomorrow when you have time, and we can go over everything I have. Which isn’t much at all. But it could be a start.”

  Burk nodded, and Eden yawned. Cole noticed, and pulled her to her feet. “Come on my love. Let’s go home. We can all get some sleep and talk more tomorrow.”

  Burk nodded again, and Eden did as well. Lily sat silently, and stood, still doing her best to avoid looking in Burk’s direction. Eden noted that her lips were swollen, and she had a slight red tinge around her mouth.

  She looked back at Burk and he had grown his facial hair out for a few days. She smiled, knowing that her brother had finally found love.

  As Cole walked by with Eden, she noticed Burk grab Lily’s hand in his own.

  He raised it to his lips and kissed it. Lily tugged hard on her hand, but Burk held it tight. He led her to the door with Eden and Cole and walked her to the carriage.

  Eden smiled as Burk practically lifted Lily into the carriage, not saying a single word and then turned away. Just walking back into the gym without another glance.

  Eden hid her giggle behind her hand and rested her head on Cole’s shoulder. They rode in silence, but Eden watched Lily out of the corner of her eye.

  Lily fidgeted and fussed with her gown, picked at her fingers and sighed. No less than six times. She also touched her mouth, repeatedly.

  Eden had to keep biting her lip when Lily did that. She knew why Lily was so frustrated, but she loved it anyway.

  When they got back to his townhouse, Cole led her to the room right next to his.

  She blushed and looked down. “I will have Lily lend you some of her nightgowns. At least until I buy you your own.”

  Eden shook her head, “Herbert packed up my things. I have a few nightgowns. You don’t need to spend your money on me Cole.”

  She went back down to the foyer and her bag was still sitting there. And she was grateful. Making her way back to Cole, she held it up. Cole smiled, “Very well. But, I will sometime in the future be allowed to spend some of my money on you. If Burk is allowed to, I should be as well. I will see you in the morning Eden. Get some sleep love.”

  Eden smiled, “You are both silly, I am perfectly content to not have a lot of gowns. Or unnecessary things.”

  “I know my love, but this has been a long time coming. Just accept it. You need new gowns and as my wife, I want you to have nothing but the best.”

  She smiled up at him, “Very well then. I will accept. Sleep well Cole.”

  Cole kissed her softly, and Eden shut and locked the door behind her. She leaned against the door for a moment and looked around the beautiful room.

  It was decorated in shades of blue with gold accents. The bed was large with a dark blue canopy above. There were also lovely chairs in shades of royal blue, and a settee in front of the fireplace, which was burning merrily.

  Someone must have lit it before she had come in. The room felt warm and inviting and she loved it. Immediately she felt at home.

  She changed out of her worn, serviceable dress, and into her nightgown.

  She found a basin of water, some soap and a cloth and splashed some on her face. She still couldn’t believe she was in Cole’s house. That he loved her, that he wanted to be with her, and only her. And that they were going to get married.

  He hadn’t asked her, but she knew he didn’t need to. She wanted to marry him, not just because of Sterling, because she loved him and wanted a life with him. At the same time, she would do anything she could do to escape her fate at the hands of her brother.

  It wasn’t a hardship, and she wasn’t sad about becoming Cole’s wife. Not when it was her one and only dream that she held so close to her heart for so many years. Her secret fantasy that she only told to her brothers. It was a little intimidating and scary, but she loved him.

  Even though whispers would come from the women and men of the ton. They would speculate and talk about how the Marquess Woodbridge had decided to significantly lower his sights to a no one like her.

  One that had no connections, no wealth, not even a good family to help her cause. The ton knew what a wastrel and a rake her brother was, and they knew how desperate they were.

  How they had nothing to their name, barely even a title to speak of. So, people would gossip.

  Would endlessly speculate how she had landed one of the most eligible men of the ton. Especially with how quickly they had gotten engaged, after never having been seen together, she knew that rumors would fly, and that Cole would not be implicated.

  Only she would. Because men could sleep with whomever they wished. Could be seen with whomever they wished and have no repercussions. But women did.

  They were labeled in such a way that from here on out, it would always be whispered that she had trapped poor, unsuspecting Lord Woodbridge into a marriage he didn’t want. But, even knowing all of this, she didn’t care.

  Cole was going to be hers. And that made it worth every single whisper and gossip that she would hear from now on. He would be hers. No one else. Just hers.

  She fell into the big bed and fell asleep with her dreams full of the man who never left her thoughts when she was awake.

  Chapter Ten

  Cole

  London, England Oct, 1812

  Cole struggled to sleep. Again. But it wasn’t his dreams and nightmares that kept him awake. No, it was the simple fact that the love of his life was sleeping in the room next to his.

  That one teeny tiny door separated them from sleeping in the same bed. That one small door caused his body to ache and demand him to break the door down.

  He cursed that door to hell and back. He wished to be in that room, to hold her in his arms and make her his in every single way. He longed for that with every fiber of his being. With every single part of his soul, he wished he could bring her into his room and make her his. Make her body sing.

  Cole had never had thoughts like this about anyone before, and it was a little unsettling to him sometimes that he finally had them. Had them for three years. Had dealt with the ache and want of her for those three bloody insufferable years.

  He had thought his body was broken, that he was unable to get erections, because he had seen so many beautiful women from all walks of life, and not one had affected him. Not the whores his father had wished they had been with, not the widows who threw themselves at every eligible man of the ton, not the courtesans that had years of experience bringing men to their knees.

  Not hearing their words whispered into his ear as they tried to make him want more.

  None had succeeded and Cole had thought him immune to stirrings of lust, that is until he had seen Eden.

  She had looked like an angel that night when he had seen her for the first time. She came in the house that was hosting the ball, wearing a light pink gown, her light, almost white blonde hair was pulled up in a complicated style, with pieces falling around her face.

  She was smiling, looking around the room in awe, and everything disappeared in that moment. The people, the room, the noise. Everything faded into the background, and the only thing Cole saw was her. He stood there, completely fascinated and mesmerized by this tiny slip
of a woman.

  She was so beautiful, with her heart shaped face and her perfect body and it made it hard to breathe. He had wanted nothing more than to go over to her and ask her to dance. To make the world see that this angel before him was his. And that no other man would have her for their own. That no other would see her the way he would.

  He wanted to tell every man in the room to avert his eyes, to not look at the beauty that she was, but he couldn’t even move. Was rooted to the spot and hadn’t been able to look away from her face.

  But the voice in his head warned him away. Told him he would never be good enough for a woman like her. That his past had too much darkness for someone that was pure light and sunshine. That someday he would turn into his father, and he could hurt her, like his father had done with his good, and kind mother.

  Cole had taken a single step in her direction and stopped dead in his tracks. He knew deep inside he couldn’t do that to her. Never would he be selfish and one day hurt her that way.

  He couldn’t snuff out her light with the darkness that surrounded him. He thought himself to be a good man, but Lydia had said over and over that Jacob had been too. And then he changed.

  Turned into the monster that they knew. And Cole would kill himself before he would ever hurt Eden that way. He never wanted to have that be an option, that one day he would turn into a monster too.

  So, he turned around and walked out the door. Not looking back, not memorizing her features, though those were seared into his brain already, and hating every single second of it.

  He tortured himself with seeing her beautiful face for the rest of that season and knowing he couldn’t touch her or even acknowledge her without breaking. Seeing how people spoke to her or didn’t even acknowledge her at all.

  Seeing how she wore the same few dresses repeatedly. Going so far as changing the ribbons, and the hemline and neckline, sometimes even the color, but not making much of a difference.