Just a Kiss (10 page)

“Damnation. Don’t you dare get all formal and reserved with me.”

She turned back. “I know there can be no future between us, but I thought you of all people could see past wealth and status to the person underneath.” A sob caught in her throat. She wiped at the tears streaming down her face. “Apparently I was wrong.” She turned and ran for the door.

Her words hit him like a sword piercing his heart. “Charlotte, wait.” He reached for her, but he was too late. She was already outside, running toward the house.

She was the only woman who had ever wanted him for himself instead of his wealth and status. He was a fool. A fool who had badly mishandled the situation.

Sebastian marched back to the house and entered through the kitchens. Hudson intercepted him as he started up the back staircase.

“My lord.” He bowed stiffly. “Miss Lightwood arrived a few moments ago and Maisy is assisting her with her preparations for the ball.”

“Thank you, Hudson.” He turned to continue upstairs.

“My lord, is there anything the staff might do to assist Miss Lightwood?”

Sebastian turned to face him, and Hudson shifted his gaze toward the wall. A signal from the time Sebastian was a boy of Hudson’s displeasure with him. “No, thank you. Please send word that I request her presence in the library as soon as she is available.”

“Very good, my lord.” He bowed and moved off.

Sebastian bathed, dressed quickly, and went to the library to wait for Charlotte.

Too restless to be still, he stalked across the floor while he waited. He had been a fool to ignore what had been obvious for so long. He was in love with Charlotte, and the Earl of Marley could marry whomever he damn well pleased. If only he find a way to convince her that her lack of title and fortune didn’t matter to him. Gran loved Charlotte and would get over her disappointment that he hadn’t made what would be considered a good match. Hang what society thought. Except for Princess Tarasova. Hopefully she wouldn’t think he had been leading her on and would instead be happy for her friend.

A soft knock interrupted his thoughts and he lunged to open the door.

Maisy bobbed a curtsy. “My Lord, I’m concerned about Miss Lightwood. I was helping her dress for the ball earlier, but when I went back to her chamber just now, she didn’t answer my knock.” She clutched a fold of her skirt. “The door was locked.”

Unease slid up his spine. Something was amiss. He rushed into the corridor and gestured for Hudson to join him. “Maisy, find a footman immediately. Tell him to locate Sir Lightwood and bring him to Miss Lightwood’s chamber straightaway.”

Chapter Ten

Charlotte was planning what she would say to Sebastian in his library when there was a knock at the bedchamber door. Assuming it was Maisy returning, she called, “Come in.” She studied the sculpture garden as the door opened and closed, hoping for inspiration from Venus or Pandora. Apollo would certainly be of no use.

A chill swept over her. Why hadn’t Maisy said something or moved to finish her hair? She turned around. Horace stood in front of the closed door, blocking her only means of escape.

“What are you doing here? Leave at once.” She shoved past him to open the door.

He grabbed her elbow. “Don’t be too hasty, now. You wouldn’t want anyone to see me leaving your chamber, would you?”

She met his gaze, her fists clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms. “Why are you here, Horace?”

“You didn’t respond to my note. I’ll leave as soon as you accept my offer.” His clammy fingers dug into her.

She jerked her arm from his grasp and stepped back. “Why do you want to marry someone who doesn’t want you?”

“You overestimate your appeal.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the door, staring at her bodice. “I suppose you’ll do as well as the next girl, but what I want is the annuity Elizabeth promised me if I marry you. Granted it is but a small apportion of Elizabeth’s allowance, but the value of guaranteed income cannot be discounted.”

She went cold. What could Elizabeth have been thinking? “But…why would she agree to pay you an annuity?”

His lips twisted into a gruesome smirk. “Because that is the bargain we struck. I agreed to take you off her hands in exchange for an annual payment that will aid me in refurbishing a small family estate near Burwick-upon-Tweed that has fallen into disrepair.”

Her thoughts swirled so quickly she was barely able to respond. “Burwick-Upon-Tweed? That is the—”

“Northernmost town in England. Its most desirable quality as far as Elizabeth is concerned. The remote location, combined with our rather paltry finances, will prevent us from ever attending the season in London, I’m afraid.”

Charlotte knew Elizabeth had always disliked her, but this—this was a nightmare. To be forever bound to Horace, a man who clearly loathed her as much as she loathed him, trapped in an unfamiliar place away from her friends and family. It was not to be borne. She had to get him out of her bedchamber before they were discovered.

She pointed at the door. “Get out of my chamber now, or I’ll call for help.”

“Go ahead. What do you think the result will be if we are found alone together in your chamber? Especially with you looking like that.” He waved toward her bodice, which was loose because Maisy hadn’t finished fastening her gown before she left to retrieve flowers for Charlotte’s coiffure.

Her pulse leapt to a frenzied tempo. He was right. If anyone saw him in her bedchamber, she would be forced to marry him.

Horace’s mouth twisted into a smile. “Checkmate.”

The thump of rapid footfalls was eclipsed by the
click
of a key being inserted in the lock. Horace slid away just before the door swung in and banged off the wall. Charlotte put a hand to her heart. They were discovered. She was ruined.

Hudson and Sebastian barreled in. Horace turned back to Charlotte, his eyes wide before his face went blank, and he assumed a disinterested mien. She’d thought the situation couldn’t possibly get worse. Sebastian was the last person she wanted as witness to her downfall. What must he think of her after the way she’d behaved in the orangery and at the ball just weeks ago?

Hudson shut the door and stationed himself next to it. Sebastian headed straight to her and took her hand. “Are you all right, Miss Lightwood?”

The murmur of his voice acted as a balm to her frazzled nerves. Tension radiated from him, belying the calmness of his voice. Horace obviously had no sense of self-preservation, because if someone had looked at her the way Sebastian was looking at him, she’d have the wherewithal to run away.

The door crashed open for a second time, and Richard and Elizabeth rushed into the chamber. Perfect. More witnesses to her fall from grace.

“Someone had better tell me what’s going on in here,” Richard said. He scanned the chamber and focused a glare on Horace. “What are you doing in Charlotte’s chamber?”

Horace nodded toward Charlotte. “She invited me.”

Sebastian tensed and clenched her hand.

“I did no such thing,” she said, focusing solely on Sebastian.

Horace crossed his arms and widened his stance. “When I knocked, you said, ‘Come in.’”

“I—I thought you were Maisy, you clodpoll.”

Undaunted, Horace spoke again. “I am delighted to announce that Miss Lightwood has just agreed to become my wife.”

“What?” Charlotte said.

“You agreed to marry him?” Sebastian said.

“You still haven’t told me what you’re doing in Charlotte’s chamber,” Richard said.

Sebastian’s quiet strength bolstered her courage. She held her breath for a moment, then narrowed her eyes at Horace. “I will not marry you.” She was consigning herself to spinsterhood, but she refused to marry Horace under any circumstance.

“Horace, what
are
you doing in Charlotte’s chamber?” Elizabeth asked.

“You told me to press my suit,” he said.

“I told you to press your suit. I did not tell you to compromise her, you blockhead. What were you thinking?” She turned to Charlotte. “You will have to marry him.”

“I will not. I would rather be ruined. I would rather spend the rest of my life alone. I would rather be cast out into the street.” Charlotte met Elizabeth’s gaze. Sebastian rubbed small circles over her fingers with his thumb, silently conveying his support.

Elizabeth glared at her. “You will marry Horace.”

Richard kneaded the back of his neck as he walked toward Charlotte. “I’m afraid she’s right. Under the circumstances, you will have to marry him.”

Sebastian squeezed her hand. “I’m afraid Charlotte cannot marry him because she has already agreed to be my wife.”

Charlotte’s mouth hung slightly open, allowing her just enough space to inhale a large quantity of air, the only thing that prevented her from swooning.

A crimson cloud ascended Horace’s neck and engulfed his face, merging into his hairline. “This is preposterous. You two cannot be betrothed.”

“Are you questioning my word?” Sebastian asked with deadly calm.

A collective gasp removed most of the air from the chamber.

Horace’s face went white. “But she has to marry me. I’m the one who compromised her.”

Sebastian took two steps toward him, and Horace shot out the door. Apparently, Horace did have a sense of self-preservation.

Sebastian focused on Elizabeth. “I want him out of my home within the hour.”

“Yes, my lord,” Elizabeth said.

“I’m certain you both understand that I would be exceptionally displeased to find that word of this was communicated to anyone outside of this chamber.”

“Of course, my lord,” Elizabeth said, keeping her gaze trained on the floor.

“Be sure to pass my warning along to your cousin, as well.”

“Yes, my lord,” Richard said. Elizabeth curtsied, and Richard grabbed her arm and propelled her out the door. Hudson followed them out. He winked at Charlotte before closing the door with final
click.

Charlotte turned to Sebastian. She didn’t think her beleaguered heart could handle much more after having her worst nightmare realized and then having her heart’s greatest desire dangled in front of her. “If you were planning to make them think we were betrothed, why did you wait so long to speak?”

“I didn’t think you’d appreciate my interference, and I enjoyed watching you stand up to Horace and Elizabeth. But I couldn’t stand by and let them force you to marry him.”

“I…you…” Charlotte couldn’t come up with words to express the depth of her gratitude. “Thank you.” She smoothed the skirt of her gown. “I will cry off after a decent interval.”

“Why?” he asked softly.

She patted her half-finished coiffure. “Because you don’t want to marry me.”

“I don’t? Why not?” he asked, slipping a pin from her hair.

“Be—because I’m not…that is to say, I don’t…”

“I’m still not following you.” He pulled out more pins until her hair cascaded over her shoulders. “By the way, why is your dress unfastened?” he asked with deceptive casualness.

“Maisy forgot to bring the flowers she wanted to use in my hair, so she rushed off to fetch them before she finished with my gown.”

The lines of tension around Sebastian’s eyes and mouth softened.

“Perhaps I won’t have to kill him after all.” He sunk his hands into her hair, twisting a tendril around his finger. “Now, what were we talking about? Oh yes. You were telling me why I don’t want to marry you.”

“Because I don’t have a dowry.” Her voice went up at the end, making it sound more like a question than a statement.

“I’m hardly short of funds. Why else?”

The movement of his fingers in her hair sent fire darting through her body, making it difficult to concentrate. “Um…I don’t come from a noble family.”

He nuzzled her hair. “You’ll become my countess when you marry me. What else?” He lifted her hair to kiss her neck.

“Because I practically threw myself at you in the orangery, and you wanted no part of it.”

He lifted his head. “Charlotte, I never said I didn’t want you. What I said was that I would not steal your virtue in my orangery.”

“I see little difference between the two.” She tried to take a step back from him so she could think more clearly, but he had her trapped with her hair wrapped firmly around his hands.

“Do you want to marry me?”

“I fail to see how that matters.”

“You are going to be the death of me.” He pulled her toward him until their noses touched. “I love you. It took me far too long to figure it out, but I do, and I want to marry you. That is what matters.”

Charlotte opened her mouth, but Sebastian placed a finger on her lips.

“However, I want you to marry me willingly and will not stoop to Horace’s level and compromise you in order to achieve my ends. But God help me, if you don’t start cooperating, I refuse to be held responsible for my actions.”

“You want me?” she asked in a trembling voice.

He took both her hands in his. “Yes.”

“You want to marry me?”

“That is my plan. You see, I’ve fallen in love with you, so the only thing to do is marry you. And if you wish to go to the altar in your current innocent state, you’re going to have to stop waving your breasts around in front of me. A man can only take so much. My restraint has been pushed to the breaking point today.”

Charlotte gasped and glanced at her bodice. “Have they been…uh…showing like that the whole time?”

“I don’t think anyone else could see. I just happened to have the vantage point because I was so near. I can’t even begin to tell you how distracting that view was while I was trying to follow the conversation.”

She tried to hide her smile, but her lips weren’t cooperating.

He leaned closer until his forehead rested against hers. “Charlotte, will you marry me?”

Her smile widened. “Yes!”

Sebastian lifted her into his arms and kissed her, and this kiss was much different than their previous kisses. It was a kiss of possession. He pushed his way in, caressing the contours of her mouth with his tongue as their breath mingled.

Sebastian pulled away. “Are you certain?” he asked against her lips.

“Yes,” she said, trying to catch her breath.

“Good.” He scooped her up and carried her toward the bed. “Then this can’t be considered coercion.”

She grinned. “What makes you think I’m coercible?”

He gently laid her on the bed, and the way he looked at her made her body tighten in places she’d never felt before. “I’m very talented. There’s no way you can resist me.” He shrugged off his coat and stretched out next to her on the bed.

She giggled. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to show me. I’m not convinced.”

“I’m saddened by your lack of faith in me. I can already see how this marriage is going to be, with me constantly having to prove myself to you.” He caressed her neck with the back of his fingers and untied her corset, sliding her gown down to her hips and baring her to his hungry gaze.

She raised her arm and covered her eyes.

He pressed his lips against the inside of her elbow, trailing kisses up to her palm. “Charlotte,” he whispered. “You’re beautiful. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“I can’t help it.” Even though Sebastian had already touched her breast and had shared a most intimate moment with her, she still felt exposed in the daylight.

“Hmm. I guess I’ll have to find a way to make you relax.” After drawing her arm away from her face, he feathered kisses over each of her eyelids. He rolled her onto her side and ran his fingers down her back, over her shoulders, along her arms. Not a single inch of exposed skin escaped his touch. Wave after wave of sensation flowed through her. When he finished there, he removed the rest of her clothing and gave his full attention to the backs of her legs, giving special consideration to the very sensitive areas at the backs of her knees and the bottoms of her feet.

He pressed himself against her back and whispered in her ear, “Where did he pinch you?”

“Why are you thinking about that at a time like this?”

“Because I wish to kiss those places and make you forget that anyone other than me has ever touched you there.”

Her stomach clenched at his declaration. “I’m not sure it’s in a place you’re going to want to kiss.”

“There is no place on your body I don’t want to kiss.”

His statement sent a thrill through her as she tried to imagine the possibilities. Embarrassed again, she pointed to a spot on her buttock.

Sebastian shot her a wicked grin. He kissed and licked and even nipped her. She had no idea that area of her body was so sensitive. Just when she thought she could stand no more, he stopped.

“Where else?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

She pointed to her breast. He nibbled around the spot she had touched, then kissed the underside and worked his way back up. She nearly jumped off the bed when he pulled her nipple into his mouth. Waves of pleasure coursed through her body. Then he placed his palm against her other breast and let his fingers play over her nipple. The area between her legs pulsed. She sank her fingers into his dark, silky hair and tried to pull him even closer. She wasn’t sure how much more she could stand, but she didn’t want him to stop.