“I can understand that.” Edmund had only been in the company of Joshua for seconds before deciding that he was a rogue. Whether or not Shambles was as bad as Henry made out was yet to be proved. “Will your brother not realise that Shambles is not a true friend?”
“Charles thinks everyone is good. He is young for his age; if he had experienced a Grand Tour or some other similar education he might have returned more worldly-wise, but Mr Shambles got to him first. I would imagine Charles is receiving an education through that association that isn’t what a gentleman should be indulging in.”
“Oh, I don’t know. There are many gentlemen at places like Mrs Langtree’s,” Edmund responded. It was refreshing having a conversation with a young lady that he did not have to think before he uttered anything in case he offended. Although Clara was concerned about her brother, he appreciated that she was no simpering miss.
“I suppose so, but it’s not illegal at Mrs Langtree’s, just immoral.”
“For the married ones, yes,” Edmund responded.
“What? After leading a life of dissipation, are you telling me you would be faithful if you were to marry? Please, My Lord, I can’t believe in such a fairy story!” Clara responded with a laugh.
Edmund glowered at Clara. He did not like it when she referred to his previous behaviour; with anyone else he could not have cared less, but he did care about what opinion Clara had of him. And that was a strange feeling in itself.
Clara met the glower with a look of surprise. “You are intimating that you would be faithful, aren’t you?” she asked genuinely astonished. “Well I can only congratulate your sentiments, but would hope for your wife’s sake that you do not find the principles too hard to abide by, My Lord.”
“Are you always so eager with your condemnation, Miss Baker?” Edmund growled.
“No, just with yourself and Charles it would seem,” Clara responded good-naturedly.
“And this is exactly why I will never marry!” Edmund said with feeling.
“Whatever do you mean, My Lord? Why would my impertinence convince you not to marry?”
“That even the prettiest of girls can be nothing but a fishwife underneath all the frills and finery.”
Clara spluttered. “You’ve just compared me to a fishwife!”
Edmund’s mouth twitched at Clara’s shocked expression. At least he could take some pleasure that he had unsettled her as much as she had him. “Actually, you’ve compared yourself to one. I never mentioned your name, just the prettiest girls. You must be very confident about your looks to have automatically classed yourself in that grouping, Miss Baker,” he said cruelly.
Clara flushed. “My mistake! I beg your pardon, My Lord,” she said stiffly.
Edmund relented a little. “Oh come on, don’t go mulish on me; I was teasing. Of course I was referring to you.”
“Somehow that isn’t a compliment, My Lord,” Clara responded stiffly, looking back to see how far behind the others in the party were.
Clara slowed down her horse until the phaeton caught up with her. “My Lord, where do you intend to picnic?”
“Not far now, Miss Baker. Is my friend’s company proving tedious?” Henry asked.
“A little,” Clara replied without her usual playfulness. She had embarrassed herself in front of Edmund presuming herself to be one of the attractive girls he was referring to. She was not usually so vain and cursed herself for her lapse; he must be ridiculing her vanity.
The party soon stopped. The site that Henry had chosen was slightly off the popular routes through the Heath. He explained that he had found it when needing to escape from the hustle and bustle of London life.
As they all set out the contents of the picnic basket, spreading the rugs that had been attached to the back of Edmund’s saddle, Milly questioned Henry about his statement. “Have you not a country home that you could escape too?”
“I do have a country home, but a single man is expected to join in the season thoroughly to either attract a wife or convince his relatives that he is making every effort to continue the Grinstead line,” Henry responded, smiling down at Milly.
“I’m surprised you need an escape then, My Lord,” Milly said, watching their new acquaintance as if trying to make out his character.
“Do you never wish to escape for just a few hours, Miss Holland, to a place where there is nothing but peace and quiet to gather your thoughts?”
“No,” Milly replied honestly. “But then again, I do not have a title and fortune that would be appealing to many if not all of the debutantes.”
Henry smiled. “You have just explained exactly why I need that escape, Miss Holland.”
“I’m struggling to have sympathy for that scenario, My Lord,” Milly responded with a smile. She was too old to be seen as trying to set her cap at Henry, so she was in no danger of having her comments misunderstood.
“Heartless woman!” Henry teased and was rewarded with a gentle laugh.
Edmund entertained Charles throughout the picnic while feasting on cold ham and goose. Pork pies and lumps of cheese and large slabs of bread and butter finished the feast. They shared the wine in the stone cups Henry supplied, apologising to the ladies for such basic table service. Charles was easy to talk to, and it enabled Edmund to watch Clara throughout their meal.
He was aware he had pushed her too far; she had said Charles was young for his age, and Edmund was coming to the conclusion that so was Clara. He determined to make amends; he did not like seeing her looking out of sorts, especially when he had been the cause of it. She had been quiet during the meal, and he missed her easy smile and sparkling eyes.
After everyone had eaten their fill, Milly settled down to enjoy some time drawing, while the others stretched their legs. Henry said he had seen some berries the last time he visited, so he and Charles set out to find out if they were ripe and gather the sweet treats for everyone if they were.
“Miss Baker, would you like to accompany me to the clump of trees on the rise? I would like to see the view from there,” Edmund asked pointing to an area a little walk away.
“I think I’d better stay with my cousin,” Clara responded.
“I’m perfectly happy here on my own, Clara. Go and have a walk before the others return,” Milly insisted.
Clara stood and took Edmund’s offered arm, and they walked slowly up the slight incline. “I’m sorry my teasing was ill-judged and caused you pain,” Edmund said as soon as Milly was out of earshot.
“And I’m sorry for being so vain,” Clara responded with a small smile.
Edmund laughed. “If you are vain, it is rightly so. You
are
one of the prettiest girls this season.” Clara flushed, and Edmund squeezed the hand resting on his arm. “It pleases me when I make you flush through compliments and funning. I didn’t like upsetting you; I’m genuinely sorry I caused you distress.” It was a revelation that Edmund actually
was
sorry he had upset her. Normally he had little regard for anyone’s feelings, especially young single ladies.
“Thank you,” Clara said, still flushing at the compliment and the feel of him squeezing her hand.
They reached the top of the small hillock and looked back towards Milly. She was fully engrossed in her sketching. Henry and Charles could not be seen. Edmund let go of Clara and stood looking out over the rolling landscape before him.
“Looking at this view you could forget that we are at war against the French,” he said, appreciating the peace.
“It’s easy to forget the fact when we are going about our day-to-day business,” Clara acknowledged, surprised that something like that would perturb the man who seemed so strong and sure of himself. She had not considered him a deep thinker or one who would be affected by something that did feel distant as they went about their daily lives.
They stood quietly looking over the view until Edmund took hold of Clara’s hand and kissed it. Clara was surprised at the movement, but when Edmund’s eyes met hers any words she was about to utter dried on her lips; the intensity of the deep brown eyes surprised her.
“Miss Baker, if there is anything you are worried about, if there is ever a moment that you feel unsure or afraid, promise me you will ask me for help,” Edmund said seriously.
Clara smiled. “I know I worry over Charles, but I can’t imagine ever—,”
“Just promise me and mean it,” Edmund insisted.
“I promise,” Clara said seriously.
“Good, now come with me.” Edmund led the way into the clump of trees, so they were out of sight. He leaned against a tree and pulled Clara towards him. “I don’t know whether it is the romance of the day, or the sun, but, Miss Baker, I have the overwhelming urge to kiss you.”
“Oh!” Clara said in surprise. She had not expected anything of the kind to happen, but she had longed to feel Edmund’s kisses since she had experienced them the first time. So, although she should have pulled away, she did not. It was wrong of him to put her in such a situation, but it was poor behaviour on her part that she did nothing to prevent further kisses. She would have been condemned by any of her acquaintances if seen, especially as she leaned into Edmund and snaked her arms around his neck.
Edmund groaned with pleasure and pulled Clara against his body before joining his lips to hers. Her slight sigh as their lips touched was the only encouragement he needed, and he deepened his kiss, pausing only to check that she had closed her eyes, which he was pleased and amused to see she had.
Kissing Clara in the open air was even more enjoyable than Edmund expected. He did not have a few glasses of brandy to deaden his senses; every part of him was wired to thoroughly explore her mouth and body. He kept his hands away from her hair, although it was torture. He did not wish her to have anyone realise what they had done, so he moved his arms, slowly lowering them until he had grasped her behind through the thick material of her riding habit and pulled her towards him.
Clara gasped at the movement and pulled her face away from Edmund’s. “What are you doing?” she croaked, her voice husky and her pupils dilated.
“I want you to feel what an affect you have on me; can you feel it?” Edmund growled out.
“I don’t think ̶ ,” Clara started.
“Don’t worry; you are perfectly safe with me. I wouldn’t do anything to put you or your reputation at risk, except what we are doing now, but we are not going to be discovered. I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help responding to the effect you have on me,” Edmund said honestly and probably for the first time he had ever been truthful with any woman he had kissed.
Clara smiled slightly. “It’s your turn to promise you mean what you say.”
“I promise; this is not funning or flirting in the slightest,” Edmund said, squeezing Clara’s behind for good measure.
“In that case, would you please kiss me again?” Clara asked and, although she flushed to the roots of her hair at being so forward, her need to be kissed was a more urgent desire than the need to be restrained or worry about impropriety at this point ̶ a feeling that was new and a little overwhelming. She pushed aside the thoughts that she should have been restrained, more like the lady she was supposed to be; she was too busy enjoying herself.
Edmund chuckled his deep rumble of a laugh at her words and kissed her showing her how much he wanted her.
Quite a few minutes passed before Edmund was able to release Clara. “I think we need to be returning to your cousin. We have been out of sight for a while now.”
“Do we have to?” Clara asked, brazenly running her hand through Edmund’s hair. There was something about being with him that made her feel confident enough to want to enjoy his touch as much as he seemed to enjoy hers. She would never have been so forward but, with him, she was liberated in a way she had never imagined.
“God, you are going to kill me, woman, speaking to me like that! It’s a good thing I gave you my word. Without that you would be thrown to the ground and ravished, uttering such an invitation!”
Clara smiled a far more wanton smile than she would have ever believed possible. “I like kisses without consequences,” she whispered.
“Well, there might be consequences if your brother finds us like this,” Edmund said, finally separating from Clara. She was like a drug to him, and he was only able to separate himself with the strongest will. They both straightened their attire and then Edmund offered his arm. He pecked Clara on the lips before she could respond. “I also thoroughly enjoy kisses without consequences.”
Clara smiled and hooked her hand through his arm. They emerged from the trees, to see that Henry and Charles had returned to Milly. “Do you think they will notice anything amiss?” she asked worriedly; there was a difference in being brave when she was alone with Edmund, but it was something completely different while recovering from being kissed senseless and then having to have a civilised conversation.
“Do as I do and brazen it out,” Edmund responded quietly.
“My goodness, you really are the kind of man I should be running from!” Clara said tartly.
“You probably should, but you’ve told me you like my kisses, and I’m going to use every opportunity I can to give you more.”
If Clara was struggling to regain her composure, Edmund’s words did nothing to help. She groaned quietly, and tried to glare at Edmund as he chuckled at her groan, but her flushed cheeks and dilated eyes diluted the fierceness of the glare.