A softening about Hugh’s mouth caused Beatrice a pang of joy rather than jealousy. Despite everything, the little boy held a place in his heart. ‘You love him, don’t you?’
‘I grew to adore the little chap...’
‘And you named him Shay?’ she asked, in a voice so quiet it was almost inaudible.
‘Rani chose the name. Shay means gift...and that’s how she saw the boy... Whereas I...’
‘Whereas you...?’ Bea prompted in a whisper.
‘Whereas I knew word of Shay’s existence would leak out, and I could see the problems and inconvenience that lay ahead in my becoming embroiled in such deceit.’
‘But you did it anyway,’ Bea said, her voice soft with wonder. She knew she believed what he’d said... Every single word was true—outlandishly dramatic tale though it was. A spontaneous sob of admiration and love for him welled in her chest. ‘You must have loved her very much to sacrifice what you believed to be right so she might have her dream of becoming a mother.’
‘No...’ He grimaced wryly. ‘I was fond of Rani, but we both knew I didn’t love her—and neither did she love me. It was an exchange of basic needs that suited us both at the time.’
‘It was good and selfless of you, nevertheless...’
‘In the end I did it for Louise. My sister was compromised when young and it nearly ruined her future. I could understand why Louise’s parents were fretting over what lay ahead for their daughter.’
‘How did Toby find out?’ Bea asked, puzzled.
‘He came to India, uninvited, to try and wangle himself an interest in my mining company. He got nothing from me but of course he’s used the knowledge of Shay’s birth to his advantage. My brother has hinted at spreading what he knows...but up to now he’s shrewdly kept quiet, fearing my revenge. I expect he’s already worried that he’ll not be able to extract another penny from me.’
‘He’s been blackmailing you?’ Bea sounded outraged.
‘In a subtle way... But it seems he’s now burned his bridges, and in a way I’m glad. The gossip will spread like wildfire; Mrs Monk will make sure of that now she knows I’ve no interest in her daughter.’
‘It will die down...’ Bea reassured him.
Hugh shrugged carelessness. ‘A few other people already know of Shay’s existence. Of course Alex has had the full story; he’s the only person, apart from you, to hear it from my lips. He said he’s never had reason to mention it to Elise.’ Hugh prowled to and fro in front of the chimneypiece. ‘Lord Mornington was in India at the same time as me, attending to his investments. I expect he’s told his close circle that I fathered a child abroad. I’ve noticed his sister looking at me oddly at times. But Lady Groves is obviously not a gossip or word would have already got round.’
Hugh gave another lazy shrug.
‘It no longer matters who knows, and thankfully Toby never discovered the truth behind the boy’s birth. Had he done so he’d have held the means to destroy many people’s happiness.’
‘What of Louise and her parents?’
‘They returned to England and Louise was quietly married in Kent to a nice young fellow... I was invited to the ceremony...’
‘A happy ending all round...’ Bea gave him a tiny smile.
‘Is it?’ Hugh plunged his hands in his pockets, his eyes darkening. ‘Why did you assume I was a deceitful villain before allowing me to explain?’
‘I told Mrs Monk she was lying about you from the start. I was sceptical about your interest in her daughter even when she said you’d take Stella just to ensure Toby couldn’t have her...’ Beatrice rattled off, wishing she had a more robust defence to present to Hugh.
She had recklessly flown here in a fury, believing the worst of him. She’d called him names and quizzed him over being a liar...but now that her jealousy and indignation were no longer colouring her reason her earlier opinion of him had changed drastically. In fact he had moments ago provided her with yet more cause to adore him, she realised. He might be self-indulgent where women and pleasure were concerned, but he was not weak or mean. His kindness towards Rani didn’t irk Beatrice; such consideration reassured her that, however nasty and corrupt his older brother might be, Hugh had escaped being infected with a similar nature. Hugh Kendrick was an honourable man, and she loved him.
Blinking back the heat in her eyes, she gazed at him, wanting him to say something, but he remained stubbornly quiet.
‘I’m conscious that you have great trust in me to have disclosed your secret... I swear I will never betray it.’ Still he said nothing, and Bea slowly turned away. ‘I must go now, and hope that nobody knows I’ve been here other than your servants.’
‘You took a great risk for a man you don’t trust.’
‘I
do
trust you...’ Beatrice keened, swinging back to gaze at him beseechingly.
Hugh suddenly cradled her face in his hand. ‘
Do
you, Beatrice?’ he demanded throatily. ‘Prove it to me, then...’
Chapter Twenty-Two
‘H
ow can I? What do you want me to do?’ Beatrice whispered. She glimpsed the smoky desire burning at the backs of his eyes and a piquant thrill rippled through her. ‘I shouldn’t have doubted you, but Mrs Monk is adept at stirring the pot...’ She began a diffident mitigation.
‘If you’re curious about my past ask me about it and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.’ Hugh dipped his head to tantalise a corner of her lips with his own. ‘Or perhaps you’ll think me lying to cover up my sins...will you?’
‘No! I won’t! I trust you...’ Bea’s eyelids fell as the kiss continued.
‘Good. But I’m after more than just your trust, sweet, you know that. I always have been.’ His fingers smoothed over a warm satiny cheek, a thumb brushing lightly on her lower lip. ‘I want us to finish what we started in Hyde Park this afternoon, before we were interrupted by those infernal people.’
He held her back from him a little, tilting his head to watch her bashful expression.
‘Come...don’t be shy; we both know it didn’t begin today but years ago, and we’ve waited far too long to satisfy this need for one another. It’s time now to surrender, Beatrice.’
‘You want me to kiss you to say sorry?’ Beatrice murmured, glancing at him from under her curly dark lashes.
‘That would be a nice start...’ Hugh sounded huskily amused as he moved his mouth to a position fractionally above hers, daring her to take the initiative and close the space between their lips.
Raising herself onto tiptoe, Bea kissed him with innocent sensuality. A scent of tangy sandalwood soap enveloped her as their bodies merged and she slipped her arms onto his shoulders, entwining her fingers in his tousled hair.
‘You feel damp...’ she teased, trying to temper the sizzling atmosphere between them. ‘I’m sorry I interrupted your bathing...’
‘There’s time yet to finish that too before the night’s out,’ Hugh growled against her mouth. ‘Will you wash my back?’
Bea stumbled back a pace from him, her smile uncertain. ‘I hope you’re joking...’
Hugh tracked her evasive paces until her spine was touching the library table. Indolently he placed a hand either side of her, trapping her between his muscular arms. ‘No joke... I want you with me everywhere, Beatrice...even in my bath.’
Confused by an overwhelming mix of excitement and embarrassment, she clasped the solid forearm closest to her with two small hands. Sinew flexed beneath her palms as he resisted her attempt to move him. Bea’s eyes roved features that displayed an uncompromising raw carnality. Slowly she exhaled a pent-up breath. Why fight him? She yearned for his loving as ardently as he would bestow it. She couldn’t deny it. Neither could she deny that the idea of his sleek skin slipping beneath her wet palms as she soaped him was making her feel restless.
This afternoon she had been ready to take his terms and become his mistress. What matter if she yielded and agreed to go to his bed or his bath now? Hours ago it would have seemed a shocking notion: she’d always assumed Hugh would arrange for them to make love at a secret location so as not to cause outrage.
But the damage was already done: she’d shocked his servants, who no doubt imagined she was a harlot. Besides, Mrs Monk would be bent on revenge and would besmirch Bea for the sin of a single kiss. In Bea’s rueful estimation she might as well get hung for a sheep as a lamb and stay awhile with the man she loved.
It
was
time for her to surrender and prove her love and trust to Hugh. When word got out about her visit to Mr Kendrick’s Mayfair mansion she would be home in Hertfordshire. In time a new scandal would erupt to entertain the
ton
and gossip about her would fade.
Bea’s reflections were interrupted by the touch of gentle fingers at her throat, untying her bonnet strings. Hugh tossed the hat to the table, his eyes capturing her vivid blue gaze as his fingers threaded into her silken hair.
‘This afternoon when I came to meet you in Oxford Street I brought something with me to give to you.’
‘I know...and my papa was as grateful as I to have those IOUs,’ she said with trembling sincerity. ‘I own I thought he might be livid that a gentleman had paid my debts, but he claims you did the right thing, protecting your family’s honour and thwarting your odious brother’s spite. You are still my papa’s good friend.’
Hugh’s mouth tilted wryly. ‘And will he think me his friend after tonight?’
‘I doubt he will if he finds out what we’ve done,’ Bea admitted with a catch to her voice.
‘And what will he think of you if he finds out what we’ve done?’
Bea averted her face as her eyes prickled, but she attempted a steady reply. ‘He will be very upset, of course, but I think he will allow me to stay with him in Hertfordshire—although many would deem me unfit to again darken his doorstep.’
‘Are you prepared to risk so much for me, Beatrice?’ Hugh asked gently.
‘Yes...’ she murmured.
‘Why?’
She knew she should tell him now that she loved and wanted him, and no other man would do. She should say she’d far sooner have an uncertain future with him than settle for respectability and the prospect of an arid marriage of convenience when her aged papa died and was no longer her companion. But an obstinate pride remained, blocking the confession in her throat. He might not love her, or want to marry her, but the least she required of him was that he allowed her some dignity, offering up some affectionate words first.
‘Shall I tell you why I think you’d do all that for me, sweetheart?’
Beatrice nodded, the painful throb in her throat preventing her from voicing a need to have his fullest explanation.
‘I think you would risk everything you hold dear because you love me as greatly as I love you. I also think you’re hoping I’m not the immoral lecher others say I am, and will protect you with my name as well as my heart.’ Hugh soothed her quiet sob by stroking his cool lips against her brow. ‘I’ve loved and desired you for years, Beatrice. I’ve tried to force you from my memory by carousing, but you stubbornly resisted being put aside and curbed the worst of my excesses.’
His mouth slanted on hers, sliding with silky sweetness, his tongue teasing her with tiny persuasive touches.
‘The worst of your excesses?’ Bea echoed against his shoulder, although a quiet joy was burgeoning within. ‘You keep
two
mistresses close by, sir. Did you restrict yourself then?’
Hugh bent his head, laughing soundlessly against her crown of golden hair. ‘Perhaps in my immaturity I might have liked more, but now I have seen the error of my ways I have no desire for even one mistress, or any woman other than my future wife.’
Bea raised glowing eyes to his face, uncertain still, yet daring to hope. ‘You are to take a vow of celibacy then, Mr Kendrick...?’
‘I suppose I must for the short duration of my betrothal...unless my adorable fiancée will take pity on me and let me love her.’ Hugh gathered Beatrice in his arms, rocking her against his chest. ‘Do you know how many times I’ve railed at myself for letting you slip through my fingers? From the moment I walked away from you three years ago I’ve bitterly regretted my decision to act the martyr, leaving you to enjoy your life with a worthier man who could give you what I could not.’ He paused. ‘When I found out you’d attracted another suitor so quickly I was sure you’d easily forgotten me.’
‘Elise warned me I had fallen for Dr Burnett on the rebound. I remember feeling hurt and humiliated by your rejection and wanting somebody to boost my pride,’ Bea admitted.
‘I’m sorry, sweetheart, that I hurt you. At the time I thought I was the only one suffering. Your friend Fiona knew, of course, what a mess I was in, and kindly tolerated my pathetic courtship without taking offence. She told me bluntly to come back to you...but I’d heard Burnett was already courting you. I was a damnable fool! We might have started off as man and wife living in a garret, but we would have been together now for three years...’
‘No...it would not have worked, Hugh,’ Beatrice interjected on a sigh. ‘We might have quickly grown bitter towards one another, constantly fretting over bills and hating feeling beholden to Alex, who would have offered loans of money,’ Beatrice pointed out.
Hugh gave her a grateful smile for understanding so completely how humiliating such a situation would have been for him. His greatest fear had been losing Bea’s respect.
Suddenly Hugh urged her towards a chair and made her perch on its edge. Then, dropping to a knee, he pulled out a grand-looking box from his inside pocket. ‘Will you marry me, Beatrice, and keep me from slipping back into wicked ways?’
His teasing tone earned him a prim look from Beatrice. But soon her mock reproof was overcome by an expression of wonderment. Hugh had opened the casket to reveal a scintillating diamond ring nestling on a luxurious bed of satin.
‘Is this the gift you brought with you this afternoon?’ she asked, struck by its opulence.
‘No...I wanted to give you your betrothal ring somewhere more appropriate than Oxford Street.’ Again his hand disappeared into a pocket, to withdraw a smaller, plainer jewellery box. ‘I brought this with me to show to you. I wanted to convince you that I was not toying with your affections when we first met. It was always my intention to propose to you, even if the best I could afford was a betrothal ring of very little value.’