More Than Charming (9 page)

The earl nodded, his brows raised. James suggested the library and waved the man ahead of him. He closed the door and faced Catherine’s father, suddenly very nervous.

“You’ve certainly piqued my interest, son,” the earl said. “Do tell me what has you so intent.”

James clasped his hands behind his back. He cleared his throat and began. “Sir, it would do me a great honor if you would give me your daughter’s hand in marriage.”

The Earl of Talbot blinked at him. “What’s this? You wish to marry my daughter?”

James gave a firm nod.

The earl furrowed his brow in thought. He looked at James closely. “Catherine?”

James chuckled. “Yes, sir. Catherine.”

A smile spread across the older man’s face. “Of course, my boy!” He gave James a hearty slap on the back.

James felt as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He offered his hand to the earl, at which he was pulled into a rough embrace. The man strode back to the breakfast room, James in tow. The other men looked up from their plates, puzzlement clear on their faces.

“It seems, gentlemen,” Catherine’s father boomed, “I’m soon to have another son.”

Paul grinned. Chester and Geoffrey blinked. James breathed a sigh of relief.

James left his breakfast untouched and hurried up the stairs to Catherine’s chamber. He rapped on the door, stepping impatiently from one foot to the other. Catherine opened her door and gave him a secret smile. As he opened his mouth to speak, Elizabeth walked out of her guestroom next door. With a swish, Catherine closed her door as James turned on his heel to face her sister.

“Lord Roberts!” Elizabeth said in surprise. “I thought you would have joined the gentlemen on their hunt this morning.”

“Good morning, Elizabeth. I most certainly will be joining the men. I . . . I forgot something in my room.”

Elizabeth nodded and headed down the hall to the grand staircase. James let out a breath and turned just as Catherine opened her door once more.

“James, what are you doing here?”

She gasped as he swept into the room and closed the door. He leaned against the door and studied her for a moment. Her hair was upswept in a simple style, glossy curls teasing her cheeks. She wore a day dress of violet, the color lovely against her skin.

Catherine’s brow furrowed as she looked down and brushed her hands over her skirt. “What is it?”

“You’re so beautiful, Catherine.” He grabbed her and held her to him, raining kisses on her face until she laughed. “And you’re mine.”

“What—” she said, out of breath. “What do you mean?”

He set her down, his hands still on her waist. “You’re my bride. Your father has given me your hand.”

“Oh, James!” she happily exclaimed.

She caught his enthusiasm and threw her arms around him. James hugged her, breathing in her intoxicating scent. “Of course,” he whispered, nibbling on her ear. “I’ll have the rest of you, as well.”

“Mmm.” She leaned her head to the side. “All of me.”

James pulled back and stared at her. “Catherine, I . . . I care for you very much.”

“Thank you,” she said softly, reaching up to touch his face. “I’m so happy.”

He flashed her a smile and hugged her once more. At last he released her. “I must go join the others, love.” He was pleased to see a flash of disappointment in her eyes. “I will, however, take tea with you this afternoon.”

Catherine smiled then, clasping her hands. “Do you think Father will announce our engagement then?”

James nodded. He gave her a sweet kiss and left to join the gentlemen in time to follow them out to the stables.

“Son,” Catherine’s father said to James as they rode out. “I must say you took me completely by surprise. I didn’t realize you had feelings for my oldest girl.”

“It happened rather suddenly, sir.”

Paul snorted, drawing James and the earl’s attention.

“Was there something you wished to say, Leed?” James asked.

“Quite suddenly indeed, Roberts,” Paul said. “I believe it was precisely upon our return from the hunt yesterday.”

“Never mind,” James said.

The gentlemen’s attentions soon turned to the pleasant task at hand, enjoying each other’s company and the glorious fall morning.

*     *     *

Catherine served herself from the sideboard and sat at the table in the breakfast room. Did James feel more for her than he said? The look in his beautiful gray eyes had been most tender. He cared for her. It would have to suffice.

“I nearly bumped into Lord Roberts this morning, Catherine,” Elizabeth said as she entered the room. “He looked frightfully handsome in his hunting clothes.”

“Indeed,” Catherine agreed, sipping her tea.

Elizabeth blinked. “You saw him, as well?”

Catherine opened her mouth to respond, stopping herself at the last moment. If she were to tell Elizabeth about James’s proposal and her acceptance, the news would travel through the manor in mere moments.

“Yes,” she said at last. “I saw him.”

Elizabeth sighed. “I do wish there were more young men here visiting.”

Catherine set her cup down and fixed a look of curiosity on her sister. “Why do you say that?”

Elizabeth shrugged. “I’m nearly eighteen, Catherine. By the time you were my age, you were betrothed and jilted.” Elizabeth’s mouth was an O of surprise. “I didn’t intend that the way it sounded, Catherine!”

“Don’t fret so, Elizabeth,” Catherine soothed. “I daresay future mention of my failed wedding will cause me no more discomfort.”

Elizabeth let out an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Thank goodness I’ll no longer have to school my words.”

“Yes,” Catherine said drily, sipping from her cup once more. “You did do an admirable job of it.”

Elizabeth nodded and turned her attention back to her plate as Catherine hid her smile.

That afternoon, as Catherine went up to her guestroom to ready herself for tea, she was waylaid in the hall by her father. Lord Talbot’s big frame nearly filled the passageway.

She blinked up at him in surprise. “Hello, Father.”

“Daughter,” he said in his deep voice, “I’d like a word with you.”

Catherine nodded, unable to keep the smile off her face. Would he now speak of James’s offer? The earl waved her ahead of him and followed her into her chamber. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at her father expectantly.

“Catherine,” he began, his hands behind his back. “I believe you well know what this is regarding.”

She gave a small nod.

The Earl of Talbot returned the gesture. “Roberts spoke to me this morning, daughter. I’ve agreed to give him your hand in marriage.”

“I know,” she said. “James told me so.”

“Did he now? You seem pleased by all of this.”

She smiled her agreement to that assessment.

“You’re receptive to the match, I take it?”

“Oh, yes!” She calmed herself. “I—I’m very fond of him, Father.”

“As he is of you, my dear,” the man said. “That much was evident to me. I believe you’ve made an excellent match.”

Catherine stood and hugged her father.

“I’m pleased to see you happy again.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked down at her. “So you see now, Catherine? That nasty business with Waltham was for the best.”

“I think so too, Father,” she said with a sigh. “I believe James and I will be very happy.”

He studied her a bit longer, obvious moisture gathering in his eyes, then nodded. “I’ll make the announcement over tea, daughter.”

“Thank you so much, Father.”

He hugged her once more and left her to her preparations. She quickly changed into a tea gown of pale blue and ran her fingers through the curls framing her face. As she pulled her door open, she nearly ran into James where he stood, poised to knock on the wood panel.

“James!” She gasped. “You keep surprising me.”

“Well, you better get used to me. You’ll be seeing a lot more of me from now on,” he said with a wicked grin.

Her cheeks flamed.

James smiled down at her. “I thought to escort you to tea, Catherine.”

Catherine beamed a smile at him and placed her hand on his arm. As they descended the staircase, she watched him out of the corner of her eye. He’d changed as well, and now wore a dark blue jacket over gray breeches. He’d washed after the hunt, but Catherine could still detect the scent of the outdoors on him. Mmm, that scent had been so delectable yesterday. She sighed, drawing his attention.

“What is it, love?” James asked.

“I can scarcely believe I’m betrothed to the most charming man I’ve ever known.”

He leaned closer. “That man is very pleased with his choice, as well.” They reached the bottom of the stairs. “Yes, very pleased, indeed. Why, only last evening—”

“James!”

“You’re so pretty when you blush, Catherine.”

She couldn’t help herself and her cheeks flushed hotter. Chuckling, James led her into the great room.

As anticipated, Catherine’s father announced their engagement over tea. Catherine found herself enveloped in warm embraces from the ladies present. The surprise on Elizabeth’s face was comical. Her big grin was proof, however, that she was very pleased with her sister’s news.

“Dinner tonight shall be in the couple’s honor,” Paul announced.

“I believe I can express my betrothed’s thanks as well as my own,” James said.

Catherine nodded, then soon found herself drawn into the ladies’ conversations while the gentlemen monopolized James’ attention.

James did manage, however, to catch her eye one time. He slowly winked, causing Catherine to flush. She saw the glint in his eye and felt deliciously warm. Michelle’s voice dragged her attention back to the discussion of dresses and flowers and the like.

Dinner was a loud, boisterous affair. Catherine sat beside James, who fairly beamed as the congratulations of the afternoon were repeated. After the meal was concluded, the sexes separated as usual. Catherine wondered if they would once again meet in the courtyard, but it seemed James was waylaid by her brother. He cast a look of regret over his shoulder, which Catherine caught and returned. By the time the gentlemen joined the ladies in the parlor, any chance for a secret meeting had passed.

*     *     *

Much later, after most of the guests had retired to their chambers, James couldn’t get the image of his beautiful bride out of his head. He would stop by her room this evening to wish her good night. He pictured her in one of her delicate nightgowns and knew that he’d be hard-pressed to leave her alone. Perhaps he shouldn’t go to her room. Her pleasured cries of last night echoed through his mind. To hell with that!

He made his way down the hallway to Catherine’s guestroom, glancing back over his shoulder. He turned just as he reached her door and stopped dead in his tracks.

“Going somewhere, Roberts?” Paul drawled. He leaned against the wall beside Catherine’s door, his arms crossed in front of him.

James swore softly. “Good evening, Leed. I was merely coming to wish Catherine a good night.”

Paul nodded and rapped his knuckles on the door.

“Yes?” Catherine said breathlessly from behind the wood panel, excitement clear in her voice.

James smiled at the sound and opened his mouth to respond.

Her brother held up a hand to still him. “Catherine.”

A gasp was heard from within, followed by a long pause. “Yes, Paul?”

Paul stared at James, a crooked smile on his face. “Roberts wishes to bid you good night.”

“Oh, I um . . . Good night, James.”

James fixed a scowl at his friend and turned to the door. “Good night, Catherine.”

Paul arched a brow at him. “Was there something else, Roberts?”

Her brother was obviously going to stand there until James was well away from her room. With a sigh of irritation, James turned on his heel and returned to his chamber.

In his guestroom James removed his jacket and threw it on the bed in a fit of pique. Laughter suddenly burst out of him. He should be grateful to Paul for keeping him from Catherine this evening. No doubt he’d have been unable to keep his hands off her. Any chance of taking a virgin bride would have surely been dashed. Shaking his head at the absolute absurdity of his situation, he readied for bed. He stretched out on the bed and let his mind work.

Lord, he wanted Catherine. His thoughts went back to last night, to their encounter in her chamber. No other woman responded to him the way she did. Her heat had stunned him. The memories flashing through his mind fueled his anticipation of their wedding night, of her spread beneath him, of her heat holding his cock as tightly as it had his fingers. He closed his eyes with a groan and sought to block that provocative image from his mind. It proved impossible. He knew with absolute certainty that it would be a long time before sleep claimed him that night.

“Ah, hell.”

He punched his pillow and waited for his discomfort to ease enough to let him get to sleep.

*     *     *

Inside her chamber Catherine breathed a sigh, one mixed with relief and regret. What if James had gotten to her room first? What would Paul have done then?

She shook her head. It was a good thing James hadn’t come into her room. Although if he had, he no doubt would have performed more of those delicious deeds upon her person. Catherine flushed at that. No matter. She and James were to be married, and shouldn’t she want her husband to please her? She wished to please him, although she didn’t know how to go about it. Perhaps her groom would be obliged to instruct her. She fairly tingled as she imagined what were certain to be the most delightful lessons she’d ever known.

She climbed into her bed and closed her eyes, her handsome groom clear in her mind.

*     *     *

James left for Bradford Hall early the next morning, wishing to give his father the news of his betrothal directly. He found the man ensconced in the parlor, in front of a glowing fire in deference to the autumn afternoon’s chill.

“Hello, Father,” James said in greeting.