“He only needs something to occupy his mind. Leaving a lively child to the care of a couple of elderly spinsters is bound to lead to trouble. I liked him.”
“Oh.” That was interesting.
“Why not give him tutors? Send him to school? Eton would knock him into shape,” she said.
“Because I never imagined he would ever inherit. I always planned to marry and have sons of my own,” he said tersely.
“And now that is to be my duty. How lovely for me.”
“A child or two is not too great an imposition for a wife, surely? I would make no other demands on you.”
She nodded pensively, and he could see that she was, for perhaps the first time, seriously considering it. Time, perhaps, to press home his advantage.
“At least with me you would have something you would never get from Ulric,” he said softly, moving a little closer.
“What is that?” Her voice was low, too, picking up his mood. That was encouraging!
“Gentleness,” he said, reaching one hand to her. “Tenderness. Affection.” As soft as a butterfly wing, he ran one finger down her smooth cheek. Then, brushing aside the heavy curls that fell onto her forehead, he stroked her eyebrows and then all the way down to her chin.
He took another step nearer, but she made no move to back away from him, standing stock still as he reached now with both hands to cup her face. Her lips parted, and astonishingly she closed her eyes, lifting her face a little in invitation.
Slowly, so slowly, he lowered his face until he was only an inch away from her, his lips hovering close to hers. He could feel her warmth, smell the perfume she used, hear her rapid breath. He was breathing heavily himself. So close! He could almost hear his own heart pounding, the blood rushing in his ears. How was it that no other women had ever stirred him in this way? Thecream of London society left him unmoved, but this strange chit of a girl had him all of a quiver. He must have her, he must!
Yet she trembled in his hands like a baby bird. Was this the moment where he scared her away altogether?
But he could not have drawn back at that point, not even if Captain Edgerton had held a pistol to his head. He wanted this so badly he could not help himself.
His lips touched hers, and it was as if a fire shot through him. He wanted nothing so much as to pull her tight into his arms and kiss her until she swooned at his feet, but he dared not. He must not scare her away! It was the lightest, most delicate of kisses, and she returned it in the same gentle way, making no resistance. It was glorious.
When, at last, they separated, she tipped her head to one side. “Why did you do that?”
“Because I wanted to,” he said with a spurt of laughter. “And to show you what you will never get from Ulric.”
“But I can get kisses from Tom,” she said, flashing a smile at him.
Tom Shapman again! When would she forget about him? How could she even think about him, after the moment they had just shared? In sudden anger, he shot back, “You will never marry Tom Shapman!”
“If I get my fortune—”
“No. He is engaged to a poultry maid on Gowland’s Farm.”
He regretted it as soon as the words were out of his mouth. It was not for him to tell her, after all. Still, he supposed it was not so bad. She had to know some time, after all.
Her eyes were huge in her face. “I do not believe you.”
“It is the truth. He has been courting her for three years. That is where he was on the night your father was murdered, so he knows he will never hang. Gowland and his family will vouchfor him. You dazzled him, certainly, but he has never loved you, Tess.”
The grief on her face tore at his heart. “I do not believe you,” she said again, but the words were barely above a whisper, and her eyes filled with tears. “No. It is not true. Itcannotbe true.”
Then she turned and fled, tears spilling unchecked down her cheeks.
Nothing was left for Edward to do but to kick the fire irons savagely and curse his stupidity.
***
Tess sent Harold out first thing to secure a post chaise and four, but he returned, dispirited, an hour later.
“No one has anything for hire, Miss Tess,” he said glumly.
