Brandt couldn’t stop himself from drawing closer to her. He put his hands around her delicate waist. “You ask the impossible when I have thought of nothing else but you since you sent me away.”
“It’s for the best,” she said firmly.
“And yet,” he said softly, “while I hear the words from your lovely lips, your body tells me something else entirely.”
In reply, she exhaled sharply, as if trying to gain control of her senses. He didn’t allow her enough time to recover, before he was kissing her and scrambling them even more.
At first, he kept the embrace gentle. It was important that he gain her trust. Once she started to relax, the muscles in her shoulders releasing, he undid her cloak, allowing it to fall to the ground, and then he deepened the kiss until his own head was swimming with the potency of it.
She reached up and touched the side of his face, along his jawline, and he groaned. Tearing himself away from her, he set his forehead on hers. “I wish we could be alone.”
As if snapping out of a haze, she blinked rapidly and said abruptly, “I have to go.”
She reached down and grabbed her discarded cloak and turned, making it halfway across the gardens before he quite knew what was happening.
“Ada, wait!” he called out to her, but it was no use. She didn’t hesitate with a single step that took her closer to the house. By the time he caught up to her, she was offering her farewells to his parents.
“Thank you so much for having me, Lord and Lady Effington. I shall not forget your kindness.” She addressed his mother. “Nor your willingness to ensure that any damage the Manor might suffer is minimal. We appreciate your consideration.”
“Of course, Mrs. Givens. It was a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for seeing to my son’s safety last evening.”
She flicked a glance at Brandt, just enough to be polite, and walked out the door, while he prayed it wasn’t out of his life.
When she was gone, his mother turned to him. “Are you sure that is your choice?” She wore a concerned expression on her face. “Not only is there a decided difference in your age, but she may not ever be able to give you a son.”
“That doesn’t matter to me. Nathaniel has already taken care of the duty of carrying on the family line, and I have Arabella. That is enough.” He glanced in the direction Ada had gone. “I will have enough of a trial convincing her to choose me.”
His mother nodded with a murmur. “Not only does she seem very strong willed, but after such a remarkable tragedy, you will have to be patient when it comes to winning her heart. It would make anyone reluctant to embark on a new affair.”
“I will not give up my pursuit.” He looked at her with determination strengthening his resolve. “I shall not, because not only is she what I’ve been searching for, but I have the feeling I am what she needs as well.”
Chapter 6
Ada clenched her hands in her lap as she returned to the Manor. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back against the cushions and tried to pretend that her time with Mr. Clarke—Brandt—meant nothing. She had nearly convinced herself that the butterflies swarming in her stomach had to do with indigestion, rather than the effect of being near him. She had walked through the door with a sense of confidence that she was there to defend the Manor at any cost. She was making a grand sacrifice for the club.
She gave a snort of disgust. She hadn’t hardly spared a single thought for the Manor all through dinner. She had been distracted by Mr. Clarke’s keen observation. He was the reason she’d been able to speak so openly about a subject that was so painful around people she had just met. He made her forget herself, and that was dangerous. She couldn’t let her guard down, because that was when accidents happened. If she wasn’t careful, that was how she would find herself truly alone.
She released a long, slow breath and told herself that, as soon as she returned, the careful cloak she had placed around herself would, once again, be firmly in place.
For the week following her vow, Ada had kept her resolve in place. She was proud of herself for limiting her daydreams regarding Mr. Clarke until the dead of night. Then, when she was all alone, she could fantasize about his hands on her body, his lips caressing her skin.
Although she shouldn’t be surprised that he had withdrawn his suit so quickly, since he had seemed so adamant about his pursuit, she was grateful that she had been given a reprieve.
When her time to reside as caretaker of the Manor came to a close, she made sure that her bags were packed and ready when the carriage came to collect her. Mrs. Grant had arrived to see her off. She clasped her hands warmly in hers. “If it hadn’t been for your quick thinking, I shudder to think of what might have become of the club. Thankfully, you addressed the scandal with the decorum I have come to expect of you.” Her expression turned grim. “I only regret that we had to withdraw Mrs. Hines’ membership in light of the circumstances.”
Ada waved a hand. “Maggie and I have been friends for as long as I can remember, but even I admit that she went too far.” She sighed heavily. “The truth is, we have been going down separate paths for some time now. As a widow, she has chosen to seek out adventure, whereas I prefer solace.” She smiled. “I shouldn’t worry overmuch about her. She wrote to me this week and it appears that she is already engaged in a new friendship in London. She plans to call on me when I return with the hope that I shall forgive her temporary lapse in judgment.”
Mrs. Grant inclined her head. “I would be lying if I said we all haven’t made a few missteps. The object is to learn where we detoured and try not to repeat the same errors.”
Ada nodded. “How very correct you are,” she murmured. Standing there speaking of Maggie, Ada had never felt like more of a hypocrite. Maggie had placed an advertisement meant to liven up the household, while Ada had followed through with a night of seduction.
Yes, she was quite the model of propriety.
If she was a stronger woman, Ada might have confessed her sins and resigned from the club, but since it was all she had, she hadn’t found the courage to do so. She almost dreaded going back to her lonely townhouse in London these days. She had considered requesting a meeting with the council about staying at the Manor on a full-time basis, as either the caretaker, or a permanent resident. No doubt it would cost her more than the current membership fee, but it would be worth it if she could have someplace to call home that didn’t feel so… empty.
She read on the way back to London, and when she was deposited at her residence, she stared at the stone stairs as if they were the steps leading to the gallows. She should be happy to be back. It was where all of her belongings were. But each time she returned became more difficult, because nothing held any meaning for her. The furniture and decor were material possessions and nothing more. The gowns in her wardrobe were outdated, and it wasn’t as if she cared about returning to polite society, especially since she had decided she would not remarry.
She laid a hand on the banister and slowly trailed the smooth surface to the top of the stairs. Since Archie’s death she had retained a small staff. The cook and housekeeper were the only ones who remained in residence. They were older sisters, and they found that running a fulltime household was much too difficult for them, but their current status had suited both of them as well as Ada. The maids and footmen were temporary, as Ada generally hired from an employment agency when she was in residence.
