How dare he be so kind? So thoughtful? How dare he understand her insecurities better than her entire family?
“Will you miss it?” she asked.
She had no idea where that came from. She was sure it was the most insensitive thing she had ever asked. But suddenly it seemed important. He was not having to upend only her life, after all, with his inheritance. And she suspected his answer would tell her more about him than anything she’d seen or heard so far.
Besides, his revelations had exposed her far too much. She needed a diversion from the raw emotions that roiled in her chest.
Oddly he didn’t seem to think she was too forward. “The military?” He nodded. “I will. I know it sounds odd, but there is so much in that life that is satisfying. The camaraderie, the action, the sense of accomplishment.” He shrugged, as if he realized he might have said more than he’d intended. “The satisfaction of training a great horse.”
“The horses your family breeds.”
He nodded. “Prime hunters and chargers. As I said before, when my father died my sister and her husband took over. They’re quite a pair for breeding them. All I must do is ride them.”
She nodded and took a considered look at her hands. “Would you be willing to speak to Geoffrey about that life?”
He frowned. “I will not glamorize it.”
She sighed in relief. “Exactly what I had hoped. Geoffrey is like most little boys. He only sees the adventure. He has no idea of the cost.”
“Nor should he. He’s a gruesome little beast, isn’t he? Wanted me to tell him of the Forlorn Hope.”
She scowled. “I told him you would not have participated. I’m correct, aren’t I?”
“You are. Thank all the heavenly hosts. Cavalry charges were quite enough to disorder my nerves.”
She was nodding in commiseration when a jaw-cracking yawn caught her by surprise. “Oh. Excuse me. I usually behave better than this.”
Instead of answering he simply changed seats and tucked himself in next to her. Too close. Georgie caught herself just shy of jumping up. Getting away. At least changing seats to escape the inevitable hum of attraction. The melting, seething energy that pulsed off him that was far too compelling.
But that energy was simply too delicious to escape. She wanted to snuggle up to it like a fire on a raw autumn afternoon.
His smile was oddly gentle as he laid his arm over her shoulder and drew her close. “Shhhh. I have no designs on your person other than to let you rest. Wouldn’t you like to relax for just a few minutes? Surely your back is aching from keeping it so rigid.”
She sputtered at him. “Don’t be absurd. I told you. I’m fine.”
But she couldn’t quite move herself to throw his arm off or push away from his shoulder where he urged her to rest her head.
“Of course, you are,” he said. “You’re always fine. But for this little time when nobody can see you but me, why don’t you allow yourself to be tired? Why don’t you let someone else take care of you for once?”
If he thought that should soften her up, he was quite mistaken. All it did was stiffen her spine even further. “Don’t be absurd.”
He used his other hand to tuck her hair behind her ear. “You said that already. What is absurd about wanting to offer my wife a bit of comfort?”
“You’ll expect me to get used to it. And then you’ll leave.”
For a moment he didn’t answer. But he didn’t let her go either, and his arm, lying so comfortably over her shoulder was soothing in a way she couldn’t define. He was casually strokingher arm with those long, elegant fingers, and suddenly she could hear Grandmama’s voice in her head. “...a good man will see to your pleasure with his hands and mouth and oh, especially his arms, which can hold you up when you feel you have nothing left in you.”
It wasn’t fair. She couldn’t allow herself to fall prey to his casual comfort when it couldn’t last. She was so very tired of being yanked back and forth for other people’s convenience.
“You’re right,” he finally acknowledged, pulling her just a little closer. “I’m afraid I will leave. But I will always come back.”
She turned her head to meet him eye-to-eye. “Is that a promise you can make?”
He didn’t smile. “The war is over. The worst danger I shall be in at the embassy is from French chefs and the Beau’s temper. But I’ve never known him to toss a subordinate off a balcony. Now, lay your head back and rest a bit.”
She wasn’t quite ready. And they had just turned in through iron gates. “We’re going into Richmond Park. Isn’t that the wrong way?”
This time he did smile and stroke a finger down her cheek. “I might have told John Coachman to take us around the park a few times.”
