What is he…what am I…?
As if propelled by a will of its own, her hand reached forward to rest lightly on his upturned palm. Her heart was in her throat as he ran his thumb over the back of her fingers, then bent forward to graze her knuckle with the lightest touch of his lips. Then, he turned her hand over as if to admire the softest part of her wrist.
No. Surely, he won’t…
A slurry of sensations and half-thoughts engulfed her as he tenderly kissed the spot where her pulse was racing. As he straightened up slowly, his gaze was ardent.
Is it possible hedoeslove me?Belinda marveled, the damp spot on her wrist attesting to the notion.He must — he is no rake, used to taking liberties. Of that, I am sure.
Thrilled in a way she had never felt in all of her twenty years, she wished that Mr Alwyn would speak plainly. He did then open his mouth, but a faint sound of disgust was all that she heard.
It came from across the room.
Turning, Belinda saw her youngest brother standing on the staircase, his little, freckled face crinkled in distaste at the scene before him.
“Ah, Bertie.” Mr Alwyn let go of Belinda’s hand and got to his feet. “I was just making my goodbyes to your sister. Allow me to bid you farewell, as well.”
He extended his hand to the boy.
Eyeing it with suspicion, Bertie shook his head, but as he caught sight of the plate of ginger knots, he was down the last few stairs in a flash to scoop up a handful. Stuffing a whole biscuit into his mouth as he went out of the front door, he called over his shoulder, “Bye, Doctor. Thanks for fixin’ Mamma.”
With the door left open behind him, unexpected sunshine spilled in onto the floor.
As Belinda’s hand still tingled from Mr Alwyn’s kisses, she wondered,What was he about to say when Bertie burst in?
But it seemed her family would not let the mystery be solved as now her mother was standing in the kitchen doorway, clearing her throat.
“Are you still here, Dr Alwyn? I thought you had urgent matters calling you back to London. You may go now.”
Her face flinty, she limped over to a chair and sat down. Lifting a pair of knitting needles from a basket at her feet, she began to clack them together in resentful industry.
Bowing to each of the women, Mr Alwyn murmured a final farewell and retrieved his hat, but he shot Lindy a meaningful look before stepping outside.
Ignoring her mother’s indignantHmph!at the door clicking shut, Belinda bolted up the stairs to peer through the wavy glass of her bedroom window. Seeing the mystifying man mount his horse, she wanted to call out and insist he come back inside. But she swallowed the cries like scalding broth, and watched as Mr Alwyn rode off down the high street.
He will return,her heart whispered. He must.
The Crux Resolved
THAT WENT well, did it not?
Alwyn trotted away from Trippingham, feeling the sun on his shoulders though his coat cuffs were still damp with the morning’s mist.
I’ve never heard her snort before.He laughed aloud, delighted that it was his own wit that had jarred her out of her lady-likeness.How happy I would be to hear that morning, noon and night!
And then, what was even more pleasant…
His heart thumped at the recollection of Miss Everson’s cool fingertips resting on his palm. He had meant to kiss her once, a charming fare-thee-well on her knuckle. But as he admired her willowy hand, his lips had been viscerally drawn to her satiny wrist.He swallowed remembering the gasp that had escaped her lips.
Arousal is only natural. Were it not, the human race would run to extinction,he reminded himself as he reached the road back to London, then shook his head to redirect his thoughts.She seemed to understand that I intend to court her once I am able to before Bertie came in and ruined it all!
He chuckled, recalling how clearly repulsed the little boy had been by the scene he had stumbled upon.
And her mother! She nearly chased me out of the door! Yet by then, the crux of the matter had been resolved.
Hadn’t it?
Well, over the next few weeks, I will ride out to call upon her whenever I can. Surely that will prove my intentions.
