“I wanted to disappear. The last thing I want is for this to jeopardize Mary’s chances of happiness. She has been through so much, and she and Lord Blackwood make such a happy couple. I would die if I thought that anything I did ruined her chances.” Charlotte leaned forward. Desperation tinged her eyes.
They shone, and her face suddenly became inviting. Without quite understanding why, Nathaniel rose and moved toward her. She followed him with her gaze until he was towering above her. Her lips were slightly parted, almost as though she were ready to kiss him again.
He breathed deeply and leaned down. The air around Charlotte was scented sweetly, as though she carried nature’s aroma wherever she went. Her skin glowed in candlelight. The intimacy of that corridor was recreated.
“And the solution that came to your mind was to give me something precious. A kiss.” His voice barely rose above a whisper. Charlotte blinked quickly. Her chest rose and fell with deep exhalations. He noticed her hands, her auburn hair; he noticed every part of her, drinking her in with a wide gaze.
He could feel a strange pull toward her, as though the world was twisting around and bringing them together. It was the same sensation when he had strong brandy or champagne.
“Should I be flattered? Because I am a little.” The words were dangerous, and once they were spoken, he could not take them back.
But he didn’t want to take them back.
All his life, he had been restrained, his soul shackled, his heart bound to duty above all else. Then, this reckless, intoxicating woman had come into his life and kissed him, shaking him to his core. After all this puzzling, the answer was that it was an accident.
It was almost ludicrous.
It was almost romantic.
It was almost happening again.
He stared at her lips. Her eyes widened in response to his words, and a soft breath rippled out. His hand started to rise, but stopped just short of cupping her cheek. For all the power that was pulling him toward her, he was still Nathaniel Blackwood, Duke of Winthrop.
He was still the Iron Duke.
And he was to meet his intended bride the following day.
He cleared his throat, summoning all his willpower to tear himself away. He staggered back, putting more distance between them. He breathed deeply, trying to fight against the intoxicating sensations that swirled in his mind.
He placed his hand on his chair for balance. He stared at the candle for a moment, unwilling to look at Charlotte again until he had gathered himself. When he did so, he almost lost himself again in her liquid eyes, her ethereal form, her everything.
A moment of weakness almost made him crumble.
“Forgive me, I… the late hour is getting the best of me. Rest assured, Lady Charlotte, I shall not use this as a cause to interfere with my brother’s wedding. As far as I am concerned, there was no scandal. As you said, it was an accident.”
The words tumbled out of his mouth, unlike his usual concise cadence. He even forgot his book as he staggered away, placing a hand against his head. He was hot under the collar and needed some air. He almost knocked a number of shelves over before he emerged from the library.
Then, he breathed deeply and pressed his back against the wall. He loosened his shirt and wiped beads of sweat from his forehead.
What had she done to him?
Chapter Eighteen
“Ido adore dinner parties. It reminds me of the balls Baron Yester used to host. Oh, those were wonderful times! Just wonderful! Even now, they bring a smile to my face, although it does make me wonder what happened to them all.” Agatha sighed, the smile fading from her face quickly.
She regarded Charlotte and Lydia with a soft look, one that was filled with emotion.
“You two don’t know how fortunate you are. To possess youth is the greatest gift in the world and one that is not appreciated enough by those who have it,” Agatha continued, making a point of looking down her nose at the two younger women.
“I shall endeavor to make the most of it, Grandmother,” Lydia said, smiling as brightly as the necklace that adorned her throat. Agatha approached Lydia and kissed her on both cheeks.
“You are a vision of beauty, young Lydia, as always. You remind me of your mother in her heyday. She turned many heads. Both of you remind me of her.” Agatha then turned her attention to Charlotte, letting go of one of Lydia’s hands and taking one of Charlotte’s.
“I wasn’t aware that Mother enjoyed dinner parties and balls. I thought she and Father liked their research,” Charlotte said.
Agatha gave Charlotte a knowing smile.
“They both understood that there is more to life than research. The people you meet now will be with you for the rest of their lives. They are the people you will turn to in times of celebration and strife. The best thing you can do in the world is make friends. It makes everything better,” she said.
