Yet he had dismissed all of that and had asked her anyway, both when he thought her a governess and now. As far as he was concerned, he had redeemed his more dishonorable notions.
“At least say you won’t dismiss my suit out of hand. Let me stay here a while, and we can learn more about one another.”
Suddenly, her gorgeous smile appeared, and his heart beat faster.
“It is one of the benefits of being not only a widow but, for all intents, an orphan as well. I can do as I like.”
“And youlikeme.” Adam put his arm around her slender shoulders and pulled her against him. “Do you not, my lady?”
“Indeed, I do.”
Chapter Fifteen
Alice could not have imagined any such situation as the one she now found herself in. A single lady living with a bachelor in a grand yet dilapidated house.
Not to mention in extremely immoral circumstances.
If anyone ever found out the unusual arrangement, even a letter of recommendation from the Archbishop of Westminster himself could not save her reputation.
At first, she was determined to keep Adam from returning to her bed. However, he was such a rum duke of a man and, as she’d discovered, so charming, he was irresistible. It was much more than that, however she hated to examine the way he had taken up residence in her heart. That was too terrifying.
They spent their days working on small projects no one else wanted to tackle, silly things like pruning the rose bushes and fixing the garden trellis. When they took a break, it was so she could show him more of her beloved library. They ate with the others, played card games and riddles in the dining room since it was the only one with enough chairs, and then retired to their separate rooms.
After the first night, though, Adam crept to her door when the house was quiet, having learned the way in the dark.
With no maid to disturb them in the morning by opening curtains and bringing tea, Alice didn’t worry they would be discovered. Thus, when he fell asleep in her bed after swiving, she allowed him to stay. Eventually, when they did awaken with the sun, she sent him back to his own room.
Nearly a fortnight went by with the same behavior. Her heart was full of joy because of him, and she wished they could remain hidden in Caversham. However, due to his serious expression one sunny day when he was observing her shelling peas for Mrs. Georgie on the veranda, she knew.
“Something is wrong,” she said.
As if they were married, he leaned in and dropped a kiss upon her lips before picking a fresh raw pea from the bowl and popping it into his mouth.
“Not exactly. But I shall have to return to London soon.”
Her heart fell. Her stomach seemed to drop with it. Before him, for two years, she had been used to a life of solitude, teaching the Beasley girls and expecting nothing else but her books and the occasional free concert in the park.
Now, however, she had let herself grow used to Adam’s company. His tender lovemaking, his wicked humor, his beloved eyes.
She swallowed the lump of sadness, recalling how his life and the promise of a sweet future was ahead of him. And hers was lost in the mire of the past when she’d made more than one mistake.
“Come with me, Alice. Marry me. You know how I feel. We are perfect together.”
Her hands started to shake as she lowered the bowl to her lap. Tears blurred her vision.
For a second, she let herself think about being his wife. But only for a second. As soon as she was recognized as the former Lady Fairclough, too many questions would be asked. Richard’sbrother would once again take up his former hostile threats and his unreasonable demands for money.
How could she drag Adam into any of that?She couldn’t, not when she loved him beyond measure.
Moreover, if she tried to explain her reluctance, tell him of her feelings, he would demand to know everything. He would want to know why the woman who had given away her heart wouldn’t give him her hand as well. And when she disclosed the entire ugly truth, then she would see the respect and admiration leach from his gaze.
Alice couldn’t bear to have him look at her with disdain.
Better to send him on his way, back to his upstanding family and his untarnished life in London.So why was she selfishly taking the hand he held out to her?
Adam drew her to her feet, and the bowl fell to the floor, scattering the peas.
Mrs. Georgie would be annoyed.
