“Trust me,” Kingston replied, his voice steady. “I understand your motives perfectly.” Oakley only cared about Jaclyn when it suited him.
As Oakley turned to leave, Kingston stood in the middle of the room, his heart heavy with the weight of everything unspoken between him and Jaclyn. He had no intention of letting her go—he had to make her see that. But Oakley’s interference was just one more complication in what had already become a tangled mess of emotions, misunderstandings, and desires.
He couldn’t lose her. Not when he had only just begun to understand how much she meant to him, and he would do whatever it took to prove that to her. She had thought he didn’t truly want her. That his feelings for her were not true. That was why she had left him alone in the library.
Perhaps he should visit her in her bedchamber. It was time to prove to her that he would not let her go. That she belonged with him, and only him. If he had to seduce her in order to keep her with him, well, then so be it. He would have to be careful in his seduction and not just because she had been so sick recently.
Oakley was on the prowl. If he caught Kingston in Jaclyn’s bedchamber it would all be over before it truly had a chance to begin. He would have to wait a little bit longer and then he would go to her. It could no longer wait.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. If he had to, he would convince her to leave Easton Abbey with him. If Oakley insisted on taking her home, it might be the only thing he could do to keep her with him. But he had to be careful. He had to make his next move count. The time for playing games was over. The only question now was whether Jaclyn would choose him when he offered her everything.
Slowly, Kingston left the library and headed upstairs. He stopped outside her bedchamber and considered knocking, going inside, but decided against it. Instead, he would return to his own room and make plans. He hoped it would not come to it, but he had to be prepared for the possibility of making a mad dash with Jaclyn to Scotland. It had worked for his friends, and he was not against eloping if he needed to. He just hoped it would not become a necessity.
With a final glance at the door to Jaclyn’s chambers, he steeled himself. He would bide his time—wait until Oakley was distracted, and then make his move. If Oakley insisted on taking her away, Kingston would not hesitate to do whatever it took to keep her by his side. The time for waiting was over. It was time for action. If Jaclyn wanted him to prove that he needed her and would never let her go, then so be it. Kingston was ready to prove how much she meant to him.
Jaclyn stood alone in the library, the quiet hush of the early morning settling around her like a blanket. The book of sonnets was heavy in her hands as she slowly walked over to the shelf, fingers trailing across the spines of other volumes as she replaced it in its proper place. The motion, so simple, should have been an easy task, yet it was made difficult by the storm of thoughts and emotions swirling inside her.
She couldn’t stop thinking of the kiss. The kiss that had been so unexpected, so thrilling, it lingered on her lips long after it had ended. She reached up absentmindedly, her fingers grazing her lips, almost as though she could still feel the warmth of his mouth on hers. The soft pressure, the sweet intensity of it—it all came flooding back with a rush. She felt a warmth spread through her, all the way to the tips of her fingers, at the thought of Kingston.
She had tried to convince herself that she should forget all about it… forget him… That it was a moment of weakness on both of their parts. He had not truly wanted her. Hadn’t he told her that as much as he wanted to never let her go, he had to? That she was too ill for anything to truly begin with them? Still, deep down, she couldn’t shake the longing, the wish that he might kiss her again. But such thoughts were foolish. He was the Duke of Amberwood, a man of reputation, and she... she was nothing to him. She was his temporary amusement, nothing more. A kiss meant little to a rogue like him. Especially with a woman that had a tainted past like she did.
“Jaclyn?”
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her brother’s voice, and she turned to find Lord Oakley stepping into the room, his eyes narrowing slightly as he regarded her. His gaze flickered briefly to her lips, and Jaclyn’s heart skipped a beat. Was it possible he had noticed something? She couldn’t meet his eyes for long.
“I saw you leaving the library last night,” Oakley remarked, his voice almost casual, but with an edge of suspicion. “Is there something I should know?”
Jaclyn quickly replaced the book back on the shelf, avoiding his gaze as she did. "It was late," she said softly, giving nothing away. "I could not sleep and decided to find a book to help me find some rest."
Oakley didn't look convinced, his eyes narrowing further. He took a few steps closer, his presence suddenly filling the room, making it feel smaller, more oppressive. "I find it odd that you were alone in here so late, especially with the Duke of Amberwood in the house."
Jaclyn’s breath caught, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her heart racing. "What are you implying?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. Surely, he had not seen her with Kingston. They had been so engrossed with each other they would not have noticed Oakley slip into the room with them. Had her brother witnessed that kiss? Did he know that Kingston had stolen not one, but two kisses from her the night before? What would he do? Surely, he would not challenge the duke to another duel over her. She prayed he wouldn’t…
His gaze was sharp, watching her intently, as though waiting for any sign of weakness. "I saw you leave the library, Jaclyn. You can hardly expect me to believe that you and Kingston were simply discussing literary aspirations." He had seen something… Barrett would not make those accusations lightly. What he had discovered though she did not know. She would have to tread carefully and not tell him something that he had not been privy to.
A flush rose to her cheeks, and she knew her brother had caught her off guard. He had always been perceptive, but his accusations stung, and she could feel her composure slipping away. “Whatever you believed happen. You’re wrong,” Jaclyn replied quickly, trying to steady herself. “You always believe the worst and I am the one that pays for your presumptions. Don’t be a fool like you were at Vauxhall. We do not need another unnecessary duel that only ruins my reputation further.”
Oakley’s lips pressed into a thin line. “You were alone with him. You admit it then?” He took a step closer to her. “He was in the library with you.”
She didn’t have an answer for him. Instead, she stood there, silent, her hands trembling slightly as they clutched the edge of the bookshelf. Sometimes she hated her brother. If she admitted to being alone with Kingston, he would do something they both would regret. At least this time something had happened between her and the duke. They had kissed. It had been a wonderful, world altering kiss. Kingston might not think it was all that, but for Jaclyn it had been. She would not have her brother ruin something so precious to her. But she did not know what to say to make him let it go.
Oakley’s tone turned darker, more determined. “I’m having your things packed and prepared. We are leaving today.” She opened her mouth to protest but he held up his hand before she could utter a word. “I am traveling over to Havenwood to talk with the headmistress. When I return be prepared to depart immediately.”
Jaclyn’s breath hitched, the weight of his words hitting her like a physical blow. “Leaving?” she repeated, barely able to form the question. “You cannot be serious.”
“Yes,” he said, his voice steady. “I am very serious. I’ll make arrangements for the carriage. You’re coming back home with me. I don’t believe for a moment that you’re too ill to travel if you can have midnight assignations with your would-be lover.”
Jaclyn’s heart sank. She wanted to scream, to tell him it wasn’t what he thought. But what could she say? The kiss had been everything, and nothing, all at once. Kingston had kissed her, yes, but there was nothing more to it. Nothing he would ever let her have. Still, she couldn’t deny that a part of her wanted more. But she could never let Barrett know that. He would ensure that Kingston would pay for having the audacity to kiss Jaclyn.
“I am not going anywhere with you,” she said, her voice low but firm. “You don’t understand. You can’t.”
Her brother’s jaw tightened, his eyes flashing with frustration. “I understand perfectly. I will not stand by while you—” He stopped himself, shaking his head in exasperation. “You will return with me, Jaclyn. You have no choice in the matter.”
“I’ll make my own choice,” she said, her voice trembling but firm, her heart pounding as she glared at her brother. “I will not let you control me like this.”
Oakley’s face hardened, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—something that hinted at a deeper pain. “Do not force my hand,” he warned, his tone deadly serious. “I will not see you ruined further, Jaclyn. Not for a man like the Duke of Amberwood.”
Jaclyn knew that look. She knew her brother better than anyone else. And she knew there would be no convincing him otherwise. But she would fight him every step of the way. Because for the first time in her life, she wanted to make her own decisions—especially when it came to the man she had kissed, the man who haunted her thoughts, the man she couldn’t let go of. Kingston held her heart and she would not let him go so easily.
