Early rays of sunshine warmed Mary’s skin as she strolled through the garden with Viscount Belgrave the following day. She’d been planning a visit to the library, but her aunt had intervened, suggesting that spending time with his lordship would be of far greater value.
“But I shall be joining him for a picnic later,” Mary had protested, to which her aunt had replied, “The more time you spend in each other’s company, the more chance there is of him making an offer.”
Deciding not to argue with her aunt’s logic, Mary had done as she had asked.
“My lady?”
Mary blinked, startled by the insistence of Lord Belgrave’s voice and realizing they’d come to a halt. Turning her head, she noticed that his eyebrows were raised in question. He was a handsome man, no doubt about that, but looks did not a love match make. More was required for that. “Yes?” she inquired.
It was his turn to blink. “You seemed very deep in thought just now. I wonder if you heard any part of what I was saying.” She stared back at him until he eventually said, “About my decision to extend one of the parlors at Belgrave House and turn it into a conservatory?”
Knitting her brow, she bit her lip and shook her head. “Please forgive me, my lord. I believe I must have been woolgathering.” When a perplexed expression crossed his face, indicating that he’d likely spoken on the matter at great length, she added, “Though I am sure it would be a wonderful improvement to your home.”
Expelling a deep, dissatisfied breath, Belgrave resumed walking, guiding Mary toward the shade of an elm tree and a bench that stood beneath it. He waited for her to sit before allowing himself to claim the vacant spot next to her. A true gentleman in every sense of the word. More so than Richard, who’d held her shockingly close while his lips...
“May I ask what it is that has you so distracted?” Belgrave asked, forcing Mary’s attention back to him once more. “If you are concerned about something, I would be happy to offer advice. As a friend, of course.”
She smiled up at him. “That is very kind of you, but I can assure you that nothing is troubling me.”
Stretching out his legs, he crossed them, drawing attention to his perfectly polished boots. “Well, whatever it is,” he said with a slight tilt of his lips, “it does appear as though you are more interested init...” he paused for a moment as if considering something, then added, “orhim... than you are in me.”
Shocked by his statement, Mary turned so abruptly toward him that she almost toppled backward onto the grass behind her. Belgrave’s steady hand stayed her. “I beg your pardon?” she couldn’t help but ask.
He chuckled slightly. No hint of annoyance. “I see now that I am correct. Someone else is preoccupying your mind, which makes me wonder why you are not keeping his company instead of mine. After all, you are an exceedingly lovely woman, Lady Mary. A man would be mad not to have some interest.”
“I... thank you, my lord.” What was she to say without lying? “You have been exceptionally kind and I can only hope that you can forgive me for not paying greater attention to you. I fear I have been unconscionably rude.”
“It is quite all right.” Briefly, he gazed up at the leaves rustling overhead before looking back at her. “If I were to hazard a guess, your aunt is eager to see you married and has insisted that you become better acquainted with the gentlemen visiting Thorncliff.”
“How did you know?” Mary asked, embarrassed that he’d discovered that she’d practically been pushed at him against her will.
He shrugged. “It is the way of things. People like us do not expect to make a love match. When the Spencers introduced us, I was just happy to discover that you are a beautiful person, both inside and out.”
Glancing up at him, she saw his gentleness reflected in his eyes. “You give the very best compliments, my lord, but you cannot honestly claim to have known me long enough to make such an assessment of my character.”
Allowing a smile, he reached for her hand, raised it to his lips and placed a tender kiss upon her knuckles. “A woman who laughs and smiles as much as you do, cannot be anything but beautiful and kind.” He leaned back, allowing her to mull over his words a moment before saying, “Does this man whom you like reciprocate your sentiments?”
A flush of heat rose to Mary’s cheeks. “I do believe that you are being entirely too curious about my personal affairs, Lord Belgrave.”
He nodded at that. “Forgive me, but since I do enjoy a fair amount of gossip myself, I—”
Her eyes went wide. “You do?”
“Certainly.”
“But you are a man!”
His mouth contorted into something ridiculously strange until he suddenly, quite unexpectedly, burst out laughing. “And what?” he asked when he’d gotten himself back under some measure of control. “Men cannot enjoy listening to news of scandalous behavior?”
“There is nothing scandalous about my behavior!” Not entirely true, she realized, once the words were out.
“I see.” He turned more fully toward her and looked her straight in the eye. “Is he married?”
Her jaw dropped. “What? No! Of course not.”
“Then he must be someone whom your aunt would not approve of. It is the only logical explanation for why you are not withhiminstead of me.”
Mary didn’t respond. It had taken him all but two conversations to figure her out, and all because she kept on getting distracted by thoughts of Richard. Lord help her, she’d barely slept a wink last night after they’d parted, continuously going over the time they’d spent together in the cave. He’d heard her sing. Had actually liked it! And then of course there was his embrace and the maddening way in which her body had responded. She’d never felt like that before, and had been completely taken unawares by the sudden need for him to touch her in the most shocking ways possible.
