“It will probably be easier to keep clean without the runner, and since this is to be a school and not a house, I do not believe there is a need for one either. But that is not what I wish to discuss at the moment.” She hurried on through to the ballroom, leaving him to follow in her wake if he wished. Or not to, as she hoped. He chose to follow. “Amelia. Can we please—”
“The windows are being nicely prepared.” Crossing to where a couple of laborers were repairing the window ledge with a fresh layer of brick, she addressed them with a smile. “I see you have removed all the wood casing that was here before.”
“It was either burned or rotted, me lady,” one of the men said as he smoothed out a blob of cement. “No need to worry though—this’ll be good an’ ready by the time the new windows arrive.”
Thanking him, she hurried onward before Coventry had a chance to stop her. “Watch your step,” she said. “There are some gaps in the floor here.” It looked as though all of the damaged planks had been removed in the dining room. Fresh ones sat in one corner, ready to be put into place.
“Can you please stop?” Coventry’s voice hinted at severe exasperation. “We need to talk about last night, Amelia.”
“I do not wish to.”
“That much is obvious,” he grumbled.
She reached the dining-room door, hoping to escape on through to the hallway beyond and continue from there to some other part of the house. But he’d apparently had enough of the chase and reached out to grab her wrist. A gasp escaped her as he pulled her back straight into him, his other arm circling her waist and holding her close while his breath warmed the side of her neck.
“Release me.” They were in a house full of other people for heaven’s sake. Anyone could walk in on them at any moment and minimize her chance of avoiding marriage. “This isn’t proper.”
“Neither was last night,” he murmured, his voice a low vibration that skittered through her and tickled her senses. “You did not seem to mind my closeness then.”
“That was different.” Heavens, she sounded so breathless, and she felt... she felt as though she might melt right here in his arms.
“How?”
Closing her eyes, she did her best to gather her thoughts. He’d made no promise of marriage until they’d been caught. He had not spoken of love or even of affection. Desire was what drove him, but that would not be enough to last her a lifetime.
You can have what you’ve wanted for so very long.
Don’t throw it away.
She forced a good deal of steel into her bones and, pulling away, she turned to face him. “The cover of darkness prompted me to be reckless, but it was a mistake. The kisses we have shared, both last night and before, were mistakes.”
He frowned at that. “Are you certain?”
“Absolutely.”
“And there is nothing I can say to dissuade you?”
“No.” She crossed her arms for good measure.
His eyes held hers. “That is a pity.” Without elaborating further, he strode around her and exited the room.
It was her turn to follow. “What do you mean by that?”
He shrugged. “I thought you would make an excellent mother for Jeremy. He likes you a great deal.”
That he would sink so low as to use an innocent child as a bargaining tool... Still... “I like him a lot too, but I cannot allow myself to consider marriage on that basis alone.” They’d reached the foyer where Heather stood waiting.
“Then explain it to me. Tell me what you need me to do, and I will see to it immediately.” His expression had turned rather desperate. “Christ, woman.” He looked about ready to give her a good shake. “Do you not see that your entire family’s reputation hinges on us doing the right thing now?”
She stared at him, the last hope of a happy resolution to this problem crumbling. “And therein lies the problem.” She turned away from him and headed for the door before he could see the emotion that stung her eyes. “Come along, Heather.”
“You have to accept the consequences of our actions,” he called after her, prompting her to swing back around and glare at him.
“No, I do not. As long as I quit Town for a while, I have no doubt that everything will be fine. My siblings and I have survived worse than the gossip a private conversation with you at Vauxhall Garden might cause.”
“It was more than a conversation, Amelia.”
“Nobody knows that yet. But if we marry, they most certainly will.” She was trembling now with the anger and hurt he was causing. “The matter is closed. I will not discuss it any further, and right now, all I want to do is to return home. Will you please escort me?”
