“This is a kitchen. The Duke of Torrance’s enormous space with an oven and cabinetry on three walls—”
“The way you sound, the way you breathe, you’re an instrument, a magnificent harp that my fingers must possess.”
I eased to the wall with spices, my slippers stepping into the spilled flour he’d swept into a pile. “Look at these jars. He could have apothecaries train here.”
“I hear you in my bed, singing my name as I love you. I want that. Don’t run from us, Georgie.”
His words silenced my ramble. Mark said he wished to love me.
He came closer. “Please don’t run because I am not going to run. I have no more notes. Where they should be is your laugh or the sound of you saying my name. Even how you ask questions spins in my mind every waking minute and more when I drift to sleep.”
Mark took me again in his arms and he held me. With brow against mine, he said, “Georgie, will you be my world. You are my every obsession, true and lovely. I need you to be mine.”
This time when he kissed me, I melted against him. His arms held me safely and securely. His mouth sculpted mine, guiding my response, showing me how to relax and breathe.
He was passion and fire.
And I loved him.
A noise in the hall made me push him away. “We can’t keep doing this. His Grace’s housekeeper and butler both acquiesced to my using the kitchen. If I’m caught—”
“In the throes of passion with your fiancé, would that be wrong?”
Climbing up the short ladder, I wiped up the last of the spilled flour from the wall of jars. “It’s a game, remember.”
“That kiss was no game. My confession is true.”
“None of this can be true. It’s what we agreed.”
“We can un-agree.”
“Mark, that’s not a word.”
He came to the ladder and put his hands out to steady it. “What if we turned our false secret courtship into a true one? Come down, Georgie.”
It was safer up here. I couldn’t be weak and make a mistake that would ruin me and my sisters.
“Then I will wait for you to come down, Sweet Georgie.”
My music teacher stayed at the bottom of the ladder with arms stretched wide to teach me about love or being in love.
Yet, I already knew.
I saw what it did to Katherine, and I felt the ruining of the duke by the loss of love.
Though I was sure I did love Mark and I knew I liked the way it felt to be kissed by him, I wasn’t going to be left devastated by love. I wasn’t a gambler. I couldn’t risk the misery of a broken heart.
“Please come down.” His hand was on my ankle, by the lace of my chemise. His finger heated through my stockings.
I jumped from the ladder.
He took my hand and steadied me. “Why are you frightened by me, Georgie?”
“I’m not frightened by you but by what this means. Mark, what are you asking me?”
“You’re a gentlewoman. I am a gentleman. Let’s be engaged. Let’s love.”
“And then what, Mark?”
