Scarlett’s brown eyes rounded at his quick approach and even more hurried address.Her stepmother, whose eyes had been riveted on her younger daughter’s displacement, whipped around toward him.
On the one hand, it appeared his luck had run out.Most eyes of the little set had fallen on him.
On the other, Malcolm reasoned, it made it very difficult for Scarlett to refuse.
“Thank you,” she said coldly.“But I need no support.My mother would welcome it, however.”
Malcolm swore internally.She was rejecting him—but for a sensible, irrefutable reason.She couldn’t very well take his arm when her mother stood there unattended.Mrs.Perkins had no gentleman to guide her and, unlike the young ladies, the older woman, who he understood was often infirm, very well might actually need the support over the rocky terrain.He wondered, in fact, why the woman walked at all.
He cast about him for an alternative, but Philip had already claimed Miss Jones.The only man free was Mr.Marburry, and Malcolm couldn’t well incite him to offer his arm to Mrs.Perkins when he knew him so little.
He was about to submit himself with resignation, when, to his surprise, George spoke.
“Please, Mrs.Perkins, let me,” he said.“It would be my honor.Surely, Mr.Marburry, you could accompany Miss Wallington?”
Malcolm felt gratitude toward George, so keen and deep that it was a touch humiliating.
“Oh, Mr.Salisbury,” Mrs.Perkins said, nearly blushing.“You needn’t.”
“It is my pleasure,” George said.“Please, Malcolm, accompany Miss Perkins.”
Scarlett could not refuse him now, and he held out his arm.She took it.
He tried not to breathe in her citrus scent and failed.It made a terrible warmth spread through his chest.
Then they were off.First, they walked pretty much in line with the others, especially George and Mrs.Perkins, but after only two hundred yards, the group spread out at different paces.Mrs.Perkins and George dropped behind, for the older woman moved slowly, and George, with his foot, was little faster.Up ahead, the young people bounded along in the fine summer weather.
Malcolm kept their pace steady, not wanting to catch up with the others.He knew there was no risk of being overtaken by Mrs.Perkins and George.
Scarlett, however, tried to speed forward.It took some effort to keep his pace slower than hers.Finally, when they were good and well alone, he had resolved to speak—but she drew her hand out of his with a sigh.
“Why are you walking so slowly!Surely you cannot want to prolong this infernal interlude!”
His ire rose at her tone.Here he was, attempting to do the right thing by this woman, and she would hardly let him.
“Why you would ask to escort me, I have no notion,” she continued.“As if last night weren’t bad enough.”
“I need to speak with youaboutlast night, Miss Perkins.Thatis why I asked to escort you.”
“What more could there be to say on such a subject?”
She kept her face averted from him.But he could see that her cheeks were slightly flushed from the exertion of the walk and the warm air around them.Or perhaps their topic of conversation.Regardless he couldn’t help but think she looked lovely in the mild summer weather.
God, he was a fool.“It has occurred to me,” he hissed, using a tone that, he was aware, was not far off from Maven Larchman’s to Philip earlier, “that in our shock over last night’s… mishap that we neglected to think of… the consequences.”
“Dear God, we should be thankful, Mr.Brown, that there won’t be anyconsequences.No one knows, and no onewillever know.”
“On that we can agree.But I fear a different kind of consequence.”
He realized, with horror, that he had not considered how to raise such a topic with her.He didn’t want to get into specifics, that was for sure.She was an unmarried woman, however, and might not understand such mechanics.She may be confused.He couldn’t imagine speaking to her about the details of seed and quim.
“Whatever you have to say, Mr.Brown, I implore you to say it.I am not enjoying being kept in suspense.”
“Whatifyougetwithchild?”he blurted out.
“Excuse me?”
His face heated and he felt that he must be the greatest fool who had ever lived.“With child,” he managed.“What if you get with child?”
