Page 44 of The Lady’s Great Escape

She took the last bite of biscuit and savored the sweetness on her tongue, even while feeling the familiar bitterness of betrayal in her heart. Men weren’t to be trusted. Even dashing men with smiles filled with kindness who shared their biscuits.

Her resolve was tested over the next month as she and Kit met regularly—sometimes after breakfast in her rooms and other times at his home for tea. They spent most evenings at some society entertainment sharing looks and smiles from across the room.

“If you keep looking at me like that, I will sweep you from the room and take you to some dark corner of the gardens,” he threatened during a waltz.

“Oh, please do,” she whispered.

They’d missed their normal meeting that day and it felt like it had been weeks since she’d last felt him inside her instead of just the day before.

“Minx. Meet me on the terrace after the next dance.”

When their dance was over, she obliged Mr. Daniels with a dance. He was a kind older man who put her in mind of Arthur.

She let a sad smile pull up her lips at the memory of her husband. She’d thought being forced to marry him would be the worst thing to ever happen to her. But he’d allowed her the freedom she cherished and wanted only a companion in return.

Had he known what a kindness he was doing when he offered for her? Had he intentionally saved her from a worse fate with another man?

He’d paid off her father’s debts and helped get the properties set right without an unkind word. He had saved her life.

When Kit had not.

Blinking away the unhappy thought, she curtsied to her dance partner before skirting around the edge of the room to sneak out through the doors to the terrace.

But she was stopped by a most unpleasant distraction.

“Lord Hamlin,” Celia greeted the slimy cretin who stood in her way.

“I was hoping to speak to you,” he said, though he looked less than sincere. “Neither of us want to go through with bringing our family matters before the House of Lords. I know I would rather save you the embarrassment as my grandfather would have preferred.”

Celia said nothing. This man was a serpent. His willingness to be decent could only mean he couldn’t wait that long for the money and planned to go about it another way. Knowing she was safe from his plans to prove her a virgin, Celia simply tilted her head to the side and waited for him to reveal his new strategy.

“We both know the truth. There’s no chance the man was able to consummate the marriage. That being said, if you would simply surrender but half of your settlement, we could both go forward as family. I think that is more than fair.”

Fair? How could he think that fair?

“I must refuse your offer. As you’ve said, I don’t wish to go through such a ridiculous ordeal as an examination forced upon me by the lords, but I assure you, sir, your grandfather wanted me to have that settlement as his wife.”

“You have dispatched with your maidenhead,” he spat. “Know this. Whomever has touched the likes of you will surely speak of it. This isn’t over.”

She glanced around to see only a few people staring in her direction. She didn’t know if they could have heard the words as he’d all but hissed his threats at her. But she couldn’t be worried over it. Not when she had somewhere else to be.

On the terrace there were a few people caught up in their own conversations, so it was easy for Celia to skip down the steps and rush toward the gardens.

A warm hand touched her upper arm and, even in the darkness, she knew it was Kit.

She relaxed into his hold and let him lead her into the privacy of a high hedge.

“What took you so long?” he asked.

“Nothing important,” she said, wanting to forget about Edward.

“We must be quiet,” she said as he pulled up her skirts.

“Me? I’m not the one we should be worried about. I can be subdued when the occasion calls for it. It’s you who cannot help but shout my name when you reach your pleasure.”

She wanted to argue, but he was right.

“Very well, then let’s at least be quick about it so our absence is not noticed.”