Page 46 of The Marquess’s Forbidden Bride

Claire laughed. ‘I’ll expect some impropriety, or you will be wasting an opportunity!’

An hour later, wrapped in her cloak, Emma walked with Charles down garden paths under the flickering light of the flambeaux. ‘I feel like I’ve been given permission by my governess to walk here and must be on my best behaviour.’

He laughed. ‘I won’t attempt to ravish you in my friends’ garden. Claire—to whom I confided not just the details of my elevation, but also the story of the animosity between your family and Strattons—understands how difficult it is for us to find time alone and wanted to give us this opportunity. You did like her and Hart, didn’t you?’

‘Oh, yes! Both are delightful. I feared I’d be intimidated by Claire’s experience and competence, but she made me feel so welcome. Hart is quite unlike any other peer I’ve met, so amusing and intelligent! I can see why you became such good friends, especially after having assured each other’s survival.’

‘He’s just as he was on campaign—witty, clever, extremely competent and with a sharp sense of what is required in any situation. I can count on his help now and at Season’s end.’

His mention of the Season’s end caused a pang. Once they left London, she would not see him for a long time, probably not until the following spring. Due to the unusual circumstances of the Strattons’ animosity, Sarah had permitted her to send him notes so they might avoid meeting, with its potential for unpleasantness. She wasn’t sure she would be allowed to write when there was no longer a need to avoid that.

‘We can’t be absent for long, alas. We’d best use the time Claire allowed us to compare social engagements for the next few days, so we don’t attend any of the same ones.’

‘Must we continue that charade? I thought we’d agreed that, once you’d met my friends, we’d take our friendship back into the open.’

He’d not yet been presented in the Lords, Emma knew. And since he’d left London for a week, he couldn’t have attended many social events where he was hailed as the marquess. Which meant he’d not been accorded enough public recognition yet, Emma calculated, to have sufficiently worn off the Stratton family’s shock about his elevation.

‘Let’s delay just a bit longer. Give the Strattons a little more time to…accustom themselves.’

‘If you insist,’ he said on a sigh. ‘Though you tempt me to retrieve my sabre and chase them out of London so we may dispense with this nonsense. But do forgive me! I don’t mean to make light of your apprehensions.’

‘No offence taken,’ she assured him with perfect truth.

After spending a few minutes comparing their social calendars, Emma sighed. ‘I haven’t yet convinced Sarah to let me avoid balls altogether, though I wish I could. In addition to having a new group of fortune hunters to avoid, Aldersby is becoming more persistent. Rumour whispers that gaming debts are stripping his resources bare. I’d hoped Sarah would be able to host a dinner for us soon, but Englemere’s government associates have them tangled up in Parliamentary engagements for the next two weeks.’

Charles echoed her sigh. ‘That’s unfortunate. Hart confided that Claire is increasing again. He’s insisting she limit her engagements, as she tires easily. I don’t foresee any smaller affairs where we might meet in the immediate future. I don’t want to wait more than two weeks to see you again! Can we chance another garden rendezvous?’

‘It’s probably not wise to return to Kew. A notice in the paper said Sir Joseph Banks will be showing off its newest acquisitions to members of the Horticultural Society over the next two weeks. Some are high-placed peers, so there’s no predicting who we might encounter. But I’ve been planting some of Johnson’s newest rose varieties in the garden of one of Sarah’s friends. I might be able to arrange for us to meet there.’

She paused, anxious to delicately pose the question of most concern to her. ‘Are matters going better with the Stratton family?’

‘I avoid Lady Routham, who, damn her eyes, continues to hang on her mother’s sleeve, as if afraid I might do that lady an injury if she left her alone with me.’ He laughed shortly. ‘Although, no doubt to demonstrate family solidarity, I’ve actually been bid by Lady Richland to escort her to several recent balls.’

‘Ah, surely that is progress!’

‘One would hope. However, after paying respects to my hostess, I hurry off with the speed of a hare pursued by a fox to find Lady Jersey or one of her friends. Lady Routham persists in bringing over “candidates”, but Lady Jersey’s brigade is effective in discouraging them. Still, I’m weary of sneaking about in this distasteful way. Aren’t you?’

‘I suppose we could consider it exciting—clandestine meetings to exchange notes, being kept apart like some latter-day Romeo and Juliet. But I agree, it is more ridiculous than romantic. This is not Renaissance Italy, after all. I will be relieved to finally dispense with subterfuge.’ Once your blasted relations accept you openly. ‘We can forego the Shakespearean poison and death scenes.’

He chuckled. ‘So…do I hear another bargain which should be sealed?’

Sensual awareness throbbed within her as he drew closer. ‘I believe you do.’

‘Ah, praise Heaven!’ With that, he drew her into the deep shadows of the overhanging trees and kissed her.

She leaned into him willingly, eager for the once-shocking but now-familiar and oh-so-delicious press of his lips on hers. Trusting him to let her taste pleasure without letting intimacy progress too far.

The stroke of his tongue seeking entry and the crescendo of sensations as their tongues tangled, sent waves of tingling awareness through her body, from lips to fingertips to toes, while a heated throbbing began at her centre. Cloaked in darkness, secure in the knowledge that here, in this place, they were safe, she revelled in his kiss.

At length he stepped back, holding her at arm’s length. ‘Ah, what you tempt me to! But I mustn’t trespass on my friends’ hospitality—or your indulgence—any further.’

‘I know it’s only wise to stop. But I would go on and on!’ She sighed. ‘Perhaps if we saw each other more often, the bargain-sealing wouldn’t be as…intense?’

Charles broke into a laugh. ‘Oh, my little innocent! Seeing you more often would only make more intense the temptation to kiss you frequently! It would make less intense the longing to spend time with you. The desire to be of use to you.’

‘As my protector?’

‘Yes. I should very much like to keep any and all marriage-minded gentlemen from pestering you.’