Read Online Bexley-Smythe Quintet 02 - Rhyme and Reason by Catherine Gayle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Catherine Gayle
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some reaction.
It didn’t make any sense.
“Of course,” Thomas said, but he didn’t sound as though he was convinced. A moment later, he smiled. “But enough about my low birth and your ne’er-do-well brother. Tell me, do you ride?”
The change in subject couldn’t have been more welcome.
“Papa insisted all his daughters must ride,” Mattie said on a laugh. “Though I fear I’m the worst of the lot of us. When I was eight years old, my horse was startled and threw me. I wasn’t injured, thank goodness, but it certainly scared me. Since then, I’ve always been a bit nervous around them.”
Thomas rubbed the pad of his thumb over her palm, leaving a trail of goose flesh in its wake. “You need a calm horse, then. I have one I’d like to try you with.”
“You’re certain there would be no cause for worry?”
Was he moving closer to her? Mattie thought he was, but she was feeling heady from the way he’d been holding her hand, and she wasn’t entirely certain she was right.
“As long as I’m with you, you’ll have no more need to worry over anything,” he said.
She was fairly positive he wasn’t talking about horses any longer. She was absolutely certain that he was right—and that was a realization which left her halfway breathless and fully confused about what she wanted.
Only this morning, she’d still bee n certain she wanted Sir Lester, because even if she didn’t quite love him, at least she knew him. Somewhat. But now, with Thomas so close to her and his absolute sincerity, and the way she felt cherished and cared for and protected…
Her whole body was trembling for some reason. “Thomas, I…”
Before she determined just what, precisely, she’d intended to say, he’d lowered his head and his lips were pressing against hers. They were soft, firm, warm…wonderful. She gasped when his hands both came up to cup her chin and cheeks, holding her in place yet almost cradling her.
His lips moved against hers tenderly , and she shivered from head to toe from the sensations fluttering through her body. Then he moved his hands behind her back, drawing her closer and encircling her in his strength and warmth; the flutters intensified, but she could no longer shiver even if she’d tried.
When he pulled away, Mattie realized she’d been touching his jaw much as she’d done when she saw her own blood upon it when they first met.
“I shouldn’t have done that.” Thomas’s voice sounded strangely gruff. “That was not—I’m sorry.”
She wasn’t sorry he’d kissed her, which was a startling revelation. As a matter of fact, she wished he hadn’t stopped, or that he would kiss her again.
A clatter sounded in the corridor just outside the drawing room, and they both jumped, putting a respectable distance between them once more.
“Oh, dear.” Bea’s voice rang out clearly, as though she was nearly shouting. “I am so terribly clumsy. My apologies, Sadler.”
Only moments later, she returned to the drawing room and took her seat again, politely ignoring the abashed expression Mattie knew she must bear.
Now what was she to do?
As he walked home after spending a too-brief time with Mattie, Thomas had to wonder what had come over him. He truly was coming to care for her, and he’d been attracted to her since the very first moment he’d seen her. Yet she still hadn’t agreed to marry him. He should never have taken the liberties he had.
He couldn’t very well change anything about what he’d done, though, so there was no point in dwelling on it overlong.
Besides, Thomas was powerless to stop himself from dwelling on certain other things…specifically, what she’d revealed about her brother. She seemed certain that Hammond had nothing to do with Lord Stalbridge and his debts.
He was certain of the very opposite.
Hammond was known to gamble frequently. It was only one of his many vices.
Was a gambling debt the reason for the baronet’s interest in Mattie? Her
It didn’t make any sense.
“Of course,” Thomas said, but he didn’t sound as though he was convinced. A moment later, he smiled. “But enough about my low birth and your ne’er-do-well brother. Tell me, do you ride?”
The change in subject couldn’t have been more welcome.
“Papa insisted all his daughters must ride,” Mattie said on a laugh. “Though I fear I’m the worst of the lot of us. When I was eight years old, my horse was startled and threw me. I wasn’t injured, thank goodness, but it certainly scared me. Since then, I’ve always been a bit nervous around them.”
Thomas rubbed the pad of his thumb over her palm, leaving a trail of goose flesh in its wake. “You need a calm horse, then. I have one I’d like to try you with.”
“You’re certain there would be no cause for worry?”
Was he moving closer to her? Mattie thought he was, but she was feeling heady from the way he’d been holding her hand, and she wasn’t entirely certain she was right.
“As long as I’m with you, you’ll have no more need to worry over anything,” he said.
She was fairly positive he wasn’t talking about horses any longer. She was absolutely certain that he was right—and that was a realization which left her halfway breathless and fully confused about what she wanted.
Only this morning, she’d still bee n certain she wanted Sir Lester, because even if she didn’t quite love him, at least she knew him. Somewhat. But now, with Thomas so close to her and his absolute sincerity, and the way she felt cherished and cared for and protected…
Her whole body was trembling for some reason. “Thomas, I…”
Before she determined just what, precisely, she’d intended to say, he’d lowered his head and his lips were pressing against hers. They were soft, firm, warm…wonderful. She gasped when his hands both came up to cup her chin and cheeks, holding her in place yet almost cradling her.
His lips moved against hers tenderly , and she shivered from head to toe from the sensations fluttering through her body. Then he moved his hands behind her back, drawing her closer and encircling her in his strength and warmth; the flutters intensified, but she could no longer shiver even if she’d tried.
When he pulled away, Mattie realized she’d been touching his jaw much as she’d done when she saw her own blood upon it when they first met.
“I shouldn’t have done that.” Thomas’s voice sounded strangely gruff. “That was not—I’m sorry.”
She wasn’t sorry he’d kissed her, which was a startling revelation. As a matter of fact, she wished he hadn’t stopped, or that he would kiss her again.
A clatter sounded in the corridor just outside the drawing room, and they both jumped, putting a respectable distance between them once more.
“Oh, dear.” Bea’s voice rang out clearly, as though she was nearly shouting. “I am so terribly clumsy. My apologies, Sadler.”
Only moments later, she returned to the drawing room and took her seat again, politely ignoring the abashed expression Mattie knew she must bear.
Now what was she to do?
As he walked home after spending a too-brief time with Mattie, Thomas had to wonder what had come over him. He truly was coming to care for her, and he’d been attracted to her since the very first moment he’d seen her. Yet she still hadn’t agreed to marry him. He should never have taken the liberties he had.
He couldn’t very well change anything about what he’d done, though, so there was no point in dwelling on it overlong.
Besides, Thomas was powerless to stop himself from dwelling on certain other things…specifically, what she’d revealed about her brother. She seemed certain that Hammond had nothing to do with Lord Stalbridge and his debts.
He was certain of the very opposite.
Hammond was known to gamble frequently. It was only one of his many vices.
Was a gambling debt the reason for the baronet’s interest in Mattie? Her
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