they were secluded, and she was left to stare at his back, wondering at this strange, beautiful man. She had never dared hope for this. He was magnificent.
When he turned to look at her, she jumped in surprise. He chuckled, running his eyes slowly over her. When they met eyes again, his were sparked with mischief. “Well, tell me then, is my intended going to give me a bony ride or will I be lost in mounds of fat?”
“My lord?”
“Is she too fat or too thin?”
“Why...neither, my lord.”
“Come now, I know you’re loyal, most servant girls are. But I would know my fate. Is she terribly ugly?”
Chelynne lifted her chin a notch. “I’ve heard some say she is beautiful.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” he said as if doubting it heartily. “Whatever young gallant is seeking her dowry would find her a handsome pet. But what do you think of her? The truth now. Is she at least bearable to look upon?”
“My lord, I know of no gallant to speak of my lady and I think her fair of face.”
“And her figure?”
Chelynne blushed. Her whole being seemed to burn with embarrassment. But she could see that what the earl said was true. He was not eager for his bride. “Much as my own. In truth we are the same size.”
“That I cannot believe,” he huffed. “If she has a body like yours, she must have the face of a mule.”
“My lord!”
“My lord, my lord...My name is Chadwick Hawthorne and while we are alone in the country and forced to ride one horse home, you may call me Chad. Your name?”
“Che...Charla.” She looked away nervously.
“Does something trouble you, my dear?” She lowered her eyes and pinkened a little bit more. “Well, you’re the finest thing that’s come of this wedding thus far. Will you be staying with your lady?”
“Until she dies, my lord,” she murmured.
“She must have a great deal of confidence to dangle you before my eyes.” He reclined on the earth, his head braced on his hand, and studied her leisurely. His gray eyes smoked over with a warm and liquid darkness. She looked into them then and saw a tenderness that she loved at once. It was at that moment that her head began to swell with dreams of what would come to pass between them. She had already fallen in love with him.
“You are not eager for your bride?” she asked softly.
“Hell, why should I be?”
“She brings a dowry...”
“That I could have bargained for without the promise of marriage. I would gladly have changed gold for the land and left her more fixed for other proposals. How many nobles want property in Jamaica? Many want gold.”
“You do not wish to marry?”
“Not under the circumstances,” he muttered.
“Whatever could be as serious as that?” she asked innocently.
“Oh no, my little lamb,” he laughed. “You’ll not wheedle my life’s story out of me. Your lady would hear about it straightaway.” He reached out and crushed the silky softness of her hair in one hand. “I would much prefer a wife of my own choice, that is all.”
“Mayhaps when you meet her you will find she is your choice.”
“Life is never so kind as that, sweetheart,” he said hoarsely. “Yet I think for once fate has dealt me a gift in lieu of the usual blow. I had not hoped she would bring such a lovely maiden with her.”
“You flatter—”
“I don’t flatter...ever. I’m sure you’ve been told often enough how beautiful you are. It is a simple fact. I’ll not mind looking at you too much.”
“You would be a bold husband for any woman,” she whispered.
“I’m afraid, darling, that I wouldn’t be much of a husband for any woman at this time in my life. Just the same, a satisfactory lover.”
“My lord, you take too much liberty...”
She lowered her eyes, for his stare seemed to penetrate her very soul. When she dared to look at him again he was watching her still, his eyes dark, smoky and filled with lust. She couldn’t seem to escape them and she was falling, helplessly. She
When he turned to look at her, she jumped in surprise. He chuckled, running his eyes slowly over her. When they met eyes again, his were sparked with mischief. “Well, tell me then, is my intended going to give me a bony ride or will I be lost in mounds of fat?”
“My lord?”
“Is she too fat or too thin?”
“Why...neither, my lord.”
“Come now, I know you’re loyal, most servant girls are. But I would know my fate. Is she terribly ugly?”
Chelynne lifted her chin a notch. “I’ve heard some say she is beautiful.”
“Oh, I’m sure,” he said as if doubting it heartily. “Whatever young gallant is seeking her dowry would find her a handsome pet. But what do you think of her? The truth now. Is she at least bearable to look upon?”
“My lord, I know of no gallant to speak of my lady and I think her fair of face.”
“And her figure?”
Chelynne blushed. Her whole being seemed to burn with embarrassment. But she could see that what the earl said was true. He was not eager for his bride. “Much as my own. In truth we are the same size.”
“That I cannot believe,” he huffed. “If she has a body like yours, she must have the face of a mule.”
“My lord!”
“My lord, my lord...My name is Chadwick Hawthorne and while we are alone in the country and forced to ride one horse home, you may call me Chad. Your name?”
“Che...Charla.” She looked away nervously.
“Does something trouble you, my dear?” She lowered her eyes and pinkened a little bit more. “Well, you’re the finest thing that’s come of this wedding thus far. Will you be staying with your lady?”
“Until she dies, my lord,” she murmured.
“She must have a great deal of confidence to dangle you before my eyes.” He reclined on the earth, his head braced on his hand, and studied her leisurely. His gray eyes smoked over with a warm and liquid darkness. She looked into them then and saw a tenderness that she loved at once. It was at that moment that her head began to swell with dreams of what would come to pass between them. She had already fallen in love with him.
“You are not eager for your bride?” she asked softly.
“Hell, why should I be?”
“She brings a dowry...”
“That I could have bargained for without the promise of marriage. I would gladly have changed gold for the land and left her more fixed for other proposals. How many nobles want property in Jamaica? Many want gold.”
“You do not wish to marry?”
“Not under the circumstances,” he muttered.
“Whatever could be as serious as that?” she asked innocently.
“Oh no, my little lamb,” he laughed. “You’ll not wheedle my life’s story out of me. Your lady would hear about it straightaway.” He reached out and crushed the silky softness of her hair in one hand. “I would much prefer a wife of my own choice, that is all.”
“Mayhaps when you meet her you will find she is your choice.”
“Life is never so kind as that, sweetheart,” he said hoarsely. “Yet I think for once fate has dealt me a gift in lieu of the usual blow. I had not hoped she would bring such a lovely maiden with her.”
“You flatter—”
“I don’t flatter...ever. I’m sure you’ve been told often enough how beautiful you are. It is a simple fact. I’ll not mind looking at you too much.”
“You would be a bold husband for any woman,” she whispered.
“I’m afraid, darling, that I wouldn’t be much of a husband for any woman at this time in my life. Just the same, a satisfactory lover.”
“My lord, you take too much liberty...”
She lowered her eyes, for his stare seemed to penetrate her very soul. When she dared to look at him again he was watching her still, his eyes dark, smoky and filled with lust. She couldn’t seem to escape them and she was falling, helplessly. She
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