anything half so alluring before.’
This time she made no attempt to
stifle her giggles. ‘Thank you, my lord. It’s always pleasing for a lady to
know she was considered a dowd on her come out.’
Spluttering and hiccupping, she raised her hand in order to rummage in her
reticule for a handkerchief.
‘Good God! Did I do that to you?’
With gentle fingers he lifted her wrist to examine the rent in her flimsy silk
evening gloves that revealed a band of dark red where the ribbon had bitten
into her flesh.
Penny stared down at the strong
fingers encircling her slender arm. A wave of tenderness engulfed her. ‘It’s
nothing. I bruise easily. It hardly hurts at all. Indeed the other elbow, the
one I damaged this morning, is far more painful.’
‘Show me.’
She twisted her other arm and was
shocked to see fresh blood marring the pristine silk of her elbow length
gloves. ‘Oh dear! I must have banged it when I fell.’
‘My dear, I’m a brute. You’ve
been in my care barely a day and already I’ve caused you serious harm.’ As he
spoke he expertly wrapped his handkerchief around her elbow and tied the ends
neatly. ‘I had intended this evening to be memorable but it’s turning out to be
a disaster.’
He sounded so despondent, instinctively she reached out to comfort him. The moment her fingertips grazed
his face his eyes darkened and he placed his hand on top trapping it there.
‘You mustn’t do that, darling. Your slightest touch fans the fire inside me
that I’m doing my best to bank down.’
‘I don’t understand what you’re
telling me. Am I never to feel your arms around me until we’re married?’
He shook his head, taking the
opportunity to trail hot kisses across her palm. ‘No, of
course not. However, I’m begging you to keep your distance tonight. I
fear I would be unable to prevent matters getting out of hand and I’ve no wish
to cause a scandal so soon in our relationship.’
Reluctantly she pulled her hand
away from his cheek. ‘Very well, I shall be a model of propriety.’ She smiled
ruefully down at her disarray. ‘But I can no longer appear in public as I am. I
look like a hoyden.’
‘You look adorable, my love, but
I agree you need the attentions of your maid before you can leave here.’ He
surged to his feet and yanked the bell-strap. When Foster answered the summons,
Weston explained the problem and the butler vanished. At no time had the
butler’s gaze travelled across the room to stare at Penny.
‘We have a few minutes alone
before your maid arrives. I’ve something for you. But first I’ve something to
say.’ To her astonishment he dropped to one knee. ‘Miss Coombs, would you do me
the inestimable honour of becoming my wife?’
‘Get up, my lord. There’s no need
for playacting.’ Then she saw his expression and realized the words came from
his heart. ‘Yes, Lord Weston, I shall be delighted to marry you.’
His wide smile said it all. She
watched him spring easily to his feet and reach into his inside pocket to
remove a small velvet covered box.
‘I had intended to give you this
as a loan, but now, sweetheart it’s yours by right. You realize that ours is a
true betrothal? Tonight you have consented to be my wife and I have every
intention of holding you to that promise. We shall be married in September.’
She held out her left hand and he
carefully unbuttoned her glove and removed it. ‘You can’t wear these anyway,
they’re both quite ruined.’ He flicked open the box and removed the ring
nestling inside.
‘It’s beautiful. It exactly
matches your eyes, my lord.’
‘Any progeny we produce might
well have green eyes and probably my red hair as well.’
Colour suffused her cheeks. ‘Heavens above! We’re only just engaged; it’s far too soon
to be thinking of such matters.’
‘I’ll be thinking of nothing else
until the night I can share your bed and make you mine. It cannot come soon
enough for me.’ He slipped the ring over
This time she made no attempt to
stifle her giggles. ‘Thank you, my lord. It’s always pleasing for a lady to
know she was considered a dowd on her come out.’
Spluttering and hiccupping, she raised her hand in order to rummage in her
reticule for a handkerchief.
‘Good God! Did I do that to you?’
With gentle fingers he lifted her wrist to examine the rent in her flimsy silk
evening gloves that revealed a band of dark red where the ribbon had bitten
into her flesh.
Penny stared down at the strong
fingers encircling her slender arm. A wave of tenderness engulfed her. ‘It’s
nothing. I bruise easily. It hardly hurts at all. Indeed the other elbow, the
one I damaged this morning, is far more painful.’
‘Show me.’
She twisted her other arm and was
shocked to see fresh blood marring the pristine silk of her elbow length
gloves. ‘Oh dear! I must have banged it when I fell.’
‘My dear, I’m a brute. You’ve
been in my care barely a day and already I’ve caused you serious harm.’ As he
spoke he expertly wrapped his handkerchief around her elbow and tied the ends
neatly. ‘I had intended this evening to be memorable but it’s turning out to be
a disaster.’
He sounded so despondent, instinctively she reached out to comfort him. The moment her fingertips grazed
his face his eyes darkened and he placed his hand on top trapping it there.
‘You mustn’t do that, darling. Your slightest touch fans the fire inside me
that I’m doing my best to bank down.’
‘I don’t understand what you’re
telling me. Am I never to feel your arms around me until we’re married?’
He shook his head, taking the
opportunity to trail hot kisses across her palm. ‘No, of
course not. However, I’m begging you to keep your distance tonight. I
fear I would be unable to prevent matters getting out of hand and I’ve no wish
to cause a scandal so soon in our relationship.’
Reluctantly she pulled her hand
away from his cheek. ‘Very well, I shall be a model of propriety.’ She smiled
ruefully down at her disarray. ‘But I can no longer appear in public as I am. I
look like a hoyden.’
‘You look adorable, my love, but
I agree you need the attentions of your maid before you can leave here.’ He
surged to his feet and yanked the bell-strap. When Foster answered the summons,
Weston explained the problem and the butler vanished. At no time had the
butler’s gaze travelled across the room to stare at Penny.
‘We have a few minutes alone
before your maid arrives. I’ve something for you. But first I’ve something to
say.’ To her astonishment he dropped to one knee. ‘Miss Coombs, would you do me
the inestimable honour of becoming my wife?’
‘Get up, my lord. There’s no need
for playacting.’ Then she saw his expression and realized the words came from
his heart. ‘Yes, Lord Weston, I shall be delighted to marry you.’
His wide smile said it all. She
watched him spring easily to his feet and reach into his inside pocket to
remove a small velvet covered box.
‘I had intended to give you this
as a loan, but now, sweetheart it’s yours by right. You realize that ours is a
true betrothal? Tonight you have consented to be my wife and I have every
intention of holding you to that promise. We shall be married in September.’
She held out her left hand and he
carefully unbuttoned her glove and removed it. ‘You can’t wear these anyway,
they’re both quite ruined.’ He flicked open the box and removed the ring
nestling inside.
‘It’s beautiful. It exactly
matches your eyes, my lord.’
‘Any progeny we produce might
well have green eyes and probably my red hair as well.’
Colour suffused her cheeks. ‘Heavens above! We’re only just engaged; it’s far too soon
to be thinking of such matters.’
‘I’ll be thinking of nothing else
until the night I can share your bed and make you mine. It cannot come soon
enough for me.’ He slipped the ring over
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