Read Online His Secret Heroine by Delle Jacobs - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Delle Jacobs
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composure.
"Good morning, Lord Reginald. I must apologize. I fear my aunt has gone about her morning calls without me. So of course, I may not receive you, as I am alone."
The eager intensity fell from his face. "Yes, of course. I merely meant to see you had not taken a chill, Miss Englefield."
Oh. He was only being polite. "As you can see, sir, I have not."
"And I must apologize for the abominable treatment you received."
"Nonsense. I am not at all the missish sort. When one asks for adventure, one must expect to take a bit of risk."
His eyes shone wildly. Whatever had she said to incite him? "Miss Englefield, I know it is not at all the thing, but might we speak," he glanced at Cargill, "more privately? For only a moment?"
Cargill bowed himself away almost before Chloe could instruct him. She vowed she would find a way to properly compensate the man, for surely his sensitivity surpassed that of any butler in Town. She led Lord Reginald to the drawing room and closed the door.
"I have only just finished my morning coffee," she lied. "Shall I call for some?"
"No, thank you. Miss Englefield, I felt I must see you this morning," he said, and she could read the anxiety in his face.
"Of course, you are all that is polite, Lord Reginald, but do not overburden yourself. I am quite well. I only stayed behind because, well, you know we are a household of women, so one of us must take charge of a man's decisions, now and then."
"Yes, I see that your health is safe. But there is that other matter. I did take shameful advantage of your person."
Something had seemed lodged high in her throat until that moment, when it plummeted to the pit of her stomach. He regretted the kiss. He feared it had committed him where he did not desire commitment. A practical woman would leap upon it, make of it a promise, an understanding that he must in all propriety fulfill. And above all, she was a practical woman.
But she could not. "No, Lord Reginald, it was not that at all. Your heart is too soft, sir. It was, I thought, a demonstration of your protective nature. Although I allow I was frightened, I was never in fear of dying, sir, because I knew you would not allow it. I confess I rather thought of you as my knight in shining armor, and everyone knows it is a knight's duty to rescue a lady in distress."
Well, she had done it. Given him all the justification he needed, and now he would not feel the obligation to ask for her hand.
He hesitated then shook his head. "No, it was more than that, Miss Englefield. I confess to an affection for you. I would have been bereft to have lost you from any cause. And while I cannot hope for such sensibilities on your part, as we have just met, still I must hope that time will grant them to me."
Chloe's heart raced and thrummed in her ears. She opened her mouth, but words stuck in her throat.
"And I must ask one other thing of you," he said. "Such intimacies as we have suffered bring a touch of the ridiculous to formalities, so that I must ask for the privilege of calling you by your Christian name."
"Sir —" Chloe thought she couldn't breathe.
"Privately, of course. And I should wish you to call me Reggie, as that is how I am known by my intimates. Privately."
Chloe nodded. Her tongue felt wrapped around her teeth.
He lifted her fingertips to his lips and held them there a moment too long. "And my moment has gone. As you have said, I cannot stay. I must be away for a few days on matters of a personal nature, but I shall look for you next week at Lady Greville's ball and hope you will grant me the supper dance."
"Yes, of course, Lord Reginald." The words all but strangled her.
"Reggie."
"Yes. Reggie."
He took his leave. Chloe ran up the stairs to her chamber and slammed the door, gasping.
She'd done it! Reggie! The Duke of Marmount's second son had all but committed himself to marriage! And she, by her astonished silence, by the acceptance of his name, had all but agreed! Her sisters were
"Good morning, Lord Reginald. I must apologize. I fear my aunt has gone about her morning calls without me. So of course, I may not receive you, as I am alone."
The eager intensity fell from his face. "Yes, of course. I merely meant to see you had not taken a chill, Miss Englefield."
Oh. He was only being polite. "As you can see, sir, I have not."
"And I must apologize for the abominable treatment you received."
"Nonsense. I am not at all the missish sort. When one asks for adventure, one must expect to take a bit of risk."
His eyes shone wildly. Whatever had she said to incite him? "Miss Englefield, I know it is not at all the thing, but might we speak," he glanced at Cargill, "more privately? For only a moment?"
Cargill bowed himself away almost before Chloe could instruct him. She vowed she would find a way to properly compensate the man, for surely his sensitivity surpassed that of any butler in Town. She led Lord Reginald to the drawing room and closed the door.
"I have only just finished my morning coffee," she lied. "Shall I call for some?"
"No, thank you. Miss Englefield, I felt I must see you this morning," he said, and she could read the anxiety in his face.
"Of course, you are all that is polite, Lord Reginald, but do not overburden yourself. I am quite well. I only stayed behind because, well, you know we are a household of women, so one of us must take charge of a man's decisions, now and then."
"Yes, I see that your health is safe. But there is that other matter. I did take shameful advantage of your person."
Something had seemed lodged high in her throat until that moment, when it plummeted to the pit of her stomach. He regretted the kiss. He feared it had committed him where he did not desire commitment. A practical woman would leap upon it, make of it a promise, an understanding that he must in all propriety fulfill. And above all, she was a practical woman.
But she could not. "No, Lord Reginald, it was not that at all. Your heart is too soft, sir. It was, I thought, a demonstration of your protective nature. Although I allow I was frightened, I was never in fear of dying, sir, because I knew you would not allow it. I confess I rather thought of you as my knight in shining armor, and everyone knows it is a knight's duty to rescue a lady in distress."
Well, she had done it. Given him all the justification he needed, and now he would not feel the obligation to ask for her hand.
He hesitated then shook his head. "No, it was more than that, Miss Englefield. I confess to an affection for you. I would have been bereft to have lost you from any cause. And while I cannot hope for such sensibilities on your part, as we have just met, still I must hope that time will grant them to me."
Chloe's heart raced and thrummed in her ears. She opened her mouth, but words stuck in her throat.
"And I must ask one other thing of you," he said. "Such intimacies as we have suffered bring a touch of the ridiculous to formalities, so that I must ask for the privilege of calling you by your Christian name."
"Sir —" Chloe thought she couldn't breathe.
"Privately, of course. And I should wish you to call me Reggie, as that is how I am known by my intimates. Privately."
Chloe nodded. Her tongue felt wrapped around her teeth.
He lifted her fingertips to his lips and held them there a moment too long. "And my moment has gone. As you have said, I cannot stay. I must be away for a few days on matters of a personal nature, but I shall look for you next week at Lady Greville's ball and hope you will grant me the supper dance."
"Yes, of course, Lord Reginald." The words all but strangled her.
"Reggie."
"Yes. Reggie."
He took his leave. Chloe ran up the stairs to her chamber and slammed the door, gasping.
She'd done it! Reggie! The Duke of Marmount's second son had all but committed himself to marriage! And she, by her astonished silence, by the acceptance of his name, had all but agreed! Her sisters were
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