fine trait in a character such as mine. My own dear mama says it makes my moral fiber all the better for the simple addition of it. She says I have an equal amount of arrogance to counteract my humbleness.”
“Humble? You .…” Gemma laughed. “I can see that you could do with a large serving of humble pie. We should go into the dining hall, the meal will get cold if we do not.” She stood up.
“I should accompany you, shall you take my arm again?”
Sighing, Gemma reached for his arm … she could only hope that come tomorrow and the early arrival of Kilworth, that Hart would get the message and hightail it back to whatever little shanty he came from.
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 35
Chapter Seven
She sank down onto her bed, and tried to still her breathing. The evening had been eventful to say the least. First, she’d been proven wrong in her assumption that Seamus wasn’t an able cook. He almost matched the proficiency of Mrs. Grant. She placed her hand against the stiffness of her corset. Her breasts were heaving, from her exertion of racing up the steps away from Hart. He’d been working on her all night, and her brother had done nothing to curtail his amorous advances. She could tell where Mallory’s loyalty was when it came to Hart and her. He wanted Hart to ruin her, he wanted him to lead her onto a path of sin … and God help her, she was having one hell of a hard time resisting the temptation. Hart could probably tempt a nun with his silvery tongue and his gentle hands, not to mention his delectable kisses that he seemed so well in delivering at the most impromptu times. Now, she ran for her very reputation.
Elizabeth had made herself suspiciously scarce, no doubt hunkering down in the nursery. But, she had thrown in her hat in the culpability pool, since she’d made no move to help her with warding off Hart’s frequent attempts at seduction. He was the most determined sort she’d ever met. Kilworth never would have tried to get into her personal space the way that Hart had, but then, she couldn’t even recall Kilworth attempting to kiss her at any point in time.
She walked over to her window, and stared down at the gardens below. Biting her lip, she looked back over toward her wardrobe. The night was so beautiful.
Moonlight dappled the ground, and a slight mist shrouded the landscape, giving the night an ethereal glow. She could almost hear the faeries singing and dancing.
“You look quite fetching standing there in the glow of the moonlight,” his deep throated voice made her skin prickle with anticipation.
Her heart stopped. She whirled around, then suddenly her heart started to beat so fast and hard she feared it would fly right out of her chest.
“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing in here?” she demanded
breathlessly.
“I think I’m looking at the loveliest lady in Scotland,” he answered solemnly.
She swallowed. Her mouth had grown inexplicably dry. Her hands went
clammy, and she pressed them against her skirt to still the trembling that had erupted in them.
“You speak with quite a silver tongue for being such a beast.”
“A beast? Well, you’ve called me so many colorful names, that I’ll just add that one to the quickly growing list of insults.”
Narrowing her eyes, she walked toward him. “How did you get in here?”
“It wasn’t too hard, actually. In your haste to escape me you forgot to shut the door properly. It was ajar, so I just slipped in here. I didn’t think you’d mind … I thought you’d left it open in a silent invitation.”
“Silent invitation? You are mad! This is my family home, for heaven’s sake! I shouldn’t be expected to barricade the bloody door to my own quarters. When my HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 36
mother arrives, and hears of the grief Mallory has brought to my door, she will have a good tongue lashing for him.”
“From what I understand your mother is a formidable woman.”
“She is.
“Humble? You .…” Gemma laughed. “I can see that you could do with a large serving of humble pie. We should go into the dining hall, the meal will get cold if we do not.” She stood up.
“I should accompany you, shall you take my arm again?”
Sighing, Gemma reached for his arm … she could only hope that come tomorrow and the early arrival of Kilworth, that Hart would get the message and hightail it back to whatever little shanty he came from.
HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 35
Chapter Seven
She sank down onto her bed, and tried to still her breathing. The evening had been eventful to say the least. First, she’d been proven wrong in her assumption that Seamus wasn’t an able cook. He almost matched the proficiency of Mrs. Grant. She placed her hand against the stiffness of her corset. Her breasts were heaving, from her exertion of racing up the steps away from Hart. He’d been working on her all night, and her brother had done nothing to curtail his amorous advances. She could tell where Mallory’s loyalty was when it came to Hart and her. He wanted Hart to ruin her, he wanted him to lead her onto a path of sin … and God help her, she was having one hell of a hard time resisting the temptation. Hart could probably tempt a nun with his silvery tongue and his gentle hands, not to mention his delectable kisses that he seemed so well in delivering at the most impromptu times. Now, she ran for her very reputation.
Elizabeth had made herself suspiciously scarce, no doubt hunkering down in the nursery. But, she had thrown in her hat in the culpability pool, since she’d made no move to help her with warding off Hart’s frequent attempts at seduction. He was the most determined sort she’d ever met. Kilworth never would have tried to get into her personal space the way that Hart had, but then, she couldn’t even recall Kilworth attempting to kiss her at any point in time.
She walked over to her window, and stared down at the gardens below. Biting her lip, she looked back over toward her wardrobe. The night was so beautiful.
Moonlight dappled the ground, and a slight mist shrouded the landscape, giving the night an ethereal glow. She could almost hear the faeries singing and dancing.
“You look quite fetching standing there in the glow of the moonlight,” his deep throated voice made her skin prickle with anticipation.
Her heart stopped. She whirled around, then suddenly her heart started to beat so fast and hard she feared it would fly right out of her chest.
“What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing in here?” she demanded
breathlessly.
“I think I’m looking at the loveliest lady in Scotland,” he answered solemnly.
She swallowed. Her mouth had grown inexplicably dry. Her hands went
clammy, and she pressed them against her skirt to still the trembling that had erupted in them.
“You speak with quite a silver tongue for being such a beast.”
“A beast? Well, you’ve called me so many colorful names, that I’ll just add that one to the quickly growing list of insults.”
Narrowing her eyes, she walked toward him. “How did you get in here?”
“It wasn’t too hard, actually. In your haste to escape me you forgot to shut the door properly. It was ajar, so I just slipped in here. I didn’t think you’d mind … I thought you’d left it open in a silent invitation.”
“Silent invitation? You are mad! This is my family home, for heaven’s sake! I shouldn’t be expected to barricade the bloody door to my own quarters. When my HIS LADY’S KEEPER Marly Mathews 36
mother arrives, and hears of the grief Mallory has brought to my door, she will have a good tongue lashing for him.”
“From what I understand your mother is a formidable woman.”
“She is.
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