Read Online Impossible Desires (novella) by Tamsin Baker - Free Book Online
Authors: Tamsin Baker
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her knuckles. She had missed his mouth.
“Very well, thank you.”
She sat again as he turned his attention to the other ladies in the group.
Lady Newton, a rather sour woman not much older than Eleanor, poked her nose in the air.
“You are courting Lady Rossette, Lord Osborne?”
Eleanor hid her smile in her cup of tea. Let’s see how he handles the jealous and spiteful women of her circles.
“Yes, I am, Lady Newton.” He smiled and bowed politely, his eyes straying to hers. He looked worried.
“Have you been to her country estate?”
Gareth looked at her, but she didn’t indicate what he should say. He was a man who had grown up amongst the London ton – he should be able to handle himself.
“I have dined once at Lady Rossette’s country estate, yes. It is very beautiful.”
Lady Newton smiled snidely. “Oh dined , did you? Is that the new word for affaire nowadays? I never can keep on top of the latest ondit .”
Eleanor heard several ladies around them gasp – did this woman have any manners? She opened her mouth to tell the jealous woman how she felt about such language. She was a widow, and a titled lady. If she wanted to have a single gentleman visit her house, she could.
Gareth growled slightly in warning and spoke first.
“Lady Rossette organized an invitation so that I could have the opportunity to purchase a horse I wanted. It was very thoughtful of her.”
A love that she had never felt before went winging through her heart as she turned to look at her savior. Would he always defend her? Always look after her the way he did now?
“How is Apollo, my lord?” She turned her back on Lady Newton and stood.
“Very well, I thank you, my lady. Would you take a turn about the room with me?”
She smiled at the other ladies and put her hand in his. “Of course, my lord. You must try some of the pastries. Lady Glenda has hired the most magnificent French chef.”
They walked over to the tables laid out with the most decadent of afternoon tea foods.
“What do you recommend, my lady?” Gareth asked, picking up a plate.
Eleanor pointed to three cakes and watched as he carefully chose two of each for them.
“Thank you for before.” She dropped her voice and hoped no one was listening in. There were a lot of people in such a small room.
Gareth smiled his society smile but lowered his voice. “That woman is lucky she still has all her hair. I am in the mood to find a pair of scissors and hack it all off.”
Eleanor covered her mouth with her hand as a giggle erupted.
“Oh no, Gareth, that is too much. She was just jealous. I’m sure she wanted you whilst she was courting her horrible husband.”
Gareth looked back over at the group of women and shrugged, guiding her to a place where she could sit to enjoy their food.
“I don’t care, Eleanor. I have waited my whole life for you and no one is going to insult you in my presence.”
She froze with a lemon tart halfway to her mouth. Had he just implied that he didn’t want anyone but her?
“Well…”
She didn’t know what to say, he looked down at her, his eyes brimming with love and a little uncertainty.
“I’ve been waiting for you too.”
*****
Eleanor mulled over their last encounter for three days. She knew that Gareth needed more than he was currently getting from her, and she wanted to please him more than anything. He was satisfied with her domination, she was sure. But he was in charge of every other part of his life and she wanted to give him the freedom to take control in the bedroom if he so wanted.
The idea terrified her. She could probably handle a relatively normal, loving dynamic, similar to how he had made love to her the last time they had been together. But she wasn’t sure if she could be his submissive. The old fears her husband had instilled in her were still there. No matter how much power Gareth gave her in the bedroom, it could never erase that fear of being powerless to another person.
“Very well, thank you.”
She sat again as he turned his attention to the other ladies in the group.
Lady Newton, a rather sour woman not much older than Eleanor, poked her nose in the air.
“You are courting Lady Rossette, Lord Osborne?”
Eleanor hid her smile in her cup of tea. Let’s see how he handles the jealous and spiteful women of her circles.
“Yes, I am, Lady Newton.” He smiled and bowed politely, his eyes straying to hers. He looked worried.
“Have you been to her country estate?”
Gareth looked at her, but she didn’t indicate what he should say. He was a man who had grown up amongst the London ton – he should be able to handle himself.
“I have dined once at Lady Rossette’s country estate, yes. It is very beautiful.”
Lady Newton smiled snidely. “Oh dined , did you? Is that the new word for affaire nowadays? I never can keep on top of the latest ondit .”
Eleanor heard several ladies around them gasp – did this woman have any manners? She opened her mouth to tell the jealous woman how she felt about such language. She was a widow, and a titled lady. If she wanted to have a single gentleman visit her house, she could.
Gareth growled slightly in warning and spoke first.
“Lady Rossette organized an invitation so that I could have the opportunity to purchase a horse I wanted. It was very thoughtful of her.”
A love that she had never felt before went winging through her heart as she turned to look at her savior. Would he always defend her? Always look after her the way he did now?
“How is Apollo, my lord?” She turned her back on Lady Newton and stood.
“Very well, I thank you, my lady. Would you take a turn about the room with me?”
She smiled at the other ladies and put her hand in his. “Of course, my lord. You must try some of the pastries. Lady Glenda has hired the most magnificent French chef.”
They walked over to the tables laid out with the most decadent of afternoon tea foods.
“What do you recommend, my lady?” Gareth asked, picking up a plate.
Eleanor pointed to three cakes and watched as he carefully chose two of each for them.
“Thank you for before.” She dropped her voice and hoped no one was listening in. There were a lot of people in such a small room.
Gareth smiled his society smile but lowered his voice. “That woman is lucky she still has all her hair. I am in the mood to find a pair of scissors and hack it all off.”
Eleanor covered her mouth with her hand as a giggle erupted.
“Oh no, Gareth, that is too much. She was just jealous. I’m sure she wanted you whilst she was courting her horrible husband.”
Gareth looked back over at the group of women and shrugged, guiding her to a place where she could sit to enjoy their food.
“I don’t care, Eleanor. I have waited my whole life for you and no one is going to insult you in my presence.”
She froze with a lemon tart halfway to her mouth. Had he just implied that he didn’t want anyone but her?
“Well…”
She didn’t know what to say, he looked down at her, his eyes brimming with love and a little uncertainty.
“I’ve been waiting for you too.”
*****
Eleanor mulled over their last encounter for three days. She knew that Gareth needed more than he was currently getting from her, and she wanted to please him more than anything. He was satisfied with her domination, she was sure. But he was in charge of every other part of his life and she wanted to give him the freedom to take control in the bedroom if he so wanted.
The idea terrified her. She could probably handle a relatively normal, loving dynamic, similar to how he had made love to her the last time they had been together. But she wasn’t sure if she could be his submissive. The old fears her husband had instilled in her were still there. No matter how much power Gareth gave her in the bedroom, it could never erase that fear of being powerless to another person.
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