conduct and a wedding to plan."
Tessa's
jaw dropped at his audacity. "You have no such thing," she
spluttered. "You have never asked me."
"Did
I say it was you I'm wooing?"
She
knew she gaped like a fish. "Then, I apologize," she said stiffly and
brushed her clammy hands over her skirts.
Nat
flicked her nose with his finger. "Of course it is. I intend to woo you,
win you, and ask for your hand when I get back. Be prepared for a siege, my
dear."
The
sunshine that had been absent all morning shone through the window and cast
shadows over his face.
Nat
grinned, his eyes twinkled and he bowed over her hand. "You have been
warned, swee... Sweet as it is to be here, I must go."
Tessa
bit her lip. Had he been going to call her sweetheart? Hadn't he used that word
earlier on? Was it that which reminded her of her one perfect night, or was she
so tied up in her memories her mind was playing tricks in her?
"Do
you know any smugglers, my lord?"
Chapter Seven
How to answer that and not
incriminate myself? No one, but no one, admits to such a thing.
"I
know of them, of course. It would be impossible to live near the coast and fail
to do so. Why do you ask?" he said cautiously. "Does your papa not
find a pipe of brandy under the hay bales on smugglers moon? Do you not look
the other way?"
Tessa
scowled, paced the room, and whirled around to stand in front of him.
"Of
course he does. And we have generally been well schooled." She blushed.
"Do you not? But that wasn't my question. You have a way of changing the
subject, my lord. Do you know any
smugglers?"
How
should he word his answer? "I'm sure I do," Nat said. "I hazard
a guess so do you." For several seconds he enjoyed the blush that swept
over her skin before he took pity on her and continued. "But as you well
know, no one but no one admits to
being a gentleman of that ilk."
Tessa
chuckled. "True enough. Ah well. Have a safe journey, my lord. Do you know
how long you will be away?"
Was
there a hint of wistfulness in her voice, or was it wishful thinking on his part?
"Until
I speak to Frost, I won't really know." He temporized his reply. "A
few days? A few weeks? As long as it takes. Will you miss me?"
"Of
course, who else will dog my footsteps—at a distance—and rescue me from
inopportune suitors?"
Not
that he'd done that within her view lately. Nat had been very discreet but very
thorough. Nobody was in any doubt that he had appointed himself protector for all the Birch family. If they thought it
strange, so be it. Even though, as an earl, Nat could have refused to explain,
he was of the school ‘say a little and people are satisfied, say nothing and they
are not’. Therefore, when anyone was bold enough to inquire about his
intentions, he let it be known that as neighbors, they watched each other's backs.
As he accompanied this statement with one perfectly arched brow, and a look that
meant "and what business is it of yours," few ventured further. Those
that did got short shrift. No one wanted to antagonize such an influential
person as the Earl of Fenniston.
"You'll
have to rely on Arthur until I return." Arthur would oblige. Nat had seen
to that. "And be ready for my return."
"I
will? Why?"
"Because,
my dear, once I return, be ready to be wooed in earnest. The time for
dissembling will be over. Whilst I'm away, can I beg you to think over my
words?"
He
waited and hoped to hell none of his apprehension showed on his face. He needed
to know she would be here, under the watchful eye of Mijo. Eventually, just as
he was about to scream, she nodded.
"I
like the idea of you begging. So, yes. Reluctantly."
He
thought it best not to say it was more likely she would beg.
"It's
enough. I know you'll honor your word. Once I return, you will be courted, and make
no mistake, I will ask you for your
hand in marriage. I thought a June wedding?"
"June?
It's April already." Tessa shook her head. "You are quite mad. Not a
chance."
"No?
August then? Shall I tell
Tessa's
jaw dropped at his audacity. "You have no such thing," she
spluttered. "You have never asked me."
"Did
I say it was you I'm wooing?"
She
knew she gaped like a fish. "Then, I apologize," she said stiffly and
brushed her clammy hands over her skirts.
Nat
flicked her nose with his finger. "Of course it is. I intend to woo you,
win you, and ask for your hand when I get back. Be prepared for a siege, my
dear."
The
sunshine that had been absent all morning shone through the window and cast
shadows over his face.
Nat
grinned, his eyes twinkled and he bowed over her hand. "You have been
warned, swee... Sweet as it is to be here, I must go."
Tessa
bit her lip. Had he been going to call her sweetheart? Hadn't he used that word
earlier on? Was it that which reminded her of her one perfect night, or was she
so tied up in her memories her mind was playing tricks in her?
"Do
you know any smugglers, my lord?"
Chapter Seven
How to answer that and not
incriminate myself? No one, but no one, admits to such a thing.
"I
know of them, of course. It would be impossible to live near the coast and fail
to do so. Why do you ask?" he said cautiously. "Does your papa not
find a pipe of brandy under the hay bales on smugglers moon? Do you not look
the other way?"
Tessa
scowled, paced the room, and whirled around to stand in front of him.
"Of
course he does. And we have generally been well schooled." She blushed.
"Do you not? But that wasn't my question. You have a way of changing the
subject, my lord. Do you know any
smugglers?"
How
should he word his answer? "I'm sure I do," Nat said. "I hazard
a guess so do you." For several seconds he enjoyed the blush that swept
over her skin before he took pity on her and continued. "But as you well
know, no one but no one admits to
being a gentleman of that ilk."
Tessa
chuckled. "True enough. Ah well. Have a safe journey, my lord. Do you know
how long you will be away?"
Was
there a hint of wistfulness in her voice, or was it wishful thinking on his part?
"Until
I speak to Frost, I won't really know." He temporized his reply. "A
few days? A few weeks? As long as it takes. Will you miss me?"
"Of
course, who else will dog my footsteps—at a distance—and rescue me from
inopportune suitors?"
Not
that he'd done that within her view lately. Nat had been very discreet but very
thorough. Nobody was in any doubt that he had appointed himself protector for all the Birch family. If they thought it
strange, so be it. Even though, as an earl, Nat could have refused to explain,
he was of the school ‘say a little and people are satisfied, say nothing and they
are not’. Therefore, when anyone was bold enough to inquire about his
intentions, he let it be known that as neighbors, they watched each other's backs.
As he accompanied this statement with one perfectly arched brow, and a look that
meant "and what business is it of yours," few ventured further. Those
that did got short shrift. No one wanted to antagonize such an influential
person as the Earl of Fenniston.
"You'll
have to rely on Arthur until I return." Arthur would oblige. Nat had seen
to that. "And be ready for my return."
"I
will? Why?"
"Because,
my dear, once I return, be ready to be wooed in earnest. The time for
dissembling will be over. Whilst I'm away, can I beg you to think over my
words?"
He
waited and hoped to hell none of his apprehension showed on his face. He needed
to know she would be here, under the watchful eye of Mijo. Eventually, just as
he was about to scream, she nodded.
"I
like the idea of you begging. So, yes. Reluctantly."
He
thought it best not to say it was more likely she would beg.
"It's
enough. I know you'll honor your word. Once I return, you will be courted, and make
no mistake, I will ask you for your
hand in marriage. I thought a June wedding?"
"June?
It's April already." Tessa shook her head. "You are quite mad. Not a
chance."
"No?
August then? Shall I tell
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