think of doing so.”
“Yes, you are quite trapped. But I, on the other hand, can exercise a lady’s privilege and cry off. And that is what I shall do.”
“Miss Ballinger—”
“Oh, I know there will be a lot of gossip and I shall be called a jilt, among other things. I may have to leave town for a time, but that is neither here nor there. In the end you will be free. You will have everyone’s sympathy, in fact. When the storm has died down, you may ask for my cousin’s hand, as you had originally intended.” Augusta looked at him expectantly.
“That is the whole of your scheme, Miss Ballinger?” Harry asked after a moment’s thought.
“I fear so,” she said in a worried tone. “Does it seem a bit too simple, do you think? Perhaps we could elaborate on it somewhat and make it more clever. But on the whole, I am inclined to believe that the simpler a scheme is, the easier it will be to carry it out.”
“Your instincts in such matters are no doubt better than mine,” Harry murmured. “Are you so very anxious, then, to get yourself unbetrothed?”
She flushed a telltale shade of red and her eyes slid away from his. “That is not the point, sir. The point is, you did not intend to get yourself engaged to me. You were asking for Claudia’s hand in marriage. And who could blame you? I understand completely. Although I must warn you I am not certain it will be a good match. You are both too much alike, if you see what I mean.”
Harry held up a palm to halt the flow of words. “Perhaps I should clarify something before we go any further with your scheme.”
“What is that?”
He gave her a slight, quizzical smile, decidedly curious to find out what would happen next. “Your uncle did not make a mistake. It was your hand in marriage I requested, Miss Ballinger.”
“
Mine
?”
“Yes.”
“My hand? You asked for
my hand
in marriage, my lord?” She gazed at him with dazed eyes.
Harry could not stand it any longer. He straightened away from the desk and deliberately closed the short distance between them. He came to a halt in front of her and caught hold of one of her fluttering hands. He brought it to his lips and kissed it gently. “Your hand, Augusta.”
Augusta’s fingers were quite cold, he realized. He became aware of the fact that she was trembling. Without a word he drew her slowly into his arms. She was surprisingly delicate to the touch, he thought. Her spine was elegantly curved and he could feel the soft shape of her hips through the rose-colored gown she was wearing.
“My lord, I do not understand,” she breathed.
“That much is obvious. Perhaps this will make things clear to you.”
Harry bent his head and kissed her. It was the first time he had actually embraced her. He certainly did not count the little peck on the cheek she had given him the other night in Enfield’s library.
He gave her the kiss he had been contemplating for the past several nights as he lay awake alone in his bed.
Harry took his time with the matter, brushing his mouth lightly, fleetingly across Augusta’s parted lips. He was aware of her tension and also of her deep, feminine curiosity and uncertainty. The range of her emotions simultaneously excited him and made him feel fiercelyprotective. He longed to ravish her even as he ached to keep her safe. The unholy combination of powerful desires made his head whirl.
Very gently he guided Augusta’s small hand up to his shoulder. Her fingers clutched at him. Harry deepened the kiss, lingering on her luscious mouth.
The taste of her was indescribable. Sweet, spicy, profoundly female, it tugged at all his senses. Before he quite realized what he was doing, Harry was sliding his tongue into the intimate depths of her mouth. His hands tightened around her small waist, crushing the rose-colored silk. He could feel the satin roses pressing against his shirt. Beneath the fabric, he felt the taut little nipples.
Augusta gave a soft cry and abruptly
“Yes, you are quite trapped. But I, on the other hand, can exercise a lady’s privilege and cry off. And that is what I shall do.”
“Miss Ballinger—”
“Oh, I know there will be a lot of gossip and I shall be called a jilt, among other things. I may have to leave town for a time, but that is neither here nor there. In the end you will be free. You will have everyone’s sympathy, in fact. When the storm has died down, you may ask for my cousin’s hand, as you had originally intended.” Augusta looked at him expectantly.
“That is the whole of your scheme, Miss Ballinger?” Harry asked after a moment’s thought.
“I fear so,” she said in a worried tone. “Does it seem a bit too simple, do you think? Perhaps we could elaborate on it somewhat and make it more clever. But on the whole, I am inclined to believe that the simpler a scheme is, the easier it will be to carry it out.”
“Your instincts in such matters are no doubt better than mine,” Harry murmured. “Are you so very anxious, then, to get yourself unbetrothed?”
She flushed a telltale shade of red and her eyes slid away from his. “That is not the point, sir. The point is, you did not intend to get yourself engaged to me. You were asking for Claudia’s hand in marriage. And who could blame you? I understand completely. Although I must warn you I am not certain it will be a good match. You are both too much alike, if you see what I mean.”
Harry held up a palm to halt the flow of words. “Perhaps I should clarify something before we go any further with your scheme.”
“What is that?”
He gave her a slight, quizzical smile, decidedly curious to find out what would happen next. “Your uncle did not make a mistake. It was your hand in marriage I requested, Miss Ballinger.”
“
Mine
?”
“Yes.”
“My hand? You asked for
my hand
in marriage, my lord?” She gazed at him with dazed eyes.
Harry could not stand it any longer. He straightened away from the desk and deliberately closed the short distance between them. He came to a halt in front of her and caught hold of one of her fluttering hands. He brought it to his lips and kissed it gently. “Your hand, Augusta.”
Augusta’s fingers were quite cold, he realized. He became aware of the fact that she was trembling. Without a word he drew her slowly into his arms. She was surprisingly delicate to the touch, he thought. Her spine was elegantly curved and he could feel the soft shape of her hips through the rose-colored gown she was wearing.
“My lord, I do not understand,” she breathed.
“That much is obvious. Perhaps this will make things clear to you.”
Harry bent his head and kissed her. It was the first time he had actually embraced her. He certainly did not count the little peck on the cheek she had given him the other night in Enfield’s library.
He gave her the kiss he had been contemplating for the past several nights as he lay awake alone in his bed.
Harry took his time with the matter, brushing his mouth lightly, fleetingly across Augusta’s parted lips. He was aware of her tension and also of her deep, feminine curiosity and uncertainty. The range of her emotions simultaneously excited him and made him feel fiercelyprotective. He longed to ravish her even as he ached to keep her safe. The unholy combination of powerful desires made his head whirl.
Very gently he guided Augusta’s small hand up to his shoulder. Her fingers clutched at him. Harry deepened the kiss, lingering on her luscious mouth.
The taste of her was indescribable. Sweet, spicy, profoundly female, it tugged at all his senses. Before he quite realized what he was doing, Harry was sliding his tongue into the intimate depths of her mouth. His hands tightened around her small waist, crushing the rose-colored silk. He could feel the satin roses pressing against his shirt. Beneath the fabric, he felt the taut little nipples.
Augusta gave a soft cry and abruptly
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