“That is correct,” he replied.
“Other matters, such as what?”
“Are you free tomorrow for a visit?” he asked.
Laura breathed in deeply. The moment of the possible kiss was ending. He was asking for a visit. Not a kiss? What happened? She was embarrassed by her thoughts. He was a gentleman. Was she not a lady? She should start behaving as one. “I must be honest, Mr. Wyndham. I am betrothed and will be planning my wedding soon.”
He moved away from her and sighed. He stared at her hard, as he was pondering her words.
“If we are on the subject, I am betrothed as well, Miss Tallant.”
A pang shot through her heart. She felt such sadness at those words. There was a woman out there lucky enough to be engaged to this beautiful man. She felt such a deep disappointment at her own engagement. She was to marry Hampton and he loved her. Why was she feeling disappointment that another woman had this lovely man in front of her?
“I understand, Mr. Wyndham,” Laura mumbled as she stared out of the window.
She was pained at his revelation, but she could not believe her sudden loss with this stranger.
“When are you planning to marry your betrothed?” he asked in a low voice.
“We are planning it for May, I believe,” she could not bear to look at him. “When are you getting married?”
“The first Saturday of next month,” he said.
Laura wanted to cry out in protest. She almost had a year before her nuptials took place. He was getting married in rapid fashion. Another woman would have a legal hold on him. She was losing her opportunity to have this wonderful man. Was she going mad? How could she even fathom such a situation? Why did she care about him? She never knew of him until this carriage ride. She sat back in her seat and tried to put those ridiculous ideas out of her mind.
The carriage kept bumping along as they sat in silence. There was still an air of magnetic attraction between them. Neither of them spoke, out of fear of doing something they would both regret. They just sat and stared out of the window thinking private, solemn thoughts. Laura chose to steal a glance at him. She saw he was staring out of the window with a serious expression on his face. She went back to doing the same.
Laura was seeing familiar sites. They had made it to Carrington. She began to feel relieved to leave this carriage.
This was a most unforgettable journey. She longed to put it behind her. The carriage began to come to a halt. She gathered her small bag beside her and prepared to leave the carriage.
Jonathan Wyndham began to prepare to leave as well. “I was giving you time to answer my question.”
“Your question?” she looked at him with wide eyes.
He leaned in forward to her again. “Yes, my question. May I come to visit you?”
Her head became dizzy. He was still interested in paying her a visit? Was this man mad? He knew she had a fiancé and he has one too. “Mr. Wyndham, I thought we ended this discussion with the mentioning of our betrotheds.”
“Yes, we did discuss your wedding plans and mine. The question still remains, may I come to visit you?” He leaned in closer again.
She let out a long sigh. She saw those lips again and longed to feel them pressed against hers. “You remember I am promised to another and I should not have visits with another gentleman.”
“Why is that?”
“You question is unheard of in this matter, Mr. Wyndham.”
“Miss Tallant, we are both promised to other people. What is the harm in a visit?”
“There could be much harm,” she said too sharply for her ears.
Was this man looking only for a business partner? Strictly a connection to her brother-in-law? She had clearly misread all of the cues he was sending her. She did not care. She desired his kiss and wanted to touch his face. She prayed he would kiss her in this moment.
The driver suddenly opened the door. “We have arrived in Carrington,” he reached in to help Laura step down from the carriage.
“Thank you, sir,” she replied as she reached for his hand.
Jonathan followed her out of the carriage.
“Miss Tallant, I can come by for a visit as your acquaintance, as your friend. I have never met a woman such as you and look forward to becoming more acquainted with you.”
He wanted to be her acquaintance, her friend. That was easy. The carriage ride did not feel like a friendly, getting acquainted ride. It was filled with heavy sensual tension and she knew he felt it too. She had ideas and thoughts about him. They were in no way in a friendly fashion. This was a very improper situation. She could not be his friend. This would leave her reputation in ruins. She had her family’s dress shop to think about.
“I can do no such thing, Mr. Wyndham,” she replied as she stepped down.
“Wonderful words to my ears,” he stepped down behind her. “I look forward to paying you a visit on tomorrow and I will indulge you more in my endeavours. You shall know all about my plans and bring your brother-in-law in on my plans when you return home.”
“Are you hard of hearing, Mr. Wyndham?”
“I am not, I assure you,” he smiled looking at her.
“I must bid you good day, sir,” Laura stomped off to gather her bag.
She could not believe how he was talking to her. What an improper way to talk to a lady. He had his answer and he could not leave it alone. Laura could not wait until she was in her mother’s home making small talk and put this carriage ride to bed. She did not want to see Jonathan Wyndham again.
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Love in the Moonlight: A Regency Romance All Hallows' Eve Collection: 7 Delightful Regency Romance All Hallows' Eve Stories (Regency Collections Book 6) Page 54