Back to his Lordship: Clean time travel regency romance (Twickenham Regency Romance Book 2)

by Jen Geigle Johnson

  He rose next to her, the curls of her hair tickling his chin. Before he stepped away, he breathed in her lovely scent. She even smelled differently than most women. A clean, freshness hovered about her, and he was filled with a surprising desire to press his face into her curls, inhaling deeply.

  As if sensing his charged emotion, she looked up, her blue eyes stark against the creamy softness of her skin, the space between them shrinking with each breath. Her nose was delightfully pert and tipped up on the end, her lips close, so close he felt a puff of her breath on his chin. And he was frozen with desire.

  The world around them slowed and became silent. Nothing but the pounding of blood through his veins and that tiniest of puffs of breath on his skin mattered. Then her mouth parted and she wet her lips. Her swallow enchanted him. Without thinking, he lifted a hand and wrapped one of her curls around his finger, gently toying with the softness of her hair. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead.

  So much more he wanted with this woman who earned such a hold on his heart. But he kept himself in check. Patience, hope, a gentle and slow courtship would someday win her heart.

  When he stepped back, her eyes filled with that same hope and a flash of disappointment. Had she wished to be kissed, soundly and thoroughly? Because he had certainly wished to oblige. He could wait. When they were properly and appropriately engaged, if she were to ever grant that happiest of unions, then he might attempt such a thing.

  11

  Lord Hereford led her out of the walking paths through the woods, back through the mini sized maze and down the other direction of the gardens, towards the large crowd and the huge colorful fabric. She sucked in her breath. “Oh, this is incredible. I had no idea they did these back then!”

  “Pardon?” Lord Hereford’s frown of confusion jolted her back to remembering that he was not from her time, did not know anything about time travel and she needed to never ever forget that. In fact, now would be an excellent time to start trying to push him away. But as she looked into his adorably confused and hopeful eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to do anything that would change his appreciative gaze. At least not today. Tomorrow. She would start to try pushing him away tomorrow.

  The hot air balloon towered above them in bright yellows and greens. Many ropes tied it to the ground on each side. A group of people stood on a platform next to a small box attached to the ropes and balloon.

  “How exactly does this work?” She tipped her head.

  “The gasses keep rising, pulling the balloon in the air,” Lord Hereford explained. “Then everyone here races across the countryside following it until they reach the end of their ride.”

  “Then what happens?”

  “The most exciting part. Those in that box fall.”

  She gasped.

  “With the box, mind you. It’s not as bad as all that.”

  She found it just as bad as all that. But she said nothing, waiting in horror for what would happen next.

  “A parachute opens and carries them down to the ground safely.”

  She had many doubts about the whole manner in which this would carry out. “And do many get injured in such an activity?”

  “Of course not. It’s perfectly safe.”

  “Hmm.” But she smiled. When would she ever get to see such a thing? Did Regency experts know that hot air balloon rides were accomplished during this time and in such a manner? “This should have been on my bucket list.”

  “Could you add it so that we might cross it off?”

  She laughed. “You are so much like me. I was thinking that very thing.”

  “Then we are of one mind. We shall add it tonight and then cross it off together.” He placed her hand on his arm. “As well as Vauxhall and riding in a boat from here.”

  “Are you going to attempt them all?”

  “I can safely promise not to take you to Whites or Jacksons boxing.”

  “Don’t ever promise anything you don’t completely control.”

  He dipped his head back and laughed, and Eva was transfixed by the sound. Deep lovely happiness bubbled out of him in pure enjoyment and rippled through her until her very core called out to her to try to make him laugh again and again, every day for the rest of her life. She gasped. What a thought. She placed a hand over her mouth, happy that no one could hear her brain ticking, especially not Lord Hereford.

  He turned to face her, standing almost as close as before, but now with people all around them. “If you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to promise not to resist my ungentlemanly thoughts.”

  Her mouth dropped. Had Lord Hereford just come on to her?

  His eyes burned through her, tugging at her in ways she had not been expecting during their walk in the park. She stared deeply back into his eyes, forgetting where they were, forgetting everything around them. Until someone cleared their throat.

  She turned slowly, her brain sluggish. So much that she had to blink twice before she recognized the duke and duchess.

  Jane laughed and then latched herself onto Eva’s arm while the duke took Lord Hereford away.

  “What are you doing?” Eva heard the whine in her voice and didn’t even care.

  Jane laughed. “Oh honey. You’re in the middle of the park. Come on now, let’s go watch a ridiculously archaic hot air balloon ride.”

  “Oh! Oh yes, that’s right. Have you seen one of these? Does this actually work?”

  “Believe it or not, it does. I haven’t seen a fatality yet.”

  “Should I be encouraged?”

  “Absolutely. Quite a few broken bones, mind you, and much tumbling out of the basket upon landing, but no deaths.”

  They approached the outer edge of the crowd gathered around the balloon and the platform. Two groups of people stood near where the ropes were tethered into the ground. A man came forward, shouting out to the crowd. “Gather round.”

  Everyone pressed forward.

  “We will commence our launch at the count of ten.”

  The crowd shouted. “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two…” On one, the people at the ropes tugged and pulled on them until the web roping that covered the top of the balloon fell to the ground and the people in the basket rose up into the air.

  Eva stared and wished for her phone. No one in a million years would anyone ever believe she had seen such a thing. Jane watched her face and laughed. “Oh, my dear, it is so wonderful to have you here. It’s even better than when Anna comes to visit. It’s not new for her anymore.”

  Eva laughed. “Where is she?”

  “She’s taken to sleeping and reading and resting in our family rooms.”

  She had told Eva to go on without her, that she’d already seen and done everything.

  “You’ll come visit next time you travel forward won’t you? At least call? I’ll leave my number.”

  Jane was quiet and Eva turned to her. The woman’s eyes were serious, sad almost. “Will you not even consider staying?”

  Eva looked away, a peculiar sadness tearing at her. “How can I?”

  Jane shrugged. “I guess that’s something you’ll have to decide on your own. But I’m a great example of someone who loves it here. It is easy to adapt to the hardships, and I’m fortunate because Algernon has seen where I come from, understands what women do and can accomplish there, and tries every day to help me achieve more here.” Her eyes turned misty and to Eva, it was obvious the love they shared. For a moment she was filled with a happy sort of heart-filled envy. She didn’t resent Jane her good fortune, just desperately wished for the same.

  And why couldn’t she have it? She sighed.

  Lord Hereford approached. “Why the sad sigh? When I left her in your capable hands, duchess, she was happy.”

  Jane grinned. “I think she must be missing your company, for I’ve done my best.”

  “Then I’m happy to oblige with my arm and my handsome smile.” He over exaggerated a ridiculous face with a large toothy
grin.

  Jane and Eva laughed, and the duke arrived in that moment. “Gah! What is this expression! You look as though you’ve had a sour bit of something that disagrees!”

  “Never you mind. For now, we are off to the boats.”

  “Are we to take one to the opposite shore?”

  “Certainly, where our carriage awaits.”

  “How exciting.” Jane took her husband’s arm, and Eva took Lord Hereford’s, and for a moment she felt as though all was right in the world.

  They approached the boats. People lined up along the edge, stepping down into boats that took them out into the river. When it was their turn, Eva stepped down the first two steps when a man held out his hand to help steady her as she stepped into the craft.

  But Lord Hereford reached forward and said, “Allow me.” He braced himself on shore and held her hand, steadying her as she stepped out over the rim of what looked like a wobbly boat. Truly, she’d hopped on plenty of ski boats in her life and felt like she could manage on her own even, but who knew what would happen in her dress and slippers? Also, it was lovely to feel so cared for by another. She couldn’t think of a time when she was so much the attention of another person, more precisely, another man. The heady feeling of being noticed and by one she’d like to cherish forever was almost more than she could manage. She hurried and sat near the rear of the boat.

  Lord Hereford helped Jane over the side, the duke followed, and the three of them joined her.

  “This is incredible. I’ve always wondered how they managed it. The women all in dresses, the men in their hessians. It seemed terribly complicated in the books and pictures…” She bit her tongue, but Lord Hereford didn’t seem to notice, and the duke winked at her.

  The duke cleared his throat. “You never know what will go down in history as being remembered. The smallest thing might be taken in memory by someone—a painting on a wall, or in a ballroom could be hanging in a museum someday.”

  Lord Hereford eyed him but said nothing.

  Jane and the duke shared a small and secretive smile, and Eva again wondered at their story. The rest of their story. How did they meet? How did they come to be living here? Why England and not 2020 America? It seemed a no brainer to her. But then, she didn’t have a dukedom to worry about. Someday perhaps she’d hear it all in its entirety.

  They made their way across the river and down around the bend. Lord Hereford sat as close to her as possible, their legs pressed against each other, his arm across the back of their bench. She appreciated his strength and the warmth his body provided. The wind had picked up on the river and she felt a bit cold.

  He pointed across the way. “And that is Buckingham house. The queen spends most of her time there. The king had it built as a home for their family.”

  “Oh, I’m so glad you pointed that out.” She craned her neck to see across the grounds. “Are those the royal parks?”

  “In a manner of speaking. If you look, you can see St. James. And of course, Westiminster.”

  “Are the house of lords in session?”

  “Not at the moment, no.”

  “Are you much involved?”

  The admiration on his face was so pointed, she wanted to look away. “I don’t think a woman has ever asked me any question about my role in the house of lords. But I am, yes. I sit in session with the lords when we meet.”

  “What are the issues you are discussing right now?”

  “We are in recess at the moment. But right before we adjourned, we were discussing the corn laws and the many ways in which our poor suffer.”

  “Oh, that is so important. Do you know how much they really suffer? Have you considered that they have no manner in which to care for themselves, to provide for their own food and to obtain work? And we must consider the women. What do they do if unmarried when their fathers pass away? Who cares for them? Not just the nobility but the poor as well? And—”

  Jane cleared her throat.

  Eva’s gaze flicked over to Jane and back to Lord Hereford. His gaze was intent as always, but a flash of concern lingered in his expression. What had he to be concerned about? These were serious problems in his country, and he in a position to do something.

  “Anyway, I apologize for going on, but have you considered in this very law that raising the tax on corn might be harmful to your citizens?”

  His mouth dropped. “How could you know?”

  “Know what?”

  The duke looked away, hiding his grin but Jane wacked him on the arm and frowned at Eva.

  “That the corn will be taxed higher.”

  She sighed. “I don’t know. I suppose I heard it somewhere.”

  “She read it.”

  “Oh yes, was that it?”

  “Certainly. There was a cartoon in the paper discussing this very thing. We left the paper on the table in the breakfast room.”

  “Oh, right. Yes. I’m certain that’s it.” Eva looked away. What was her role? Did she try to influence a bit of change while she was here? She’d read about the situation for the poor in England right now. They were destitute and growing tired of it. Soon they would begin rallies and demonstrations. The Tories in England would have to come to grips with the incorrectness of their stance and make some changes. And the corn law was one big trigger that got the people riled up.

  Perhaps she shouldn’t say anything at all. Because if she rid the people of their triggers, maybe they wouldn’t rally. She pressed her lips together and swallowed back every other soap box argument that rose to her lips while they were in the boat.

  Lord Hereford kept to himself as well, his gaze directed out across the water, his thoughts keeping him occupied. She could only imagine how often the thought of her unsuitability would be running through his mind. And he would be correct. She was not only ill suited to pretend to be a Regency woman for the rest of her life, she was considered reasonably feminist for a woman in the year 2020. How utterly ridiculous to confine herself to a time period when women had so few rights.

  Jane scooted over closer to her. “Remember. The nobility did have a greater influence than you think. Even the women.” She squeezed her hand and sat close to her the rest of the boat ride.

  When they arrived at the opposite shore, Lord Hereford helped her back out of the boat, but now his expression was one of politeness and careful attentiveness, not the similar intensity she had come to expect in their charged moments together. She couldn’t stem the disappointment she felt. But she didn’t try to do anything to revive his fire. Or interest. It was for the best, and she knew it. She should let his feeling for her die.

  But as he helped her into his carriage and came to sit beside her, he was as friendly as ever. “Let’s see how many items we accomplished from your bucket list, shall we?”

  “Oh. Wonderful.” She opened the journal on her lap for him to peruse and as he ran his finger down the list, she realized too late what he was reading.

  “Aha!” He stopped on the one item she hoped he wouldn’t see.

  “Kiss an earl?” Both his eyebrows raised to his hairline. “Kiss. An. Earl.” Was he disappointed? Disgusted? Astonished? Most certainly.

  “Um. I had hoped you wouldn’t see that item.”

  “Hmm. Now that I have, would you mind answering a few questions?”

  “I could. Perhaps.”

  “Is this item…still on your list? Or was it written in a moment of reckless abandon of youth?”

  She looked away. Perhaps this was the moment, added onto the previous outlandishly liberal comments to really try to drive him away. If he thought her a hoyden, he couldn’t possibly still be interested. “It is still one of the most important items on my list.” Her eyes met his, brazen, daring, hoping to scare him away.

  The maid on the opposite corner pretended not to hear.

  She lifted her chin, her eyes daring his, challenging him.

  When his eyes darkened, she thought for a moment he would meet her challenge. But instead, he l
ifted the journal onto his lap and counted off the items they’d accomplished in their day. “A visit to Vauxhall. Check. A balloon launch. Check. I’m happy to be the person who gets to check these items off with you.”

  “Are you?”

  He looked away, his eyes troubled. And he didn’t answer.

  “Are you?”

  When he faced her again, his eyes looked a bit too conflicted, but she waited. She wanted to know.

  “I don’t know.”

  She nodded.

  “I am happy to accompany you of course, but…”

  “But?”

  “You push me, demand more from me, from everyone around you. Like right now, who has expected such a response? Who would try to talk and address things openly in this manner?”

  She shrugged. “Me.”

  They pulled in front of her townhome. He climbed out to help her down. “Thank you for a wonderful afternoon in the park.” He bowed smartly and led her to the front door.

  The butler opened it and waited.

  Eva curtseyed and turned from him without another word.

  12

  When Oliver arrived home, his mother was waiting for him in the front room. “Is that you, son?”

  “Yes, mother. What are you doing in here?” She had nothing with her, no needlepoint, not even a book. She sat stiffly with her hands in her lap.

  “Who were you with?”

  “I went to Vauxhall with the duke and duchess and their friend, Lady Eva.”

  “Their friend. And how do they know this friend? When none of the rest of us has ever heard of such a person as Lady Eva?”

  “I don’t know. From what she says, her family lives on a small estate in the north of England. Her father is a baron.”

  “Who we’ve never heard of.”

  He didn’t admit that the same lack of knowledge of her family had concerned him as well. “I don’t know, Mother. Whoever she is, she seems perfectly respectable. For the first time, I’ve been interested in knowing a woman better.”

  “What do you think of her?”

  “I enjoy our time together. I’m not certain it will come of anything. But I might spend more time with her to find out.”