She studied his profile covertly. “I am trying to get used to you as a man, my lord. And I do apologize for calling you feminine once.”
He glanced at her, his eyes twinkling with humor. “Yes, I do seem to remember a comment to that affect. You are forgiven, I suppose.”
Returning her gaze to the window, she sighed.
“Your mother has told me that you are not happy with our betrothal.”
Pressing her lips together, she nodded.
It was silent a moment. The only sound was the rain beating down on the roof and trickling into the gutters.
“Why?”
Pippa stiffened. “You once told me you feared you would be making a great mistake if you married Lady Spencer, that you wanted to marry for love.”
“And?”
Her sigh lingered between them a moment before she squared her shoulders and answered, “You do not love me.” The pitter patter of the rain washed over their silence as if she had not spoken her thoughts out loud.
Finally, after tense minutes, he broke the mesmerizing sound, “And do you love me, Pippa?”
She shrugged rather than wear her heart on her sleeve for him to reject. He would think her love foolish and false. Inwardly she laughed at the idea of a man in a dress finding anything foolish. Still, there it was.
“Pippa?”
Her lips quivered and she pressed them tighter together. Did he want some forlorn confession that he could ridicule? She would not fall for that unkind trick. Warm fingers grasped her hand and tugged her to face him with gentle urgency. Fighting the urge to cry out the truth, she stared at the diamond stick pin holding his bronze colored cravat in place.
Despite her resolve, she found her chin lifted in those same fingers until she met his eye. His hooded blue-eyed gaze revealed nothing beyond the question. Drawing a shuddering breath she whispered, “Yes.”
He mistook her answer and asked again, “Are you in love with me?”
Though the opportunity was there to refute him this time, as a way out she let her heart reply, “Yes, I love you. I am sorry.”
A small smile graced his full lips. Eyes dancing with amusement, he pondered her a moment. “Why are you sorry?”
She blinked. “It is not what you want, not what I should want….”
His brows furrowed. “Why should you not want to be in love, Pippa?”
A tear slipped down her cheek unbidden. “It is wrong of me to love you, or any man.”
“Why?” He scowled. “Because of that self-righteous, pompous waste of a good tailor, Mitchel?”
“I am a fallen woman, and not of your class.”
He let go of her chin as if burned. “To hell with class and society. I can bloody well fall in love with whomever I choose, and no upstart nabob is going to tell me otherwise.”
“You are a man of great respect now and political responsibility, most suited to a woman like your Lady Spencer to stand by your side.” She turned away to hide her sadness.
“Wait.”
She froze with her back to him.
“What if I told you I have fallen in love with someone?”
Back stiff, she raised her chin, determined not to cry. “Then I would say congratulations, my lord.”
His hand gripped her elbow to keep her from fleeing, and then he turned her back to face him. “I have fallen in love with you, Pippa.”
A gasp slipped from her lips and her gaze flew to his. “You…have?”
“Yes.” He grinned. “You have tied a knot in the corset strings of my heart that cannot be undone, Pippa. Will you consent to becoming my wife?”
With a sob she flung herself into his arms, laughing and crying at the same time. “Yes, oh yes!”
“Well, it is about time, I would say.”
Pippa and Heath drew apart and looked to the doorway. Mr. and Mrs. Nickle stood there, arm in arm smiling. Mrs. Nickle placed her palm on her husband’s chest and beamed. “Did I not tell you they were in love, dear?”
He shook his head. “Yes, dear, you did, and I was a fool not to see it, though in all honesty I was not willing to accept our daughter’s love for another woman at the time.”
Pippa snickered. “I was in love with Percephany from the moment we met, though I could hardly believe it myself.”
Heath took Pippa’s hand. “Mr. Nickle, sir, I humbly thank you for giving your permission to wed your beautiful daughter. I cannot wait for the bans to be read to make her my wife. I think a mere trip to Gretna Green should suffice?”
Mrs. Nickle laughed. “Rules are rules, my lord. You shall wait the required two weeks.”
“Very well.” Heath looked crestfallen, but his eyes twinkled. “Speaking of rules, Pippa. I will require you to follow just one simple rule throughout our marriage.”
Pippa frowned. “Do tell, my lord?”
“As long as I live neither you nor I shall ever wear one of those blasted corsets ever again. Agreed?”
Laughing Pippa nodded. “Agreed.”
His lips descended to brand hers with a scorching kiss so hot and wanton it made her toes curl in her satin slippers. Then and there Pippa swore she would never forget the day she first corseted her earl.
The End.
Killarney Sheffield novels
also published by Books We Love
The Emperor’s Concubine
Kidnapping the Duke
The Cracksman’s Kiss
To Love A Horseguard
Stand & Deliver Your Love
The Courtesan
Love’s Lies
Rags to Romance
About the Author
Killarney Sheffield is an award winning romance author from the rustic Canadian prairies. She lives on a cattle ranch with her five kids. When she is not penning historical romantic adventures she fills her time with her thoroughbred stallion, ‘Stamp de Gold’, whom she affectionately calls ‘Love Monkey’, and her herd of AQHA mares.
WEBSITE: http://www.killarneysheffield.com/
EMAIL: [email protected]
Killarney has a Facebook group just for her readers! You can find Killarney’s Kozy Book Korner at https://www.facebook.com/groups/107672312928269/
Corseting The Earl Page 18