Courting Constance (Fountain of Love)
Page 9
“Well, she has to have copper-colored hair. And forest-green eyes. And, this is the most important part.” He leaned forward as if he were imparting a secret.
She felt herself drawn to him as if by a magnet. She leaned in for the last part. “What?”
“She must hate to wear shoes on warm spring days,” he whispered.
She laughed aloud. “I tried to convince my aunt that I would be a more graceful dancer without slippers, and told her that I shouldn’t wear them tonight.” She flicked up the hem of her gown to show him the slippers that peeked out from under. “Alas….I lost that argument.”
He chuckled. “Those don’t look too terribly confining,” he said.
“They pinch my toes. I hate shoes.” She sounded so forlorn that he was tempted to get to his knees and remove her slippers right there and then.
He wished he could pull her to him for a kiss then, but knew it would never do. Not here. “Will you meet me tonight?”
She knew it wasn’t proper. She knew the correct answer was a loud “no” and a dressing down. Instead she heard herself whisper, “What time and where?”
“In the woods, under the tree where I first met you. The party should be over at midnight, so shall we say one?”
She nodded. She knew she shouldn’t, but she didn’t care. This was Kit, and she was going to marry him.
They didn’t dance together again that evening. It wouldn’t have been proper, and with her father watching her so closely, she knew that propriety was important. She danced with all the young bachelors there, and even some of the older ones. She knew they were all interested in the generous dowry they expected her father to settle on her.
It was a long night, and the only thing that kept her going was the promise of stolen time with Kit at the end of it. Oh, she wouldn’t have to have a London season after all. She’d be engaged before she had to go off and live in the hustle and bustle of the city. She was a country girl, and although Hyde Park sounded nice, there was nothing else the city had to offer that she wanted.
Bernice helped her undress at the end of the long evening. She had already picked out a day dress in her mind that she would wear when she sneaked out to meet Kit. Bernice left her all tucked up in her bed, feigning sleep.
As much as she trusted Bernice, Lily knew her friend was paid by her father. She couldn’t trust her with a secret this big. She couldn’t trust anyone with a secret this big.
After the door closed behind her maid, Lily counted to one-hundred slowly. She wanted to be sure she gave her enough time to come back in if she was going to. Finally, she flung the covers back and quickly threw off her nightgown. She flipped through her closet until she found the dress she wanted and slipped it over her head. She’d made sure to choose one that buttoned in the front so she wouldn’t need help.
She was halfway down the backstairs when she realized that she’d forgotten her shoes. She still wore them as seldom as she could get away with. She laughed. Kit wouldn’t mind. She walked quickly across the lawn and spotted him under the tree he had designated as their meeting place.
As soon as she saw him, she slowed her walk, watching him as he stood under the tree, waiting for her. His focus was on the tree limb above him, so he didn’t see her as she approached. With her bare feet, she made no sound. Finally, she was close enough to touch him and did just that. Her hand reached out to his arm and gave it a light squeeze.
He turned to her with a smile, taking her hand and pulling her deeper into the woods. Finally, he stopped and turned to her, setting down the lantern he’d carried with him. “When was the last time you climbed that tree?” he asked nodding in the direction they’d come from.
She shrugged. “Last week, I think,” she answered honestly. She smiled up at him sweetly. “I’ve outgrown climbing trees in my old age.”
He pulled her into his arms slowly, his head lowering to hers. It was her first kiss, and she was eager for it. She pressed her lips to his and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “Open your mouth,” he whispered against her lips.
She gasped in surprise at his words, but it was enough. His head swooped down again and his tongue found entrance. His hands pulled her close against him, and she felt a jolt of surprise. Was it okay to kiss this way? Surely not. Her aunt had told her to let no man kiss her until after she was married, and then only her husband. Her aunt had set herself up as the moral gauge in Lily’s life. Lily chose to ignore her whenever possible.
After a moment, he trailed his lips to her ear, whispering softly, “I want you to be my wife.”
She clung to his shoulder tightly. “Talk to my father.” She knew her father would accept Kit. He was a gentleman after all. And her father wanted her to be happy.
“Do you think he’d accept? Me being a third son and all?” He had no clue how he’d support a wife, but he didn’t care. He had some money, and they could live with his family for a time. Whatever it took, as long as he had this woman by his side, he knew that life would be good.
He hadn’t gone to the party planning to marry her. He wondered if she’d even remember him. He’d half expected to meet the pretty little girl from the woods, but in her place was a beautiful woman. He’d deliberately hidden himself behind her father so he could observe her unnoticed.
At first, he’d been certain her father had finally managed to crush her impish spirit, which had saddened him for reasons he couldn’t explain. Then, he’d had to work to prevent himself from laughing when she’d demanded to know if his father had presented all of his sons. In truth, his father probably wouldn’t have gotten around to introducing him. He was a third son, after all, and not expected to marry well at all.
When he’d stepped forward and taken her hand, he’d known that the happy little hoyden who’d been certain she killed her mother still lived in the well-groomed lady. He knew then, without a shadow of a doubt, that he wanted to marry the lady and raise many more wild little girls who would know their own minds and hate being locked up in the nursery.
After a moment, when she hadn’t answered, he asked again. “Will your father skewer me alive for daring to ask for his precious daughter’s hand?”
She laughed. “I think he’ll be happy to be rid of me. As long as I’m not marrying the stable lad, of course.” He’d actually probably be relieved that he was able to get her married off so easily.
He looked grim in the moonlight shining through the branches of the trees overhead. “I’m not the stable lad, but I am a third son. I don’t have a title to offer you.”
She shrugged, truly not caring what he had or who he was. As far as she was concerned, he was Kit and that was good enough for her. They could live in a tree house for all she cared. She’d probably even like it, she thought with a grin. “I don’t care one whit about a title. I just want a man who will love me for who I am.”
“That, I will do!”
He kissed her one last time, and then picked up the lantern. “We need to get you back up to the manor. We don’t want anyone to notice you’re missing.”
She sighed. “I would rather spend the entire night out here with you.” She could picture them sleeping on a blanket under the stars. His arms would stay wrapped around her all night long.
He would have liked that as well, but for reasons other than what she was thinking. “Soon, we’ll be able to do that. I’ll talk to your father soon.” He smiled down at her, trying hard to believe she was interested in marriage to him.
She stopped in her tracks. “Please kiss me one more time, so I won’t think I’m dreaming.”
He laughed, set the lantern down carefully, and pulled her into his arms. “I would never want you to think you were dreaming, love.” His lips descended again. This time she needed no coaxing. She opened her mouth to allow his tongue entrance, and met it with her own. Her hands rubbed his shoulders through the back of his shirt.
When he finally lifted his head, they were both breathing hard. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be
able to wait until the wedding night,” he whispered against her lips.
She smiled. She wasn’t sure exactly what happened on a wedding night, but she’d seen enough animals mating to have a pretty good idea. It didn’t look pleasant, but if it made him happy, she would participate.
They walked again through the woods, and he stopped under the tree where they’d met so many years before. “Will you meet me here again? Tomorrow night?”
“Of course I will!” Her aunt had always told her that a lady didn’t show too much enthusiasm when being pursued by a gentleman. Lily didn’t care. This wasn’t just any man, this was Kit. She wasn’t going to put on airs and pretend to be someone she was not.
They kissed again, just a brief brush of his lips against hers in farewell, and she dashed across the lawn to the backstairs. Once she was again tucked into her bed, she slept deeply, dreaming of little boys with jet black hair and chocolate brown eyes.
For More Fountain of Love books try:
The Earl's Design of Love by Morganna Mayfair
Wishful Thinking by Ava Catori
Wishful Kisses by Krista Lakes
The Trillionaire's Kiss by Ella Mansfield
For More books by Kirsten Osbourne:
Brides of Beckham Series
Mail Order Mayhem
Mail Order Mama
Mail Order Madness
Mail Order Mix Up
Mail Order Mistake
Mail Order Maternity
Mail Order Match Maker
Mail Order Motherhood
Mail Order Meddler
Anthology With Others (Including Mail Order Matron)
Western Kisses
Dallas Billionaires Series
Steven
Justin
Cody
Stand Alone Books
Dream Lover
Making Me Believe
All For Emma
Making Deals
Lies
Loving Lily
Suitors of Seattle
Rose
Lily
Amaryllis
Daisy
Jasmine