by Alexa Aston
Suddenly, his mouth left hers. She almost cried out for him to come back. She had to fight the urge to force him back to her.
He didn’t release his hold on her, though. His thumb stroked her cheek. Those emerald eyes of his held hers for a long moment and then, somehow, he untangled them. Mia swayed unsteadily and he gripped her elbow.
“Why don’t you have a seat, my lady?” his deep voice rumbled.
Chapter Ten
Hudson hadn’t meant to kiss her.
But she had kissed him.
And the world came alive . . .
He led her to a seat, knowing how unsteady she was. Bloody hell, he was shaking, too. She reached the closest chair and sank into it, staring off into space.
What had he done?
Kissed an innocent, to begin with. A total innocent. At least a young debutante making her come-out knew of the possibilities of being kissed, as she was surrounded by men at ton events. Some of those young misses might even wish to experience a kiss before they wed. Lady Mia, though, came from such an insulated life. One with her father as her only family, and his dementia had severely impacted their interaction. Beyond a few servants, she never saw anyone. She had no friends. Guilt filled him at taking advantage of her. She’d just lost her father and had been tossed from her home. Separated from her beloved pet. Emotionally, she was so very fragile. She also looked upon him as a business associate, not a rake who would ruin her.
He wouldn’t change what had happened, though. He’d never been more moved in his life, especially by a kiss. Though her inexperience shone through, Hudson knew a passionate creature lay just beyond Lady Mia’s surface. Their kiss had awakened it. Maybe he had done her a favor, allowing her to see there was more to life than the formulas she balanced and the machines she concocted.
What he would do is apologize.
He stood near her. Not too close because he didn’t want to overwhelm her or make her feel threatened. Then he thought better of it as he looked down upon her. It would be better to be on her level. With that, Hudson took a seat in the chair next to where Lady Mia sat. He started to speak and saw her bemused smile. It made him want to kiss her all over again. Longer. Deeper.
He shook his head, trying to toss those thoughts aside. It was difficult, though. The skirt of the borrowed gown she wore only struck her mid-calf. She had lovely calves and trim ankles. He longed to run his hand along her long leg. Or his tongue. The bodice of her gown wasn’t large enough to contain her beautifully rounded breasts. The fichu which had tried to hide them had come askew, revealing far more of the creamy expanse than should be on display. He hungered to touch them. Tease the nipples. Suck on them.
“I’m sorry,” she said before he could gather his thoughts to speak.
Their gazes met. Her eyes were a lovely chocolate brown with flecks of gold throughout them. He stared at them, knowing he could become lost in them. In her. In the beautiful curves of her supple body.
“I am the one who owes you an apology, my lady,” Hudson said sincerely. “I am known for my self-control. I—”
“I threw myself at you. My behavior was totally inappropriate.” Her cheeks bloomed with embarrassment, a soft hue of pink that only added to her appeal. “I was just so happy to see Nelson.”
At his name, the cat suddenly appeared and jumped into her lap. She chuckled and began petting him.
Hudson wished she stroked him like the lucky Nelson.
“I will forgive your exuberance if you will forgive my continuing to kiss you. I know you merely meant it to be a brief kiss of gratitude.” He paused. “You are very beautiful, though. I found it . . . difficult to stop.”
“I didn’t mind,” she said. “I’d never thought about being kissed. Now, I know what it feels like. As a scientist, I have a streak of curiosity a mile long.”
Hudson laughed. “So, I am classified as one of your experiments now?”
She flushed and looked down and then peered up at him through sooty lashes. “I’m afraid that wouldn’t be wise. Aunt Fanny has already warned me about the dangers of kissing and how it can lead to a woman’s ruin if she’s seen doing so. We are strangers, Mr. St. Clair, and fortunately no one saw our kiss. You are under no obligation to marry me.” She grinned. “Or serve as a test subject in a lab experiment. I’m afraid my experiments are very thorough and detailed. It would take many times and many ways of kissing before I could be satisfied with the results.”
Lady Mia paused. “I suppose that is what marriage is all about. Satisfying your curiosity with your mate. Learning through trial and error what pleases them. I’d never thought of it as an experiment but more a fait accompli.”
He thought of all the ways he would like to please her. All the things he could do that would make her scream in pleasure. Desire ran through him.
He wanted Lady Mia. Wanted her. The thought shocked him. Surprised him.
Pleased him.
This wouldn’t do. She was a business partner. Or would be once she signed the contract. Now that was a safe topic.
“Have you had a chance to review the contract Mr. Davidson sent?”
“Yes, I read it this morning. Uncle Trentham and I met with his solicitor, Mr. Grant, only this morning. He was going to contact your Mr. Davidson to see when we could gather and sign it.” She paused. “I did mention that you had brought up the possibility of a second contract, one in which I would help test the steam engine and then supervise production. Is that still a possibility?”
“If you are willing to do so. Mr. Davidson has already written a contract to that effect. I’m delighted that you wish to pursue that.”
“Aunt Fanny will be horrified but my uncle told me to leave her to him. He understands how much my work means to me. He asked that I compromise and allow her to put me through a Season. I agreed to his suggestion but I have no plans of seeking a husband. My work comes first and foremost. I can’t be distracted by being a wife and mother.”
Her words didn’t surprise him. Hudson knew Lady Mia to be very driven. It made perfect sense for her not to wed, especially since she would be able to live comfortably off the money she earned from working for his family. He couldn’t think of a man in the ton who would think it appropriate to have an inventor for a wife. Yet it bothered him that she would never be able to explore the sensual nature he believed she possessed.
“Speaking of your work, your inventions—and notebooks—are in a secure area in our warehouse now. You’ll have plenty of space to work there if you wish. Might you be interested in signing another agreement? One that would give the St. Clairs exclusive rights to your creations?”
She worried her bottom lip, mulling it over. Hudson had to look away, afraid he would jerk her to him and kiss her again.
“I’m not ready to do so at this time. I do know all my inventions are taking up space, though. Might I be able to pay a monthly rent to house them and use the workspace?”
“That’s not necessary,” he assured her.
“Oh, I believe it is, Mr. St. Clair. I’d already planned to rent space to work in since I knew I couldn’t take over my aunt and uncle’s townhouse. Please. Let me pay you something.”
“What if we make the storage and workspace a part of the next contract? A benefit of you working with us during the three-year period?”
Lady Mia nodded. “That would be acceptable. It would allow me to save as much of my salary as I can and then lease space somewhere else afterward.”
He smiled. “Unless you decide to continue to sell your inventions to my family.”
She returned his smile and his heart beat in double time. “We’ll see.”
Hudson rose and she removed Nelson from her lap and did the same. He deliberately shook her hand although he wanted to kiss it. He released it quickly so that he didn’t use it to pull her toward him and kiss the life from her.
“Then I will see you at the contract signing, my lady. Until then.”
He left the townhouse and told h
is driver to go to Davidson’s office. In the carriage, Hudson tried to get a handle on his emotions. Lady Mia was proving to be far too tempting. It might be in both of their best interests if he stepped aside and allowed Matthew to deal with her in the future.
He leaned his head against the plush velvet cushion and closed his eyes.
And relived every moment of their kiss again.
*
Hudson sat next to Laurel in the Eversleigh chapel, their hands linked.
Cor was dead.
Rationally, his head told him that was the case. His heart, though, yearned to be able to walk in on her as she read, stretched out on her chaise lounge, or sat at her desk to write one of her many letters. He wanted to be able to sit and have tea with her again. Tell her about what new ventures he was involved with and those he was considering. He wanted to ask her advice. Tell her a joke just to hear her laugh. None of that would ever happen again.
He’d spent the last two months at Eversleigh. Some of his time had been devoted to business. The majority, though, had been spent in his grandmother’s company. At first, they’d been able to play chess and discuss politics and business. As Cor grew weaker, he would sit and read to her and they would talk about family. At the heart of everything was family. Cor had impressed that upon Hudson time and time again. His closest friends—the people he trusted the most—were his brothers and sisters and their spouses. When Cor was finally bedridden, all talk had ceased and he’d merely sat at her bedside, holding her hand.
Until the last day.
Cor had rallied some. She was in great pain but never spoke of it. The doctor had prescribed morphine to be given to her periodically. On the morning that became her last, she refused to take any.
“It makes me groggy,” she complained. “I want a clear head.”
“You need it, Cor,” he’d admonished.
She gave one of her famous looks and Hudson had been silenced. He’d always thought his grandmother would make for a great prime minister or general. She didn’t suffer fools of any kind and was the smartest person he knew.
“I want to talk of family,” she’d finally said.
They had spent many hours talking about her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, a veritable army of people. All of them had gathered at Eversleigh in the last few days. The doctor had warned Jeremy the end was near and he had summoned the troops to Cor’s side. Only because it was so early in the morning did Hudson have her to himself. He’d spent the night in a chair next to her bed. Rachel had done the same but she was still fast asleep on the other side of the bed. Cor glanced at her granddaughter and then back to him.
“We spoke of this once,” she began. “We will once more before I go.”
Hudson brought her hand to his lips and pressed a fervent kiss upon her knuckles. “You aren’t going anywhere, Cor. I won’t let you.”
“Do you love me?” she asked, her eyes penetrating and inquisitive.
“You know I do. You are the heart of the St. Clair family. I owe so much to you. But I don’t love you out of any sense of obligation. I love you because you are my Cor.” Tears brimmed in his eyes.
“Free yourself, Hudson,” she urged. “You keep so much inside you. Liberate those feelings. Find a woman to love. To share your innermost thoughts. One you will have to share the good and the bad. Hold her dear. Raise a family with her.”
He’d merely nodded to appease her. She hadn’t been able to say much after that. Rachel had awakened and insisted Cor take another dose of morphine. Cor allowed it to be administered. Hours later, she died peacefully.
He walked with Laurel and Anthony to the graveside. The clergyman said a few words and offered an eloquent prayer before they returned to the house. The St. Clair families alone would have filled the drawing room but several others had turned out for the funeral. Close family friends. Locals from the nearby town. Everywhere he turned, Hudson was offered sympathy and compassion. It seemed everyone present knew the world had lost a great lady—and how that loss affected him most of all.
Finally, those outside the immediate family made their goodbyes. He felt worn to the bone, so weary that he considered going up to his room to bed, even though it was only six o’clock in the evening. Instead, Luke came to him.
“We’re to gather in the library with Davidson,” his brother shared. “The five grandchildren. He wants to read Cor’s will.”
The five St. Clair siblings arrived to find the solicitor waiting for them.
“Have a seat,” he said.
Though tired, Hudson was too restless to sit and went to stand next to the fire while Jeremy, Rachel, Luke, and Laurel all sat.
“Cor wanted you to be together to hear the terms of her will,” Davidson began. “I will read her words to you.”
He didn’t want anything from Cor. She had given him pieces of her that he would always carry in his heart. Still, he politely listened as the solicitor began to read.
“I, Cordelia St. Clair, Dowager Duchess of Everton, wish to say a few things.”
Everyone, including Hudson, chuckled. It sounded so like Cor.
“I have lived a full life. Not always exemplary, but one I enjoyed a great deal. I hope all of you will live and be as happy as I have been. I know custom says you should mourn me but I’ve never been one to stand upon ceremony so I forbid it. Do not be sad to see me go. Instead, celebrate my life by living yours to the fullest.”
Yes, it was very much Cor. Hudson agreed with her. Though her loss saddened him, he would choose to remember all the good times between them. He would take out cherished moments and examine them upon occasion for all the years to come.
He listened as Davidson went through a litany of gifts Cor bestowed upon each grandchild and great-grandchild. Naturally, it took a while with so many being recognized. Various family members received a book. A scarf. A painting. A pair of earrings. Hudson knew each item would hold significance for its recipient.
“Beyond this, everything I own is intended to go to my grandson, Hudson St. Clair.”
He stiffened, wondering what his siblings thought of this.
“All of my grandchildren, besides Hudson, have wed. They have spouses and homes and wealth so I am certain they will not begrudge Hudson receiving more than they have. Hudson, I hope you are still listening at this point.”
He could feel the eyes of his four siblings upon him. He stared straight ahead at Davidson.
“Now that I have your attention, I want you to know that I am giving you Meadowbrook. You and I have spent many happy times at this estate, which I brought into my marriage and which remained in my control upon the insistence of my father. Since it is only ten miles to the north of Eversleigh, you will always have family close by.
“I also give to you any wealth which I have accumulated over the years. Much of it has been at your hands since you seem to be a wizard at making money, much as Jeremy was when he first became Duke of Everton. The other men in the family hold estates and titles. I have no title to pass on to you but I wanted Meadowbrook to be in your hands so you have a home of your own.”
Hudson was thunderstruck. Since he managed Cor’s money, he knew exactly the amount the will would bring to him. As for Meadowbrook, he had loved the manor house from the time Cor had taken him there. It was a wonderful size and on a pretty plot of land in Kent. It wasn’t a large enough estate to house tenants but Cor did have a man who bred horses there for her. It thrilled him that he would now lay claim to his own estate, thanks to his loving grandmother.
“There is one simply act you must complete, however, in order to fulfill the terms of my will and gain both the money and the estate. You must wed, Hudson. You are a man who knows himself well and has never had trouble making up your mind. Because of this, I require you to marry no later than sixty days after the reading of my will. If you are wed by the end of that sixtieth day, everything is yours. If this hasn’t been accomplished, Meadowbrook will go to Lady Delia St. Clair, my namesake, and any m
onies to the Linfield School.”
Mr. Davidson added, “Family is everything, Hudson. Find a bride. Have children. Live long and love well.” The solicitor paused. “That’s the end of it.”
“It’s blackmail!” Hudson exclaimed. “Pure blackmail.”
He stormed from the room.
Chapter Eleven
Hudson strode to the stables. He didn’t want to walk for a few hours, his usual refuge when things troubled him, because others might catch up to him. Instead, he entered the stables and waved the groom off, saddling a horse himself and barreling out of the structure like a bat soaring from a darkened cave. Sure enough, he saw both Evan and Anthony arriving at the stables. By the time they got horses of their own readied, Hudson would be long gone.
He rode several miles before finally pulling on the reins and slowing his mount. He slipped from the saddle and took the reins in hand so he could walk. He always did his best thinking when he moved.
What was Cor thinking?
He didn’t need her money—although it would certainly be nice to have. He didn’t want a country estate because he spent most of his time in London or traveling. Besides, he had accumulated enough wealth to buy his own if he was ever interested in owning one.
But Meadowbrook . . .
That was what tempted him. Cor had loved the property, which her own mother had brought with her into her marriage to Cor’s father. Cor had spent many summers there as a young girl. Upon her own marriage, Cor’s father had given her the estate since it was so close to Eversleigh. Though Cor loved her family, every now and then, she would retreat to Meadowbrook and soak up the privacy. She had taken Hudson to the estate shortly after it came out that he was a bastard son of Cor’s only son, the previous Duke of Everton. She had put Hudson through his paces there, teaching him many things that would help him move with ease in a much different society than he was used to. It had become their special place and they had gone to Meadowbrook at least once a season to spend time together and check on her beloved horses.