Never Deny Your Heart (Kellington Book Five)

by Maureen Driscoll

  “No, I’m not,” said Gabriel.

  “Come along, children,” said Olivia, with a smile for them. “Let’s go on a walk about the green.”

  “Can you handle them by yourself, Miss…” asked Rosalind, extremely curious as to the casual relationship between the woman and Liam.

  The woman curtsied. “Olivia Morrison, Miss Carson. Your duke rescued me from a most unpleasant fate. And I grew up on a farm with eight younger siblings. ‘Twill be nothing for me to look after them.”

  “You don’t look like you grew up on a farm,” said Gabriel.

  Olivia rolled her eyes. “I’ll wager I can milk a cow faster than you can.”

  “You milk cows?” asked Tommy with skepticism.

  “I’ve been doing it since before you were born.”

  “But do you like cows?” asked Daisy, as if weighing the newcomer’s attributes.

  “Course, I do. And they like me. At least the ones at home do. I never got a chance to meet the earl’s.”

  Daisy crinkled her nose. “The earl’s cows probably give sour milk.”

  Olivia laughed. “They probably do. Now, if you and your friends will come with me, we’ll have a nice long walk on the green and leave the others to talk.” Then she added under her breath. “Or fight.” She bobbed another curtsey to Rosalind. “Miss Carson.” She looked at Gabriel, then at Lynwood, expectantly.

  “Excuse my rag manners,” he said dryly. “Miss Olivia Morrison, may I introduce Mr. Gabriel Mills, the man you believe will try to lay me out. Now, please take the children and go for that walk you suggested.”

  Olivia didn’t have to be asked twice. “Boys and girls, we’re going to go to the green and leave that lot to talk. Line up and follow me.” She clapped her hands with some authority, then, somewhat surprisingly, the children did just as she’d told them. All except Tommy and Daisy, who hung back with their father.

  “Go along now with Miss Olivia,” he said.

  Liam looked like he’d been hoping Gabriel would also follow Olivia. “Thank you Mills. That will be all.”

  Gabriel stiffened. “With all due respect, your grace, I’m not your servant, nor your tenant to do your bidding. I’ve come to see if Miss Rose, uh, Miss Rosalind needs my assistance. And I don’t intend to leave her alone with you until I’m satisfied there’s naught for her to fear.”

  “Rosalind would never have cause to fear me,” said Liam, in such a tone as to imply Gabriel could make no such assumption for his own welfare.

  Gabriel took one step closer to the duke and Liam looked like nothing would settle his nerves quite as well as a mill.

  Rosalind stepped between them.

  “Gentlemen, please. I’ll not have you behaving this way in my school room, especially with the children just outside. Gabriel, thank you. I very much appreciate your looking out for my welfare. But I truly have nothing to fear from his grace.” Unless she counted how much her heart ached. “I shall hear him out, then send him on his way.”

  “The devil you will!” said Liam.

  “You won’t use language like that in front of Miss Rosalind.”

  The two men closed the distance between each other so much, it was all Rosalind could do to keep them apart. “Gabriel, please, leave me alone with the duke. I assure you I shall be fine.”

  With one last glare toward Lynwood, Gabriel walked to the door. “I’ll be just outside. If you have need of me, simply call. I can handle him.” He then left the room.

  Leaving Rosalind and Liam alone together.

  Alone at last.

  For one moment, they simply looked at one another in silence. Rosalind could hardly believe that he was there. She wasn’t quite sure why he was. She had a lowering suspicion that he was there to take her back to London and her waiting fiancé. Perhaps, if she swallowed her pride, she could ask him to send her to a place far away where she could escape the fate her family had made inevitable. But she was afraid that asking him to do such a thing would violate his honor.

  His damnable honor.

  She took a deep breath, wondering what she would say, when he took three swift steps, pulled her into his arms and kissed her like he’d never let her go.

  * * *

  Finally, after weeks of worry and sleepless nights when he was afraid he’d never see her again, here she was. His Rosalind. His love. He wanted to weep from relief – and he wasn’t exactly the weeping type. He wanted to pick her up, and take her to the church for an immediate wedding ceremony, paying any bribe necessary to make it so. He wanted to take her up against the wall of the odd tavern/school house and finally sink into the woman he was meant to spend a lifetime loving.

  But instead, he was able to cage the beast inside him enough to close the space between them, pull her into his arms and kiss her like the starving man he was.

  Fortunately, she melted into him. And his life made sense once again, if even for a moment.

  He held her so tightly they were pressed against each other from their lips all the way down their bodies. She seemed to be as greedy for his touch as he was for hers. Her tongue mated with his. Her hands roamed the back of him.

  He moved one of his hands to the side of her breast. Her gasp only encouraged him to do more. He moved his hand to cup her fully…

  Then she pushed him away. At least she tried to. It took him a moment to register that she was doing it. As soon as he realized it, he let her go, though he didn’t draw back further than arm’s length. Part of him was afraid she’d flee again.

  “Liam,” she said in a raspy voice. “The children could come back at any moment.”

  It took a moment for his lust-fogged brain to figure out which children she was referring to. Then he realized they were in the tavern.

  “Excellent point. We’ll go to your home.” Then he frowned. “Where do you live? Not with Gabriel Bloody Mills, I hope. And who does he think he is, trying to warn me off? He wants you for himself, he does. Well, he can’t have you.”

  “Gabriel…”

  “You call him Gabriel?”

  She smiled. “Mr. Mills was kind enough to give me employment and a cottage to live in, in exchange for my teaching the village children.”

  “He hasn’t made advances, has he? I’ll knock him into the next county, if he has.”

  “Mr. Mills and I are, well, friends. He has been very kind and I like his children very much.”

  Liam narrowed his eyes. If she liked children, he’d give her as many as she wished. But no more friendship with the hulking farmer. “You can thank Mills and say good-bye to his children as soon as you have packed.”

  “Packed?” Alarm overtook her, as if he’d just threatened to send her into a tin mine. It was not the reaction he’d been hoping for.

  “Yes, we will get your things before we set off for London.”

  “London!” Now she looked well and truly panicked. “So you’re sending me back to my family. Back to my betrothal to Fallmoor?”

  “Of course not! If it were up to me, you’d never have to see your family ever again and you can forget about Fallmoor getting within a mile of you. We’re going back to London, so we can be married.”

  “Married!”

  “Of course. Now, if you’ll take me to this cottage of yours, we can be on our way.” After they made love. For the first time, he regretted having taken Olivia with him. It was too cold to ask her to sit with the coachman, but he would dearly love to be alone with Rosalind in the carriage for the drive back to London.

  “Liam, how can you even talk about marriage when you made it perfectly clear at Lizzie’s wedding that you were not interested in me?”

  Liam wasn’t sure he’d heard her correctly. Of all the preposterous things to accuse him of. “What are you talking about? I…”

  She held up a hand to forestall more of an explanation.

  “I have my own plans for my future. And if you will excuse me, I shall go home to pack. Not for a trip back to London, but for the next step in m
y life’s journey.” With that she darted away from him and was out the door before he knew what she was about.

  For a moment, he just stood there. Understanding nothing. He didn’t think he was a particularly arrogant man. But in his many imaginings of what it would be like when he finally found Rosalind again, not once did she turn away from him, especially after a kiss like that.

  And he’d be damned if he let this stand.

  He stormed out of the tavern and caught sight of her stalking away toward a small cottage in the distance. He set off after her, only to feel a grip of steel on his arm. It was that Mills bastard. Liam swung about and hit him on the jaw, then was quite surprised to be the recipient of an answering blow.

  Before they could continue their fight, which promised to be most satisfying, Olivia Morrison neatly inserted herself between them. Both men had to pull the punch they’d been about to throw.

  “Bloody hell!” said Gabriel. “Excuse my language, miss.”

  “For once I agree with Mills,” thundered Liam. “What do you think you’re about, Olivia? You could have been hurt.”

  “Enough!” she said, then turned to the children, who’d been watching the fight with considerable awe. “Tommy, is it?” At the boy’s nod, she continued. “Take the others back inside and ask the tavern keep to serve them cider and biscuits on the duke’s tab.”

  “What?” asked Lynwood, still itching to pummel Mills.

  “You can afford it. The word in the servants’ quarters was you’re rich as Croesus.” She turned back to the children. “Go on now, get your biscuits.” When they ran back to the tavern, she turned to the men, still careful to stand between the two of them. “You should be ashamed of yourselves, milling in front of the young ‘uns.”

  Gabriel backed up. “And he’ll probably have the law on me for striking a peer.”

  Olivia shook her head. “He’s not the type. Especially when he knows he was in the wrong.”

  “I was not in the wrong. And who says I’m not the type?”

  “I do. And I’m a fair judge of character. You’re in love with this Miss Carson and angry as a wet cat that she didn’t fall into your arms, when you probably didn’t ask her to marry you before you started making pronouncements about her future.”

  “I…” sputtered Liam, before realizing she was right.

  “And you,” here Olivia turned to Gabriel. “You were half in love with her yourself, though something was holding you back. But you do care for her a great deal and didn’t want to see some worthless toff come steal her away.” She turned back to Liam. “He was only looking out for your Miss Carson, the way you would have. She looks safe and sound and you probably owe Mr. Mills your thanks for keeping her that way.”

  Again, the day bore little resemblance to Liam’s previous musings. “Olivia, has anyone ever told you that you do not have the temperament for someone in service?”

  “I tell myself that every morning, your grace. Now, are you going to go get your Miss Carson now that she’s had a few minutes to herself or are you going to muck everything up again like when you let her get away in the first place?”

  Liam stared at her for a moment. “Olivia, I know we have not discussed wages.”

  “And I don’t come cheaply, your grace.”

  “Whatever rate you name, I am doubling it. I am going to see Rosalind and there will be no interruptions.” He looked at Gabriel, ready to hit him again.

  For a moment, the big man stared at him, taking his measure. But finally he spoke.

  “You love her, do you?” asked Gabriel.

  “I do.”

  “Then go get her.”

  Liam nodded at the other man, then took off for the cottage.

  “I suspect that was very hard for you,” Olivia said to Mills softly.

  He nodded. “It’s not like I truly thought there was a future for us. But she reminded me…well, there’s naught to be said for it now.”

  “No, tell me.” She put her hand on his arm, then when he looked at it, quickly removed it. “I am sorry…”

  “No, it has just been a while since… To tell the truth, Miss Rosalind reminded me a bit of my late wife. She was a good woman, a wonderful mother. And things have been so hard without her.”

  “I do not know how one ever gets over a loss like that.”

  “It’s not like I still live in the past. I can’t. Not with my two young ‘uns who keep me in the here and now. But I do miss her. And I think about what it was like for all of us to be together as a family.”

  “And you want things to be that way again.”

  “I do. But can a man be lucky enough to find love twice?”

  She gave him a small smile. “I am not the right person to ask, since I’ve never been in love even once. But I think if you’re the type of person who can open your heart one time, you can do so again. And who knows what the future brings? Just this morning I thought I was stuck in a terrible position and now I have a whole new life ahead of me. I know you don’t care for the duke, but I think he’s a rather decent sort. He looks out for people. Speaking of which, I must find a place for the coachman to stable the horses and see about rooms to let. Can you be of assistance, Mr. Mills?”

  “I reckon I can. The village doesn’t have public stables, nor an inn, but you’re welcome to stable the horses in my barn and he can room with my grooms.”

  “That is very kind of you. Do you have servants’ quarters where I might stay?”

  “I have a spare bedroom. It’s next to my daughter’s, so I cannot guarantee you’ll have uninterrupted sleep. She’ll probably be after you to tell her stories, but I can see if she’ll leave you in peace.”

  “It so happens I’m an excellent storyteller and it’s the least I can do to earn my keep. Shall we be off, Mr. Mills?”

  “Aye, Miss Morison, we shall.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Rosalind had no sooner returned to her cottage than her mind was in a whirl. What was Liam doing here? And how would she ever have the strength to leave him again? But leave she must. She’d seen the children one last time. She needed to finish packing her belongings and prepare to depart in the morning.

  She ran up the narrow stairs to her bedchamber. She pulled her valise out from under the bed and had just opened her dresser, when there was a loud knock on her front door. She had a feeling she knew who it was.

  She walked to the window and looked out. There was Liam, as handsome as ever, his breath visible in the cold air and knocking once again. She hadn’t locked the door when she’d returned home. There was usually no need to during the day. Would he simply come in if she didn’t answer his knock?

  She thought it likely.

  With a bit of effort, she opened the window and leaned out.

  “I am afraid, your grace, that we have little to discuss.” He was looking up at her and his eyes narrowed to a dangerous degree. “But I would appreciate it if you would please tell your sister I am well and that…”

  But then she was speaking to the spot formerly occupied by the Duke of Lynwood, because he’d obviously heard enough then walked right into her house.

  Rosalind froze for an instant. He couldn’t find her up her. It was too dangerous. She had to run downstairs and meet him on more neutral territory.

  But there was no time for that, because Liam was suddenly standing in the doorway. Actually, he was standing in her bedchamber, his head nearly brushing the ceiling. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t breathe. She could only look up at the man who’d lived in her heart for so long.

  With two strides he pulled her into his arms.

  “Liam,” she whispered.

  “My love,” he said, as he pulled off his great coat while kissing her in such a way that it seemed her very soul was posed to take flight. “Rosalind, my love, you can send me away with a word and I will go. For now. But if you remain as you are in my arms, I’ll have you on that bed with our next breath.” He pulled back to await her response.


  She looked into his eyes. “You’ll have me on the bed?”

  “For starters. I do not yet know where we’ll be after that.”

  “Then take me, Liam. I am yours for today.”

  “You’ll be mine forever,” he said, right before he picked her up and lightly threw her on the bed. At her look of surprise, he added, “You didn’t think I’d waited all this time to go about this like some type of gentleman, did you?”

  “I certainly hope not.”

  He lay himself upon her, though Rosalind thought it was more like a pounce. If Rosalind had struggled to draw breath before, it was nothing compared to the feeling of having him pressed down upon her, drawing gasps as he kissed her neck, then gently nibbled on her shoulder.

  She tried to remove his jacket, but it was so tightly fitted that she could make no real progress. “Liam, please. I want to feel you. I want to feel your…” Though she’d dreamt of the moment for years, she suddenly felt shy.

  “You want to feel my what?” Liam’s gaze was wild-eyed and he was breathing hard.

  “I want to feel your skin upon mine.”

  He all but leapt from the bed and tore his jacket off. His waistcoat and shirt quickly followed. As he began to unfasten his breeches, Rosalind followed his movements with her eyes, even as she began to unbutton her gown. Her fingers stilled as he revealed himself fully nude. Rosalind felt her eyes widen and her jaw drop. She grew impossibly warm in the cold room. She wanted to touch him, but had no idea where to begin.

  He smiled slowly. “I can see you are not wholly unaffected by me.”

  “Are you in earnest? Surely you must know the effect you have on me. But this is even more extraordinary than the time we spent in the library after Lizzie’s wedding.”

  “It shall get even better, I assure you. Now, you are wearing all too many clothes.”

  “I have learned to dress myself since living here and have become proficient…what are you doing?”

  A loud ripping sound filled the air, as he pulled the two sides of her gown apart.

  “I don’t have that many gowns!” she protested, while not truly caring all that much. Though it would make her journey to Scotland all the more awkward since this was the best gown in which to travel.