She gave a small start at the word. ‘You mean pretend to be in love? Wouldn’t that be dishonest?’
‘Perhaps, but I prefer to keep my private business private. Or would you prefer for everyone to be studying us and wondering if we secretly resent each other?’ He jumped down and came around to her side of the barouche, offering a hand to help her descend. ‘Besides, it might be fun.’
‘You have a point.’ A frisson of warmth shot up her arm as his fingers closed around hers. ‘So we’re in love, then?’
‘Deeply and passionately.’
‘After just over a week?’
‘But what a week.’ He grinned, turning the frisson into a raging torrent, so potent it was as though she’d just been scorched.
She felt her pulse flutter and then accelerate rapidly, not just at the grin, but at the implication behind it. She seemed to feel his words, too, deep down in the pit of her stomach. Deeper even, in some previously unknown part of her body that seemed to be quivering with excitement. No, she corrected herself, quivering wasn’t a strong enough word. Throbbing felt more accurate. She laid her spare hand on her stomach, trying to quell the sensation with a series of deep breaths.
‘Very well then, honeysuckle, but I’m still not sure I approve.’ She started to move away, but he tightened his grip on her hand, tugging her back towards him.
‘Wh-what are you doing?’ She felt her cheeks blossom with colour as he slowly unpeeled one of her gloves and pressed his lips to the inside of her wrist.
‘We’re being watched,’ he murmured softly, the warmth of his breath raising goosebumps on her skin and making the throbbing intensify again.
‘Oh.’ She glanced across at the farmhouse. If she wasn’t mistaken, a couple of faces immediately jumped away from a window. ‘You’re right.’
‘Then let’s give them something new to talk about. Are you ready?’ His lips lingered against her skin as he looked up at her, the blue of his eyes an almost perfect match with the sky beyond.
‘To be in love?’ Somehow she forced herself to answer in a calm voice. ‘I think so.’
Chapter Fourteen
‘Delicious.’ Millie set her empty plate on the parlour table beside her. Cassius certainly hadn’t been exaggerating about her not needing a big breakfast. At this rate she wouldn’t have any room left for dinner either. In the space of four hours, she’d consumed two pieces of plum cake, two ginger biscuits, a buttered tea cake and three mince pies. Not to mention eight cups of tea. The combination was starting to make her feel somewhat queasy.
‘Thank you, Lady Falconmore.’ Her hostess, Mrs Shepherdson, beamed with pride. ‘My youngest made the mince pies this year, didn’t you, Sophie?’
‘Well, it was delectable. Perfectly balanced.’ Millie smiled at the girl standing beside her mother’s chair. She looked to be about thirteen, with copper-blonde hair and a shy, pleasant face. ‘In return, I hope you’ll be able to come to the ball, too? The whole family is welcome.’
‘Can I?’ The girl’s eyes slid towards her mother. ‘Please, Mama?’
‘You certainly can.’ Mrs Shepherdson nodded her approval and then turned back to Millie. ‘We’re so flattered by your visit, Lady Falconmore. We didn’t expect it so soon after your marriage.’ She shuffled forward with a look of barely concealed curiosity. It was becoming familiar, the same expression Millie had seen in every house they’d visited. ‘Everyone was so surprised by the news, especially when we heard you only arrived in Rayleigh just over a week ago.’
‘Yes, I confess I was somewhat surprised myself.’
‘It must have been a whirlwind romance, then?’
‘Very much so.’ After eight almost identical conversations, the answers, which she preferred to think of as exaggerations rather than lies, slid off her tongue like honey. ‘I’m still feeling quite dizzy.’
‘But you know I’ll always be here to catch you, my darling.’ Cassius chose that moment to enter the kitchen, accompanied by Mr Shepherdson. ‘Although I’d call it more of a hurricane than a whirlwind, but then what’s the point of waiting when you’ve met the perfect woman?’
‘Not to mention the perfect man.’ Millie batted her eyelashes in a way that she hoped conveyed an appropriate level of devotion.
‘What was the wedding like?’ Mrs Shepherdson’s eyes lit up eagerly. ‘We heard you wore a white dress like the Queen.’
‘She did,’ Cassius answered for her. ‘She looked so radiant I was almost blinded. I barely noticed anyone else.’
‘How wonderful.’ Mrs Shepherdson and Sophie sighed together.
‘Of course, in my eyes she becomes more and more radiant every da—’
‘But we look forward to seeing you at the ball,’ Millie interjected quickly. ‘I do so want it to be a success.’
‘We wouldn’t miss it for the world, my lady.’
‘Excellent.’ Cassius made a formal bow. ‘In that case, I hope that both you and your daughter will agree to save me a dance.’
‘Oh!’ Mrs Shepherdson laid a hand on her chest. ‘We’d be honoured, sir.’
Millie took hold of his arm, smiling at the flurry of giggles behind them as they walked back out into the yard.
‘You know at this rate you’ll be dancing all night,’ she pretended to remonstrate as they climbed back up on to the barouche. ‘You’ve promised to dance with every woman we’ve seen today.’
‘Have I?’
‘Yes, and there were seven daughters at the last farm!’
‘Well then, we’ll just ask the musicians to play for as long as it takes.’ He picked up the reins with a flourish. ‘And don’t think you’ll escape their fate either. It’s custom for the lord and lady to open the ball.’
‘I suppose if I must.’ She heaved an exaggerated sigh and waved back at the house. ‘Especially since we’re in love. Although I think you might be overdoing the pretence slightly. Blinded by radiance? More and more every day?’
‘I thought it was poetic.’
‘Except that we only got married yesterday.’
‘Oh, yes, so we did.’ He laughed. ‘You’re coping very well with all that tea and cake, by the way.’
‘Don’t remind me.’ She put her hand on her stomach as the barouche lurched forward. ‘Any more and I might burst.’
‘I could do with a cup of tea right about now. The men just want to clap me on the back and offer me brandy. Maybe we should swap places?’
‘No, thank you. But maybe we could take a break from visiting and look for some holly instead? I need a walk before I even look at another mince pie.’
‘Good idea. There’s a wood right along here.’ He swayed briefly against her as they turned a corner, making that side of her body come alive again. ‘You know you don’t have to eat all the cake. You could just refuse it.’
‘But that would be rude.’
‘Marchionesses are allowed to be rude. Didn’t you know?’
‘Well, this one isn’t.’
‘You really are a revolutionary, aren’t you?’ He smiled at her. ‘I’m starting to wonder what I’ve let myself in for.’
* * *
Cassius tugged on the rim of his top hat, shielding his eyes from the low sun. What had he let himself in for? The moment the words had left his mouth he’d felt a jolt of surprise. Just a few days ago he’d resolved to put distance between them and yet here he was, riding about his estate, pretending to dote on his new wife. Why? What on earth had made him suggest such a thing? Why propose that they ride about the estate together at all? Of course it had only been good manners to show her around, but he could have found an easier, less time-absorbing way to do it. Instead, he’d actually wanted to spend the day with her!
On the other hand, after three glasses of brandy—he’d refused the others on the grounds of safety—perhaps now wasn’t the best time to thin
k about his motivations. Besides, he didn’t want to spoil the undeniable fact that he was enjoying himself, as if he were on holiday, too. Playing the part of adoring husband had proven surprisingly entertaining and, despite Millie’s accusations, he hadn’t exaggerated that much at all. She had looked radiant on their wedding day and even more so today, especially when she’d been pretending to dote on him, too. And now the sunshine was bringing out the various red shades of her hair, from cherry to burgundy, all combining together to make one rich auburn hue. Even her eyes had a hint of amber about them, he noticed, a copper ring around the pupil before it blended into green. She looked so warm and vibrant that it took no effort at all to believe that he was in love with her. In fact, it was alarmingly easy. Natural almost.
‘Over there.’ He directed the trap to the side of the road and gestured into the wood. ‘If I’m not mistaken, that’s a holly tree.’
‘You’re right.’ She jumped down almost the moment they stopped. ‘We’ll need a few long branches so that I can arrange it over the windows.’
‘How many windows are you planning to decorate?’
‘As many as I can in the ballroom. Then we’ll need to make wreaths for the doors, too. I want the whole house to look festive.’
He climbed down from the trap and folded his arms sternly. ‘You know, they warned me this would happen.’
‘Who warned you about what?’
‘Marriage. People warned me it would be just like the army and I’d end up following orders again.’ He lowered his brows for a moment, then pulled a pair of shears from the back of the barouche. ‘Fortunately, Shepherdson lent me these.’
‘Can I help?’ Millie stood to one side as he strode up to the holly tree.
‘No, you can stand back and admire my manly prowess. And no picking up branches either. You look far too radiant to get covered in scratches.’
She laughed, watching as he cut down a few boughs and then piled them on to the back of the barouche.
‘There.’ He rubbed his sleeve over his face when he was finished. ‘I’ll send some of the stable boys out tomorrow to get more. If that’s acceptable for your plans?’
‘It is, thank you. Oh, look!’ She pointed towards a ditch by the side of the track. ‘There’s still some snow over there. It’s such a shame the rest melted so quickly.’
‘So there is. Which reminds me...’ he strode straight towards it ‘...I owe you a debt.’
‘You do?’
‘I’m afraid so.’ He picked up a clump of snow and shaped it into a ball with his hands. ‘One of honour, otherwise I wouldn’t dream of doing anything so unchivalrous.’
‘You wouldn’t!’ Her eyes jumped from his hands to his face with a look of alarm.
‘I’m afraid that I would. Although as a gentleman I’m prepared to give you a ten-second head start. One...’
‘Cassius!’
‘Two. I suggest you start running. Three...’
‘Beast!’ She bent down, scooping up her own snowball before running headlong into the trees.
‘Four...’ He laughed and started after her. ‘Ten!’
‘Cheat!’
‘You might want to get it over with.’ He slowed his footsteps as she dived behind a large oak. ‘I promise to be gentle.’
‘Never!’ She bobbed out again almost instantly, flinging her arm back and knocking his top hat to the ground with her snowball.
‘Nice aim.’ He darted around the trunk, just in time to see her skirts whisk away again. ‘But you’re out of ammunition.’
‘There are other things I can throw!’
‘Twigs and acorns?’
‘Something like that.’ There was a strange scraping sound from the other side of the tree.
‘Do you remember that I said I have a twin brother?’
‘Yes.’ He glanced down at his snowball. It was starting to melt in his hands.
‘Well, when we were children I was determined to do everything he could.’
‘Really?’ He circled his way stealthily around the thick trunk. ‘And what exactly did you get up to?’
‘Oh, the usual things...’
He jerked his head up as her voice came from a different direction all of a sudden, just in time to catch a glimpse of her standing on a branch before a flurry of leaves tumbled into his face. ‘Climbing trees, for example.’
‘You win.’ He ruffled his hands through his hair, laughing when he’d finished shaking out the last of the dried leaves. ‘I’ve only water left anyway.’
She laughed, too, and then jumped down to the ground, proffering a hand for him to shake. ‘Are we friends again? Do you concede defeat?’
‘I do.’ He took her hand, though the moment their fingers touched he realised it was a mistake. Or if not a mistake then a miscalculation. There was nothing remotely friendly about the way his blood surged in response to the feel of her body, even separated by two layers of glove.
‘Well then...’ her lashes fluttered and lowered ‘...we ought to move on to the next farm before it gets dark.’
‘True.’ He started to let her go and then changed his mind, lifting her up into his arms impetuously and heading back towards the snow instead. ‘On the other hand...’
‘What? No!’ She started to wriggle frantically as she realised where they were going.
‘Debt of honour, remember?’ He stopped beside the pile of snow. ‘Although I suppose I could take something else in exchange.’
‘What?’
He pretended to think for a moment. ‘I might accept a kiss.’
‘Oh.’ Her body stiffened in his arms, though she stopped struggling. ‘But I don’t see any mistletoe.’
‘Apparently it’s not necessary.’
‘So if I kiss you, you’ll let me go?’ Her eyes widened with a searching look.
‘It’s worth a try.’
‘Well then, I don’t suppose I have any choice,’ she murmured softly as she lifted her head up, tipped it back and then pressed her lips against his with a sweetness that took his breath away. Fortunately, it was only a few seconds before it came back again, along with an overwhelming impulse to kiss her back. His body responded even faster, a wave of heat flooding his veins as he tightened his hold around her. A few moments later her arms wound their way around his neck, pulling her small breasts tight against his chest in a way that made him wonder if a snow bed was aptly named, after all. How comfortable would it really be for reclining on, he asked himself, or for doing other things, too? Because he was decidedly tempted to find out.
‘Lord Falconmore!’ The sound of his name being called from the direction of the wood brought him back to his senses. Barely.
‘What?’ He wasn’t sure if he put her down or if she actually jumped out of his arms. Either way, he found himself muffling several choice swear words while she quickly adjusted the position of her bonnet.
‘I saw you stopping your barouche like you said you might, my lord.’ It was Shepherdson himself, accompanied by two boys, emerging out of the undergrowth. ‘We’ve come to help gather some holly.’
‘Thank you.’ Cassius forced a smile through gritted teeth. He could hardly fault the man for coming to assist, even if his timing left a great deal to be desired.
‘We can bring it all up to the house in a cart tomorrow, too, if you like?’
‘That would be a great help.’ He nodded and then threw an apologetic glance towards Millie. ‘I’m sorry.’
‘Is the debt repaid, then?’ she asked the question softly, her cheeks an extremely becoming shade of pink.
‘That might be something we need to discuss later in more detail.’ His voice sounded huskier than he’d intended. ‘And in private.’
Chapter Fifteen
‘It’s getting dark already.’ Cassius pointed towards the east, to where the sky was alr
eady turning a forbidding shade of grey. He didn’t particularly need to say it aloud since they both had eyes in their heads, but he needed to break the silence somehow. They were the first words either of them had spoken since they’d left Shepherdson and his two sons. ‘We’d better get back to the hall.’
‘You’re probably right.’ She gave a small shiver. ‘The temperature’s dropping already.’
‘Here.’ He reached under the bench and pulled out a blanket, draping it gently over her knees. ‘How is your stomach feeling?’
‘Mmm?’ She sounded distracted. ‘Oh, much better, thank you, although I don’t think I’ll need any dinner.’
‘Still bursting with cake?’
‘I’m feeling better, but I don’t think I’ll be hungry again for a week. I enjoyed myself today, though.’
‘So did I.’ He resisted the urge to tuck the blanket more closely around her. The feeling of her legs beneath the fabric had already made his pulse quicken. ‘I don’t remember the last time I laughed so much.’
‘I’m not sure that’s much of a compliment when you were pretending to be in love.’
‘Ah, but that was the enjoyable part.’
‘Oh.’ She pressed her lips together for a moment as if she were considering saying something. ‘About what I said this morning...about our sleeping arrangements and it being a duty.’
‘Yes?’
‘I didn’t mean to imply anything unpleasant about the idea.’
‘I see.’ He was aware of a tightening sensation in his body, as if all his nerves were standing to attention. ‘Theoretically speaking, then, if we were to—’
‘Yes.’ She didn’t wait for him to finish the sentence.
‘Yes?’
‘Yes.’
‘Millie, I’m not certain we’re talking about the same thing.’
‘We are.’
‘Ah. Well then...good.’ He picked up the reins, suddenly eager to get back to the hall as quickly as possible. ‘If you’re certain?’
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