Indeed, it was near purgatory not to simply bolt down the food and toss her over his shoulder.
It was not until dessert was set before him that he took any notice of the food being set before him. Regarding the pale, smooth delicacy he lifted his head in surprise.
“Custard? Is this your doing?”
She appeared charmingly self-conscious. “I recalled you saying that it was a favorite of yours when you were young.”
Adam felt his heart warm to her obvious effort to please him. It was a tangible symbol of the change in their relationship.
“Yes, indeed. My mother would often slip it up to my room when I had been banished by my father for some misdeed.”
She gave a startled laugh at his confession. “I cannot imagine that happened very often.”
The unwelcome image of his father’s forbidding countenance rose to mind. Adam did not particularly desire to brood upon Franklin Drake tonight. The memories always held an edge of bittersweet pain.
“More times than I could possibly count,” he grudgingly revealed. “My father had a wide definition of what constituted misbehavior.”
“He was a very stern gentleman,” she agreed softly.
“I do not believe I ever saw him smile.”
“Never?”
Adam smiled wryly. “Not even when I surprised him with a picture I had painted of him for his birthday when I was just five.”
“Oh, I am certain he must have appreciated your gift,” she protested.
Adam’s features unknowingly hardened. “Actually I was confined to my chamber for a week for dripping paint on my new coat.”
Addy sucked in a sharp breath at his words. “That is horrid.”
Realizing that he had revealed more than he had intended, Adam gave a restless shrug.
“My father strongly believed that offering indulgence to a child was destructive to their character.”
“Balderdash!”
Adam gave a choked laugh at her fierce tone. “Yes, well, I suppose in his own way he was attempting to be a good father.”
Addy did not appear to be appeased. Instead the dark eyes flashed with a surprising anger.
“He would have been a better father had he spent less time chastising you and more time simply appreciating what a fine son he possessed.”
Adam was struck sharply by the motherly concern in her voice.
Good heavens, he had never thought of Addy as a mother. Oh, he had certainly considered the vague notion they would eventually have children. He was not a complete simpleton. But to actually imagine this woman heavy with his child... to think of her with a baby in her arms. It sent an indefinable emotion surging through his body.
He suddenly realized that he deeply desired children. And that he wanted this warm, wonderful woman to be their mother.
“As you would your own son?” he questioned in low tones.
Her spoon abruptly dropped onto the table with a loud clatter.
“I . . . yes, I hope I should be a loving mother,” she said in flustered tones.
Adam leaned forward. “I do not doubt you will be a wonderful mother.”
Her gaze abruptly lowered as a delightful warmth filled her cheeks.
“I have never really considered such a role.”
“You do desire children, do you not?” he demanded with a faint frown.
“Of course.”
Adam’s smile suddenly returned as relief poured through him. He realized he would have been fiercely disappointed if she had announced a dislike for carrying his child.
“Odd that we have never discussed the subject,” he mused.
Clearly not entirely comfortable with the intimate turn of the conversation, her hands dropped to her lap.
“I suppose most couples simply assume there will be children.”
“I should like to see our child in your arms,” he told her gently.
Her napkin slipped to the floor. “I ... It is difficult to imagine myself as a parent.”
Adam gave a small chuckle, taking a great delight in her shy embarrassment. It revealed she was no longer stoically indifferent to the process of creating such children.
“You at least have the benefit of having a happy childhood,” he said, hoping to ease her discomfort.
Slowly she raised her gaze to offer him a wry grimace. “Actually it was more chaotic than happy, I fear.”
Adam was taken aback by the low words. Addy had always seemed so attached to her family. In truth, he had wondered if she would ever be truly happy being separated from her parents.
“But they love you,” he insisted.
“In a very haphazard manner,” she conceded. “More often than not they forgot they even possessed children. We could disappear for days without them ever realizing we were missing.”
He searched her pale countenance with a faint puzzlement. “You always appeared quite content.”
“Oh, I was not unhappy,” she was quick to reassure him. “I possessed a great deal of freedom and I was encouraged to pursue my own interests. But there were times when I wished for a more stable environment.”
Adam slowly smiled, wishing she were close enough to touch. “Perhaps between the two of us we shall manage to discover a method between chaos and perfection.”
A silence fell as their gazes tangled and that ready awareness sparked to life.
With a hasty motion Adam rose to his feet. Gads, he could wait no longer.
“Are you finished?”
“Yes.” Pushing herself to her feet, Addy waited for him to take her hand and place it upon his arm. Together they moved out of the room and down the hall. Tilting back her head Addy offered him a teasing smile. “The house seems very quiet without Mr. Humbly.”
“Yes, indeed. Who would have thought that one vicar could create such a difference in a household?”
“It has been lovely to have him about,” she said hesitantly, as if uncertain whether Adam was as delighted as herself with their visitor.
“Oh, I agree. Not only is he a charming companion, he is far more wise than he would have others believe. In truth, he has a manner of forcing one to consider a situation from a viewpoint previously unnoticed.”
She gave a startled blink at his dry words. “You, too?”
He chuckled as he steered her into the salon and firmly shut the door behind them.
“I think he is also a rather devious gentleman as well.”
“But only with the best intentions.”
“I do hope so.” He gave a dramatic shudder. “I would not wish to think he would use such skills for nefarious purposes. London would not be safe.”
“Perhaps we should send a note to the Bishop warning him to be on guard?” she questioned with a smile.
“Definitely not.” Placing his hands upon her shoulders he gazed deep into her eyes. “I do not wish the Bishop to send Humbly back to us for several more hours.”
Her breath quickened and her eyes darkened at his suggestive words. Adam felt his own body react to her ready response. There was no stiffness in her body, no resignation upon her sweet countenance. Instead, a delightful flush of excitement bloomed beneath her skin.
“I thought you enjoyed his company,” she said in breathless tones.
“I do.” He deliberately stepped forward, surrounding himself in her lilac heat. “Just not as much as I enjoy having an entire evening alone with my wife.”
Her lips softly parted. “Oh.”
“Especially when she is looking like a beautiful gypsy,” he murmured.
A startling flare of uncertainty rippled across her expressive countenance.
“I am not beautiful.”
Adam was baffled by her lack of confidence. How could she not know how lovely she was? Every gentleman in London would be at her feet if she chose to honor them with her warm smile.
Which was no doubt the reason he had virtually cloistered her in this house, an unwelcome voice whispered in the back of his mind.
He was swift to banish the renegade thought.
Tonight was a new beginning.
It was his opportunity to prove to her once and for all that she was utterly and thoroughly cherished.
“Yes, you are,” he said gently, moving to take her hand and press it to his racing heart. “This is what you do to me when I gaze upon you.”
She nervously wet her lips, still uncertain.
“I.....”
A flare of unease raced through him at her sudden bout of nerves. Was he rushing her? Was she not yet prepared to surrender herself to the passions he could feel trembling through her body?
Adam gritted his teeth to try and control the desire raging through him.
He had sworn he would wait until the moment was right. Until she freely gave herself to him.
Even if it killed him.
And at the moment that seemed a distinct possibility.
“What is it, Addy?” he forced himself to ask in calm tones.
There was a moment’s pause before she drew in a steadying breath.
“I do not know what to do.”
He gave a faint frown. “What do you mean?”
“I do not know how to please you.”
Giddy relief nearly sent him to his knees.
She was not frightened or disgusted by his touch, he thought with a dizzy pleasure. Instead she was concerned for his own needs.
His hands moved to frame her lovely countenance, slightly trembling from the force of his emotions.
“Addy, it is very simple,” he said huskily. “Tell me that you desire me.”
“Yes,” she whispered.
His head bent slowly downward. “And that you want my kisses.”
“Yes.”
He teased her lips with light, feathery kisses, using his tongue to softly outline her generous mouth.
“And my touch ...” he murmured, his hands following the delicate line of her neck.
She shuddered beneath his soft caress.
“Yes.”
Wondering if he could possibly make it upstairs to his chambers or rather to simply carry her to the nearby sofa, Adam trailed his fingers along the provocative line of her gown.
His entire body clenched with a searing heat.
The sofa.
Definitely the sofa.
“Addy, I must ...”
His rasping words had barely left his mouth when the door to the salon was thrown open and a shrill female voice pierced the air.
“Surprise, surprise!”
Chapter Eleven
Addy felt as if she had been tossed headfirst into an icy pond.
One moment she had been melting beneath the extraordinary sensations Adam was stirring within her and the next she was pulling away to gaze in horror at the open door.
Her horror did not lessen at the sight of the beautiful woman with dark hair and flashing emerald eyes. Or the short, thin gentleman with silver hair and elegant attire that joined the woman.
It was bad enough to have her evening alone with Adam interrupted. To have it interrupted by her flamboyant, unpredictable parents was the height of ghastly luck.
Blinking in the hope that it was all some horrid nightmare, she at last concluded they were not about to disappear.
“Oh my God,” she muttered. “Mother.”
Oblivious to the realization that she had clearly interrupted a romantic interlude, or even heard Addy’s less than enthusiastic greeting, Lady Morrow smiled in a smug fashion.
“Darling, Addy, did we surprise you?”
Painfully aware of the silent gentleman at her side, Addy grimaced.
“That is one way of putting it.”
Lady Morrow gave a tinkling laugh. “I told your father when we decided to travel to London that it would be such a surprise for our sweet Addy, did I not, Morrow?”
“No doubt you did.” Lord Morrow yawned with obvious boredom. “There had been an incessant stream of words pouring from your lips since we entered the carriage. Thankfully I long ago discovered to ignore your babbling.”
Lady Morrow cast a glare toward her husband. “Really, Morrow.”
Knowing how swiftly her parents’ conversations could deteriorate into flaming rows, Addy was swift to intervene.
“Mother, what are you doing here?”
Thankfully distracted, the older woman returned her attention to her daughter.
“Well, it had been so terribly long since we have seen you, my dearest. Naturally we thought to wait until you issued an invitation, but when one never arrived I decided you must have completely forgotten your poor mother. I was determined to discover for myself that you were well and happy.”
It would have been a touching speech if Addy hadn’t known quite well her mother was lying. Although her parents had always been fond of their children they had never troubled themselves to ensure they were well and happy. To them a child out of sight was indeed out of mind.
No, whatever had brought them to London, it had nothing to do with concern for her.
“I have written several letters assuring you that all was well,” she pointed out in dry tones.
Lady Morrow waved a slender hand. Although well past forty she remained a beautiful woman with a sultry expression and a figure that was the envy of women half her age. It was little wonder gentleman of every age scrambled to attract her attention.
“A letter is not the same as seeing you with my own eyes. Any mother would feel the same.”
“Perhaps most mothers,” Addy muttered before she could halt the words.
“Addy.” Lady Morrow widened her eyes with a pretense of shock. “Surely you are delighted to have us for a visit?”
“Actually ...” Addy began, only to be interrupted as Adam stepped smoothly forward.
“We are, of course, quite happy to have you as our guests.”
“Thank you, Adam,” the older woman gushed, shooting Addy a chastising glance. “I should not wish to feel we were unwelcome.”
Addy winced at her mother’s less than subtle dig. “Of course you are not unwelcome, Mother,” she forced herself to say. “I am merely caught off guard by your sudden arrival.”
Her father gave a short laugh. “A nice way of saying she is horrified,” he teased. “I told you that we shouldn’t just descend like so much baggage.”
Lady Morrow gave a loud sniff. “Nonsense. We are family.”
“The very worse sort of guests,” Lord Morrow concluded, echoing Addy’s own thoughts. “You can’t close the door on them, eh Drake?”
Adam gave a slight nod of his head. “No, I suppose not. Addy, why do you not ring for Mrs. Hall?”
With great reluctance Addy moved to tug the velvet rope. At the same moment Lady Morrow began a detailed inspection of the salon, her sharp gaze lingering on the priceless paintings adorning the walls.
“My is this not lovely? I have always desired a London townhouse.” She abruptly paused before an oil landscape. “Oh my, is this an original?”
“Yes,” Adam assured her. “My father was a great collector.”
The older woman moved toward the bay window. “And such a lovely view. I understand that there is a duke in the neighborhood.”
Adam’s lips twitched with inner amusement and Addy breathed a faint sigh of relief. At least he wasn’t furious at her parents’ rude intrusion.
At least not yet, she reminded herself.
It was too much to hope that Lord and Lady Morrow would not create a whirlwind of chaos with them.
“We keep a stray one about to inflate our consequence,” Adam said in suspiciously bland tones. “He is, unfortunately, quite elderly and his heir apparent detests London. Soon we shall be reduced to an earl and two viscounts.”
Missing the humor in his words Lady Morrow heaved a sigh. “How vexing.”
“Yes, indeed.”
Suddenly brightening, Lady Morrow turned back to regard the large room.
“Still, it is a well-situated house. You no doubt are
besieged with visitors.”
A flare of alarm raced through Addy.
The mere thought of her mother’s notion of entertainment was enough to make her swoon.
Memories of drunken poets, belligerent radicals, and gentlemen attired in nothing more than fig leaves flared through her mind.
Dear heavens, Adam would toss the lot of them into the street.
And she would not blame him.
“Actually we live very quietly, Mother,” she said sternly.
“Quietly?” Lady Morrow appeared genuinely baffled. “Why on earth would you wish to live quietly when you could have all of London dancing attendance upon you?”
“I do not desire to have all of London in my home.”
“Absurd.” Her mother gave a click of her tongue. “If I owned such a setting I would be the most celebrated hostess in London.”
Addy shuddered at the thought, but it was her father who took Lady Morrow to task.
“But you do not own such a setting, my dear. And Addy is mistress here. If she wishes to live quietly, then it is her choice.”
A decidedly worrisome glint entered the emerald eyes. “She is no doubt merely intimidated. The ton can be so very fickle. With my guidance I am certain she shall soon discover just how simple it is to become the talk of the town.”
Talk of the town?
Dear heavens, could anything be worse, Addy wondered.
“Mother ...”
Addy’s plea was interrupted as the housekeeper stepped into the room and regarded the unexpected guests in surprise. Adam once again took command of the situation.
“Ah, Mrs. Hall, would you please show Lord and Lady Morrow to the yellow chamber?”
“Certainly, sir.” The servant glanced toward the older couple. “If you would follow me?”
Moving toward the door Lady Morrow blew Addy an airy kiss. “We shall see you in the morning, dearest.”
Her father in contrast flashed her a wry grin. “Chin up, Addy. I shall endeavor to keep your mother from driving us all batty.”
The sound of Lady Morrow chastising her husband could be heard as the trio moved down the hall and up the stairs to their rooms.
At long last, blessed silence returned to the room and moving to the sofa Addy collapsed onto the cushions.
Love and Marriage Page 13