“He is not a gentleman.” Edmund shook his head.
Her eyes flashed, color returning to her cheeks. “You do not know him.”
“Mr. Noah Skinner. The son of Mr. George Skinner, the solicitor employed by both your family and mine.” Edmund took a step closer. “I know him, Miss Ellis, but I wish I did not.”
Her brow furrowed. “Have you elevated yourself so much in your absence that you would regret to know a man beneath your station?”
“It is not his station that concerns me. It is his character.” Edmund exhaled sharply, sending a puff of fog into the air. He did not wish to argue with Selina already. She was a kind girl—woman—if not a bit naive. Unfortunately, that quality seemed to have increased over the last three years. Could he blame her? Skinner was a master of deception.
Selina let out a quiet laugh. “You are not in a position to be concerned about me. At any rate, you are a foot soldier. You are barely above Mr. Skinner in rank, and if he finds success in his trade, he may even exceed you in fortune. So please, Mr. Sharp, do not look down your nose at him a moment longer.”
“Sir Edmund.”
Her pale eyebrows rose. “Pardon me?”
“That is how you ought to address me now. We have both grown up a little since our last meeting. I have come to make good decisions, enough to earn me the honor of becoming a knight; on the contrary, you, in secretly courting the son of your family’s solicitor, have clearly come to make poor ones. I am glad to have found you here today so I might put an end to these clandestine meetings before you discover Mr. Skinner’s true character for yourself.” Edmund turned around, searching the crowds beyond the tent. She must have brought her mother or sister with her.
“I love him!” Selina blurted. “He is not without fault, but neither are you, nor me, nor anyone.”
“You do not deny that you are secretly courting him?”
She tugged on the sides of her blue coat. “It is not a traditional courtship . . . ”
“Devil take it,” Edmund muttered, exhaling through compressed lips. She appeared suddenly bashful, small, as if she had finally realized the extent of her wrongdoing.
She glanced up at Edmund from under her lashes, her voice tentative. “Please, do not tell my mother. My happiness depends on my future with Mr. Skinner.”
In truth, her happiness depended on a future without him. Edmund studied her for a long moment. What could Skinner’s motivations be in courting her? In the past, he had often been heard boasting of his ability to woo any woman he chose. Was her beauty all that had drawn him to her? Selina had always been beautiful, but she had no fortune, and Skinner had never planned to work for his money with anything but charming words and smiles. Could his motivation really be love? Or did he have a more sinister purpose in pursuing Selina? An ache had begun spreading behind Edmund’s eyes. He had to help her. The trouble was, she did not want to be helped. That was clear by the way she stood with her feet planted and arms crossed.
“I cannot betray Mrs. Ellis by not revealing this information to her. Your reputation could depend on it. I know it is not my place to censure you for your behavior, but the fact that you are behaving in this way is an insult to your upbringing.”
Selina glared at him, much like she had when they were children and the top of her head only reached the middle of his waistcoat. Now her head nearly reached his chin, and her glare sliced through him much sharper than before. “I have always believed there is wisdom in being led through life by my heart. There are some, including you and my mother, who would disagree. All the training that has taught me to pursue a match of wealth and consequence has only been motivated by greed and boastfulness. If I were to marry Mr. Skinner, I would be nothing. But I would rather be nothing and happy than something and filled with regret for the rest of my life.” Her defensive tone sent Edmund back a step.
“Are you only courting him to defy your mother?” he asked with a scoff. “To make a point?”
“I told you, I love him.”
“Do you love him, or do you love the notion of marrying him?”
Selina huffed a breath. “I’m afraid I do not understand your meaning.”
She was determined, that much was certain. Edmund crossed his arms over his chest. “If you are going to demand my silence on the subject of your secret courtship, then you will have to answer all of my questions.”
Her eyes lit up with hope. “You will not tell my mother?”
The knot in Edmund’s stomach refused to leave. He had always prided himself on his ability to sense when something was wrong. And there were too many things to count that were wrong with Selina courting Skinner. He couldn’t stand by and allow her to make such a mistake. His family and hers had been friends for years, and he wouldn’t be able to rest if he knew he had allowed something like this to happen right under his nose.
But he couldn’t bring himself to betray Selina either, not with her staring up at him with her large blue eyes filled with worry and desperation. An idea struck him as he remembered that there was nothing he could do to stop himself from being trapped in London for Christmastide. Before today, he had envisioned himself spending the holidays alone in his townhouse, checking the windows for any sign of melting snow every five minutes. But now he saw a purpose much more worthy of his time.
“I will grant your request,” Edmund said, “if you will grant mine.”
Selina’s round eyes filled with confusion, and she bit her lower lip. “I suppose that is fair.” She tipped her head to one side. “I do not have money to pay you for your silence.”
Edmund couldn’t stop his smile at the ridiculousness of her offer, though it confirmed the fact that Skinner could not have been pursuing her for any financial gain. “I am not asking for money. I am asking for . . . hospitality.”
The furrow on her brow only deepened.
“I will be trapped in London until the roads are clear, and with my grandmother’s death, I have no relatives with whom to spend Christmastide. Rather than endure the holidays alone, I would request an invitation to spend them at your family’s home.”
Selina’s jaw lowered slightly, and her nose scrunched. Edmund held back his smile. He hadn’t expected her to be pleased with the arrangement.
“Why do you wish to stay with us? You seem the sort who would enjoy his solitude.”
Edmund did all he could to evade suspicion, putting on an expression of innocence similar to the one Selina wore. Except his was more convincing. “It has been far too long since I enjoyed a true country Christmas, and I know how your mother carries on the traditions she learned from her upbringing in Yorkshire.” He smiled. “It really is a small favor to request for my silence on such a shocking discovery as I made today.” He may have been doing it too brown, but she seemed to believe his act.
“My mother has always adored you.” Selina looked up at him as if she were trying to ascertain why, exactly, her mother would ever like him. “She would be overjoyed to have you as a guest.” She gave a weak smile. “As would I if you will keep your word.”
Edmund smiled. “You have my silence.”
She eyed him again, her suspicion slowly fading. How could she have been so suspicious of him and not of Skinner? Was he that much better at acting than Edmund? Perhaps it was because Selina had known Edmund as a child, and many of his expressions were likely the same. She could read him more easily, just as he could read her.
And he could tell—she was not in love with Skinner.
She possibly believed she was, but a young woman would not appear as she had today if she were in love. She wouldn’t be stiff and uncertain when released from the arms of the man she loved. Whether Selina realized it or not, she was nothing more than intrigued by the man. Perhaps attracted to him. She may have even enjoyed his company. But love, real, abiding love, was something Selina had not experienced before, and as stubborn as she was, that kind of love was the only thing that could ever convince her to leave Skinner behind.
<
br /> Edmund had promised his silence, but living within the same walls as Selina for the next several weeks provided its own opportunity to protect her from Skinner and whatever his secret motives entailed. Edmund couldn’t sit back and watch her marry him. Though no small part of him wondered if it might be better for Selina if he simply told her family the truth now, rather than subject her to the plans presently hatching in his mind.
Without a doubt, she would come to regret their bargain.
Chapter 3
Selina had never known Edmund to have anything resembling mischief in his countenance, but what else could she call that gleam in his eyes? She searched his face for a long moment. What had she just agreed to? Was it really worth having him in her house through the new year, or perhaps even longer?
It certainly wasn’t worth discovering the meaning behind that mischievous expression of his. Regret burrowed into her chest, but she pushed it away. What other choice did she have?
“I thank you for your promise, Sir Edmund.” Selina tried to smile, but her cheeks were too cold. “May I ask one more thing of you?”
He raised one dark eyebrow. “Yes.”
When had he become so . . . old? No, old wasn’t the right description. He was still in his twenties, but he no longer looked like a boy or even what one would call a young man. He was a man. A plain man. Well, not plain; he was far more handsome than what could ever be considered fair, with his dark curls, blue eyes, and distinct jawline.
Selina cleared her thoughts, focusing on the request she meant to make. “I imagine, at this moment, that my mother is frantically searching for me. If you would be so kind as to escort me back to her, she will not be permitted to scold me in your presence, nor would she wish to. I daresay at the sight of you she will be all pleasantries and smiles. She may even forget she wished to ring me a fine peal.”
Edmund chuckled, a deep vibration sounding through his chest. “And she might just invite me to stay for the holidays without you having a hand in it at all.”
“If you act pitiful enough, then I’m sure she will.” Selina hadn’t meant her words to be harsh, but Edmund seemed surprised by them, nonetheless.
“My circumstances here in London are slightly pitiful.” He shrugged one shoulder. “But there is nothing I can do to change them.” Extending his arm to Selina, they began walking away from the tent and across the ice. Shouting and laughter filled the frigid air, and in her time behind the tent, Selina noticed a fire had been lit, where a sheep was being roasted for one of the nearby eating booths.
“Why are you here in London at all?” she asked.
“I wished to see my grandmother before her death, as she specifically requested my company. My travels were delayed by the snow, and she died before I could arrive.”
Selina pressed a hand to her chest. “Oh, dear. I am very sorry to hear that.” Selina had fond memories of Edmund’s grandmother. Each time he came to London when they were children, she brought him for a visit. Edmund would spend his days in whatever activities Selina and her sister could invent while his grandmother sat in the drawing room with Mama, embroidering or discussing distant places. If Selina remembered correctly, his grandmother had been fond of travel.
“It was disappointing.” Edmund spoke with a smile as though to buoy up his spirits with the false expression. “At least I was able to assist in the funeral proceedings. I think she would be glad I am staying in London for Christmas.”
Selina suddenly didn’t feel so bad about hosting Edmund for the holidays. He deserved free hospitality after all he had endured. He could have asked for much more in exchange for his silence. But there was one thing that worried her the most about his presence in her home. Mama adored him, and he bore a title. Not one as significant as earl or viscount or even baron, but with the knighthood combined with Edmund’s character, Mama would stop at nothing to secure him for her daughter. Selina could already hear her mother’s gleeful voice: Lady Sharp—could there ever be a finer name?
Selina glanced at the booth where she had left her mother but found no sign of her. Had she abandoned the line when she noticed Selina was missing? Selina moved her feet faster across the ice, pulling slightly against her grip on Edmund’s arm. They passed a group of women huddled together, and after checking each of their faces, Selina confirmed that her mother was not among them. In a fair filled with hundreds of people, her mother could be anywhere. Glancing left and right, she marched across the ice without a bit of the nervousness she had experienced when first setting foot on the river. She nearly forgot she was on ice at all.
And that was the problem.
Before she could catch her balance, her right foot slipped out from under her, the movement so sudden that the same occurred to her left foot. She clutched Edmund’s arm, crashing down with all her weight as he lost his footing as well. Edmund hit the ground first, falling onto his back. Selina landed with a thud . . .
. . . on top of him.
The front of her head struck his shoulder as she landed, and her head spun for a moment before his face came into view. Much too close to hers. He wore a grimace similar to her own. Propping himself up on one elbow, he placed one hand on Selina’s waist. For a fleeting moment, Selina thought he was trying to keep her there, laying against him, but she realized he was helping her sit up. Her cheeks flamed as she noticed the spectators that had turned to watch the scene, amusement readily upon their faces, some of whom appeared so intrigued, they might even call this the most entertaining scene at the fair. A sharp pain pricked at Selina’s scalp as she moved, and she glanced down to see one long lock of her hair wrapped around the first button of Edmund’s coat.
“Wait,” she whispered through her teeth, cringing as the hair pulled again.
Edmund glanced down at his coat. Selina sat halfway on the ice, halfway on Edmund’s legs as she struggled to find her balance enough to free her hands. Edmund had already begun working on untangling her hair. He cursed under his breath before tugging off his gloves with his teeth, setting to work at it again. He seemed to have noticed the spectators as well.
When several seconds passed, which felt far more like an eternity, a high-pitched voice met her ears.
“Selina! What are you doing?” Mama stood above them, her eyes round with shock.
Selina glanced up without moving her head. Thankfully, Edmund managed to untangle her hair, brushing it back onto her shoulder before clearing his throat awkwardly. Selina wriggled off his legs, too embarrassed to meet his gaze or take his hand as she scrambled to her feet. She brushed the rest of the hair away from her eyes before correcting her posture. She prayed the red on her cheeks could be excused for the cold. “Mama,” she breathed, swallowing hard. “Sir Edmund was escorting me back to you when we slipped on the ice.”
“Sir Ed—” Mama’s voice cut off when she looked behind Selina, her expression lifting at the sight of Edmund, who was brushing snow off the back of his coat. When he noticed her keen gaze, he bowed in her direction, confirming Selina’s statement.
Selina’s shoulders slumped with relief. She had known he would soften Mama’s heart.
“It would seem my arm is not as stable as I thought.” Edmund exchanged a glance with Selina before casting Mama a broad smile, which brought the same expression instantly to her face.
“Oh, Sir Edmund! I am so pleased to see you in London again. What has brought you to town? And in this weather? How long have you been here without calling on us?” She arched one accusatory eyebrow at him.
He chuckled, and Selina could hardly believe the way her mother seemed to have already forgotten the fact that she had just found them in a very uncomfortable situation. The color of Edmund’s eyes flashed through her mind again. They had been quite close to hers just moments before. The ice had made them appear much closer to grey than blue.
As Edmund explained to Selina’s mother all his reasoning for being in London, Selina brushed the bits of ice off her skirts, trying not to relive her humiliat
ion. Where was Noah? Had he seen her fall? The idea set her cheeks flaming all over again.
“Well, I am glad you were here to bring my daughter back to me.” Mama’s voice interrupted Selina’s thoughts. “I thought she had fallen through the ice somewhere.” She shot Selina a look of reprimand, but it was overshadowed by a lingering smile. “Oh, Sir Edmund, we are so very pleased you are in town.”
Selina refrained from letting out an exasperated sigh. Why could Noah never receive such admiration from Mama? No matter what he did, he would never be greeted so warmly.
“I did not plan to be here so long,” Edmund said. “With the frost, I don’t know when it will be safe to travel home.”
“Do you have plans for Christmastide?”
“Not at present.”
Mama gasped. “We would be delighted if you would stay with us for the holidays. I have been quite starved of guests during these cold months.”
Edmund threw Selina a sidelong glance, a slight smirk on his lips for only her to see. “That is very kind of you to offer, and I would be a fool to refuse. I have heard of your enthusiasm for the holiday.” He smiled, and Mama clapped her hands together, her thick wool gloves muffling the sound.
“Did you hear that, Selina? Sir Edmund has agreed to stay with us for Christmastide. Is that not delightful? The two of you may enjoy reflecting on your childhood memories of one another whilst keeping warm by the fire.”
“That sounds delightful,” Edmund said.
Selina did not recall any memories of Edmund worth reflecting on. At least not any that wouldn’t end in an argument. Most of her memories of him involved him standing silently by his grandmother’s side, whispering to her of his wishes to return home. He’d never spoken to Selina much on his visits until he’d grown older and learned how to converse without shyness. Now he seemed a little too opposite of shy. A little too mischievous for her liking. What did he mean by that smirk? Each time his gaze flitted to her, it sprung up on his lips again. He must have known she wasn’t fond of the idea of him staying so long at her family’s home.
Her Silent Knight: A Christmas Regency Romance (Belles of Christmas: Frost Fair Book 1) Page 2