Hermia would be a grown woman in just a few short years, and this behaviour was going to carry on. It was not the way a lady behaved. Hermia was going to learn the hard way, and people were going to be wondering if she had been raised by wild animals. She was going to be laughed out of Society in her first Season if she carried on this way.
Gerard didn’t want that. A few weeks, or even months, away from everyone at finishing school or at her aunt’s would do her the world of good.
He swallowed and turned away, only to see Hermia watching him, her book still in her hands, but her eyes were on him. He gave her a nod, and Hermia returned it. Then she went back to her book. At least she had been somewhat cordial today.
“Did you get the letter delivered to Miss Flora Campbell as I asked?”
“I did, Your Grace. She’s going to travel up and get here in the next few days.”
Good. That would be useful. Gerard could see that Beth was enjoying herself in the country, but there was something underneath the surface. She was missing her family. She wouldn’t openly admit it, but she wanted to see her parents, her sister. Gerard had made a decision the day after he arrived in his home to write back to London, instructing Daniels to send an invitation to Beth’s sister. They were close, and Gerard knew time with family would make Beth perk up.
And he wanted to see that smile more.
“Has something happened since you left London, Your Grace?” Daniels asked.
Gerard looked up and frowned.
“Why would you say that?”
“I don’t know. Something’s different about you.” Daniels tilted his head to the side. “I don’t know what to think about it.”
Gerard swallowed. Ever since that day by the lake, when he had finally tasted her flesh and felt her body around him, Beth had kept her distance. She avoided him during the day and whenever they were in the same room she was very formal and stayed on the other side of the room. She refused to be alone with him. Gerard did wonder if she was regretting their assignation, and that pained him. He had taken a small taste, and now he wanted more. What if she was going the other way?
It scared him that Beth could be the woman to bring him to his knees.
“Your Grace?”
Daniels was watching him closely. Gerard cleared his throat.
“No, nothing’s different. Just that I’m enjoying the fresh country air. I haven’t changed.”
“I beg to differ.”
That did make Gerard pause. Daniels knew him very well, more so than anyone else. He would be able to figure it out pretty soon, even if Gerard kept his mouth closed. And Gerard didn’t want to go through it all. Daniels could keep this to himself, but there was always a chance somebody else would overhear, and it would be all around the house.
Besides, Gerard wasn’t ready to share. This was something he wanted to keep to himself for a while longer.
#
Beth glanced over at Gerard, who stood at the other end of the table with Isabel making bread. It was a strange sight to see the Duke of Rossdale making bread with the rest of the servants, but when it came to preparing everything, from bread down to putting freshly made jam into jars and picking the vegetables from the allotment, Gerard was there. He would muck in with everyone else.
Gerard. Beth couldn’t see him as just Rossdale anymore. She tried, but then she found herself slipping back to thinking of him in an informal manner. And she would remember their assignation by the lake the week before. It made her cheeks warm, and something fluttered in her belly.
That shouldn’t have happened. Beth should have got out of there as quickly as possible. But the moment Gerard had touched her, her resolve had disappeared. She couldn’t help submitting to him. The way he had touched her, made her body practically sing, had been incredible. Beth had never thought lovemaking would be like that, or that it could be as exciting as doing it out in the open air.
But that was the problem. Beth should have said no. The tension between the two of them had been building since their first meeting, and it had only been a matter of time before they did something about it. Now Beth was no longer a virgin. She was deflowered, ruined for anyone else. Finding a marriage after letting Gerard take her maidenhead was going to be difficult. It wouldn’t take a fool long before he knew that she wasn’t innocent for him.
Even as she thought about that, Beth knew that wasn’t something to worry about. She couldn’t see herself getting married anymore. Her heart had been taken, but by the one man she couldn’t have. A governess and a duke were not meant to be, and Beth knew it. And yet, she knew finding another man to marry didn’t make her feel good. Not something she was interested in.
She was quite happy to remain a spinster, even if her heart ached whenever Gerard was around. He was still of marriageable age, so he would move on and marry someone suitable. He had to if he needed a male heir. Beth would silently move on once that happened. She had made up her mind. Once Gerard remarried, she would find work elsewhere. Much as she loved her job, Beth knew she wouldn’t be able to work around the man she loved while he was engrossed in his new wife.
In love with a duke. Her parents would be horrified. Flora had fallen for a duke’s son and run off with him, only to be ruined and deserted. Now Beth had fallen for a duke and ruined. It was only a matter of time before she was deserted as well.
It couldn’t happen again. Which was why she kept her distance. Beth hated it – she wanted to be close to Gerard, let him touch her – but she knew they had no control. If she did that, they were going to end up in bed. That mustn’t happen again.
He had to know that he was driving her mad by being in the room off the kitchen now, working with Isabel to make bread while Hermia sat halfway down the table pasting labels onto jam jars while Beth wrote out the labels and went over the list of chores for everyone. They were almost done. Soon, they would have their stores completely full, and they would be safe in the knowledge that when the bad weather started in October, the entire estate would be safe for food.
Beth was looking forward to the winter months. Rosamund and Isabel told her about the snow that could appear in the blink of an eye, and while they could get cut off from everyone else, the sight was bewitching. Absolutely beautiful. Beth loved snow, and while London looked magnificent in winter, it would be nothing compared to the Lake District.
Beth was still watching Gerard with his daughter as she reached for some more paper. And she knocked the candle over. The wax candle came out of its holder and bounced on the table, setting several of the papers alight. Beth gasped and jumped up, using her apron to extinguish the flames. Hermia gasped, and Beth saw her jump up and away from the table. Gerard set Isabel away and hurried around the table towards her.
“Beth! Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” Beth stared at the mess on the table. Most of the papers were charred, but nothing seemed to be lost. For now. Then she looked at her hands. They were black, and some of the skin was turning bright red. Her hands were beginning to smart. It was painful.
“Let me.”
Gerard took one hand in both of his and inspected her injuries. Beth bit her lip as the warmth from his fingers travelled up her arm. She hadn’t touched him since that day he took her, by reluctant choice. Now the need to have him hold her again came back fierce. Not the time for that.
Her racing heart didn’t seem to be taking the message.
“It’s not too bad, but it needs to be treated.” Gerard tugged her towards the sink. “Put it in cold water. That should soothe it before your burns get worse.”
“You mean this isn’t worse already?” Beth snorted.
But she didn’t pull away as Gerard led her to the sink, which was full with ice-cold water that had been put in there earlier in the day. Beth pushed up her sleeves, wincing as her burns touched bare skin, and stuck her hands into the water. God, that hurt. She had to stop herself from crying out. It was like someone was peeling the skin from her hands. Beth wa
nted to cry. How could she have been so careless to knock over that candle? All of them could have gone up in flames if she hadn’t acted so fast.
She shouldn’t think about that now. She needed to focus on her injuries. Not on the fact she almost set the table on fire. And not on the fact Gerard Thinesley was standing close beside her, his hand on her back. Beth tried not to shiver at the warmth against her back. She needed to get a grip on herself; otherwise, she was going to end up throwing herself on the man again. The children certainly didn’t need to see that.
She didn’t need to make her current position worse by breaking her resolve.
“Father?” Isabel piped up nervously. “Is Miss Campbell all right?”
“She’s going to be fine.” Gerard’s voice was gentle. “It’s going to be a little painful, but it’s nothing we can’t sort out.”
“You’re going to need some dry herbs for her, Father,” Hermia said suddenly. “It will help soothe the burn.”
“I know, Hermia.” Gerard looked over his shoulder. “Can you get some from the kitchen?”
“Of course.”
Hermia hurried out of the room. Isabel went after her. Beth was momentarily stunned. Hermia had never offered to help before when she had been hurt. When Beth had tripped and fallen, twisting her ankle, Hermia had just stood there watching as Isabel and Rosamund tried to get Beth up from the floor. Something was up; she was sure of it.
Then her concerns disappeared as Gerard drew her hands out of the water, turning her towards him.
“Let’s have a look at them now.”
“I’ll be fine.” Beth tried to tug her hands away, but his hold tightened. “I just need to keep them cool.”
“We just need to be sure.”
Beth swallowed. She was standing far too close to him. She needed to get away before she ended up doing something else foolish. But it was hard to move when Gerard was looking at her with desire in his eyes. His gaze drifted over her face, pausing for a moment on her mouth. Then he raised a hand, drifting it up her bare arm. His fingers brushed against her breast, and Beth jumped.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m making sure you’re not burned anywhere else.”
Beth’s breath hitched as Gerard openly pressed his hand against her breast. She resisted the urge to lean into him, even as he moulded his hand over her flesh through her clothing. Someone could come in right now. His daughters could come back into the room, and this was not a sight Beth wanted them to see. But she couldn’t pull away.
A week of not being touched. And Beth craved more.
Then she came back to her senses as Gerard leaned in and pressed a kiss to her head, a gentle brush of lips against her temple. He let out a groan and kissed her temple again. Beth stiffened. This needed to stop now.
“Gerard …”
“I love hearing you say my name.” Gerard’s words tickled her cheek. “I loved hearing you say it when I was giving you pleasure.”
Beth knew her face was bright red now. She pushed against his chest, wincing as she pressed on her burns. Instead, she used her forearms.
“Don’t. I told you …”
“I know what you told me.” Gerard pulled back a little, a sly glint in his eyes. “Did you think I was going to listen?”
“You’re a man. You don’t listen anyway.”
Gerard smirked. The desire in his eyes seemed to increase. Beth found herself breathless as she stared up at him.
“I like your fire, Beth.” Gerard’s hand squeezed her breast again before sliding down her side, cupping her hip. “I love the fire in your belly.”
“That’s not just all you like, is it?”
Why did she have to say that? Gerard peered at her. Had he moved closer to her or had she moved closer to him? Beth didn’t know.
“I thought you wanted to keep me at a distance.”
“I was planning to.” Beth swallowed. “But you know too much temptation means someone can give way.”
“Oh, I know about that,” Gerard growled. “You’ve been tempting me ever since that day. You refuse to come to my bed, and you just make me want more.”
Beth bit her lip.
“You know why.”
“I know why.” Gerard lowered his head. “But I don’t care.”
His lips were drifting over hers when there was the sound of hurrying footsteps. They were getting closer. Beth came to her senses first and jumped away, turning back to the sink and shoving her hands into the water. She was shaking; her whole body feeling like it was on fire. God, if they hadn’t been interrupted, Beth was sure she would have been taken. Against the wall, on the table, on the floor, Gerard would have taken her until she was writhing beneath him.
She needed to take a deep breath and get back her self-control. It had started to take a leave of absence as soon as Gerard started touching her. Beth needed it back.
“I’ve got some herbs, Father.” Hermia had come back into the room. Beth looked over her shoulder to see the young woman hurry over, holding some plants in her gloved hand. “That should be enough to help with the burns, Miss Campbell.”
Miss Campbell. When had she called her that? Beth couldn’t remember. But she was so relieved to see something that could help with her pain that Beth put it to one side.
“Thank you, Hermia.”
She started to reach for the herbs, only for Gerard to grab her wrist before she could touch them.
“Wait.” He pulled her hand away, staring at the herbs. “Hermia, what do you think you’re doing?”
“Father?” Hermia blinked. “What do you mean?”
“You were just about to give Beth poison ivy.”
Beth stared. Poison ivy? That would have made her wounds itch so much that it would have made the burns even worse. Beth would have been in agony. Hermia had fetched her poison ivy? But didn’t she know her herbs and plants?
“It’s what?”
Hermia looked perplexed. At least, she tried to.
“Poison ivy,” Gerard snapped. “We have some growing just outside the house.”
“I got these from the garden,” Hermia protested. “They’re just normal herbs.”
“If that’s the case, then why are you wearing gloves?”
Hermia’s silence and awkward expression was enough for Beth to realize that the girl had intentionally picked the poison ivy. Gerard closed his eyes and groaned.
“Hermia, how could you?”
“What? I made a mistake.”
“No, you didn’t.” Gerard pointed at the door. “Get out. Now. And take that stuff with you and put it on the compost heap. If I see it indoors, you’ll be in serious trouble.”
Hermia bared her teeth, her concern now having disappeared. Then she turned and stormed towards the door, slamming it behind her. Moments later, the door opened again, and Gerard started to bark an order before he realized it was Isabel coming back in. She was holding herbs in her ungloved hands, hurrying over to the table where she laid them.
“Here you go, Father. That should be enough.”
“Thank you, Isabel,” Gerard was still growling. “If you could give us a few moments alone?”
What A Wicked Duke Demands (Historical Regency Romance) Page 25