“Do you understand now, love? I had to do it.”
Patience got to her feet, infuriated by him. “You had to kidnap me and create this furore, did you?” she demanded, staring at him in disbelief. “You couldn’t just come and explain everything you’ve just said in a rational manner so that I could quietly break off the engagement? I suppose that outrageous idea didn’t occur to you?” she added, the words dripping with sarcasm. “No, no. Kidnapping was obviously your best option.”
His face darkened, a rather mutinous expression crossing his face so that he looked like an adorably sulky child. Patience looked away from him, as furious at herself now as she was with him. She would not be swayed by his beautiful face. The wretched man was a liability, and now she had to marry him, like it or not. Patience refused to acknowledge the manner in which her heart eased at the idea. That the choice had been taken from her hands was at once terrifying, infuriating, and the greatest relief imaginable.
“I did it for the best, Patience.”
She dared a glance back at him to find his arms crossed, a defiant look in his eyes. Well, August Bright, you’ve bitten off more than you can chew this time, she thought with satisfaction as she brought herself under control. Thinking things through rationally, she could see there was no going back. She was all but ruined. His ludicrous plan was too far advanced to go back now and … and if she was perfectly truthful, the longer she could put off facing Mr St John, the better it would be. Added to that the fact that she fully intended to make everyone involved in this preposterous scheme suffer to the full. Most especially August.
Patience sighed and looked back at him again. He was staring at the fire now, the golden light burnishing him like the fallen angel she’d once compared him to. Good heavens, but he was handsome. It almost hurt to look at him. The sight made her heart expand so much she feared it might split in two. There was no denying the fact that she loved him, loved him to distraction, beyond good sense and self-preservation, and that would be her undoing if she let it. If they were really to be married, and if there was to be any chance of them making it work, she would have to establish some ground rules, and quickly. But first she was going to make him pay for being such a bloody idiot and for not just talking to her.
If there was one thing she knew in her heart, it was that honesty was what she prized above all else. She had to make him see that keeping secrets and making plans for her future without so much as giving her the chance to understand what he was doing was completely unacceptable.
“I would like to go to bed now,” she said, with as cool a tone as she could muster, which was promptly spoilt by the hopeful glint she noted in his eyes. “Alone,” she added, blushing scarlet. “And if you think you’re getting anywhere near me before I have a ring on my finger …”
August held up his hands in defeat, shaking his head in alarm. “I wouldn’t dare!” he exclaimed, and Patience gave a snort of satisfaction as she realised he meant it.
Good. She believed she was going to enjoy the next few days after all, but she could not say the same for her future husband.
***
August spent a sleepless night. He’d known Patience would be furious with him, well, really it went without saying, didn’t it? But somehow the depths of her anger had still startled him. She now understood that he’d done it with the best of intentions, at least. Except that now she thought him a reckless fool with more hair than wit, if some of her choicer comments were anything to go on. He stared at the ceiling and gave a heavy sigh. That was probably being generous. She thought him an empty-headed creature, that was for sure. What had she said? Oh yes, that he was spoiled and selfish and that she wished she’d never set eyes on him. Well, that was a promising start to their married life and no mistake.
He huffed out a breath, knowing he really only had himself to blame. He could have gone and explained things to her, only … only he knew too well that she didn’t trust him, that she did think him foolish and selfish, and so he’d been afraid she wouldn’t take him seriously. It wasn’t a good excuse, perhaps, but it was the truth.
Somehow he had to make her see there was more to him than just a pleasant façade. He had to show her he could be relied upon when it counted, and that he really wasn’t such a foolish, frippery fellow as she might believe. The only trouble was … he wasn’t entirely sure it was true.
Chapter 17
“Wherein Patience relents, but our hero stands firm, much to her frustration.”
Patience dared a glance across the carriage to confirm that August was still looking as glum and miserable as he had some hours earlier. She had closed down every attempt that he’d made at conversation and refused to speak a word to him. That this was wearing on his nerves was only too evident. With chagrin, she acknowledged a pang of regret at making him so unhappy, but honestly, he deserved every bit of it.
She had almost weakened late that morning. It was, after all, a lovely summer’s day and he’d been trying so hard to amuse her and make amends, and her anger had begun to dissipate. It seemed a shame to spoil what could be a very pleasant trip.
Then they had stopped to rest the horses and have some lunch. August had led her inside and casually referred to her as his wife. For some reason, that had startled her so much that her expression must have somehow raised suspicion. The scandalous look she’d been given by the innkeeper, and in turn his wife, had been quite enough to reignite her indignation. Continuing to treat August with enough froideur to chill any attempts at conciliation was the very least he deserved for the depths of her embarrassment and humiliation.
Now, however, she took another look and noted the dark circles under his eyes, the weight of worry that seemed to burden him, and wondered if perhaps she was being too hard on him. No matter that he’d created a dreadful scandal that they would have to endure for months to come, he had done it for her.
“It’s very pretty,” she offered, as they passed meadows filled with wild flowers.
August looked up in surprise, obviously astonished to have been addressed.
“It is,” he agreed, his tone cautious.
Patience pursed her lips, wondering if he’d offer something else in the line of conversation, but it seemed she’d thoroughly squashed any confidence he had in his ability to charm her. Little wonder, really.
“The weather is lovely too,” she added in desperation. Good Lord, they were English, surely they could speak about the weather?
He frowned a little, shrugging. “One of the ostlers at the last inn said it would likely rain tomorrow,” he said, sounding gloomy.
“Oh, August!” she exclaimed, folding her arms and glaring at him.
“What?” he demanded, looking equally furious now. “You ignore me all bloody day and then want to talk about the weather. Good God, woman, what do you expect?”
“I expect you to take your just desserts with dignity,” Patience threw back at him as he made a noise of exasperation.
“And so I did, last night, and again this morning, and all bloody afternoon. What do you want from me, Patience, to tell you I’m a damned idiot and that I know you’d rather not marry me at all? Believe me, you’ve made your point.”
Patience sucked in a breath, a little taken aback by his outburst.
“I never said that,” she said, wondering how he could think such a thing. She was angry and upset, yes, of course. More than she could really deal with, having never experienced such upset in her life before, but to think she didn’t want to marry him? The man really was a fool.
August just snorted and folded his arms, avoiding her gaze. “You didn’t need to.”
She stared at him, torn between incredulity that such a man actually wanted to marry her, and the desire to hit him with something for being such a dolt.
“Of course I want to marry you,” she said, her voice low now, her heart aching when he turned to look at her with scepticism. “I really do,” she added, smiling now.
“You do?”
Patience gave a little laugh; how on earth could he think otherwise? Where was the man’s legendary confidence, his arrogant swagger, the knowledge that he could have any woman for the asking that made him so prideful? Except she realised in that moment that she’d seen little of that side of him. All of the stories about him seemed to be of a very different man. The man before her was very far from arrogant.
She couldn’t punish him any longer for this ridiculous adventure, not when he looked so lost. Patience patted the seat beside her and August didn’t need asking twice. He moved quickly, sitting beside her. She looked up at him, shaking her head as she put her hand to his cheek. He turned his face into it, eyes closed and she smiled.
“I can’t wait to be your wife,” she whispered.
His eyes opened then, a brilliant flash of green that made her catch smile. August let out a breath.
“Thank God,” he said, the words heartfelt as he covered her hand with his own. He kissed her palm and she shivered as desire flickered to life, and Patience remembered the things that this man could make her feel.
“I’m still very angry with you, though,” she added, just to be clear, though there was no heat in the words as she stared at her hand, held between both of his.
He snorted at that. “You don’t say,” he muttered, rolling his eyes. “I solemnly promise that I will never abduct you again.”
Patience laughed at the idea he might do it again once they were married. “Oh, August, you are ridiculous,” she said, really amused now. Too late, she realised it was the was the wrong thing to have said.
He released her hand and sat back again.
“What?” she asked, turning more to look at him.
August shook his head. “Nothing,” he said, giving her a smile that looked rather forced. Something told her she’d hurt his feelings.
“Well, it clearly isn’t nothing,” she pressed, frowning at him. “So please tell me how I’ve upset you?”
“I said it was nothing,” he replied, his tone rather terse now.
“August,” Patience replied, wondering how a woman could possibly be so ill-named. “If we are to be married, there is one thing we must both do, and that is being honest. I can’t abide lies and deceit, and I hate it if I know there is something troubling someone I care for but they won’t tell me what.”
“Perhaps it’s none of your business,” he said, his tone dark as Patience bristled.
“What, like you arranging to kidnap me and break my engagement without ever stopping to ask me what my thoughts on the matter were?” she snapped.
“And what would you have done if I’d told you the truth?” he demanded, turning towards her now, real anger in his eyes. “You didn’t trust me an inch, Patience, you’d made that perfectly clear. Would you have believed me, or would you have suspected I had an ulterior motive, that I was besmirching a good man’s name just for my own ends?”
“August!” Patience said, really quite startled that he should believe she would consider him capable of that. “I would never … never have believed you would do that.”
He snorted, his eyes cool with disbelief. “And you speak of honesty,” he said, sneering. “Why not just come out and say you think me a fool? You think me shallow and selfish and spoiled.” He gestured to his face, the words angry but the look in his eyes revealing a more painful emotion. “If not for this, I doubt you’d have given me the time of day.”
Patience stared at him in disbelief. Was that truly what he believed? Though she knew she’d heard him repeat some of the words she had flung at him in her anger and wondered if they’d hit rather harder than she’d realised.
“August,” she said, reaching out and taking his hand. “I said those things before I understood why you’d done what you had. I was angry and upset and frightened, but, even then, I didn’t really mean them.” He looked up at her then and she forced herself to be bold, leaning in and pressing her lips to his.
Patience moved back, seeing his eyes darken, a slight smile at his lips. “You don’t think me a fool?”
“Of course not,” Patience replied, shaking her head and wondering how he could have come up with such a notion. “I think …” She paused and then let out a breath, smiling at him. “I think you are perfectly wonderful. So do stop talking nonsense and come and kiss me.”
He looked relieved at her words, and pleased. A more familiar, rather wicked expression appeared next, though. “So you think I talk nonsense now?” he retorted, folding his arms with a mutinous look, though his eyes were dancing with laughter. “Well, that explains a lot. You clearly don’t care for me at all, you only want me for my body,” he said, sighing and shaking his head in dismay while Patience dissolved at his antics. “My mother warned me about girls like you.”
“Shut up and kiss me, you foolish creature!” Patience protested, laughing so hard now that tears were running down her face.
“Oh, fool is it, now?” he said, shuffling away from her. “And they’ll be none of that, not until we’re married.”
“August!” Patience said, torn between amusement and a real desire for him to kiss her now, as the wretch damn well knew.
“Don’t you August me, you little hussy.”
“August Bright, I would pay you to shut up right now.”
He fell silent at that and moved back to her. “Oh?” he said, arching one elegant eyebrow, that darker glint in his eyes all too obvious now. “What’s it worth?”
Patience swallowed, knowing he wasn’t messing around anymore. “What do you want?” she asked, instantly realising that hadn’t been a sensible thing to say. But August just grinned at her.
“You’ll just have to owe me,” he murmured, before lowering his lips to hers.
Patience felt the tension leave her body all in a rush. It was like she was dissolving, slowly, from the tips of her toes. All at once, any doubts she had about this marriage dissolved, too, her resistance to him fleeing as she’d known it would if she allowed this. In part, it was why she had held so stubbornly to her anger. It would do neither of them any good if he knew she’d forgive him anything the moment he kissed her.
She sighed, a heavy sound of contentment as he drew back. Her eyelids felt heavy all at once, but she opened them, staring up at her handsome husband-to-be, who looked rather pleased with himself.
“Don’t look so smug,” she chided, not meaning it in the least. She’d look smug, too, if she were him.
“Have pity, my lovely hell-cat,” he murmured, dipping his head to feather little kisses along her neck. “You’ve rung a peal over me so that my ears are still ringing.” He looked up then, such affection in his eyes that she was certain she was melting from the inside out. “Give a fellow a chance to ease his pride a little.”
As he kissed her again, Patience decided that she was more than content to give him all the chances he desired.
***
By the time they reached The New Inn at Halesowen, Patience was flushed and flustered and pliant in his arms. Happily, the driver, who had been in August’s service for some time, hollered that they were approaching the inn and slowed his pace a good few minutes before they drew to a halt. A good job, as it gave them time enough to set her to rights before they had to exit the carriage. Nothing, however, could dim the colour in her cheeks, or the thoroughly kissed look that was obvious upon her reddened lips. August didn’t care. She was his and he wanted everyone to know it.
He’d taken a moment to slip the wedding band he’d bought her onto her finger, though he still had every intention of taking separate rooms. With a grin, he wondered what the proprietor would make of that, and decided he didn’t care about that either, providing they weren’t turned out on their ear.
Happily, the fellow took their money willingly enough and they ate a pleasant meal together. There was a soft look in Patience’s eye as they climbed the stairs and he walked her to her room.
“Goodnight, then, love,” he said, smiling at the surprise and di
sappointment in her eyes.
“But …” she began, staring at him in astonishment. “Aren’t you … I mean … don’t you want to …”
She flushed a rather startling shade as August raised an eyebrow at her.
“Oh, don’t be obtuse,” she grumbled as he chuckled at her obvious frustration. “You know very well what I’m trying to say.”
“Indeed I do,” he murmured, pushing open her bedroom door. “And it is killing me not to finish that sentence for you,” he added, leaning in and giving her one, brief kiss. “But for once in my life, I’m going to do this properly. On our wedding night and not before, darling girl. Believe me, if I can suffer it … you certainly can.”
“Well, I like that,” Patience said in disgust as he gave her a gentle push into the room. “What kind of rake are you anyway?” she demanded, as she turned around and glowered at him.
“A reformed one,” he replied, grinning at her as he reached for the door handle.
Patience folded her arms, shaking her head at him in chagrin. “Well, of all the rotten luck,” she muttered, as he resolutely closed the door in her face.
Chapter 18
“Wherein … a wedding.”
August glowered at her from the other side of the carriage, holding one hand out in a warning gesture. “I mean it, Patience,” he said, sounding really rather cross. “Stay over there!”
Patience gave a dark chuckle. Over the past few days, she had discovered a new means of tormenting her husband-to-be, which was far more fun that ignoring him.
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