Wishing For Rainbows (Historical Romance)

by Rebecca King

  “How awful,” Ursula gasped. “She could have destroyed your reputation.”

  “I know. Unfortunately, Barbarella is indulged far too much by her adoring father, who blindly accepts everything she tells him without question. He was a little surprised when not only myself, but several other members of society told him about her objectionable behaviour. He was backed into a corner and forced to ensure that Barbarella stopped her scheming. I warned him that I had witnesses who would stand by me and confirm my innocence. I assured him that unless he wanted his daughter’s scheming to come to light amongst the ton, he was to stop her spreading any further nefarious gossip about me.” He pierced her with a stare. “Clearly she hasn’t stopped but has elicited the help of Brampton instead.”

  “So you didn’t pay her father to keep her quiet?”

  Trenton burst out laughing. “Just what did Brampton tell you?”

  She had the good grace to look a little sheepish, but told him everything, including the suggestion that Trenton had met with Barbarella in the woods.

  “I wouldn’t trust my horse with that woman let alone my virtue,” he scoffed and threw her a rueful look. “You really should trust me more, you know.”

  “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you,” she replied somewhat abashed.

  She had heard of Brampton’s reputation from Aunt Adelaide, so should have believed that Trenton wouldn’t be as ghastly as the rogue suggested.

  As the fire crackled and popped beside them, a decidedly intimate atmosphere settled over them. She watched him place his tea cup onto the table in front of them and turn toward her.

  “Now, about your father. I shall report to him that you are fine and looking after Adelaide after a fall. I shall also inform him that you will return to Yorkshire in time for Christmas.”

  Ursula took a breath to argue only to close her mouth with a snap when he placed his hands comfortingly over hers. “He needs to know, Ursula, that you are not avoiding marriage. Given what has happened, I don’t think that you should run away from circumstances here though, after all trouble may follow you.”

  “Circumstances here?” she repeated, unsure whether he meant their association or the mystery of the secret admirer.

  “Us,” he whispered. “We need to find out where this is taking us.” He waved to the empty space between them. “I cannot go back to Yorkshire just yet because I have some business to conduct. I shall not be available to return to Yorkshire myself until the end of next month. However, I should be obliged if you would allow me to escort you back there in time for us to spent Christmas together.”

  “I am not sure,” she replied cautiously. She would love to be able to spend Christmas with him, but couldn’t see him in the small sitting room in her father’s house in Yorkshire. Nor could she imagine spending the festive season somewhere as austere as Hoghampton Hall. Not as mere acquaintances anyway.

  “Let’s see how you feel when the time comes,” he replied and captured her chin in his fingers so that he could turn her to face him.

  “I need to wait and see what father does. I may not be able to return to Yorkshire if he casts me out,” she murmured.

  “I can promise you, with absolute certainty, that he won’t do that, Ursula,” he whispered. “I will not allow it.”

  “You won’t be in a position to intervene if the time comes,” she replied.

  “Trust me, Ursula. That’s all I ask. Trust me.”

  There was something dark and meaningful in his eyes that intrigued her but all she could think about was how his head was lowering toward hers. She sighed with an air of inevitability when his lips laid siege to her senses. This time though, things were different. The air shifted between them and thickened, drawing them closer than ever before.

  His hand slid into the hair at the back of her head scattering pins everywhere, but she didn’t pay them the slightest bit of attention. She was too busy clinging to his broad shoulders, lost in the wondrous sensations he was creating within her. She knew that she shouldn’t allow matters to go further than they already had, but it was so very tempting to forget about everything and just savour the feel of being loved by him.

  “Stay with me, Ursula,” he pleaded. He knew he had a lot of issues he needed to clear up with her, and should really do so before matters went any further between them. However, this was probably the only time he would get to be alone with her, and he didn’t want to waste a precious minute of it.

  “For a while,” she murmured, lifting her head to look into his eyes.

  They stared at each other for several long moments and a wealth of new understanding swept between them. She knew things would never be the same after today, but couldn’t deny the passion that made the air crackle. This wonderful, new sensation that coursed through her was highly addictive. Like a moth to a flame, she danced around temptation. She knew she would get burnt, but didn’t really care.

  When his lips claimed hers they were more purposeful than ever before. The possession was raw, heightened by the depth of desire that neither of them could deny. A gasp escaped her when he swung her high into his arms but all she could do was cling to his shoulders while he carried her up the stairs.

  Ursula rested against his chest and listened to the rhythmic pounding of his heart as she stared out of the window. Her life had changed completely, but there wasn’t a single moment she wanted to change. Her senses were still reeling by what she had just experienced; by what they had shared. She now felt closer to him than she had ever felt toward anyone ever before, and it was a little disquieting. Mainly because she had no idea what was supposed to happen next.

  “Are you alright?” He murmured, aware that she had been too quiet for too long. He tipped his head so he could look down at her. She looked positively radiant, thoroughly ravaged and sublimely happy. He smiled and kissed her temple before he settled back down amongst the plush pillows.

  “I am fine,” she whispered, relishing the feel of his arms pulling her closer.

  “I shall endeavour to write that letter to your father later so that he will leave you alone for a while. Meantime, I would ask you to stay well away from Brampton. I don’t want that man anywhere near you,” he grumbled possessively. He hated the thought that people had even seen Ursula talking to Brampton in the park.

  “I won’t, I promise,” she replied happily. In that moment she would have agreed to anything he suggested. She thought about her conversation with Brampton. “I have to wonder why he has focused on me though.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well, of all the ladies in London, why has he chosen to focus his attentions on me? There are women who have far better connections and considerably more wealth than me. Why has Brampton tried to interfere with our friendship?”

  Trenton snorted. “It’s a little more than friendship between us now, darling,” he murmured but could understand her sentiments.

  Barbarella was considerably wealthier and single, so what did Brampton want with Ursula?

  “Is there any kind of discord between Adelaide and Brampton, do you know?” he mused after several minutes of quiet contemplation.

  “Well, Adelaide doesn’t like him much. However, we did get invited to their afternoon tea the other week. Adelaide accepted the invitation because she hadn’t seen his mother for a while. So, no, not really,” she mused.

  “He focused on ruining my reputation when you spoke with him,” Trenton mused.

  “Well, yes. He seemed quite forceful, if a little calculating when he did so. He seemed adamant that you were connected intimately with Barbarella.” She couldn’t help the small flurry of hurt that blossomed within her heart, in spite of what they had just shared.

  He heard that hurt and rolled over so he could look deeply into her eyes. “I promise you that there is nothing going on between Barbarella and me. Brampton and Barbarella maybe, but I have no interest in the woman.”

  She frowned up at him and told him about the carriage she had se
en Brampton climb into outside the posting office.

  “That sounds like the carriage that nearly ran you down in the park,” he sighed.

  “You saw it?”

  He looked down at her. “I was just coming out of the trees and saw it race past. As soon as I realised you were all right, I went after the coachman because he looked familiar.”

  “In that way? How? Where?” She tried to sit up so she could see him better, then realised she was completely naked and quickly lay back down again.

  He smiled and tucked the covers over her before he settled her down against him and told her about the man he had seen the day she had been hit over the head on the embankment.

  “Do you think it is the same man?” she gasped. “Why? It can’t be Brampton because he was with me?”

  “No, I don’t think it is him at all. I understand that he is in financial difficulty though, and is looking to borrow money. Unfortunately, the creditors all seem to be avoiding him.”

  “So, he isn’t the sender of the flowers,” she added thoughtfully. “What about Sinnerton?”

  Trenton looked at her and sighed. “Well, I haven’t really thought about him much. He just doesn’t seem the kind of man who would be so frivolous with his money. Nor does he seem bold enough to show any interest in a woman without his mother’s prompting.”

  She grinned at him. “He does appear to be a rather weak character, doesn’t he?”

  “Weak? If I were that man, I would run so hard and fast that mother would never catch up. He just doesn’t seem able to break free of the nursery reins.” He shook his head. “No, I cannot see him doing something as outlandish as racing a carriage through the park like that. It takes skill, and a recklessness that Sinnerton just couldn’t be capable of.”

  “Well, it cannot be Brampton or Barbarella because they were with me.”

  “Yes, but Barbarella has money. She could send flowers to you on Brampton’s behalf in an attempt to get people to connect you with him.”

  “It would give him credibility if he wanted to borrow money off people,” she mused with a scowl. It was difficult to like anybody who could be that mercenary.

  “Adelaide is a long-standing member of the ton. She has connections in high places. People like her. She is a good character. She is wealthy but not too arrogant about it. Brampton would take advantage of gossips spreading rumours that he was connected to you; if only to ease his financial crisis.”

  “What has Barbarella got to do with this though?” She scowled out of the window, oblivious to the rain that trickled slowly down the pane as she thought about the woman’s apparent scheming.

  “She hates me,” Trenton declared bluntly. “She was quite vexed when I refused to be lulled into her schemes and is spiteful enough that she would want to exact revenge. I am not saying that she is behind your flowers, but she has more than enough wealth to cover the cost of them.”

  “But what would she have to gain from sending me flowers?” She dropped her head back onto his chest. “I cannot help feeling that we are missing something,” she mused.

  “I know,” he mused. “I think we are.”

  “Like what?”

  Trenton explained about the third party in the conservatory who he suspected had been hidden in the foliage.

  “You didn’t see anyone?”

  Trenton shook his head. “It was too dark, and I was too busy thinking about you.”

  She smiled at that and looked up at him a little ruefully. “So, a secret admirer arranged an assignation in the conservatory but then for some reason hid. Why?” She frowned blankly out of the window as one particular thought rose to the forefront of her mind, and refused to be ignored. “They mean to hurt me, don’t they?”

  Trenton mentally cursed. He wasn’t suggesting that for a moment, even though he suspected that was the case. The fear in her eyes brought forth a blistering curse, and he sought to find a way to ease the worry. “I am not saying that is the case.”

  “It’s what is happening though, isn’t it?” she replied. “I mean, I get a mysterious note asking me to meet with someone in the conservatory, only nobody turns up. You, however, realise there is someone hidden in the foliage waiting for me.”

  “He may have been waiting to speak with you but didn’t want to come forward because I was there,” Trenton suggested, but she appeared to be too intent on following her train of thought to listen.

  “Later that very same night, someone breaks into my room. They didn’t want to talk to me Trenton. They just grabbed me and tried to drag me out of the window.”

  “Were they dragging you to the window?” He demanded. “Did you manage to see if they were carrying a weapon?”

  “No, I don’t think so. They were trying to stop me from leaving the room,” she replied. “But I screamed, and the staff arrived before he could make me move.”

  He conceded she had a point. “It might have just been a burglar who happened to choose the one night you received the note at the ball. You cannot lose sight of the fact that the people who attend these social engagements live in the upper echelons of society. They are highly unlikely to be climbing through windows in the dead of night to burgle houses.” He snorted. “I certainly can’t see Brampton or Barbarella going to such lengths. Neither of them could be bothered to put that much effort in. Sending flowers? Yes, most definitely. Breaking into houses? No, definitely not.”

  She had to concede that he had a point, but refused to relinquish the subject just yet. Not until she had worked out some answers in her own mind. Being able to talk to him about this helped her enormously to be able to think about the possibilities.

  “What about the attack on the embankment then?” she challenged somewhat triumphantly. “Are you suggesting that was a figment of my imagination?”

  “No, I am not suggesting that for one minute.” His eyes wandered down her splendidly naked form now that she had sat up to face him. Her fury made her oblivious to the fact she was displaying what God had given her without even realising it, but he wasn’t going to mention the delightful view to her. He eyed her hungrily when desire began to build again.

  “Trenton?”

  He jerked out of his wayward thoughts and looked up at her. It took him a moment to realise what she had said. “Maybe it was a feeble attempt to steal your reticule? There were boat-people around, and street urchins and the like. They are renowned for pick-pocketing.”

  “So, you are effectively saying that I am seeing shadows where there aren’t any,” she snapped, somewhat affronted that he didn’t support her theory that someone might want to do her harm.

  “No, I am just saying that there is a reasonable explanation for everything that has happened to you. You shouldn’t feel worried or persecuted in any way. The circumstances that have befallen you could happen to anyone in London. It is just unfortunate that so much has happened in such a short space of time, and around the same time as you started to receive the flowers.” He looked at her. “I mean, somebody has sent you flowers. What harm has come to you by receiving them?”

  She stared at him and had to concede he had a point. Still, she didn’t want to let the matter drop just yet. Was everything that had happened to her down to mere circumstance? Was she jumping at her own shadow?

  “What about the carriage? You said yourself that the driver looked familiar. What if he is the man who attacked me on the embankment? What if this person, whoever he is, gets desperate and decides to be more forceful?” She couldn’t stop her fear from building.

  He immediately regretted confiding in her so much. All he had done was increase her anxiety. “I won’t allow anyone to hurt you, Ursula,” he declared possessively. “You are far too precious to me.”

  “You cannot be by my side all day. Only this morning you said you had some business to conduct that would render it impossible to return to Yorkshire anytime soon. You can hardly be squiring me around London while conducting your business,” she protested. Frustration made
her voice harsher than she intended but she couldn’t take the words back.

  To her surprise, he remained calm and impassive as he studied her thoughtfully. “I will ensure that the business I came to London to complete is finalised before Christmas, and shall return to my estate a happy man. Meantime, I have more than enough time to escort you wherever you want to go.”

  “Everywhere?” she whispered when he drew her back down and rolled over so she was beneath him. She gasped at the delicious feel of his weight pressing her deeper into the bed and sighed in anticipation when his hand began to slide slowly down her thigh.

  “Everywhere,” he murmured and began to place random kisses down her neck, across her shoulder, and back up to her lips. “Whenever you want; wherever you want,” he assured her in a voice that was husky with desire.

  “That will draw the interest of the gossips,” she whispered.

  “Let them gossip,” he replied. He continued to kiss her for several moments before he lifted his head to look down at her. “I don’t care what people say. Let them run rife with the news that we are together.”

  Ursula thought about the man back in Yorkshire, whose offer her father had accepted, and knew that by loving the man in her arms, she had in fact taken her future in her own hands.

  There was nothing about it she could regret. Not now that she had Trenton in her life.

  CHAPTER TEN

  “I hate smog. It is the only thing in London that I really don’t like,” she whispered later that night when Trenton had reluctantly allowed her to leave the bed and was walking her home.

  “It is a little different to the rolling hills of Yorkshire, that’s for certain. It takes a little getting used to.”

  “It’s horrible not being able to see where you are going,” she sighed, peering at a small street sign on the iron fence beside her. “I have no idea how you know where we are going.”

  Trenton laughed. “I know where you live, darling. I am sure I could find you blindfolded.”