“Unfortunately, I fear I’ve mucked things up rather badly for you.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, drew her in close. “But we shall weather it.”
She was grateful for his confidence, although she didn’t share it. Having watched Tillie survive her scandal, Gina wasn’t certain she’d be able to survive her own.
Chapter 12
“What the bloody hell were you thinking?”
Andrew didn’t flinch at his brother’s harsh words, shouted at him, within their father’s library. He deserved the anger, the disappointment. He deserved it and a good deal more.
A servant had been sent to Kingsbrook Park to fetch the Marquess and Marchioness of Rexton. It had taken hours. Andrew had been made to wait between the dark walls and musty books, with his father staring at him in stony silence. His mother had stayed with Gina in her room until her sister arrived. Then the duchess had joined them here, saying not a word, merely lowering herself gracefully into a chair, her gaze riveted on him where he stood near the fireplace.
“Andrew, I’m speaking to you,” Rex stated harshly.
“No, you’re yelling. And I should think the answer is obvious: I wasn’t thinking.”
“I warned you to stay away from her. I knew you’d be unable to resist lifting her skirts.”
“I didn’t lift her skirts.”
“Oh? So you took her to the Nightingale to play backgammon? How many times have you taken her there?”
He sighed in frustration. His relationship with Gina, what they’d done together was no one’s business. Yet he knew speculation and gossip about them was already spreading throughout all of London. He was powerless to stop it and the scandal that would envelop her.
“Raising your voice, Rex, isn’t going to help the situation,” his father said quietly from where he stood, leaning against his desk. It might not help but it hurt far less than his father’s disappointing tone. “The girl was under our protection, Andrew. Your actions are unconscionable.”
“Don’t be a hypocrite, Sterling,” his mother chastised.
Andrew jerked his gaze to the woman who had born him. The look she was giving the Duke of Greystone spoke volumes.
“We weren’t married when you first bedded me,” she added succinctly.
Oh Lord, he didn’t want to envision his father bedding his mother, did not want to know the intimate details of their lives. It seemed he was going to be punished for his actions regarding Gina in all manners imaginable.
“That was different, Frannie.”
“In what way?”
Shifting uncomfortably, he crossed his arms over his chest. “It just was.”
“Because I was a commoner, a bookkeeper, a woman with no prospects of marriage?”
“No, because I was irrevocably drawn to you.”
She nodded, before turning her attention to Rex. “And you. Look me in the eye and swear to me that you did not have relations with Tillie before you wed her a few days ago.”
“Of course I did. She was a divorcée, a woman with no reputation to protect. She was worldly, not an innocent like Gina.”
“So you thought it perfectly all right to take advantage of her because her field had been plowed before?”
“No! Good God, I’m not having this conversation.”
Andrew might have felt some sympathy for his brother if he wasn’t so worried about Gina. He wanted to hold her, comfort her. Although it was entirely possible she’d want nothing else to do with him.
“You are,” his mother said sternly. “Why did you bed her outside of marriage?”
“Because I was obsessed with her, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”
“You don’t think it possible your brother shared the same obsession?”
He sighed. “I know he did. I saw the way he looked at her. That’s the reason I warned him off.” He glared at Andrew. “Why the bloody hell didn’t you steer clear of her?”
“I believe, Rex,” his mother said, “you’ve answered that question yourself. The why doesn’t matter, but the girl’s reputation is ruined and he will marry her.”
“No,” Andrew said forcefully, “I won’t.”
His mother looked at him as though she no longer recognized who he was. Disappointment filled her eyes as she slowly rose and walked over to him, her gaze scanning over his face as she searched for an answer she wasn’t going to find. Never in his life had the success of a good bluff mattered so much. He had to give the impression Gina meant nothing to him, that his words weren’t flaying his heart.
She stopped less than a yard away. “You compromised Gina.”
“She is still a virgin.”
“Do you think anyone is going to believe that when she was unmasked at that scandalous place? Why will you not marry her?”
“I may be the second son but I’m not going to be someone’s second choice. I’m not going to be the one for whom someone settled. Marrying me will not make her a countess, or a marchioness, or a future duchess. It won’t even give her the title of viscountess. She is in want of a title; she is deserving of one.”
“No peer is going to marry her now,” Rex said.
“I’ll make it right. I’ll speak with Somerdale. She fancies him. I’ll explain it was a prank or a dare. I’ll ensure he understands she is untouched.”
“And why would he marry her?” his father asked.
“Because he has squandered a good bit of his inheritance and will soon be in need of the funds marriage to Gina will provide.” And he was planning to ask for her hand anyway. She’d implied she would accept. Somerdale would need only a little nudging to look beyond the scandal.
“Does he love her?” his mother asked.
“I do not see how he cannot.”
“What were you thinking?”
Gina sat on the bed, in her nightdress, with her back pressed against a mound of pillows. The duchess had insisted she bathe and then the woman had brushed her hair soothingly. Which, unfortunately, had caused Gina to burst into tears, remembering all the times her mother had brushed her hair when she was younger, before her mother died, and Tillie had stepped into the maternal role. “I wanted to see it. I thought it would be an adventure. And I know that after I marry, I will have to be a good and proper wife and not do things I ought not.”
And she’d wickedly hoped that once there, Andrew would want to do more than just show her the place, that he would demonstrate exactly what transpired in the bedchambers there. She’d planned to seduce him, completely and thoroughly. She’d been well on her way to having that happen. His eyes had reflected such desire, such longing.
“I thought my scandal was bad,” Tillie said. “Yours will be so much worse if the rumors are not put to rest quickly. A hasty marriage is called for. Andrew will need to get a special license—”
“I’m not marrying him.”
Tillie looked at her as though she’d gone mad. “Sweeting, you don’t have a choice. No one is going to believe you are still an innocent.”
“He has no wish to marry. He’s made that abundantly clear, and while I don’t agree with his reasoning, I must respect his decision. I will not force him to marry me, nor will I allow you or anyone else to force him. He would resent it, and in time he would come to hate me.”
Tillie sat on the edge of her bed and took her hands, squeezed. “Gina, you’ll not be welcomed into homes. Everyone will give you a cut direct. I’ve lived with that sort of ostracism. It is not pleasant, dear sister. Even when you know you are in the right, it can hurt unbearably.”
“Then perhaps I shall return to New York.”
“I thought you loved England.”
“I do, but I have no fondness for being the object of scandal. On the other hand, neither do I relish the thought of being chased away. I’m not certain what I’ll do yet, but I do know I shan’t marry Andrew.”
“On the one hand, I think you’re being very admirable. On the other, very foolish. Life for you is going to be
quite unpleasant, no matter how much I try to shield you.”
“You don’t have to shield me, Tillie. It was my idea to go there. I’m fully capable of facing the repercussions on my own.”
Her sister gave her a sad smile. “When the deuce did you grow up?”
Somewhere between a brothel and a house for assignations. Although she wasn’t certain she’d matured as much as she’d fallen in love.
Chapter 13
“Will you honor me by becoming my wife?”
Gina stared at Somerdale, kneeling before her in Rexton’s front parlor, holding her hand, looking up at her imploringly. He’d arrived a half hour earlier to speak with Rexton in the library, and then he’d asked to speak with her alone. She’d had an inkling regarding what was coming. Still it was a shock.
“You are aware of the rumors circulating that I was spied at the Nightingale Club three nights ago.”
“I am.”
“And you are aware of the purpose behind the club’s existence? Of what transpires within those walls?”
“I am, but Lord Andrew assures me nothing untoward happened between you, that you remain a virgin.”
Andrew had spoken with him, disclosed those intimate details? He had gone to a man of whom he was obviously jealous and sought to convince him, on her behalf, that she was worthy of his hand in marriage. Why would he do that? “He did, did he?”
“Indeed. He was quite adamant regarding your untouched status. He waxed on quite poetically regarding your attributes and your suitability for becoming my countess.”
“What exactly did he say?”
He furrowed his brow as though remembering were a difficult task. “That you are intelligent, witty, quick to learn, a delightful conversationalist, fascinating company—things I had, of course, discerned for myself. He said I would be the most fortunate man in all of England if you would agree to become my wife.”
Blinking back the tears stinging her eyes, she could hardly fathom that Andrew had made such flattering claims regarding her. Was it possible he cared for her as much as she did him?
“And so here I am, willing to overlook the scandal that will surely keep all others from your door.”
“How very generous of you, my lord.” She hadn’t seen Andrew since Tillie and Rexton had returned from Kingsbrook Park, but it wasn’t the scandal keeping him away. She realized that with every fiber of her being. He stayed away because he hoped in doing so, she would acquire the marriage she had told him she desired. He was thinking of her, striving to ensure another led her to the altar.
“You are deserving of such generosity.”
“According to Lord Andrew.”
“Yes, well … according to my own observations as well. Still, I should like to wait a month before we make the announcement. Simply as a precaution.” He cleared his throat. “So I am not made to look a fool.”
Although she fully understood his caution, it still didn’t sit well with her. She withdrew her hand from his. “You mean you wish to ensure I am not with child.”
“Precisely.”
“So you don’t believe him.”
He shoved himself to his feet. “I do, but still I see no harm in delaying the announcement.”
The harm was that during those thirty days she would live with the scandal, the stares, and the speculations. Having him at her side without any formal declaration of an agreement between them would do little to quiet the gossips. As a matter of fact, it might only serve to increase the volume of their whispers.
But her face gave none of those thoughts away. If she’d learned anything at all during her time with Andrew, it was the value of a good bluff. She rose calmly and elegantly from the sofa. One step brought her nearer to him. Two allowed her to place her hand on his chest. “Forget all of Lord Andrew’s compliments regarding me. Why do you want to marry me?”
His gaze dipped to her splayed fingers over his waistcoat. “Because I believe we are well suited.”
She inched closer. “Do you desire me?”
“Do you doubt it?”
Yes, as a matter of fact she did. “Kiss me.”
He glanced around as though searching for their audience.
“We are quite alone,” she pointed out unnecessarily. Even the door was closed. Leaning toward him, she whispered, “Take possession of my lips. Do with them as you will.”
His eyes widening, he fairly leaped beyond her reach. “You are quite brazen, Miss Hammersley. It would be entirely inappropriate for me to take advantage when there is yet no official understanding between us.”
Where was the passion, the hunger, the yearning? The need to taste, to touch, to possess? She marched forward; he staggered back. “You find me so easy to resist?”
“I am a gentleman, Miss Hammersley.”
A boring one at that. He wouldn’t take her to brothels or places where naughtiness occurred. He wouldn’t snatch her into his arms because they felt empty without her there. He would make her a countess and she would make him a very wealthy man.
“The answer is no, my lord. While I appreciate your generous offer, it does not suit me.” She spun on her heel and headed for the door.
“Lord Andrew assured me you would say yes.”
Because Andrew was striving to rescue her once again. Only she was no longer in need of having another save her. She was fully capable of doing it herself. Stopping, she faced him. “Did he? Well, I do hope he didn’t make any wagers on that outcome.”
“I am your only hope to be saved from scandal.”
For the first time in her life, she understood why her sister had risked so much in order to obtain a divorce from her first husband. “Please don’t take offense, my lord, but I have discovered I’d rather live with scandal.”
“I daresay you have a rather odd notion of what it entails in order to rescue me.”
Gina was more than pleased with how abruptly Andrew looked up from the papers he was studying, how quickly he leaped to his feet with her proclamation when she strode into his library unannounced. “What the devil are you doing here?” He looked over her shoulder. “Did you come alone?”
“Yes, sans chaperone. A lady of scandal really doesn’t have to bother with such nonsense.”
“An unmarried lady does not come to a bachelor’s residence unaccompanied.”
“I would think a married one shouldn’t either.”
“A married woman already has a husband. She’s not striving to lead a gent to the altar. She doesn’t have to be quite as careful with her reputation. You, however—”
“I told him no.” Casually she strolled farther into the room, taking additional delight in his obvious confusion. If his brow furrowed any more deeply he was likely to give himself a megrim.
“Somerdale? Why? I thought you fancied him.”
She neared the desk, neared him. He made a hasty retreat to the fireplace, grabbed the mantel with one hand.
“You told me he was in debt.”
“He’s not completely insolvent. Your fortune will help him set matters to rights. He has a very fine estate, in need of a bit of upkeep, but you’ll live comfortably there. And he has a London residence.”
“You have a London residence.”
“Mine is leased. His is owned.”
He didn’t back away when she got near enough to inhale his bergamot and lemony fragrance. But she noticed his knuckles were turning white with his grip of the mantel. “You encouraged him to ask for my hand. Why?”
“Because betrothal to him will go far in limiting the damage done by your discovery at the Nightingale. It makes it moot. It no longer matters. You are spoken for—after the incident. And people will get caught up in your betrothal—why did you dismiss him?”
Moving even closer, she pressed her palm against his chest. “Because his heart didn’t pound against my fingertips. Because I didn’t hear his breath hitch.” She raised her gaze to his. “Because he didn’t have to risk denting the marble of the mantel in order to st
op himself from reaching for me. And it seemed wrong, so very wrong—” She lifted her hand to his jaw, resting her palm against the pulse at his throat, where it thrummed madly. “—to marry him when I loved another.”
Ah, Christ. She did not mean him. She could not love him.
But it was there in the green of her eyes, in the intensity with which she looked at him, in the manner in which her fingers pressed against the underside of his jaw. And his pulse, damn it, responded as though she were pressing her mouth there, suckling and licking, and promising other things would be sucked and licked.
“Gina—”
“I know you have no wish to marry. I won’t force you. I won’t let your family force you. I’ll be your lover, for as long as you’ll have me. When you tire of me, I’ll return to New York and live in a cottage by the sea.”
His hand ached. He might have broken a bone, striving so hard to maintain a grip in order not to reach for her. Surrender had never felt so sweet as he released his hold on the mantel and cupped her cheek. “I will tire of you, you know.”
Her chin came up a notch as she again nodded. “I know.”
He stroked his thumb along the corner of her mouth. “I estimate, at the most, you would have only fifty or sixty years with me.”
Her impish grin made his heart clench, his chest tighten painfully.
“I could live with that,” she said quietly.
“That is a lot of years to live in sin. We should probably marry.”
“I shall consider it, but only if you ask properly.”
Only for her would Andrew do the one thing he’d never wanted to do, the one thing he’d never expected to do.
He dropped to one knee.
Taking her hand, he gently cradled it between both of his and held her gaze. “Miss Virginia Hammersley, as the second son I never wanted the title, the estates, or the responsibilities that came with being a peer. But for you, I’d willingly take on the burden of being a king so that you could be my queen.”
“Andrew—”
“I adore you. I have from the moment I met you. If you will honor me by becoming my wife, I swear to you that I shall strive to do all in my power to ensure you never regret it.”
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