“Smile, my love, or our audience will wonder if I’m forcing myself on you.”
She looked up at his strong jaw and those lips that had given her such delightful kisses. Forcing her mouth closed as his mother had suggested, she grinned.
“That’s better,” he said. Then he frowned for an instant before plastering a very practiced looking expression of peaceful bliss on his face. “I’m afraid it has just occurred to me that I might very well be forcing you into a situation that you are not entirely comfortable with. Is this so?”
The effect that his question had on her heart was instantaneous. She felt calmer in that moment than she had in years. Even the altercation with her uncle faded into the background. Her opinion mattered to John. Relief washed over her, and with it, a sense of peace. Since her uncle had moved into Trent House, she had ceased to make any difference. Her opinions were not welcomed and often she was punished for voicing them. When her father was alive and well, they would talk all the time. She missed being important in her own life.
John had used her situation to gain her agreement to marry him. Why had he done it? “I would not have used the word comfortable, but I think we might get on together, John.
“I have no doubt of that, Emma. I will endeavor to make you very happy. However, if you truly do not wish to marry me, I will still help you and Oliver. It will be more difficult and people will certainly question my motives, but I believe it is possible to save Oliver’s inheritance without sacrificing you to the altar.”
She watched him very carefully. His expression remained the same, but she saw something in his eyes that she had seen when he’d moved behind his desk after his botched proposal. A tiny bead of sweat trickled down his temple and the room felt quite cool to her. Her possible rejection worried him more than she would have thought. After all, if she rejected him, his sense of duty would still be satisfied.
“What about my uncle?”
“If we marry, he will have no choice but to relinquish the Trent holdings to me.” At her frown, he added, “And I, in turn will give them to you to manage for your brother until he comes of an age. If you choose not to marry, I will employ a barrister who will sort through the situation. I have given it a great deal of thought. I feel confident that the situation can be handled, Emma. You need not feel cornered.” He paused for a long moment and the music came to a close.
He leaned forward and spoke for her ears only. The whisper brushed her ear intimately. “It is my most ardent desire that you will take into consideration that I love you and wish to have you for my wife.”
With that last bit of news, he took her elbow and escorted her off the dance floor.
Heat flooded Emma’s face. What must this crowd think of them? It would be all the talk for weeks. In two days she could be married and a countess in her own right. John said he loved her. Was that true? He wouldn’t lie about such a thing. Her uncle’s lies had made her mistrustful of everyone.
He did not demand an answer and Emma was inclined to think through his words and her own feelings before responding.
Chapter Five
When the carriage arrived back at the Scarborough townhouse, John stepped down and spoke to one of the grooms.
The countess said, “Don’t worry, my dear, John is very resourceful. You and he shall do very well together.”
“Do you really think so, Countess?”
“Of course.” She patted Emma’s hand. Then she laughed. “Had I known he would be so instantly smitten, I would have brought you over long ago. I should probably apologize to you. I admit I still thought of you as too young for John. I suppose that can happen when watching someone grow from birth.”
“I hope I have not ruined your plans for your son’s future.”
“Heavens no, you are much more suitable than any other girl I have paraded before John, and frankly, he never showed any interest until he saw you.” The countess wrapped on the roof of the carriage and immediately a groom appeared at the door to help her down. Emma stepped from the carriage. Could it be true? Was it possible that John, who had shown no interest in marriage before, had taken one look at her and changed his mind? It sounded similar to a plot out of a fairy tale and not at all something that could happen in her life.
In spite of the lateness of the hour, Emma knew sleep would be impossible. She was far too restless to retire. She kept waiting for her normal, reasonable, rational mind to reassert itself, but she began to wonder if it ever would. From the moment she made the logical decision to run to her aunt, her life had become a series of unbelievable events.
Evidently John was not ready for bed either. She followed him into the library.
“You know my uncle won’t give up that easily.” Emma made her way across the room to an overstuffed chaise.
“Don’t worry so, my dear. He can do little else.”
“I think it was a bad idea to confront Uncle Drake tonight.” She shuddered at the memory of the scene her uncle had made. But part of her enjoyed seeing him brought low by John. Her uncle had bullied her for a year. It was good to see him on the side, being the weaker party.
John poured two small glasses of brandy, handed one to her and sat down on the chaise with his hip pressed against her leg. “It’s not as if he gave us any choice, Emma. Would you have rather I let him strike you? It was important to begin to be seen together in public. While the events of the evening were regrettable, we certainly were seen together. No one in our circle will doubt my feelings for you.”
Perhaps the ton wouldn’t, but Emma still wondered about how John felt. Could a man go to all of this trouble out of a sense of duty? Did he truly love her? He said he did. She shook her head and tried to be practical. “I’m still worried about Oliver. I’m certain Uncle Drake will not be denied so easily.”
“I have placed two footmen at every entrance to the house. Several others will patrol the gardens. I have even hired a Bow Street runner to keep an eye on your uncle. Oliver will be safe, Emma.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
“Thank you, John. I’m sure you’re right.” Her stomach flipped. Breathing deeply, she tried to calm her nerves.
“There is one other matter to discuss.” He never took his gaze away from her.
She did not pretend to be ignorant of the subject. “I suppose you would like to know if I will marry you.”
A crooked smile pulled at his mouth. “The date is set. It would be nice to know if there will be a bride.”
His manner was lighthearted, but she could see the worry in the set of his jaw.
“I have thought of little else since our dance.” She leaned away from him, resting on the back of the chaise.
“Have you concluded anything?”
Her hands trembled slightly when she put her glass on a side table. John immediately took them in his. He steadied her. Here she was, perhaps about to end their engagement, and he still tried to lend his support. Her heart filled her chest so thoroughly, she felt it might burst. Was this love? He’d promised to help her with or without the marriage. John would never break his word, she was sure of that. The only question that remained was, did she wish to marry John?
“In my foolishness, I thwarted several fine marriage offers. If I had been sensible, the events of the last year would not have taken place. I would have had a husband and we would have taken control of Oliver’s interests before Uncle Drake could get his hands on them or us. I was young. That is my only excuse.” The suffering she had caused her little brother pained her. She’d beaten herself up since it became obvious that her father would not survive. But by then, it was too late. She didn’t have time to find a husband and the men who had offered for her a year earlier were already married or engaged.
“If you had married in your first season, I would have lost you forever.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.
His mouth was soft and strong all at once. When he backed away after only a chaste kiss, her body leaned forward and she thought to
beg for more.
“I suppose that’s true. I will not make the same mistake again. I am very fond of you, John. You seem very eager to marry me and you say that you love me, which is more than I could have hoped for. I will marry you.”
He frowned, but lifted her hand and kissed the palm. The kiss sent a series of vibrations that spread to every inch of her body.
Then he kissed her cheek and her mouth. His tongue traced a path along the seam of her lips. She opened on a sigh and touched her tongue to his. He groaned and pulled her close for only a moment.
His breathing was ragged when he released her and he brushed a stray hair from her face. “I cannot tell you how pleased I am at your decision.” He stood up and helped her to her feet.
When he leaned forward again, she expected a peck on the lips and for him to say good night. However, his lips grazed her cheek and landed on the sensitive skin of her ear. Every time he did this, her body responded and she yearned for more. The whisper of air teased her. “I love you, Emma, even if I have to love you enough for both of us.”
She still heard those words reverberating in her mind an hour later when she stole into the garden for a short walk to clear her mind.
Two footmen flanked the garden door and she saw a third by the side gate that led to an alleyway. She smiled at them and walked past.
Emma wished she could sleep as the rest of the house did. John had kissed her good night at her bedroom door and likely thought she was tucked in for the night. She’d never slept well. She and her father would often meet each other in the garden while trying to walk off insomnia. Even in good times, she had trouble turning off her busy mind.
These were strange times, both good and bad. It was odd, but her stomach bubbled with excitement at the idea of her wedding day, but at the same time, she couldn’t help fearing something terrible would go wrong. That somehow her uncle would ruin everything and drag her and Oliver back across the street. The thought and the cold of the winter night gave her a chill. She pulled the wool wrap tighter around her shoulders. At least she’d had the good sense to pull on her boots and hadn’t come outside in slippers.
Every moment since leaving her home, she’d been waiting for him to appear. When she’d seen him at the ball, she’d thought, this is it, now we will have to go back. But in the next moment, John was there protecting her. In a world where women were powerless, it was good to have a champion.
“I was worried.” John’s voice cut through her reverie.
She turned to find him smiling at her from several feet away. She had wandered into a maze of evergreen shrubs and lost track of time. “Were you looking for me?”
He stepped forward and offered his arm. She took it, and they continued down the path. “I knocked on your door to see if you were well, since I know you do not sleep. When you didn’t answer, I checked the library. You were not there and it almost sent me into a panic, but the footman informed me you had headed out into the garden. You see, there are some benefits to keeping one’s house at high military alert.”
“Now that you’ve found me, what will you do with me?” she teased.
“I may kiss you senseless in a few moments, but first tell me if you are all right?”
She sighed. “Oh, can’t we just skip to the senseless kissing part?”
He stopped and turned toward her. The moon was waning, but still full enough to allow them to see each other. “You are not all right, are you? Is it the wedding?”
She touched his cheek. It felt warm under her freezing fingers. “No, John, it is not the wedding. I’m just worried that my uncle will ruin everything.”
John took her hands and rubbed them between his. “You are freezing. How do you stand the cold?”
“I rather like it,” she said. “It makes me feel alive.”
“It makes me feel cold,” he complained, but smiled down at her and continued to warm her fingers. “I will not allow anything or anyone to interfere with our plans, Emma.”
They started walking again and turned a corner, which took them to a courtyard that had several benches and a fountain that had been drained for the winter. Still, the three angels in the center were serene and beautiful. She wished that she could hear the trickle of water and tried to imagine it. “Uncle Drake can be very determined when he wants something.”
“So can I.” He sat on the nearest bench and pulled her into his lap.
“You are not taking this seriously,” she said.
He kissed her chin and nose. “I have posted guards all over the house and grounds. I nearly strangled Trent tonight at the ball. How much more seriously do you wish me to take this, Emma. You have lured me into the garden, the least you can do is offer a fellow some warmth and a kiss for his trouble.”
“I most certainly did not lure you. You, sir, chased me into this situation.” Her cheeks hurt from smiling, but she couldn’t stop. His playfulness made her giddy with excitement both for the moment and for the future. “However, I shall give you a kiss, since you have already grabbed for the warmth you require.”
“Very generous,” he said.
Emma leaned in close to him and his arms wrapped around her tightly. She might not have realized how cold she really was had his heat not engulfed her so completely.
Her head rested on his shoulder, but she moved it so that her lips were only a breath away from his cheek. She pressed them forward and the stubble of his beard’s new growth pricked her skin. She touched her cheek to his and rubbed lightly to feel his beard better. Bolder, she kissed his chin and neck, which produced a low grown from John’s chest. When she turned her head up, he immediately covered her mouth with his. There was something more in this kiss than the few they had shared in the past two days. She felt his desperation mingling with her own.
He pulled away. “I think we had better return.”
“Of course, you’re right.” She wondered if he heard the reluctance in her voice.
If he did, he didn’t acknowledge it. She got up from his lap and he rose a bit slower than usual before offering his arm.
“Do you think that Oliver will mind living with us rather than in his own home?” John asked.
She shrugged. “He’s five. I expect he will not care for a few years and then he will go to school.”
“He’s a fine boy, Emma. You have done a wonderful job with him.”
Her chest tightened and her heart did a flip. “Thank you. He’s a good boy.”
John nodded. “He is, and I believe that you are to be credited for making him that way.”
She was about to argue, but thought better of it. “It is very nice of you to say so.”
“Do you think you are ready to go back inside? I’m positively freezing,” he said.
“I think I can sleep now, and the day after tomorrow I shall plan to sleep better every night.”
* * * * *
Emma thought her nerves would snap by the time the wedding came and went. She barely had time to rest between fittings and well-wishers. Oliver also demanded her attention. John did not return to the House of Lords and seemed to always be hovering within reach, and she had to say, she rather liked having him around. He helped with decisions, asked her opinion and stole kisses every now and then.
The entire household walked as if on glass. The footmen had all been put on guard duty. Any sightings of Uncle Drake were reported to his lordship immediately. Nothing was left to chance. John had called it a high military alert and that was exactly what it was. No one ventured out without at least two footmen. Even the countess was to be guarded at all times. For the most part, they stayed within the grounds of the townhouse.
When the coach alighted at the steps of St. George, Emma’s brain could barely comprehend the number of people who had come to watch her enter the church on Christmas morning. The crowd cheered when she stepped down in her pale green wedding gown. Margaret had gifted her with a red cape that was lined with the whitest ermine fur. It was the perfect complement to a Christm
as wedding.
Tradition dictated that John wait for her at the altar, but he stood at the top of the steps out in front. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. Dressed in his finest black suit, he was a stunningly tall figure. His dark eyes shone when he saw her, making her heart soar.
Standing next to him, her brother jumped up and down with excitement. She climbed the steps with John’s mother. She could see her breath in the air, but was too excited to notice the cold. From the corner of her eye, she noticed someone peering around a statue.
Her uncle sneered at her.
She wondered if he’d tried to get inside and failed. That would have served him right.
John saw the direction of her gaze and frowned. “Not to worry, my dear. That is as close as he can get. Do not allow him to mar the day.”
“No. Of course not!”
She smiled down at Oliver, who bounced around as if he were bursting.
“Sissy, I’m not allowed to tell you about anything.”
“Really.” She giggled. “And what anything are you not allowed to tell me about?”
“John has it, but I can’t say. It’s a surprise.”
“I see.” She looked at John.
His glee was equal to hers and he barely suppressed his laughter. He reached into the pocket of his waistcoat. “Perhaps this will solve the great mystery.”
Draped across his palm was a necklace made up of seven large rubies. Each of the dark red stones was surrounded by diamonds. It was exquisite. Her mouth hung open as she stared at the jewels sparkling in the morning sunshine. She had no idea what to say. Her tongue felt as if it had grown too big for her mouth.
“John.”
“Do you like it?”
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. You did not need to buy me anything, and this is far too much.”
He placed the necklace around her neck and clasped it. The crowd roared their approval.
“I’m glad you like them, but they are not really from me, my love.”
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