A Hellion’s Midnight Kiss

by Lauren Smith

  “Yes, I did. Are you planning to stay the entire Season, my lord?” The way she addressed him was both proper and a little saucy, and she hoped he caught it.

  “To be honest, I don’t know. I was planning to stay until Mother became bored of it. It was for her that we made this trip.” He gave her a rakish smile and raised an eyebrow. “Unless I found someone interesting who likes to dance.”

  “Then I suppose you’ve found her,” Emma said. They walked out of the building to see their carriage just a few feet away. “Ah, there it is. Will I see you at the next ball?”

  “I was hoping to see you a bit sooner,” Thomas replied. “Would you mind terribly if I called on you at your house?”

  “At our house?” Visions of her mother and father dancing with joy that Emma had a man come to call on her went through Emma’s head and she sighed a little too loudly. “I’m not sure---”

  “Of course, we’d love you to call on us!” Katherine jumped in between them. “I shall give you our address so you’ll be able to come whenever you like.” She recited the words as if she had been practicing them all night, and Thomas nodded.

  “I’m not as familiar with London, so I may get lost. Rest assured, I’ll be seeing you soon.” The carriage driver opened the door and Thomas helped Katherine into the cab, then turned to Emma. “I hope you’ll think of me until then, Emma, for I shall certainly be thinking of you.” He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed them there for the barest of moments. Then he closed the door and walked away.

  “Oh, sister!” Katherine squealed as she grabbed Emma’s hands. “Aren’t you excited? He wants to come see you! That means he truly wants to be with you!”

  “You’re getting ahead of yourself,” Emma said, the flush on her cheeks creeping down her neck and onto her bosom. “He hasn’t even knocked on our door yet. Let us see what happens.” She sighed again. “Now we shall have to tell Mother and Father about him. I’m not looking forward to that.” Before Katherine could say anything else, she changed the subject. “Tell me about this young man I saw you dancing with half the night? He looked quite handsome.”

  Excitedly, Katherine began telling her sister all about the man she’d danced with while Emma’s mind wandered. She’d never had a man come to her house. She’d never wanted a man to come to her house. Now she was looking forward to Thomas coming to call on her and braving her parents’ treating him like he was a member of the royal court and trying to marry her off in every breath they took. He seemed as if he could handle it, though.

  “I hope he’s worth it,” Emma muttered under her breath and Katherine frowned at her, looking somewhat confused.

  “What did you say?”

  “Oh. Nothing.”

  Chapter 12

  Between the ball and the time he spent on the road to make up for the time he had rested beforehand, it was three days before he found himself riding up to Emma’s house. It was a beautiful one, set slightly on the outside of London so there was plenty of room for just about any diversion they could choose, and he was impressed with the size of it. It was only about a third of the size of the estate his father had left him but it was obvious that Emma’s father was wealthy enough to want good husbands for his daughters.

  To be honest, Thomas was a little nervous about this. Though he had grown fond of Emma in the few times they’d met, he had no intention or ability to marry her. Her parents would no doubt try their best to get him to agree to an engagement and while he wanted to be polite, he didn’t want to get their or Emma’s hopes up.

  When he brought his horse up to the house, a man that he recognized as the carriage driver came to take it to the stable. Thomas dismounted and handed him the reins with a smile. Then he went up the steps to the house and knocked on the door.

  “Good afternoon,” he said when the butler opened the door. “My name is Lord Thomas Belmont and I’m here to see Miss Emma Sellars.”

  “Is she expecting you?”

  “No, but I’ll wager she’ll like to see me.” He gave the butler his most winning smile and he nodded and motioned for him to step into the house.

  While the butler led him to the sitting room, Thomas looked around the house. It was beautifully furnished in hardwood with silver accents and he felt as though he had stepped into a library, it was so quiet. Then he heard laughter from another room and grinned. He recognized one of those voices as Emma’s. They stopped in the door of the sitting room, where Emma and her sisters were sitting with a young man and a baby, laughing at his attempts to walk with the governess’ help.

  “Pardon me, ladies,” the butler said, and the laughter stopped. He motioned to Thomas. “Lord Thomas Belmont is here to see Miss Sellars.”

  “Which one?” The young man, whom he recognized from the ball as Henry, laughed and motioned to Emma and Katherine. “I’d ask which of the three, but I suspect you’re not here to see my wife.” The ladies laughed and the baby copied them.

  “I’m here to see Emma, of course.” He looked around. “May I sit down?”

  “Of course!” Katherine jumped out of the wing chair where she was sitting and plopped onto the floor with the baby, causing Frances to gasp. “Oh, it’ll be fine. My dress won’t be ruined in a few minutes. Once Henry goes to Parliament, I’ll take his seat.”

  “Take it now, then,” Henry said. “I should be going. The afternoon session will be starting soon and I don’t wish to be late this time.” He got up and shook Thomas’ hand vigorously. “Good luck with these women. They’re in top form today.”

  “I shall look forward to it.” As soon as Henry was gone, the governess scooped up the baby and put him on her hip.

  “With Mr. Dickson on his way to work, I should be able to get Miles down for his afternoon nap,” the governess said. “If you’ll pardon me, ladies.”

  “Of course, Patricia.” Frances stood up and gave her son a kiss on the forehead, then watched him lovingly as the governess walked off with him. “She’s such a nice girl, and so good with him. I’m glad we hired her before the Warrens had their baby.”

  “So tell me, what brings you here?” Emma looked at Thomas. “It couldn’t have been to see my sister and her family.” She was smiling brightly with a light blush on her cheeks, clearly happy to see him. Thomas spread his arms wide.

  “Isn’t it obvious? As I am my mother’s only child, I wanted to see the picture of family harmony.” This made Katherine giggle.

  “Then you’d best find another family,” Emma said. “We fight just as much as we laugh and play. Especially these two.” She pointed at Frances and Katherine.

  “Emma! It’s rude to point!” Frances put her hands on her hips and Katherine made an irritated sound. “Pardon me?”

  “If she doesn’t point, how is he going to know who she’s talking about?” This brought on a short squabble that Thomas tried to keep up with until Emma moved closer to the side of the couch closest to him and shook her head.

  “That’s what I’m talking about. They’re simply ridiculous.”

  “You’re the middle daughter, then.” Thomas laughed. “You couldn’t be more different.”

  “Yes, I know. My mother laments it each day.” Emma looked at her sisters, who were still quarreling over Katherine’s manners. “Frances is Mother’s favorite because she’s just like her and she thinks she’s responsible. Father is convinced that Katherine is going to run away with some man because she has so many romantic ideas in her head.” She sighed. “I love them, though. Wouldn’t trade them for the world.”

  “I often wish I had a brother or sister, but it seems it was never meant to be.” On the floor, Katherine was getting more heated and Emma rubbed her face with her hands.

  “That’s it. I’ve had enough. You two go fight upstairs and let me talk with Lord Belmont.” At this, both of her sisters looked up at her in surprise.

  “Absolutely not,” Frances said, folding her arms over her chest. “Do you have any idea what Mother would say if she came down
stairs and you were alone in here with a man? She’d never let you set foot outside your room again.”

  “Oh, let her do as she likes,” Katherine interjected. “Emma’s never had a man come to call on her and we don’t want to chase Lord Belmont away before he can even visit with her.” They were arguing again, this time about Emma as if she weren’t there and Thomas couldn’t help being amused. He tried to hold back his smile, but it was mostly unsuccessful.

  “Out! Before I take Lord Belmont up to my room and lock the door so we can get some peace and quiet!” At this, both sisters were shocked into silence. They looked at Emma, who folded her arms over her chest. “I’m serious.”

  “All right, we shall go,” Frances said, pulling Katherine up from the rug she was sitting on. “But on your own head be it if Mother comes in looking for you. I’m not going to save you this time.” She dragged Katherine out of the room, who looked back and grinned at them. Once they were gone, Emma sighed with relief.

  “I thought they’d never go. Now we’re able to talk without being interrupted.” She scooted to the other side of the couch. “Come, sit closer. I feel as if you’re in another county.”

  “Now you’re truly getting scandalous, Miss Sellars. Not that I’m complaining.” Thomas moved out of the wing chair and onto the couch just as Emma sighed.

  “My sisters can be ridiculous, and you’re being just as bad. I thought you were going to call me by my first name.” She shook her head. “Men can be so obstinate.”

  “I’m not being obstinate, this is called manners.” The look Emma gave him made him laugh nearly as hard as Henry had earlier. “I’m only joking. I could care less about whether or not you wish to be inappropriate, but I don’t want your parents to try and force me to marry you because of something we might not have actually done.”

  “To be honest, I don’t care. It seems I frustrate them on a regular basis. I believe they’re out at the moment, though, so we shouldn’t have to worry about them coming in while we’re talking. If they do, I’ll simply introduce them to you. The fact that you’re a lord will impress them so much they won’t even notice we’ve been alone.”

  “I’m actually an earl,” Thomas said. “The Earl of Marebel to be specific.”

  “Even better. Where is Marebel?” Emma looked at him curiously and he leaned back on the couch. This was going every bit as well as he had hoped and he wanted to keep talking to her all day, no matter what her parents might think.

  “It’s a county just outside of Kent. Our family has lived on the estate there for hundreds of years. It’s actually quite beautiful. I would love to take you there sometime to visit.” Thomas looked around the room. “You have quite a lovely house yourself.”

  “Thank you. It originally belonged to my grandfather. As Mother only had girls, it shall one day come to Frances and Henry.” She smiled. “I hope they fill it with babies.”

  “You like children, then?”

  “I like them well enough when they belong to my sisters. Miles is a joy to be around because he’s a good baby.” Emma shrugged her shoulders as she looked up at the ceiling, no doubt at the place where Miles was being put down for a nap. “If I could guarantee they’d all be like him, I’d have a houseful myself.”

  “But not otherwise.”

  “No, of course not. As a whole, children don’t interest me. There are too many that run and scream, and haven’t the benefit of the discipline our parents gave us, or the most basic manners. I could do without those. Since there’s no guarantee what sort of child I would have, I prefer not to have any.” This was spoken with an air of finality and Thomas nodded. His mother wouldn’t like hearing that.

  “To each her own, I say. I’d never force a woman to do anything she didn’t want.”

  “You’re the exception then, not the rule.” Emma folded her hands on her lap in a ladylike manner that was at odds with the subject of her conversation. “My parents might not want to know you after all if that’s your viewpoint.”

  “Honestly, I could care less,” Thomas said. “You’re a grown woman, nearly past the age where you’re desirable for most men to marry. I’m sure they’re not picky at this point.”

  “How dare you!” Emma shot up from the couch. “My parents have nothing to do with who I do or do not marry, and I don’t wish to marry in the first place.”

  There was something about the way she said it that made Thomas’ stomach drop. Though he told himself over and over that there was no way he could marry Emma or any woman, the thought that she wouldn’t have him was troubling to him. He would have to make a decision, and while he’d hoped he’d be able to answer easily it now seemed that he was leaning the other direction. The question was whether he would be able to hide the fact that he was a highwayman from her if he took her with him to Kent, and that seemed impossible. Emma was bright and observant, no doubt she would see the signs before long. He couldn’t give up the thing that kept George’s son alive but he didn’t want to give Emma up either.

  “That’s a shame,” he said, making his decision in the space between heartbeats. “Because I’ve never met a woman like you before.”

  “And what exactly do you mean by that?” Emma put her hands on her hips and Thomas patted the couch beside him. She looked at him suspiciously but sat down anyway.

  “Someone smarter than me, who could battle any man in London with wit and words, and who does what she wants no matter what people say. I didn’t even know I wanted to know a woman like you but now that I’ve met you I can’t imagine being with any other.” He moved a little closer, until he could feel her warmth without touching her.

  “I do what I want?” Emma raised an eyebrow and he nodded. “And what, pray tell, is it that I want right now?”

  “Obviously you want to kiss me.”

  “Is that so?” There was a sort of contemplative look on Emma’s face, and he halfway expected her to say no or slap him and order him out of the house. He’d taken his chance, though, and that was all he cared about. Rather than deny him, Emma moved closer and pressed her lips to his just long enough to prove she wanted to do it.

  They’d no sooner parted than Emma’s mother walked into the sitting room dressed in one of her finest dresses. Thomas scooted to his side of the couch but he could see that Emma’s cheeks were pink and knew her mother would see it too.

  “What on earth is going on in here?” She looked from Emma to Thomas.

  “Mother, I’d like to introduce you to Lord Thomas Belmont, Earl of Marebel in Kent.” He noticed that she used as much of his title as possible and knew that she was doing it in an attempt to impress her mother. It seemed to work, as the indignation disappeared from her face and an eager look replaced it at once. Thomas stood up and took her hand, then kissed it as a final touch.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said. “I was just enjoying some conversation about the Season with your daughter.”

  “Is that so? Well, please feel free to continue your conversation, Lord Belmont. I didn’t mean to be rude.” With that, she hurried out of the sitting room, no doubt to report to her husband that a member of the nobility was there to see their troublesome daughter.

  As soon as she was gone, Emma laughed as loud as her brother-in-law had. She clapped a hand over her mouth as Thomas put a finger to his lips with a grin. He was glad to see her happy, and her cheeks pink with blush and laughter.

  “Oh, you’re a horrible man,” she said with a grin of her own.

  “You’re the one who just kissed a horrible man,” Thomas fired back. “What does that say about you, my lady?”

  “It says you’re a terrible influence.” Now that her mother was gone, Emma inched closer to Thomas again. This time she was close enough to press her thigh against his, something that even Beatrice wouldn’t have approved of. “Will you be at the upcoming party at the Peltiers’ mansion?”

  “I shall. We may see one another before then, though. Perhaps at the book shop, or even the library.�
�� He held back his own laughter and Emma stood up again, crossing her arms over her bosom.

  “Now you’re just teasing me.”

  “Of course I’m not.” Thomas grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close enough that he could feel her breath, then leaned down and kissed her passionately. It was nothing like the sweet brush of lips she’d given him before, and Emma pressed her palms to his chest. Time seemed to stand still between them and Thomas held onto her as long as he could.

  When he released her, Emma looked a bit dazed. Thomas had a feeling that she’d never been kissed like that before, not even when he’d pulled her to the window of the carriage and taken her lips when he’d robbed her. She looked at him, her face redder than ever, and he stroked the side of her face.

  “I should be getting back to Mother,” he said. “I only came out for a quick call to tell you I had a good time at the Everly Ball.”

  “Must you go so soon?”

  “I wouldn’t want to deprive you of the opportunity to scandalize your sisters by telling them about kissing me.” Thomas couldn’t help teasing her a little more and Emma wrinkled her nose at him. “Oh, come now. Don’t bother pretending they aren’t upstairs waiting to hear every detail.”

  “You’re all just awful people.” Emma straightened her dress, then walked him to the door of the sitting room. “William?” She called out and the butler who had let him in came striding toward Thomas, his smart shoes clicking on the highly polished floor. “Lord Belmont wishes to take his leave. Could you call for his horse and bring it around to the front.”

  “Very well, Miss.” The butler disappeared and Emma walked Thomas to the door with a smile the likes of which he had never seen on her. He liked it. Thomas had been certain that he wanted to get home with his mother as soon as she became bored of London but now he had a reason to stay and he had a feeling Elizabeth would approve.

  Perhaps we will stay the entire Season after all, he thought. Perhaps Emma could understand, too. That seemed a little more farfetched but it couldn’t hurt to try. Sometime in the future, of course. Far, far in the future.