ROMANCE: Romantic Comedy: Love in 30 Days - The Best Plans Don't Always Work! (Plus 19 FREE Books Book 13) (17 page)

As if they were underwater, sounds travelled slowly towards them. The sound of footsteps brought them together from their submersion into a much sharper reality. Eliza realised they had moved very close together, so that their bodies were almost touching. He looked away and turned towards the source of the sound. With the peace of their gaze broken, she moved backwards, blushing. The footsteps neared and he grabbed her hand. The shock must have been written on her face. “Come on, we can’t let them see us together.” After a brief moment of indecision, she nodded and followed him down the corridor.

Together they half ran, half walked along in their efforts to be silent. Their hands electrified their every movements, through just a simple touch. The sound of footsteps receded, and Eliza sunk to the floor in relief. He followed her down, the smile from the garden returning and lighting up his eyes. She smiled in return, out of both relief and recognition. “How did you know my name? I don’t know yours.” She asked.

He raised his eyebrows, his face serious again. “Eliza, everyone at that dinner table knows your name.”

She did not fully understand, but persisted. “And yours is…?”

“Nathaniel Durrant. Nice to meet you.” The light had returned to his eyes, but his face was still serious. He reached out to shake hands, moving closer to her as he did so.

“Where’s your family from?” she asked, her face hardening. This was what she should do, if she wanted to help her own family. She steadied herself for an answer she knew would not be ideal for her.

“You’re actually worried about that? I thought that was more Winfred’s kind of thing.” he asked, frowning.

“I have to be.” She looked away, not wanting to meet his intense gaze this time. He reached towards her face, but he paused, his hand hovering above her skin before touching her. “You shouldn’t be.” Grabbing his wrist, her lips parted. “Nathaniel…” As soon as she looked into his eyes she was helpless. Their lips met as her hand went limp, his touch on her face sending shivers through her body. He kissed her softly yet insistently, and her qualms disappeared in his embrace. Strong and balanced, he supported her perfectly, so that any of her doubts were soon gone. She began to move with him, responding to his mouth on hers, her hands tangling in his hair. His lips moved to her neck and her breath began to come faster, relaxing into this new experience.

Their kisses seemed to last forever as they created their own world in this corridor. It was when they heard voices that they realised the dinner party was over. Eliza widened her eyes, panicking once more. Her dress was crumpled and her hair a mess – her aunt would surely suspect what had happened. Nathaniel seemed far less worried than her, his smile returning.

“Come on,” he said. “I’ll show you something I learnt about when I was younger.”

They wound through endless corridors, his hand reassuring her and allowing her to be calm. She trusted him, she realised. Eventually they got to a part of the house that looked different from the rest. Simpler and more like Eliza’s own home. “The servant’s quarters,” he informed her. He seemed utterly confident that he knew where he was going, so she followed him blindly. It seemed like an age of winding through these wooden walls when they emerged from a door. “My room’s right there,” she said, amazed.

“It was a bit circuitous, but we got here in the end,” said Nathaniel. “I’d better return to my father or he’ll wonder where I am.” As he was letting go of her hand, she looked at him with regret.

“Will I see you soon?” He looked at her; her dark curls draped over her shoulders, the yellow dress that anyone could tell was Winifred’s, and that porcelain face that was so much more full of energy and life than anyone he’d met. She was beautiful and young and everything he needed.

“I’ll make sure of it.” He moved to kiss her again, but she was gone, into her room.

***

“Jonathan Wyndham was looking at you last night. The Wyndhams, now, they are a very good family. Their boy has many prospects, he’s perfect for you.” Eliza had been listening the whole morning to Winifred’s ramblings about Jonathan Wyndham, whom she had sat across from at the dinner last night. The only thing Eliza had noticed about him was that he had stared more at her chest than at her face, on the occasions where he had spoken to her at all. And now, apparently he wished to court her. They had arranged a dinner - entirely without her input – and now she was expected to attend. She would have to be charming and delightful, a picture of the perfect woman.

She immediately felt ungrateful for thinking these thoughts. Men like Jonathan were exactly the reason she was with Winifred in the first place. She was right, Eliza should be considering him far more seriously. But Nathaniel was now her first and only thought. He had thrown her into an inner turmoil with his kisses and witty conversation. She wondered if she should mention him to Winifred, just casually, to see what she’d say. Through quizzing Bella, she had found out that his family were well known and respected. She hadn’t dared ask anything specific about Nathaniel though. Something about his look and stance, a slight dishevelled confidence, told her that he was not the same kind of man as Jonathan Windham. And she needed a man just like Jonathan Windham.

She sighed as she realised what kind of interaction this courtship was going to be. It would be dry and boring, devoid of passion or interest, from her side at least. She had a feeling that Jonathan’s interest in her was limited to her looks. He saw her as an accessory to his upper class life, while she saw him as a way to help her family. She supposed this made them even in terms of the stakes in their relationship.

Getting ready was a challenge she faced once more. She let Bella braid her hair in a similar style to last night, making her gaze appear even more intense. The dress Winifred had chosen this time seemed to be more complicated than the last, with ridiculous amounts of layers that no one could wear comfortably. Despite the layers, this dress was far more suited to her complexion, with a dark blue over dress rather than the disgusting mustard yellow of last night’s encounter. The colour returned the life to her face, and she felt much more herself in this dress, though it was still incredibly constricting. All the layers gave it a nice shape which she could concede was flattering.

She left in a carriage with Winifred to go on her date, determined not to fall asleep on this ride. She was meeting him by the river, where they would walk for a while, chaperoned by her aunt. Then they would return to a dinner at Jonathan’s house, which Eliza felt sure would be just like tonight’s dinner. She dreaded the encounter, sure she would break another rule and do something else wrong.

The town was very pretty once she looked at it in day time, and the river was calm and still when they arrived there. The sun had come out and the trees cast cool shadows along the bank, while a narrow path wound among them. Jonathan came into her window of sight and she popped her head back into the carriage, knowing she would have to wait for him to open the door. As the door swung open, Winifred stood to get out first, offering him her hand before stepping down. Eliza silently thanked her aunt, watching closely to see how she could properly make an exit from the carriage. Grasping Jonathan’s hand she landed lightly on the soft ground, and from the way he looked at her she supposed she had done it correctly.

They began to walk at a leisurely pace, making small talk about the weather and the river. Although Eliza truly did find it a beautiful setting, Jonathan still bored her to death. She was grateful for Winifred’s interventions to keep the conversation moving along. Winifred watched her, pleased with what she was doing. She looked beautiful, and brought to life one of her own old dresses. Lively and charming, Jonathan was entranced by her presence. There was something not altogether right about Elizabeth’s enthusiasm though. She appeared dedicated to her cause of finding a husband but at the same time it seemed that she was more interested in the river than in Jonathan. An odd situation. Winifred wondered what was going through Eliza’s mind – did she realise she was close to succeeding, so soon? She had surpassed the expectations of her aunt easily, as Winifred had not realised that she had grown into such a beauty.  Still, there was something distant about her expression.

Eliza wondered whether her aunt suspected what her thoughts were straying to. Nathaniel was all she could think about, and she knew that the conversation she attempted to make was bland. Thankfully, Jonathan seemed oblivious. She doubted that he really cared whether or not she felt anything for him. To him she was nothing more than another emblem of his self-worth, just like the sleek black horse which pulled his carriage or the silk shirts he wore with pride. His life was filled with things that reminded him of his status and importance, and in this courtship she was added to the list.

They meandered along, until Winifred thought it fit to end their conversation gracefully. Jonathan took Eliza’s hand and kissed it, and she nodded respectfully to him. After all, it wasn’t as though she was leaving. They were simply going their separate ways to Jonathan’s house.

As she walked back to the carriage with her aunt, Winifred was smiling. Unaccustomed to this level of happiness, Eliza felt vaguely uncomfortable. At least it seemed all was going well – as far as she could tell.

They rode to Jonathan’s home, which even from a distance proved to be larger and far grander than Winifred’s. The excitement was oozing from Winfred as she admired their furnishings and the presentation of the serving staff. As Winifred fussed over Eliza’s dress in the carriage, Jonathan was preparing his family to meet her. His mother was excited that he had met someone, and his father did not comment, but he was sure they would like Eliza. She was stunning in her blue dress, far prettier than anyone he had courted before.

At the dinner they all admired her as if she were a prize, and she felt their eyes on her uncomfortably. His family were no better at making conversation than he was, her and Winifred left to fill many of awkward silences, which surface frequently, by themselves. The dinner was exquisite, and Eliza was told that Jonathan had caught the duck they ate himself. She doubted it when she saw the smirks go among the servants. Beneath his family’s veneer of self-confidence and wealth, she saw that they were worried that Jonathan would never find an appropriate suitor. This added a note of desperation to the evening, and she was sure Winfred felt it too. Surely Jonathan, as dry and boring as he was, could find someone appropriate. Perhaps there was something about him that had driven away other young women, who she was sure he had courted in the past.

As they finished their last course, she and Winifred said their goodbyes to his family. The Wyndhams smiled adoringly at Eliza, and she gave them a forced smile in return. She pitied them for having such a boring son, but knew that she may well be their daughter-in-law one day.

Jonathan and Eliza were left alone for a short moment while Winifred went to fetch the carriage for the ride home. Jonathan did not try to make conversation, but immediately moved towards her, grabbing her waist and pulling her to him forcefully. His breath tasted of alcohol as he kissed her, and she did not respond. He seemed unaware of her lack of enthusiasm and continued to move his mouth on hers, even going so far as to grope her through her dress. They separated quickly as Winifred returned, Eliza pushing him away. She immediately wanted the taste of him out of her mouth and far away. As she walked out the door she waved goodbye politely, but inside was vowing never to let Jonathan touch her again.

On the carriage ride home she contemplated what had happened, feeling sad and angry at Jonathan for what he had done. It had not been respectful or chivalrous, as it should have been from someone of his status. No wonder he had lost his previous women.

She fell onto her bed as soon as she arrived in her room. Spending time with Jonathan was draining, even when there were beautiful sights and wonderful food. He was dry and boring, but he was an ideal suitor – rich and well-born, with bright prospects for the future. Winifred had told her that she should begin to consider a marriage to him, and Eliza knew that she was right. A tapping noise began to come from the window seat overlooking the garden. She could see the section of the garden where she had first met Nathaniel from that spot. Discontented and upset, she walked to the window, sure that something must be loose or broken. To her surprise and joy, Nathaniel stood below, throwing rocks to get her attention. The lamp she held illuminated her silhouette as she signalled for him to come up to her room.

He was in the room quickly, but she still felt as though she had waited for him too long. They began slowly, with long, drawn out kisses that they wished could last forever. But they only ever had short moments together, and this they knew all too well. Their last encounter, he had felt her body through their clothing, pressing against him. Her sighs and moans as he touched her breasts through her heavy dress told her that she wanted this too. In the small circle thrown by the bedside lamp he could see just enough of her dress to begin to undress her. Slipping her overdress off and unlacing her corset, she stood in a slip and reached for his trousers. He knew she could feel how hard he was through them, and he pressed into the palm of her hand. She began to move quicker, and it seemed he had sparked her impatience. Taking off her own slip, her breasts swung as though full of some soft weight and her nipples quickly hardened in the air. He could not help but give a low moan just looking at her figure. From her heavy breasts her waist swept in to a flat stomach, and below that her round hips and mound of hair tempted him past the point of no return. She was light as he picked her up and lay her on the bed, and her legs spread easily for him. He grasped her breast, squeezing its fullness as she moaned and raised her hips to him.