Sacked (To Love a Governess Regency Short) (4 page)

“That I do, but your coachman already secured a room for you and himself.
 
I have one left for Miss Claywell.”
 
She handed the keys to Fairfield.

“Thank you,” Elizabeth mumbled and took the offered key.

“We are also famished.”

“Come right in. We don’t have a private room available as it is full.
 
Those who were traveling one way or the other are stuck just like you.”

Fairfield held a chair out for Elizabeth, placing her closer to the fire.
 
She turned so her wet slippers could dry and to warm her toes.

“I’ll be right back with your dinner.”

“Could you bring us wine?
 
I’ve had my fill of tea today,”
 
Fairfield requested.

Elizabeth preferred tea. She rarely drank wine and thought it best to keep her wits about her. They were in an inn for the night, or maybe more depending on the snow storm, and she did not want to repeat the actions of the morning.
 
She drew her cloak about her, wishing she could get warm and had half a mind to go sit on the hearth.
 
She just needed to be out of the wet, cold shoes. If she became sick because of her actions, she had nobody to blame but herself.

The door to the inn burst open and Elizabeth looked up.
 
Monique walked toward them, a package in her hand.

“Surely the dress isn’t complete already.”

Monique laughed with her.
 
“No. I assumed you had nothing to sleep in, and you need to get out of that damp dress, and I brought you a night rail.”

“Thank you.”

“Send the bill to my solicitor,”
 
Fairfield announced.

“That is not necessary,” Elizabeth insisted.

“I am the reason you are here in the first place.” His eyes met hers.
 
“Allow me to take care of you.”

Monique placed the package on the table and retreated without a word.
 
Elizabeth looked away. What did he mean he wanted to take care of her? Tonight or always? As his governess or mistress? It was too much to sort out and luckily the bottle and two goblets were placed on the table.
 
Perhaps a glass of wine wasn’t such a bad idea.

Fairfield stood. “Please, allow me to escort you back across the street, Monique.”

“That is very kind of you, Lord Fairfield, but unnecessary.”

“I insist.” He did not give her an option but held the door then offered his arm.

Elizabeth poured herself a glass of wine after Lord Fairfield had been gone ten minutes.
 
What could take him so long to cross the street and come back?
 
She strained to see out the window and after a few minutes the door to the shop finally opened and he was once again crossing the street, fighting the wind that blew against his body.
 
Elizabeth took a hasty sip of her drink.
 
He would be back in moments and her nerves began to get the better of her.

* * *

Jared grinned at the dressing down he received from Monique.
 
He would not want to be on the receiving end of her anger again.
 
The woman ranted and raved at him and he was unable to get one word in for a good five minutes.
 
Goodness, he was waiting for her to beat him with something and she probably would have if he hadn’t finally interrupted her and explained.
 
It took another good five minutes to calm the woman down and during that time Elizabeth was sitting by herself in the public room of an inn. He needed to get back.

He pushed the door open. She was still huddled in the cloak sipping the wine. Dinner hadn’t been delivered yet.
 
He hung his coat on a peg by the door and returned to his seat.
 
Elizabeth was shivering.
 
He reached over and touched her hand.
 
She yanked it back.

Jared retrieved his own and made no comment on her action.
 
“Your skin is like ice.”

“It is cold outside.”

“I’ll need to get you warmed up soon so you don’t become ill.”

Elizabeth averted her eyes and her cheeks turned pink.
 
He meant to order her a hot bath but there were certainly other, more enjoyable ways, to warm a body.
 
But, the fact that she jerked back from his touch meant they needed to address what happened first.

“Elizabeth,” he began in a low tone. “About this morning.”

Her eyes shot up to him, wide with fear. “Please, no, not here.”

He glanced around. The room was full to overflowing and it was probably best this discussion took place in private.

Mrs. McConnell placed steaming bowls of soup in front of them and a loaf of bread. “I am sorry, this is all we can do for now.
 
I wasn’t expecting so many customers and there is little food left in the kitchen.”

“It is quite alright, Mrs. McConnell. A hearty bowl of soup is the best meal a man can have on a day like today.”

She beamed.

The door of the inn opened again. A young couple entered.

“Oh, dear,” she remarked. “I hope they don’t need rooms. We are plum out.”

“Give them mine, if you wish.”
 
Jared pulled out the key to his room.
 
“I’ll share.”

Mrs. McConnell snaked an eye to Elizabeth and arched her brow.
 
“We don’t. . . “

Did everyone think the worst of him? “With my coachman.”

The woman at least had the good sense to blush at her improper almost accusation.
 
Of course, Mrs. McConnell had the right of it.
 
With any luck, he would not be sleeping with his coachman this night.

Chapter 5

Jared checked his watch for the tenth time and paced the confines of his room. How soon would she be done with her bath? How soon could he speak with her?
 
He thought the dinner would never end.
 
There was so much he wanted to say to her but couldn’t.
 
Instead, they discussed how the girls were progressing in their studies and such, so similar to the many conversations from the past six months.
 

He turned to John, the man who had driven him about for the past ten years. “If I do not sleep here tonight, you will tell no one.”

The man had the audacity to grin.

“If you do, you will be out of a job without a reference.”

The smile fell from John’s face. “Of course, Lord Fairfield.”

It didn’t matter what people thought of him, but it mattered a great deal what they thought of Elizabeth.

Since her arrival he had ached with need for her. All she had to do was pass him in the hall, her scent of honeysuckle wafting past his nose, and he was ready to pounce.
 
He had been bidding his time until this morning. And, now that he had tasted her, he couldn’t go back. He needed to go forward. To have it all.

When they came face-to-face on that fateful morning he hired her, Jared waited for recognition. They had danced in London, twice, and attended so many of the same gatherings, but it was if they never met. Then again, why should she remember, he never courted her.
 
He wanted to and was attracted and enthralled even then, but she had a court of a dozen men surrounding her at every event. He was lucky to obtain the few dances he did.
 
And during the day, he often thought of calling on her, but found excuses not to.
 
How he felt about Miss Elizabeth was worse than any schoolboy crush and he feared rejection.
 
Instead, he admired her from afar.
 
Then she was there, in front of him, chasing after Julia, who was chasing after a bunny, while he tried to get the rest of the girls into the carriage.
 
And, she came home with him. He’d be damned if he lost her now.

Jared glanced at the clock again. It had only been thirty minutes since they came upstairs and fifteen minutes since the water was delivered. Perhaps she bathed quickly and she was already dressed for bed. His cock hardened at the thought of Elizabeth in bed.
 
He had to have her tonight. If she turned him away, he would have no choice but to sleep in the blizzard. That was about the only thing that would cool his loins at this moment.

He snapped the case of his watched closed. Thirty minutes was more than enough.
 
He exited his room, crossed the hall and knocked on Elizabeth’s.

First, before he kissed her again, he needed to tell her how he felt, what he needed and hoped from her. He couldn’t just plunge again and begin taking. That is what sent her running from him in the first place.

Why didn’t she answer? He must have stood here for a good five minutes.
 
Or at least it seemed that way.
 
Jared lifted his hand to knock again and the door cracked open and Elizabeth peeked out at him.

“Yes?”

“I need to speak with you.”

She blanched. “It is not a good time.”

“Please, Elizabeth. I need to speak with you,
now
.”

She didn’t say anything at first and just looked at him.
 
He wished he could see more of her face but she hid behind the door.
 
“Give me a moment.”

Jared didn’t want to give her a moment. She would shut the door in his face, put on that ugly proper gown (assuming she had already bathed and was in her nightgown), because it was the proper thing to do.
 
He gently pushed on the door. “

She lowered her eyes. “Very well.”
 
She stood back and allowed him to come in.
 
Jared shut the door behind him and turned to her.
 
She wore only a robe. She hadn’t even put on the nightgown yet and her skin was still damp because the material clung to her. She must have still been in the bath.
 
He glanced in that direction. He could still see the wet foot print trail from the tub to the door. He should have waited, but so glad he hadn’t.

His eyes returned to her. The glorious red hair was piled on top of her head. Her face was rosy, probably from the heat of the bath, or embarrassment by her state of undress.
 
Her breasts, nipples puckered, strained against the damp robe.
 
His mouth went dry and his cock came to full attention.
 
What did he want to talk to her about?

He knew they should discuss his plans but his mind was befuddled by the sight of her, knowing the only thing that kept him from seeing her entire body in all its glory was a thin piece of material.

“About this morning. . .”

Her eyes pleaded with him. “Please, I wish to forget. . .”

“I will never forget.”

Her lips parted and brows knit together with worry. He needed to erase the concern.
 
Jared took a step forward.
 
She lifted a hand to stop him.
 

“Please, Elizabeth, let me kiss you.”

“It isn’t right.”

“There you are wrong. It is the most right thing in the world.”

She took a step back.
 

He followed. “Can you deny your desire for me? I can’t deny mine for you.”

She took another step. If she kept going she would end up in the tub. He needed to make her understand.
 
“I have wanted to kiss you, touch you since London.”

Elizabeth stopped. “London?”

He smiled. “I am not surprised you don’t remember me. You had a large court and I was only lucky enough to land two dances with you.”

“But I do remember.
 
I didn’t think you remembered me.”

Joy burst. At least she remembered, it was better than nothing and gave him hope.
 
“I’ve never forgotten you.
 
Your hair glowed in the candlelight, did you know that?” He reached up and plucked a pin from her hair.
 
A curl dropped to her shoulder.
 
“I was afraid I couldn’t compete with all of those dandies.” He removed two more and the curls fell.

“Those
dandies,
as you put it, barely held my attention.”
 
She tilted her head to look at him.
 
“If you wanted to do those things in London, why only two dances and why not call on me?”

Jared felt his own face heat.
 
“I was nothing like those who courted you. I couldn’t offer flowery words, poetry and the like.”
I didn’t think I stood a chance.

“It would have been a relief not to listen to such prattle for a change.”

Jared kicked himself a dozen times over for not having the confidence to go after her then. But, what did that matter now?
 
He was in her room, she was in a robe, and they were very much alone with no chance of interruption. The bed was but two steps away.