Serena (16 page)

“Well then, that explains everything,” his lordship said, suddenly running his finger down her arm.

His touch sent shivers through her, but she maintained her control and answered, “It does, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed,” he answered. “It would appear, my beauty, you capture hearts, young and old and without trying.”

She looked at him sharply, and he said, “What? What did I say to make you look at me like that?”

“I am not sure of your meaning. If you mean that I make friends regardless of their age, yes, why yes, I do.”

He laughed and changed the subject. “And what happened to the
devil mare?”

“My uncle would have sent her packing, but I kept her and worked with her day after day after day. She ended up my pet and responds to me as such. She won’t allow anyone else on her back.” Serena smiled softly.

“You don’t give up easily, do you?” he asked, watching her face.

“No, I don’t, but I am not a fool. I know when to walk away,” she answered and was satisfied that her meaning was not lost on him because he frowned darkly.

“Still,” he said after a lengthy pause. “That friend of your uncle’s was not doing him any favors trying to sell him such an animal for a woman.”

She laughed. “You are quite correct. I have always thought him a ‘rum touch’.”

His turn to chuckle as he said, “Such language. Where did you pick it up?”

“Ah, you must know that I ride neck or nothing and thus end up forever in the company of Master and the whips and the men that can keep up with us.” She laughed. “So I have always been privy to all sorts of wondrous language.” She peeped at him and laughed at his expression.

“Enchanting. You have me completely under your spell. Do you know that, Miss Moorely?”

“No, I doubt that very much. You are a man, I suspect, that does not fall victim to spells and enchantment,” she bantered, totally aware that her heart fluttered in her chest and insisted she have at him. Perhaps, just perhaps, he did care? Perhaps, just perhaps, she could make him love her?

“You know, beauty, that you are in danger in my company …
don’t you
?”

“Am I? Should I be afraid?”

“Forewarned,” he answered.

“Too late for that,” she returned and had the satisfaction of noting the look that came into his deep blues. He was not unaffected by her. She knew it in that moment.

He took up her gloved fingers and put them to his lips. “Serena …”

“Hush now,” she answered. “Do not say something you might regret.”

~ Thirteen ~

LORD DANIEL PENDLETON was besotted. He knew it and was tearing himself up over it. He was the worst kind of cad. She had told him, on parting the day before,
do not say something you might regret.
He had wanted to tell her then how he felt. Why didn’t he? Was he afraid of what it would mean?

He had not meant for his overwhelming attraction for Serena to go so far, but she had been willing, so willing, and he simply assumed she was not a maiden.
Wrong
—he had been devastatingly wrong. Did it make a difference? No, he would have wanted her regardless.

He knew he had not behaved properly afterwards. Some demon had been driving him. She had not declared herself. She had not told him she loved him,
only him
, and he found he wanted to hear those words from her lips. He had thought when he told her to let Freddy down, she would have just simply said, ‘of course’. He had wanted her to say,
I love you, Daniel
. She hadn’t. It had driven him insane during then night, for he wasn’t sure of her. She had wanted him, yes, but now he discovered he wanted more from her than that.

In addition to his heartthrob problems, Freddy had been driving him mad. Finally Freddy had made his escape with Mr. Tenor in tow right after breakfast, saying he was going to Moorely to see Serena.

His lordship had called after him, but Freddy had only laughed and said, “Uncle … you cannot keep me holed up here any longer. If the murdering blackguard wants me, then let them try. I am armed and ready to shoot them dead.”

His nephew was right.

He could not keep him in the inn much longer, and besides that, if he didn’t send him on his way to Oxford soon, he would not be accepted for this term. Personally, his lordship was unconcerned about that. Freddy needed some growing up, and life had a more thorough style of helping that along than did school. He had written just that the day before to his sister.

Should he follow Freddy to Moorely?

A day away from her was driving him insane. He was sure of two things: she was the most fascinating woman he had ever known, and he was completely and totally in love with her. There was a pure honesty about everything she said and did. Yet how could he reconcile that with the fact that she kept Freddy forever dangling after her?

He had come to know her, and it no longer made sense to him.

What should he do?

Town! He would go to town and keep himself occupied.

* * *

It was at that very moment that Serena, deep in thought, meandered down the main road in Lymington. Her gloved hand rested on the crook of Warren’s arm, as she had literally almost bumped into him. Warren had steadied her and then put her gloved fingers on his forearm to stroll with her.

Eustace called out with an accompany wave, “Hallo, you two!” He crossed the avenue and bent his head towards Serena. “Shopping, are we?”

“How nice to see you, Eustace,” Serena allowed with a smile.

Warren grinned wickedly. “Is it?”

Serena glared at him. “I was just on my way to the apothecary to pick up a package for Uncle, and Warren suggested I might enjoy a trip to the sweet shop afterwards to satisfy that dreadful tooth of mine.”

“Indeed, I would have thought Warren busy with Miss Parker? I saw her but two moments ago going into the dress shop.”

“Well, there you are, have no interest in dress shops,” Warren said glibly.

Serena laughed and looked up to find his lordship walking towards them. Everything around her ceased to exist. No traffic, no pedestrians, Eustace and Warren,
gone,
no sound but the flutter of his lordship’s cloak in the wind. His top hat was angled on his fine, handsome head. His blue eyes bright like sparkling gems glittered in her direction. His shoulders were so broad, and those muscular thighs … oh, what was she going to do? She was lost to him.

He ignored the two gentlemen surrounding her as he took up her gloved fingers and bent to place a kiss on her wrist, “Serena,” he said in a low, intimate tone. “I cannot believe my luck at finding you here. Poor Freddy is by now at Moorely being told you are out.”

She laughed. “Ah, have you released him from confinement?”

“No, he escaped, but at least he has a very fine militant with him, quite capable of keeping him safely out of the woods.”

Warren frowned and broke in on them. “What is that you say? You have Freddy confined? But why?”

“Not quite confined, but well guarded, and it is a bit of a long story,” his lordship answered, giving Serena an imperceptible warning look.

“Well, the story is already running amok,” Eustace said. “One of my servants at the rectory confided in me yesterday that young Frederick was in grave danger because he and Serena saw some murdering scoundrel. This is a small town, and the news has already traveled.” He frowned. “You could not think it would be kept a secret?” Sighing he added, “At any rate, I have some business to discharge and must be off.”

They watched him make his way across the avenue, and then his lordship turned to say softly, his eyes on Serena, “I hadn’t realized how quickly it would spread all over Lymington.”

Serena eyed him. He was plotting something. His eyes told a story, at least to her. She had already discovered how they would click into different expressions and what those expressions might mean.

Everything about him drew on everything in her. What was she going to do? She would forever dream about him and about their lovemaking. She sighed to herself, as she was sure she was destined to be a spinster with only her memories to serve her.

“Serena … you are unusually quiet, and your eyes look sad,” he murmured.

“Sad? Oh no,” she said and tried to smile.

“I don’t think we should keep Serena standing here on the curb …” Warren put in, looking from her to his lordship with a frown.

“No, of course not. Where do we go next?” his lordship answered Warren, looking directly at him, a challenge evident in his stance.

Serena laughed. “Well, if you must, then it is to the apothecary.” As an afterthought she added, “However if you two have something else you might like to do … I can meet you at the Sweet Shoppe.”

“Sweet Shoppe?” his lordship inquired softly. “Is that what lured you to town, beauty?”

She smiled. “No, the apothecary lured me to town, and when I bumped into Warren here, he was kind enough to remember that I am hopelessly addicted to desserts and coffee.”

“And yet you appear as though you scarcely even eat, let alone sweets,” his lordship complimented her.

Warren snorted with the humor and liberty of an old friend. “Have you ever seen her at the dinner table …?”

Serena rapped his arm. “Off with you … I shan’t be but a minute.”

They insisted, however, on accompanying her and waited outside for her to pick up her package of medicine for her uncle. When she stepped outside, each offered his bent arm and she laughed and took neither.

It was only a few steps to the Sweet Shoppe, but Warren was halted by the shout of a seaman at his back. “Mr. Beverly … aye then … Mr. Beverly?”

Warren frowned and sighed heavily. “Ah Serena, I am afraid I have to beg off. I have been awaiting a shipment, and I see that it must have arrived. I shall have to go and attend to it.”

“Of course, go on then,” she said amiably.

He bent over her gloved fingers. “Another time …
soon?”

“We’ll see,” she answered.

“Cruel girl,” he said and laughed before he turned and crossed the busy avenue.

His lordship bent his arm again. “Will you take it
now?”

She didn’t answer but placed her hand on his arm. He took it, slinked it through the crook, and held her close as he bent and asked softly, “I am curious about our good minister. Would you, Serena, tell me a bit about him?”

Surprised, she answered hesitantly, “I don’t really know very much about him.”

“But you don’t like him?” he returned.

“Are you telling me that or
asking
me?” she said.

He laughed. “Incorrigible minx. I shall put it to you another way. I have noticed that you don’t
seem
to like him.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Hmm. I am quite ashamed to admit that I don’t. It is odd … but there you are. My uncle can’t abide him, and I often have to caution him to be polite when Eustace is about.” She sighed. “I suppose it is because our interests are so divergent and he is not tolerant of anything that does not meet with his approval.” She eyed him and waited for his response.

“I find your reasoning very logical and feel much the same as your uncle.” They stopped, and he opened the door of the shop and waited for her to pass through. “Now to feed a hungry woman with a need for sweets.”

She peeped at him and said, “Ah, but you see, Warren was quite right about me, and I fear I shall shock you when you see for yourself just how much I can eat.”

He laughed and said as he bent to whisper in her ear, “I want to see to all your needs, always.”

She felt a sharp intake of breath and chided herself as she tried not to look into his eyes and then did just that. “Outrageous—you know that you are quite outrageous.”

“Do I offend? For I tell you truly, that is never my wish. Quite the opposite, Serena, quite the opposite.”

What was he doing? He was driving her mad—giving her false hopes. She looked away and studied the counter full of three-tiered plates of fresh baked pastries—many of which were her favorites.

“Oohh,” she said, diverting his attention as she stared at the delectables, “Decisions must be made.”

He laughed out loud and tweaked her nose. “Precious woman … order anything you like.”

With childlike bliss, that was just what she did. They were seated as directed by his lordship in a quiet corner. He placed an order with the mature woman who came to greet them, and it wasn’t long after that they found coffee for both and a plateful of little cakes and tarts placed in front of her, while his lordship had only a scone and jam.

“Now tell me, Serena, what have I said or done that has upset you, for you must know I can feel your reserve towards me.” He eyed her, and she stared at her cake. “Shall I have myself flogged and beg your forgiveness?”

She felt the heat rush to her cheeks and stuffed her mouth with a small iced cake, and then as soon as this was swallowed she stuffed her mouth with an apple tart. She didn’t want to talk.

He laughed and shook his head. “Eat them down whole like that, my beauty, and you will get fat.”

She swallowed, took a gulp of her coffee, and said, “Indeed. That was most unkind, and I think you should order yourself to be flogged immediately.”

He laughed. “Ah Serena …”

She eyed him wonderingly, and because his gaze was so intense, to divert him she hurriedly asked, “Where is Sir Jasper today? What more has been done about this awful business?”

“As it happens, Sir Jasper left for London yesterday,” he said on a low note.

“And Freddy is safe …?” she asked tentatively.

“Indeed, although I am certain quite chagrined to find you not at home.” He grinned.

“And that pleases you?”

“It does. He needs to get back to school,” he said in no uncertain terms. “Although I have arranged for him to be guarded, it is still dangerous for him to be here.”

“Yes,
he does need
to get back to school,” she agreed.

He eyed her thoughtfully and took her hand, stalling her from putting her coffee cup back to her lips. Her gaze met with his, and a spark sizzled through her blood. Looking into his eyes filled her with wonder because she was sure she saw something in their depths that spoke to her. Could she be so wrong?

“Tell me, my lord …” she started, wondering all the while if he was thinking of her in his arms. Why could she not get the image out of her mind? How could she sit so coolly with him as though they had not made passionate love only a short while ago? She wished she could read his thoughts.

“Danny or Daniel, whichever you prefer,” he interjected. “I have been wanting to hear my name on your lips since I heard it so sweetly the other day.”

Were her cheeks on fire? They felt as though they were being singed by cruel flames. She managed to compose herself and bravely said, “Danny then, answer me this, if some dreadful woman had not broken your heart, would you feel differently about love and all that goes with it?”

“No,” he answered sharply.

“Then you think it all a hum?”

“Love?
Yes, except for the lucky few. I have a friend who married some years ago, and he is blissfully happy, so I must concede that love does exist for some.”

“But
not
for you?” She felt her heart begin to split in two all over again. She heard the sound of it breaking filling her ears.

He looked at her then and answered, “Love, as I said, exists for the lucky few. When I look at you … but tell me, do you believe in true love?”