Taste of Temptation (45 page)

Authors: Cheryl Holt

Tags: #Romance - Historical, #American Light Romantic Fiction, #General, #Romance, #Fiction, #Fiction - Romance, #Love stories, #Romance: Historical, #Historical, #American Historical Fiction, #Regency novels, #Regency fiction

BOOK: Taste of Temptation

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“The captain is having the coach brought ’round,” Lydia nagged. “We mustn’t keep him waiting.”

“Your precious captain can sod off.”

“I’ll be sure to tell him you said so.”

Chapter 24

JANE sat at her dressing table, brushing her hair.

She’d been fed, and she’d bathed—three times—but she didn’t think she’d ever feel completely clean again.

Odell had retrieved their clothes from Rafferty, so she was bundled in a comfortable nightgown and a warm robe, with thick woolen socks on her feet.

The horrid ordeal was at an end. She and Helen were safe. Amelia was with them. Clarinda, too. They were in Michael’s town house, and she was settled in her bedchamber, but for how long? What would happen next?

Michael and Captain Odell had whisked them out of the prison, and Michael had escorted her to his mansion, but she hadn’t spoken to him since. Now, it was evening, and she was waiting.

For what, she wasn’t sure.

What was her position in the household? What was Helen’s? How was Jane’s relationship with Michael to proceed? Would they even have a future?

She was terrified that Odell had brought them home merely to be shed of them again. Most likely, he’d shuttle them off to a cottage in the country, with a tiny allowance and the scandal squelched, which Jane couldn’t bear to imagine.

She wanted to take action, to assert herself and make her opinions known, but instead, she was loitering in her room like a frightened mouse.

Suddenly, to her great surprise, she heard someone out on the balcony. She whipped around, seeing a man attired all in black, but she wasn’t alarmed. With that blond hair and lanky physique, she knew exactly who it was, and her heart thudded with joy.

She jumped up and hurried over as Michael opened the door and entered, the cold night air whooshing in behind him. He swooped her into his arms, then he was kissing her and kissing her as rapturously as if they’d never been separated a single second.

“Oh, Jane,” he murmured, “I thought we’d lost you. I thought I’d never see you again. I’m so sorry.”

“You’re forgiven. For everything.”

“I can’t believe Maud did this.”

“She always loathed us.”

“I realized it, but I didn’t understand the danger she posed.”

He broke away and led her over to a chair. He helped her to sit, then he pulled up a chair and sat, too.

“I hate to seem so rushed,” he said, looking grim, “but we need to talk. Fast. There’s something you have to know.”

She took a deep breath, let it out slowly. Was this good-bye? After all she’d been through, it couldn’t be over. Not like this.

“What is it?” she cautiously asked.

“I haven’t behaved very well toward you.”

“No, you haven’t,” she dared to reply.

“Initially, I told myself we were engaged in an innocent flirtation.”

“It was never innocent—not from the very first day.”

“Then, as we became more involved, I wanted to bind myself to you in some way, but I couldn’t figure out how.”

“And now?”

“Now I want you to know that I... I... love you.”

She gasped. “You do?”

“Yes, so very much.”

She smiled, unable to hide her relief. “I love you, too.”

He dropped to one knee and clasped her hand.

“Will you marry me?”

She started to tremble. From the moment she’d met him, she’d dreamed of hearing that very question, but in light of all that had occurred, she’d been forced to accept that it would never come to fruition.

She didn’t have to mull over her response. She knew what she wanted, what she’d always wanted.

“Yes, yes, of course I will.”

He was trembling, too, and he leaned in and kissed her.

“I was so afraid you would say no.”

“Are you mad? I never would have.”

“At Hastings Manor, I asked Tristan if I could propose, but he wouldn’t let me.”

“What changed his mind?”

“I have no idea. Out of the blue, he said I was old enough to make my own choices—and my own mistakes.”

“This will never be a mistake.”

“No, it won’t.”

“I swear I will make you happy every day for the rest of your life. It will be my only goal.”

He eased away and sat in his chair again.

“We still have a problem, though,” he insisted.

“I thought Captain Odell had decided it was all right.”

“Tristan is fine with it. It’s your sister Helen who’s balking.”

“Helen?”

“Yes. Just after supper, I spoke to her and requested your hand in marriage, but she—most regretfully-refused my suit.”

“She didn’t.”

“She did.”

“I am absolutely mortified.” Jane flushed with embarrassment. “Did she give you a reason?”

“She believes I’m a philandering roué who’s not ready to settle down and who will bring you decades of misery.”

“She said that?”

“Well, not that precisely, but her underlying message was loud and clear. I might have fared better if Tristan hadn’t been present. She’s very angry with him, and I think she declined the match just to spite him.”

The news had Jane in a furious temper. Didn’t Helen comprehend that marriage to Michael was the answer to all their prayers? It would provide Helen and Amelia with financial security, and since Jane was ecstatically in love with Michael, it was the perfect conclusion.

She stood, prepared to march down the hall to give Helen a tongue-lashing.

“Where are you going?” Michael inquired, pushing her down into her seat.

“To punch my sister in the nose for insulting you.”

“Don’t worry about her.”

“But I don’t want to spend weeks or months begging her to relent”

“Neither do I. So I have a suggestion.”

“Anything,” Jane vowed. “I will do anything you ask.”

“Good girl.” He turned her hands, palms up, and he kissed the centers. “I would like us to elope to Scotland.”

“Elope!”

“If we ride on horseback, we can travel fast, and no one will be able to stop us.”

“When would we leave?”

“Right now. I have two mounts saddled and waiting out in the stable.”

“We’d simply gallop away?”

“Yes. It’s a scandalous way to start out, but when we came back, the deed would be done, and Helen couldn’t prevent the union.”

“I’ve always dreamed of having a big church wedding. Could we have one when we return?”

“Certainly.”

Jane walked over and opened her desk, yanking out ink pot, paper, and quill.

“What are you doing?” Michael queried.

“I have to write a letter to Helen, informing her of where I’ve gone.” She grinned. “Then I’ll need a minute to change my clothes and pack a bag.”

ROSE peeked in Amelia’s room, checking to ensure that her friend was sleeping soundly. Amelia had been so exhausted that she’d dozed off over her supper tray. Rose had tucked her into bed, and she hadn’t stirred.

Rose smiled with satisfaction, feeling that all was right with the world again, then she tiptoed to her own room. As she entered, she was aggravated to note that Tristan was in a chair over by the window.

Since he’d discovered her sneaking away, they hadn’t spoken. He’d been busy with Helen, with Maud and Miriam and Michael. Everyone had priority over Rose, so she hadn’t been able to ask what had transpired at the prison, how he’d rescued Helen and Jane or, most important, what would happen now.

She knew she should thank him for helping Amelia, for finally listening and intervening, but she was enraged that it had taken a grown-up—namely, Clarinda Dudley—to convince him of Maud’s duplicity.

When he’d first arrived in London, she’d been so happy, but he’d proved himself no different than the other adults in her life who’d ignored her and discounted her wishes.

She stared at him, her expression defiant so that he would understand he wasn’t welcome and she wasn’t glad to see him.

“Where have you been?” he inquired.

“I was checking on Amelia.”

“Is she sleeping?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve been a good friend to her. I’m proud of you for that.”

The compliment pleased her, but she didn’t want him to know. She merely shrugged.

“I knocked,” he said, “but you weren’t here. I was worried.”

“I doubt it,” she scoffed.

“I thought perhaps you’d left me again.”

“What if I had? Why would you care?”

She went to her dresser and straightened items that didn’t need straightening. She could feel him observing her, his probing gaze annoying and disconcerting.

“If you ran away,” he claimed, “it would hurt me.”

“I expect you’d get over it.”

“You’re wrong. I’d hunt for you forever. I’d never quit searching.”

She hated it when he pretended to be kind, and she whirled around and glared at him.

“What do you want? Why are you in here?”

“I came to say that I’m sorry.”

“Fine. You’re sorry.” She gestured to the hall. “Now you can go.”

“You tried to tell me what Maud was like, but I wouldn’t listen.”

“No, you wouldn’t, and look at all the awful events that occurred because you didn’t.”

“I’m ashamed of how I acted. Will you ever forgive me?”

“Someday ... maybe.”

Tears flooded her eyes. To hide them, she walked over to the wardrobe and pulled the doors open and closed, open and closed.

“I sent Maud and Miriam away.”

“Good.”

“They’re never coming back. Maud will never harm you or Amelia again.”

Rose shook with relief. It was the very best news she’d ever had, the most wonderful thing he could possibly have done.

“Thank you.”

“I don’t suppose you’ll believe me, Rose, but after Father died, and I found out he wanted me to watch over you, I was afraid.”

She snorted. “Why would you be afraid of anything?”

“I don’t know much about little girls or what they need. I felt I was a terrible choice.” He paused, as if struggling over his words. “What’s your opinion of how I’ve behaved as your guardian?”

“You’re pretty bad at it.”

He’d brought Amelia to reside with them, but other than that one brilliant decision, he’d failed Rose over and over.

“Turn around, Rose,” he urged. “Look at me.”

“No.”

“Rose!”

With that hint of command in his voice, it was difficult to refuse. She spun toward him, swiping at the tears that had dribbled down her cheeks.

“How should we proceed,” he asked, “with you and Amelia and me?”

“I want Amelia to remain with us. Always.”

“Miss Hamilton won’t agree. She’s anxious to have her own home, her own place.”

“You could make her stay. You could order it.”

“I doubt she’d obey me.”

“If you were nicer to her, she’d stay.”