The Mysterious Governess (Daughters of Sin Book 3) (22 page)

He raked his fingers through his hair as he closed his eyes and rocked back on his heels with a deep sigh. “Yes, I love you, Miss Hazlett. And now I must go before I am quite wild with desire.” Opening his eyes, he gathered her quickly in his arms, kissed her forehead, then set her away from him as he turned toward the door.

His expression was full of the greatest tenderness as he looked over his shoulder. “One day I will say those words to you in a way that makes you feel full of joy, not despair, as I feel. Good day to you, my most precious Lissa. I do not know when we will see each other again.”

Lissa sighed. “Nor do I. Master Cosmo is so angry with me for changing the picture of Mrs. Crossing when he thought he would get so much more for evidence that would ruin the man’s poor wife.”

“Yes, the last time I saw Mr. and Mrs. Crossing together they looked very cozy in one another’s company.”

“Well, if I were to have been the means of ruining such good relations, then it was the least I could do.” She grinned. “However, I was more concerned about saving Mrs. Crossing. Her husband is not a nice man.”

“He’s not,” Ralph agreed. “I’ve heard this corroborated in various quarters. Well, my dear, let us hope Cosmo needs you for a lucrative commission soon. Soon, I must leave for Little Nipping but I shall be gone only one night. When I return, I shall do my best to orchestrate an invitation for you on behalf of my employer. Then I shall whip out my cravat, execute my most artful knot and we can pretend that idling our time away in the pursuit of leisure is what we do, everyday.”

***

“I
fear it does look like rain.” Araminta felt quite pleased about this as she gazed at the overcast sky.

Cousin Stephen had accompanied her to Rotten Row, where Lord Ludbridge would shortly collect her. After that, the two of them would take a bowl through the streets to the outskirts of the city, where Lord Ludbridge would introduce her to—she couldn’t believe this part—his mother. Yes, his mother! He’d sent a note round the previous evening to make the final arrangements.

Now Cousin Stephen was levelling at her that censorious look that made her want to slap him. “I trust you will behave, Araminta.”

“Behave, Cousin Stephen? I’m sure that is rather rich coming from you, of all people.” She dropped her eyes and slanted a sly look up at him. “I declare, I was never more shocked than the day I followed you to the river and found you—”

“Dear God, that is not something to bring up in public!” he exclaimed. “You were...spying on me.”

She raised her eyes heavenward in mock forbearance, glad to have embarrassed him. At the time to which she referred, less than a year before, she’d been desperate to snare Cousin Stephen for her own husband. The sight of him lying, naked, on the river bank—in fact, more than simply naked but indulging in some very unrespectable self-pleasuring—had been wickedly erotic.  Her pride had been sorely dented when he’d so roundly rejected her and sent her on her way after she’d made herself known.

These days, her once dashing Cousin Stephen was more like a boring uncle, the way he doted on Araminta’s mother and the new baby, eschewing all pleasure-loving when he could have been a handsome consort for the occasions Araminta wasn’t dancing with someone else. Now Cousin Stephen was spending a few days in town on business but rather than stay for any of the entertainments on offer, he planned to return to The Grange before the end of the week.

“Besides,” she added, full of self-righteous indignation, “I think that when compared to my scandalous sister, I should be thoroughly commended for my wise choice of potential husband. Mama will love Lord Ludbridge, do you not think?”

Cousin Stephen’s smile softened. “I believe she will. So you are confident, then, of his affections and you truly anticipate success? It’s not very long ago that you were pining for Sir Aubrey.”

“You make it sound like some coarse competition,” Araminta huffed before her lips curved up into a satisfied grin. “Yes, Lord Ludbridge is smitten. And to think that he is taking me to meet his mother after we will have spent twenty minutes alone in an open high-topped phaeton. What could go wrong? I am very confident that he returns my affections, Cousin Stephen.”

“And do you return Lord Ludbridge’s affection, equally? I mean, it’s not just because it’s nearly the end of your second season?”

“Goodness, how many times must I repeat myself?  I’m hoping to make him my husband, didn’t I say? Then it doesn’t matter if Papa loses all his money. At least I won’t have to work as a dowdy governess like—”

She pressed her lips together. Her half-sister was a complication she would rather not have as part of the family. “Oh look!” She clapped her hands together as she hurried forward. “Here he comes. Goodness, what a fine pair of high-steppers.” Araminta knew it was a clever move to admire Lord Ludbridge’s two proud bay mares. These things were important to Corinthians like His Lordship; only His Lordship wasn’t vain like so many who bore the moniker.

“I’m glad you like them, Miss Partington. Here, let me help you up.”

She grasped his hand, laughing as he swung her up over the wheel and deposited her onto the seat beside him. “Goodbye, Cousin Stephen. You mustn’t worry too much.”

“Miss Partington’s in safe hands, I assure you,” Lord Ludbridge called out as he flicked the ribbons and the equipage flew forward, catching Araminta by surprise as she was dislodged, falling back against Lord Ludbridge’s chest. Already things were going well, she thought as he apologized, for she’d only had to make a small adjustment to the trajectory of her landing.

And now he was snuggling her against his side, first holding the reins in both hands and then relinquishing one hand so he could snake it about her shoulders. She raised her head to smile at him, murmuring loudly enough so he could hear above the noise, “Oh, this is nice.”

“Very nice,” he agreed. “My dear mama is very much looking forward to meeting you.”

“I fear she may disapprove,” Araminta replied, making a moue, holding back the feathers of her leghorn bonnet that were being blown about by the wind.

“Disapprove? Why?”

“Because of the scandal involving my sister. I was afraid no one would want to be associated with me after Hetty simply abandoned all her morals and ran away with a man everyone knows is...well, you know what I mean, Lord Ludbridge.”

“I cannot hold you responsible for your sister’s actions.” He looked discomforted as he admitted, “It’s true that Mama was concerned but she is a fair woman. When she meets you, she will love you for the kind and virtuous young lady you are, Miss Partington.”

“Oh, I do hope so.” Impulsively Araminta rested her head on his shoulder and her hand upon his heart, before drawing back quickly, as if remembering herself. “Forgive me, Lord Ludbridge,” she cried, biting her lip. “You make me forget myself. I do not think I have ever met such a lovely man as you.”

He colored as he stared at her a moment before having to return his attention to the road. “You are truly adorable,” he muttered, patting her arm, clearly quite distracted.

Araminta glanced at the sky once more, wishing it would rain so they would have the excuse of having to find shelter somewhere. But they arrived quite dry at the estate by the river which, Araminta soon learned, was the dowager’s favorite abode as she did not care for the large, draughty home in the highlands or the antiquated Queen Anne house in Essex.

Her Ladyship greeted her with formal reserve at the bottom of the steps of a large, square, stately building. “I am pleased to meet you at last, Miss Partington. My son has spoken about you in glowing terms, though I believe you’ve known one another for but a short time.”

“One does not always need a long time to know one’s heart, Mother,” Lord Ludbridge said, thrilling Araminta with his words, though his mother’s response suggested this might be a topic they’d been over before.

Once seated in the drawing room, Araminta pretended interest in a stuffed fox in a glass jar upon a nearby table. “Did you used to follow the hunt, my lady?”

“I remain an excellent horsewoman, Miss Partingon, and am not yet too old for the sport.”

“I beg your pardon, of course I did not mean to insinuate you were. I’m very partial to riding, too. Especially to hunting.”

The dowager leaned back in her chair by the fireplace. “It does not surprise me to hear it, Miss Araminta. You have that look about you.”

Lord Ludbridge intervened quickly. “Perhaps we should have refreshments now so that I can show Miss Partington around. Rain is threatening.”

Over a dish of tea and cucumber sandwiches, the dowager Lady Ludbridge mentioned her five other sons and the fine marriages some of them had made. “Alas, there is not much left for a sixth son, and so I fear poor Ralph will have to wait awhile before he’s in a position to take a wife.”

This was pleasing news to Araminta, who said, to shore up opposition to any attempts Mr. Tunley might be making to mitigate his single state, “He is a charming young man.” She turned to Lord Ludbridge. “No wonder Miss Hazlett is taken by him, though I suspect her efforts to entice Lord Debenham will bear more fruit.”

The dowager sipped her tea. “Lord Debenham? What does he have to do with this?”

Lord Ludbridge looked uncomfortable before smiling at Araminta. “Lord Debenham is a rather different kettle of fish, and not, I believe, someone who could be compared to my brother. I really cannot see that any young lady who found a man of Ralph’s character pleasing to her would be similarly interested in Lord Debenham—”

“Oh, I’m not suggesting there’s a remote resemblance between the respective characters of your darling brother and his employer. I simply fear Miss Hazlett is using Mr. Tunley as a useful conduit to get the attention of Lord Debenham. Why, she all but admitted it to me, when I saw her leave his supper room at Vauxhall Gardens several weeks ago.”

“My, but you are forthcoming,” the dowager said, as if this were hardly a good thing.

Lord Ludbridge rose quickly. “Miss Partington, perhaps you’d care for a walk?”

“That would be lovely.” Araminta offered her future mother-in-law her sweetest smile as she followed Lord Ludbridge into the lobby. She did not care for the dowager, but that was a problem easily solved. Once she and Teddy were married they’d send the old woman to her majestic Scottish castle or the quaint Queen Anne estate, where she could not interfere with the way Araminta intended to manage things.

She squeezed his arm and offered him an adoring look as he gazed down at her. In fact, she really was feeling most indulgent toward him, so there was no feigning the arrangement of her facial muscles.

“I am so happy to know you, Lord Ludbridge,” she murmured as he led her into the garden and onto a gravel path that traversed a formal arrangement of shrubs and flowerbeds, while well-tended grass swept down to the river. She shaded her eyes and imagined grand entertainments with guests being transported from the city by barge up to their front door. It was too exciting for words.

“And I, you, Miss Partington. I...I have never met a more lovely girl, in fact.” He seemed lost for words after that, as he continued to stroll with her toward a copse of enormous elm trees a short distance away.

“Oh!” Araminta cried as a drop of rain landed upon her chest, quickly followed by more.

“We must hurry!” Lord Ludbridge seized her hand and together they ran across the last stretch of grass to seek shelter beneath the thick branches of an elm tree. Araminta was breathing heavily, but laughing from the exertion, and in a fit of abandon, she threw her arms about His Lordship’s neck and drew down his head to kiss him deeply.

She felt him stiffen momentarily with surprise, but he was quickly kissing her back, sweeping her into his strong embrace and thrilling her with the hardness of his chest and the growing, incendiary passion of his response.

“Darling girl,” he murmured between kisses as his hands ran over her back, skimming the top of her bottom, going no farther but creating the most alarming force of desire deep within Araminta’s groin.

She pressed herself harder against him, cupping his face as if that could intensify the kiss, wishing they were in a position whereby they could divest their garments and indulge in a mad coupling that would satisfy Araminta on every level.

“Oh, my dear lord,” she gasped as she dropped her hands and suddenly found they were upon his rump. Such a hard, manly rump that she could not wait to feel in all its nakedness. This preliminary lead-up to what she would soon be able to enjoy for the rest of her life was almost more than she could bear.

“Miss Partington!” he gasped at last, drawing back and placing his hands on her shoulders as if he did not trust himself. “Forgive me. I have behaved in a most ungentlemanly manner. I have entirely forgotten myself.” His breath came rapidly and, appearing distraught, he raked his hands through his hair. “I must atone.”

“You need not, please, my lord. I was...I was equally to blame.” She averted her eyes to look at the dripping leaves as if she were ashamed of herself. “I do not know what came over me, except...that I wanted this as much as you.” She ended on a whisper as he gathered her in his arms.

Araminta wilted against him. This was heavenly. Everything she ever could have dreamed of. Lord Ludbridge was utterly divine. She could not imagine a husband more to her taste. And he was entirely smitten. Entirely!

“Did you? Did you really?”

“Oh, yes!” She raised her head to kiss him again but he shook his head, his look regretful as he put a gentle hand on her shoulder to hold her away.

“Miss Partington, this isn’t the right place, I know that. But I will find the right place, very soon.” He paused, as if uncertain whether to go on, then said in a rush, “I want to ask you a most important question. A question that will have very great ramifications for you and me for the rest of our lives.”

Dear Lord, the moment was upon her, even sooner than she had anticipated. “What are you saying, Lord Ludbridge?” she prompted, her heart beating wildly.

He shook his head. “Not yet, Miss Partington, not yet—”