An Earl In Want Of A Wife

Lizzie made a small murmur of agreement, even though she wasn’t sure she agreed. She felt mesmerised by him, completely under his spell, and even though her mind was screaming out that it wasn’t her that he wanted, it was Amelia, Lizzie found at this moment she didn’t really care.

She felt him studying her, his eyes flicking from her mouth to her cheeks to her hair, but always back to her mouth. Involuntarily she felt her lips part ever so slightly and she realised she wanted him to kiss her. Right then it didn’t matter why he was doing it, just that she wanted him to. She wanted to be lost once again in the oblivion of a kiss, wanted to feel the explosions within her body as his lips met hers.

Slowly, as if building the anticipation, the earl lowered his lips to hers. He started out gently, barely touching her. Lizzie felt the tension mounting and a soft moan escape her lips. She wanted more, needed more.

As if responding to her innermost thoughts he pressed his lips more firmly on to hers and deftly flicked his tongue inside her mouth. Lizzie’s eyes closed and she was lost. She didn’t care why he was kissing her; all she wanted was for it not to end.

She felt her body melting into his and relished his touch as he looped an arm around the back of her head, pulling her closer towards him. She wanted his hands all over her body, wanted him to touch her in places no one else had ever even seen.

Just as she felt the kiss couldn’t get any better suddenly the earl pulled away. He was smiling, but Lizzie could tell something was wrong. She wondered if she’d inadvertently done something terrible, something that would make him want to run from the room.

Suddenly Lizzie felt very self-conscious and raised a hand to cover the lips he had been so thoroughly kissing just moments before.

‘I’m sorry,’ he murmured. ‘I just couldn’t seem to help myself.’ He sounded a little puzzled and Lizzie could see a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

‘You are just so tempting,’ he said, tracing a pattern on the back of her hand.

Immediately Lizzie crashed back to reality. She knew that was a lie. She straightened up, pulling away, and gave him a forced little smile.

‘I’m sure my aunt will be back in a few minutes,’ she said pointedly.

The earl looked confused, as if no one had ever rejected him before, but took the hint and moved back across the room to the chair he’d been sitting in before. An uncomfortable silence followed and Lizzie found herself blinking the tears away from her eyes. This was cruel and unnecessary. Up until very recently she’d been quite content with her lot. She’d known she wasn’t a great beauty. Combining that with her lack of fortune, she’d never expected to make a good marital match. In fact, she’d been quite convinced she would never be a wife, just a spinster all her life. Now here she was being utterly seduced by a handsome and charming man, knowing all along it wasn’t her that he wanted at all.

Chapter Four

Daniel wasn’t quite sure what had just happened. He knew he’d just kissed the young woman sitting across the room from him. He just didn’t know how to classify his reaction.

He’d been thrown when he realised he’d met Miss Amelia Eastway before last night. He’d hardly taken any notice of the unassuming young woman who had stepped in front of his horse. She’d seemed so ordinary, so normal. Not like the woman in the garden. She had been intriguing and almost mystical. Daniel had found himself drawn to her, attracted and aroused despite his years of experience.

Then when he’d found out the woman who he’d kissed was the very one he was meant to be pursuing, his world had almost fallen apart. He didn’t want to desire his future wife. Desire complicated everything. Desire made a man lose all sense of reason and preceded bad decisions. Over the past four years Daniel had become a master at keeping his desire in check. That wasn’t to say he’d been celibate, just that he hadn’t let his desire overshadow his common sense.

It was the shock, he realised. He hadn’t expected to recognise his mystery woman in the daylight, he hadn’t even considered that they might have met before. He’d looked her over appraisingly and found rather an ordinary young woman sitting in front of him. Not someone who made his pulse race and his temperature rise. He’d felt comfortable, reassured. She wasn’t the irresistible vixen he’d thought the night before, she was just an average young woman with no particular distinguishing features.

He’d planned to kiss her, of course. He needed to marry her and he needed to do it soon. After their kiss the night before Daniel knew she was an innocent and he knew that his charm was legendary with women all over London. He was hopeful that Amelia would enjoy his attention and flirtation.

And then it had happened. He’d moved closer, leant in to begin his seduction, and he felt as though he’d been punched in the gut. He couldn’t quite put his finger on why he felt this way, just that he needed to kiss Amelia Eastway, not so she would have to become his wife and save him from financial ruin, but because it was the only thing that would keep him going.

He wasn’t sure if it was the delicate curve of her lips or the charming set of freckles that covered her nose, he just knew he had to kiss her. And far from being completely in control, as he had planned, Daniel had felt rather wonderfully at sea. He’d kissed her as though he hadn’t kissed a woman in years, allowing himself to pull her body towards him, run his hands over her skin. He’d lost himself in that kiss and that was worrying him.

He glanced back across at Amelia and wondered if she had somehow sensed all of this. She’d wanted him, Daniel was experienced enough to recognise the signs: her pupils had dilated, her breathing had become just a little shallow and her lips had parted. She’d kissed him as passionately as the night before, but now she was regretting it. Something had changed. It was as though a shutter had come down over her face and now they were sitting apart like complete strangers, not a couple who had kissed twice in the space of twenty-four hours.

Daniel knew he had to do something to salvage the situation. Whatever his current internal conflict Miss Amelia Eastway was still the solution to all his problems. He needed to court her and marry her before the month was out. He would have to push aside any doubts he had. When he looked at her objectively he knew he should be able to resist her. He would just have to learn to control his urges and no doubt soon enough their relationship would slip into easy companionship rather than one fuelled with desire.

‘Would you care to join me for a stroll in the park?’ Daniel asked.

Amelia looked at him as though he had grown two heads. He wondered if he had uttered the sentence in Latin or some other foreign tongue.

Eventually she sighed and nodded her head. ‘That would be most delightful,’ she said, sounding anything but delighted.

Daniel felt himself bristle. Again he wondered what had happened to bring about this change in her feelings for him so abruptly. One minute she’d been melting in his arms, responding to his kiss, the next she was forcing herself to take a stroll with him.

‘Maybe your aunt would be so kind as to find a chaperon?’ he enquired. ‘Although I’d much rather be alone together. Such wonderful things happen when we’re alone,’ he murmured.

Amelia seemed to soften towards him slightly.

‘I’m sure she will.’

She made no effort to go and sort this out and Daniel felt his mood darken further. Most young women would be swooning at the thought of strolling through the park on the arm of an earl for all society to see.

‘Would you like to go and ask her?’ he suggested.

‘Of course, my lord.’

‘Daniel, please,’ he said, thinking it was ridiculous having her call him by his title when already they were quite intimate. ‘Since we already know each other so well.’

He watched as she rose and walked out of the room. Despite having fallen down stairs into him, and nearly having been trampled by his horse, Miss Eastway seemed to move with a fluid kind of grace when she was on her feet. He found himself watching the soft sway of her hips as she left the room and once again felt the first stirrings of desire deep within his body.

Daniel took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He would not desire Amelia Eastway. Although deep down he knew desire wasn’t something you could easily keep in check, equally he knew he was a man of the world, not some green boy of twenty. He had control over his emotions and he would not lose his head over a woman even if she had charmingly kissable lips.

He’d have to kiss her again, of course, but next time he would be completely in control.

He rose as Amelia re-entered the room and saw with dismay that she was accompanied by her cousin. Daniel had spent less than five minutes in the young girl’s company, but he knew she was spiteful and jealous.

‘Harriet would like to accompany us,’ Amelia said, her lack of enthusiasm obvious in her tone.

‘That would be delightful,’ Daniel said. ‘I just hope our discussion on ancient literature does not bore you too much.’

Daniel saw the flicker of a smile cross Amelia’s lips. Harriet’s eyes narrowed as she tried to work out if Daniel was being serious. He kept a neutral expression on his face, hoping all the time she would change her mind and stay at home. He wasn’t likely going to make much progress with Amelia if her cousin was present and annoying her.

‘Harriet, I need your help this afternoon,’ Aunt Mathilda said as she glided back into the room. ‘I’ll send one of the maids out to chaperon you, Amelia.’

Daniel wondered if Harriet would argue, she looked as though she wanted to, but in the end she kept her mouth shut.

Within minutes Daniel was strolling towards Hyde Park with Amelia on his arm. He realised she felt right beside him, her strides matched his own and the weight of her hand resting on his arm was comforting. He felt quite comfortable with her, despite the odd moment of madness where he seemed to want to ravish her. If he could only overcome those, he thought Amelia would make a very good wife. She was quiet and unassuming and he didn’t think she’d protest too much when he continued with his current lifestyle.

‘I understand you’ve only recently arrived in London,’ he said, thinking a little bit of small talk would help break down the barrier between them.

She looked wistfully into the distance for a moment before replying. ‘I’ve lived in India all my life, or at least for as long as I can remember.’

‘Do you miss it?’

She nodded. ‘When I was there all I could think about was getting away, coming to London, but now I’ve left it behind I miss the rolling green hills and the days filled with sunshine.’

Daniel wondered what her upbringing had been like. From his subtle enquiries he’d found out she’d been raised the only child of the very wealthy Colonel Eastway. She’d always been destined to marry well, but to look at her you wouldn’t believe it. She seemed rather overwhelmed by the sudden attention and he had the impression that she hadn’t expected to be courted this soon.

‘Do you wish you were back there?’ he asked softly.

She considered for a moment, then turned to him with a smile. ‘No. As much as I like to reminisce, it was time for me to leave, time for me to start the next chapter of my life.’

‘As a débutante in London.’

He saw her grimace out of the corner of his eye.

‘Something like that,’ she said vaguely.

They’d reached the entrance to the park and walked in through the archway. Daniel found he was enjoying himself more than he’d imagined. When he’d realised he was going to have to marry he’d been a little disgruntled to say the least. He didn’t want his life to change, he was quite content running his estates, spending time in London and making sure he didn’t make any lasting connections. The idea of having to marry was bad enough, although Daniel was a pragmatist and knew where his priorities lay, but he’d dreaded having to find and court a wife. He’d imagined some air-headed young miss that he’d have to listen ramble on about nothing. Amelia Eastway was not like that at all. In fact, he was rather enjoying himself.

Chapter Five

Lizzie slowly felt herself relaxing. She didn’t know what game Daniel was playing, but she’d decided she was having none of it. She was going to be courteous and polite, but she would not allow him to kiss her again. That would be madness.

Walking along, her hand in the crook of his arm, Lizzie felt almost content. He was attentive and seemed to want to listen to what she had to say. Lizzie could almost convince herself she was having a good time. Just as long as he didn’t look at her intensely with his piercing blue eyes and shift towards her, Lizzie knew she could keep up a mundane conversation. She tried not to think what would happen if he attempted to kiss her again. She liked to think she was a strong young woman who knew her own mind, but twice she’d been utterly seduced by his kiss and she wasn’t sure how she would resist if he turned to her again.

Luckily they were out in public, in full view of the world. He wouldn’t try anything whilst they were strolling through the park. Then Lizzie wondered if she could rely on that. For some reason he had decided to court her and she doubted it was because he found her wildly irresistible. Even if their meeting the night before hadn’t been engineered, Lizzie thought there was something driving Daniel today and her first guess was her dowry. Or at least Amelia’s dowry. She sighed. This was all getting to be a bit of a mess and she’d only been out in society for one day. She wished Amelia would return and sort it all out, but she hadn’t heard from her cousin since they’d disembarked the ship from India together, her cousin hopping into the first carriage she’d seen on the London dockside, and she doubted Amelia would make an appearance anytime soon. She would just have to deal with this debacle herself.

She felt a bit sorry for the earl. Not that he was the sort of man who invited pity, but he was thinking he was courting an heiress with a substantial dowry, where instead he was wasting his time on a penniless orphan. She wondered whether he would switch his affections to Amelia when she returned, and found herself feeling more than a little put out at the thought.

They stopped walking as they reached the Serpentine and Daniel led her over to a bench.

‘Sometimes I come here to think,’ Daniel said quietly.

Lizzie regarded their surroundings with surprise. There was no denying Hyde Park was beautiful with its myriad of waterways and copses of trees, but Daniel hadn’t exactly picked the most secluded spot for his contemplations. They were sitting on a bench right next to the Serpentine, in a place where all the children gathered to feed the ducks. In the early-afternoon sunshine the children were whooping and shouting in delight as they threw bread to the obliging creatures.

She glanced sideways and saw him looking wistfully at a group of small boys out with their nanny. One of the boys was only about three or four years old and tottered after his older siblings, trying to keep up with their games.

Lizzie wondered momentarily whether this was all part of his plan, to bring her to Hyde Park and let her see how much he liked children, but then she dismissed the idea. She could tell this wasn’t all engineered. This truly was where he came to sit and think about the world.

‘I guess it’s because I miss the countryside when I’m in London,’ Daniel said with a shrug.

‘Do you spend much time here?’

He shook his head. ‘I prefer the country to be honest, but I find myself in London more and more.’

Lizzie wondered what his country estate was like. She’d left England before her third birthday and hadn’t been back since. Her home was the dry heat and lush green valleys near Bombay, but she doubted the English countryside was anything like that.

‘But enough about me,’ Daniel said with a grin, ‘I want to know more about you.’

Lizzie shrugged and looked down at her hands. ‘I’m sure you know the basics.’

‘I don’t want to know the basics,’ Daniel said, leaning in closer, ‘I want to know something the rest of society doesn’t. Something that the masses will never know when they talk about you.’

His smile was infectious and Lizzie felt herself beginning to properly enjoy herself. She rather suspected the earl was known to be flirtatious in nature, but right now she didn’t care. She was sitting on a bench with a handsome man, enjoying herself.

Lizzie thought for a moment, wanting to select something suitably vague for the earl so there was no chance he would work out she wasn’t who she claimed to be.

‘When I was twelve I was bitten by a crocodile.’

Daniel burst out laughing. ‘You’re joking?’

Lizzie shook her head.

‘Well, you must be the only débutante that can make that claim. Truly unique. Now you have to tell me more, I’m intrigued.’

‘I was walking down by the river near our home. As usual, I had my head in a book and wasn’t really looking where I was going.’ Lizzie shuddered as she remembered the moment she’d realised she had stumbled into the path of a rather large crocodile. ‘For about thirty seconds it just looked at me with those terrifying little eyes and then it lunged.’

She had thought she was about to die.

‘Luckily it was just a warning shot, a quick nip and then the crocodile backed off. I had some pretty deep teeth marks, but I didn’t lose my foot as many do.’

‘Even without an entire leg you would still light up any ballroom. In fact...’ Daniel paused, raised his hand close to his eye and positioned it so it obscured one leg from his view ‘...being the first one-legged débutante would probably make you the most interesting person to have graced society for decades.’

‘Your turn,’ Lizzie said. She was really beginning to warm to Daniel. She knew she shouldn’t allow him to flirt with her quite so openly, but it was nice being the centre of someone’s attention.

‘An interesting fact about me,’ Daniel mused.

‘Something hardly anyone else knows.’

‘I’ve been shot.’

Lizzie’s eyes widened and she quickly glanced over his body, wondering where exactly he had been shot. She felt a little distracted by his broad shoulders and muscular arms, but quickly pulled herself together.

‘You have to tell me more,’ she said.

‘It was a duel. I was second for a good friend of mine. We were young and foolish at the time.’

‘And someone shot you?’ Lizzie asked, thoroughly intrigued.

‘It’s nowhere near as glamorous as it sounds.’ Daniel leaned in closer and dropped his voice. ‘In fact, it’s really rather painful.’

Daniel edged closer to her and Lizzie didn’t protest. Sitting here by the Serpentine with Daniel felt right somehow, as if this was what her entire life had been leading up to.

‘The man who was aiming at my friend had terrible eyesight, he might as well have closed his eyes and fired. The shot missed its intended target and clipped me instead.’

Daniel must have seen how Lizzie’s eyes were roving over his body, trying to figure out where he had been hit.

‘When we’re somewhere less public I’ll show you the scar.’

Lizzie’s eyes widened and for a moment she hoped it was somewhere on his chest or abdomen. She desperately wanted to peel back his crisp white shirt and run her fingers over the muscles beneath. At the thought of doing something so intimate she felt the blood rush to her cheeks and she coughed to try to cover her embarrassment.

‘Now it’s your turn again,’ Daniel said with a smile that Lizzie knew would set any woman’s heart racing.

Suddenly there was a shout and a commotion over by the Serpentine. Immediately Daniel was on his feet, rushing towards the water, with Lizzie following quickly behind.

The small boy they’d been watching only minutes before had tumbled into the murky waters and was now thrashing about. It was obvious he couldn’t swim and it was too deep for him to touch the bottom. His petrified nanny was trying to reach him from the bank, but his thrashing was just causing him to get further and further away.

Lizzie watched as Daniel shrugged off his jacket, kicked off his boots and jumped into the dirty water. He touched the bottom easily, the water coming up to his waist, and he quickly waded out to where the boy was thrashing. Firmly he grabbed him and lifted him clear of the water, saying something soothing that Lizzie couldn’t quite hear. She was reminded of their first meeting when she had almost been trampled by his horse and the way he’d soothed the petrified beast then.

Daniel’s words must have done the trick as the boy calmed down and allowed himself to be carried to the bank and back into his nanny’s arms.

Lizzie could only look on as Daniel pulled himself out of the water, clothes stuck to his muscular legs and torso. His shirt was almost see-through and it outlined the contours of his chest and abdomen in quite a scandalous way. Lizzie felt the heat rising in her body and forced herself to look away, worried that otherwise she would become mesmerised. He smiled at her and shrugged, as if this kind of thing happened every day, then turned his attention back to the boy. Quickly he checked he wasn’t injured and then left him to be hustled home by his nanny.

‘That was remarkable,’ Lizzie said as Daniel made his way back towards her.

‘I couldn’t just sit by and let him drown.’

Lizzie shook her head in agreement but knew that not many gentlemen would actually jump into the Serpentine to rescue a strange boy.

‘You must be frozen.’

Daniel shrugged again, but Lizzie could tell the wet clothes were making him uncomfortable already.

‘Perhaps we could begin to head back,’ he suggested.

Lizzie nodded, motioned to the maid who was sitting a couple of benches away, and they started to walk back through the park.

‘I won’t take your arm,’ Daniel said with a smile.

Lizzie found herself smiling back. There was something quite irresistible about the man walking next to her. He might have an agenda and he might be pursuing her for all the wrong reasons, but she couldn’t quite find it in herself to dislike him.

They walked in a companionable silence back through the park for a few minutes, gaining odd looks from other members of society who were out taking their afternoon strolls. Daniel nodded in greeting to many but didn’t stop to engage them in conversation. Lizzie supposed he must be feeling rather cold now. Even in the pleasant afternoon sunshine walking around dripping wet couldn’t be very good for your health.

‘I’m sorry we’ve had to cut our outing short,’ Daniel said, looking down at Lizzie with a smile.

Despite all her reservations Lizzie was sorry, too. She’d been enjoying herself. She’d almost been able to forget it wasn’t she that Daniel was really courting, but Amelia. She’d enjoyed his lively conversation and she’d enjoyed the small insights he’d given her into his life.

‘Maybe we could do this again sometime soon,’ he suggested.

Lizzie found herself nodding, even though she knew she shouldn’t encourage him. It would be so much easier if she never saw him again, if he disappeared from her life and she never had to reveal that she wasn’t Amelia Eastway, but her penniless cousin. Even though she knew this Lizzie found herself agreeing with him.

‘That would be lovely.’

She glanced up at his face and found him smiling at her, and just for a second she thought she saw a flicker of desire. She almost laughed. No matter what had happened in the Prestons’ garden she knew Daniel didn’t really desire her. She’d seen the quick way he’d dismissed her on their first meeting and she knew she wasn’t the sort of woman men fantasised about.

‘Please don’t feel you have to escort me home,’ Lizzie said as they neared the edge of the park. ‘You must get back to your house and get out of those wet things.’