Page 60 of A Spinster to Reform the Duke
“That is why I beg you to stop this charm,” she begged, managing to release her hand from his grasp at last. “And we must part each other’s company now as we have no chaperone. My heart will already be injured from this care for you, that is why I plead with you, Your Grace. If you call yourself my friend, do not keep trying to charm me. You only make the injury all the greater.”
She turned away, clearly intending to leave the room, but he couldn’t let her go. He had not yet declared what he felt.
“Rebecca, no,” he ran after her, stopping her shortly from reaching the door. “My charming you is not as paper thin as you think.”
“What does that mean?” Rebecca asked. He took her hands in his, pulling her back further into the room with him. She didn’t try to run again, though she looked down at the touch he had on her hands, as if it was shocking to her. “Charm comes readily to you. It is how you treat all ladies.”
“It is not, Rebecca. Not at all.”
“You are confusing me still.”
“Then allow me to speak plainly.” At his words, she at last looked up to him, yet he felt the words die. He had never told a woman he cared for her before, and he didn’t know how to phrase the words. With the two of them so close, there was only one way he could think of to tell her what he felt for her, one way to show her how encompassing his devotion was.
He bent down swiftly, finding her lips with his own.
She was clearly so startled that she took a step back from him, but their lips didn’t part. He followed her instead, still holding onto her hands. At first, he feared she would not respond – yet a second later, his prayers were answered. She kissed him back.
It was chaste, yet enrapturing in its simplicity. Just the press of Rebecca’s lips against Timothy’s made a yearning begin inside of him, just as this happiness bloomed. Never had he known a kiss to have such power over him.
Loosening one of his hands from hers, he lifted it to her cheek, caressing the back with his fingers before softly taking her chin and angling her to him, allowing him to deepen the kiss. She gasped against him, and her body molded to his.
He knew this was scandalous, of course he did, but no one needed discover them together, and this was too great a feeling to ignore and stop now.
“No!” a voice cried out. Timothy froze as Rebecca backed up from him. She snatched her other hand away from him, looking at him with increasingly red cheeks, before they both turned to see just who had called out to them.
The door was open and in that space was Lady Esther.
“No, what have you done?” Lady Esther strode into the room, slamming the door behind her as she accosted Timothy alone. He stared back at her, dumbstruck. After all, what right did she have to say such a thing to him? What he did with his life was his own choice.
“This is a private affair, Lady Esther. Return to the other room.” Timothy gestured to the door, flicking his eyes to see Rebecca had a hand over her lips. He could not tell if she was stunned or horrified at what they had done.
Please do not be horrified!
“She will be ruined for this.” Lady Esther stood between them. Timothy was forced to look down at her, parting his gaze from Rebecca’s. Lady Esther gestured back to Rebecca. “All will know of what she has done. The spinster who meets dukes in private. Her name will be in the scandal sheets before the end of the week.”
Rebecca whimpered across the room and backed up. Timothy looked to her, just in time to see her collide with a desk and send an inkwell flying. She hurried to collect it from the floor. Timothy circled Lady Esther, going to Rebecca to help. As they both reached for the inkwell on the floor, their hands touched and Rebecca snapped her hand away.
How can she retract from my touch now? After such a kiss as that!
“Did you hear me, Your Grace?” Lady Esther’s voice was mad indeed, filled with such venom and alarm that Timothy was certain she was transforming. Gone was the meek and mild lady he knew, replaced by a sort of creature. “She will be in the scandal sheets.”
“She will be in no scandal sheets.” Timothy insisted as he stood to his feet, replacing the inkwell to the desk as Rebecca stood beside him. “What you just saw, Lady Esther, was private. It has naught to do with you.”
“Naught to do with me? Pah! It has everything to do with me.” She crossed the room toward him, thrusting her hand toward his chest in such a way that he glared down at her in surprise. “Let me make myself plain, Your Grace. I intend to tell the scandal sheets what I have seen.”
“God have mercy,” Rebecca whispered behind him. Timothy turned to offer her his hand, but she didn’t take it. She looked away, leaning on the desk, practically swooning in shock. She had already been in the scandal sheets with one scandal, she clearly feared another.
“Do not tell anyone, Lady Esther.” Timothy’s voice was harsh, yet Lady Esther was unperturbed. She stared back at him with triumph in her gaze.
“If you wish for me to keep a secret, then I have a deal to offer you.”
“Yes, a deal!” Rebecca said with eagerness, lowering her hands from her face. “What deal?”
“Very well,” Lady Esther smiled as she crossed her arms over her body and looked to Timothy. “For my silence, Your Grace, marry me.”
Timothy blinked, certain he had heard her wrong.
“I beg your pardon?” he asked, aware that Rebecca was clearly as stunned as him from her silence and the way her body had stiffened.
