Page 29 of The Scandal of the Deceived Duchess
Amelia turned her head in the direction of his deep voice. That sound that had captivated her the first moment she had heard it on board the HMSCapricorn– thick and potent as molasses.
The full moon gave his deep blue eyes that were almost black a kind of romantic sheen that Amelia could not describe. They drew her in with their potency. At the same time, their hands, still interlinked on the bench, started to move, touching and stroking. She couldn’t move the rest of her body. It was as if her left hand was the only part of her body that had any mobile function. She released herself to it, that strong hand that fondled with hers.
Jonathan’s gaze was a serious one. He did not smile. He did not look angry. He was in equilibrium and where he wanted to be most in the world. He resigned himself to her touch that drew him in more and more. Without him knowing it, he automatically moved closer, seduced by Amelia’s face that shimmered under a silvery sheen.
“I am going to kiss you now,” he said with authority. He suppressed reason in his brain once again. It hit back with unfounded theorems, explaining why what he was about to do was sheer folly.
By now, a hand’s breadth separated Jonathan’s face from hers. And still, Amelia could not move. Like the cobra’s victim, she remained seduced by the snake’s power. Only in this case, Jonathan was not a lethal predator, but the man her heart claimed she loved. She did not think about it. None of it made any sense to her. She was lost in emotional rapture and had to offer herself defeated in the face of such power.
Amelia thought of Shakespeare some more. The story was so romantic and beautiful. All the while, his head moved closer, slowly and with purpose. Would kissing him be Jonathan’s lips worshipping my lips as if they were his shrine? His pilgrims to my shrine as Shakespeare intoned in his play.No…!
Before Amelia could withdraw her mind from its faraway places, Jonathan’s arms were around her, as safe and unbreakable as on the white snowy road to Fair Weather Heaths’. She felt again the rush of vulnerability, the sinking yielding, the surging tide of warmth that left her limp.
The handsome face of Jonathan Mitchell was but a blurred vision drowned to nothingness by her passion and the night. Amelia felt him tip her backwards, slowly and carefully. When her head rested on his arm, he kissed her, gently at first, and then gradually building up intensity and force until she clung onto to him as if he were an oak standing fast and strong in a storm.
His mouth was relentless. It parted her trembling lips without Amelia even knowing what was happening to her. The sensations coursing through her that teased her nerve endings with delightful tingles and made her toes curl in her shoes were like nothing she knew. Without thinking, and being completely unaware of the happenings between man and woman, Amelia pressed forth and kissed him back
“No, this cannot be.” Amelia pulled away. She breathed heavily, still enveloped by the power of the contact. She looked him in the eye. It was impossible to break away from the power of his gaze, subtly aided by a moonshine kiss. She held her hands across her chest as if she attempted to use the symbol of the cross of Christ to ward him away.No, he is not an evil spirit with inclinations of idle wantonness – he is but a man, and I, but a woman.
It was not enough. Rational mindset appropriated emotional and romantic rapture. This could not be, of that Amelia was certain. The goosebumps that had so shamelessly populated her skin, betraying her heart’s desire, dissipated in melancholy retreat. It was tragedy spoken to her by a quixotic playwright.
“Did I hurt you?” Jonathan was confused. It had been a long time since he had kissed a woman. He could remember it clearly. Not because of its intensity or its romantic power but because of its sheer languidness – there had been nothing rousing about it.
This was different. Kissing Amelia had been life itself. The way her body had shuddered within the cozy cage of his embrace had bordered on a step toward heaven. Jonathan had been in that paradise briefly before she broke away with such fear in her eyes. He did not comprehend what it was that he had done wrong.
“You did not hurt me, but you will.” With those words, Amelia opened the door to the vehicle and darted out of the carriage that had only recently pulled up in front of the mansion a short moment before.
“Amelia…wait.” It was too late. Amelia had entered the house and was gone.
The whole way to his home, into the hallway and the final steps to his study, Jonathan tried to piece together what had happened to make Amelia act so. None of it made any sense to him. All he could think of was that he had acted too fast. It had not felt like that at first, but of the little he knew of female caprices, indecision was the most potent.
“Yelook like somebody died, Jonathan,” said Jake, lurking indolently in the shadows in attendance of his dear friend.
When Jonathan did not answer, he probed further, “Yetold her thatyewere taking her to Canada, didn’tye? Dammit, Jonathan. It is not whatyewant – why didyedo it?”
Jonathan poured himself a large tumbler of whisky from the decanter on the mantelpiece in his study and sat down on one of the large leather seats. He took a large slug. “Yes, I did tell her what I had planned. And yes, she did not take it well…”
“I can imagine.”
Jonathan sneered at his friend. “But that was not it.” He took another hearty dram, emptying the glass.
“Let me getyeanother one of those. And judging by the wayyeare acting, I will need one too.” Jake filled the glasses and sat down opposite his friend. “Out with it?” he said, handing over the whisky.
Jonathan promptly took a sip, wincing slightly as he swallowed. “I kissed her on the way home…it was wonderful…until…”
“Until what, Jonathan?” Jake sipped his drink slowly, not once taking his eyes off his friend.
“Until she pulled away and said, ‘No, this cannot be.” I was perplexed. Her behavior was so strange.” Jonathan looked Jake in the eyes for the first time. “She ran into the house after that…it was as if I frightened her.” He frowned. “She did say something else. She claimed that I would hurt her.”
“Yeweren’t in any way… how shall I put it…too forward with ye affections?”
“Of course, I bloody wasn’t. I behaved as a gentleman would. I don’t understand, Jake. I think I really feel something for this woman.”
Jake chuckled. “Now, that was the worst declaration of love if I ever heard one.Yeare going to have to do better than that ifyewant to get back into Amelia Carlyle’s good graces. Now, leave her be, my friend. She’ll come ‘round in the end.”
Jonathan swallowed deeply. He did not share in his friend’s optimism. Amelia had been scared, confused and distant after their kiss. She had run away from him as if he was some repulsive monster from a swamp. He knew how stubborn she was. It would be a miracle if she came ‘round. As far as Jonathan was concerned, Amelia was as good as gone.
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