Page 43 of Tempting Mr. Townsend
Yet this perfect future hinged on something as unpredictable as a woman's will. His hopes seemed dangerously frail.
Within what felt like an instant, it was time for Fenella to leave. And because he'd go through purgatory without her, even after only a few days, and because he had so few advantages in this battle against unseen forces, he caught her arm before she left. “I know you're going to think about Brandon and Henry, and what can go wrong, and how you cast your bonnet over a windmill, and you're not a lass to go chasing foolish whims and reckless dreams—”
“Anthony—”
Still the words poured from his lips, urgent, ardent, insistent. "But when you're alone at night in your big empty bed, and your sensible self insists that marrying a stranger is all too absurd, and really you suffered a moment's madness, but now you're all safe and back to reality again, I want you to remember this.”
Without giving her a chance to protest, he bundled her up against him and sent his mouth crashing down into hers. He offered no gentle preliminaries, no coaxing persuasion. Instead he kissed her with all the fervent passion in his heart, a passion he hadn't come near to slaking last night, however sizzling those hours.
She stiffened, then abruptly curved into him as if she couldn't get enough of him. For a blissful interlude, everything was heat and need.
Until too soon, she pulled away. He fought the impulse to fling her onto the chaotic bed behind him and prove once and for all that they should stay together.
But beneath animal hunger lurked the vestiges of an honorable man, and he'd promised her time. So with agonized reluctance, he released her.
As she backed away, she stumbled. He caught her elbow to save her from falling. She was trembling. “Don't make me wait too long, Fenella.”
Sucking in a shaky breath, she shook her head. Then to his surprise she touched his cheek in farewell and gave him a dazzling smile that set his heart somersaulting. “Your last card was an ace, my dear.”
Before he could react to that astounding statement, she was gone.
Chapter Thirteen
“Fen, I saw Brandon on Monday. He was with Anthony Townsend,” Caroline, Lady Beaumont said from her seat near the fire. “You didn't tell us he was in Town.”
“Anthony? I mean, Mr. Townsend,” Fenella stammered, color stinging her cheeks. She avoided the lovely brunette's questioning stare by pretending vast and unlikely interest in a plate of cucumber sandwiches. The three dashing widows met for afternoon tea in Helena, Countess of Crewe's luxurious drawing room in Berkeley Square.
“No,” Caro said on a rising note. “Not…Anthony.Brandon. Shouldn't he be in school?”
“Um,” Fenella said from beside the tea tray, completely caught out. She'd kept the events of those overwhelming days over a week ago to herself. She was so muddled and troubled that putting her tumultuous emotions into words was completely beyond her. Miraculously in her gossip-ridden world, news of her midnight flight from London hadn't spread. She thanked her loyal staff for that.
Helena turned from staring out into the rain. Tall, slender and black-haired, she was the pattern of elegance in her bronze afternoon gown. “Anthony?”
Fenella squirmed. Helena's curiosity was as sharp as a surgeon's scalpel. “I didn't know you were acquainted with Mr. Townsend, Caro.”
Caro's dark blue eyes were alight with unholy interest. “When apparently you two are on first name terms.”
“I… Brand's friends with Mr. Townsend's nephew.”
“That must be the other boy I saw. They were playing cricket in Hyde Park,” Caro said.
Despite herself, Fenella smiled. Whatever else resulted from their adventure, it seemed Anthony had worked out how he and his orphaned charge would deal together.
“Do you know Anthony Townsend, Helena?” Caro asked.
Helena's gimlet dark gaze didn't waver from Fenella. “No, but I've got a feeling I will before too much longer.”
“He's frightfully clever and rich as Croesus. Silas and he do business together, so he came to dinner last summer. Interesting man, terrifyingly dynamic, and built like a battleship. But something of a rough diamond, I'd have said. All owts and nowts and thees and thous. I had to check to see he wasn't wearing hobnail boots.”
“That's not fair,” Fenella said hotly. "Rather you should admire a man who's made his way with such spectacular success purely on his own merits.”
“Should she indeed?” Helena said archly, as Fenella realized that like a fool she'd played straight into Caro's game.
“She…she should,” Fenella said, struggling to escape confiding what had happened between her and Anthony. She'd lay no money on her success. Now Caro and Hel scented scandal, they wouldn't leave her alone this side of Christmas. She'd been an idiot not to realize how closely her world rubbed shoulders with his.
With a laugh, Caro set down her cup. “Oh, give up, Fen. You're the world's worst liar. It's one of your greatest charms. You'vebeen acting jumpy as a cat on a stove for days. I worried that you were coming down with something. You've been looking quite bilious.”
“Bilious,” Fenella said flatly.
