Page 65 of The Colonel's Ungovernable Governess
“In your bed?” she asked softly, hoping those listening from inside the house could not hear this part of their conversation.
“I would never,” he said equally as soft. “A gentleman would never—”
“Ruin the governess?” she asked with a smile. “Though, in reality, the kisses we shared could be counted as ruination. I could call foul,” she argued.
“Have you not heard,” he said with a slight shrug, “my father is a powerful earl. He can make such charges disappear.”
“I am grieved to hear you say so. Since our Vincent told me his family was a distant relative of the de Bourghs, I have wished to tell my ‘supposed’ betrothed that I can think of nothing grander than to be tied to him.” Tears formed in her eyes, despite her best efforts to hide them.
“Jocelyn,” he said softly as if tasting the word. He moved quickly to take her in his arms, adjusting his embrace so as not to knock against her arm. “Do not cry.”
“You do not love me as I love you,” she whispered. She played with a button on his uniform as she spoke.
“You love me?” he asked as he nuzzled her temple with a soft brush of his lips.
“As much as you love me,” she challenged. “Is there any chance you might truly come to care for me, sir?”
He did not answer with words; instead, he tilted her chin upward and covered her mouth with his. He kissed her tenderly, but passion still simmered beneath their lips.
“Does such mean our marriage is to proceed, sir?” she asked when they parted briefly.
He offered no words. Rather, he nestled her closer and answered with a kiss that left her with no doubts whatsoever. How long they might have remained thus entangled, Jocelyn could not say, for she, most assuredly, wished to sink deeper into his embrace and never come out. However, a round of applause reminded them they were not alone.
“Aunt Catherine will be insufferable!” Mr. Darcy said as he tugged his cousin free of their embrace, but her betrothed kept hold of her free hand.
“You defied her,” the colonel declared with a laugh, “and she will remind you constantly, but I will again be her favorite, though I must spend my days presenting her ladyship my gratitude.”
“Come,” Mrs. Darcy announced. “We have much to celebrate and much to clarify. Mr. Purdy, tea, brandy, and whatever Cook has for a celebration.” She turned back to the colonel and grinned. “I bet Mr. Darcy you would adore Jocelyn once you were not being ‘forced’ to marry her. My husband must now find Bennet a pup to be the boy’s ‘friend.’”
“Darcy would have spoiled his son, even if you did not bet him regarding my felicity,” the colonel declared as he turned Jocelyn so they might walk into the house together.
“Yes,” Elizabeth Darcy grinned, “but, this way, Mr. Darcy will be the one to clean up after both the boy and the dog without arguments.”
* * *
Edward had thought once he had proposed and been accepted that he would be permitted more time with Jocelyn; however, on the third day of his return, when Lord Romfield suggested Edward ride out across the estate with the baron and Darcy, he said, “No offense, my lord, but I have arranged a small meal that Miss Romfield and I might share. We must be permitted some time to learn more of each other or we are back to being strangers before we begin.”
“I do not wish Jocelyn to exhaust herself,” her father protested.
“I have arranged for one of the servants to sweep out the folly on the side lawn and place several blankets inside so Miss Romfield will not know a chill.”
“I will ask . . .” Romfield began.
“My cousin will practice honor with your daughter, as he does every day and in every facet of his life,” Darcy argued on Edward’s behalf. “Can you honestly say when you were courting her ladyship that you never snuck off just to be alone for a few minutes. God only knows, as Elizabeth possesses four sisters, we often were required to keep company with either Miss Mary or Miss Katherine sitting in the same room with us. Like my cousin and your daughter, Elizabeth and I were already betrothed, but we were permitted no time to converse on a variety of subjects, except when we walked out together with Mr. Bingley and Miss Bennet. By silent assent, on those days, we kept each other in sight, but we had the privacy actually to ‘converse.’ We did not necessarily discuss our future together, but, rather, we learned something of each other so we might survive those first few days of married life.
“I learned Elizabeth adores poetry, but she prefers a historical tome rather than a novel. She learned I am fascinated by science and horticulture. We spoke of previous generations and from whom our features came, and we attempted to guess the look of our children.
“More importantly, just as my wife performed with you and Lady Romfield, we discussed how we would treat my cottagers, what we saw as our roles as the master and mistress of Pemberley and much more. In that manner, we each knew something of how the other would respond to everyday situations and discussed our joined hopes for our children.
“Fitzwilliam and Miss Romfield have not even discussed when they will marry or where they will live. How long should they wait to marry? My cousin has duties to the military and to the Fitzwilliam family. It is not whether he holds the opportunity to be the eventual Earl of Matlock, but when will he become the head of the Matlock family. How will such affect your grandchildren? Miss Romfield and Fitzwilliam require time to become a ‘couple.’”
Lord Romfield held up his hands in surrender. “For a man of few words, you could argue the most hopeless of cases before a jury and win.”
* * *
“This is delightful,” Jocelyn said with a smile. “It makes me feel almost human again.”
He braced her to the stack of pillows and blankets. “I asked Cook not to add food which required cutting or the use of a spoon, such as soup. I did not think you could manage either, and I imagined you would find it embarrassing if I was to feed you.” She blushed prettily. “In truth,” he admitted, “I am simply glad to have a few moments with you without an audience.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small jewel box and opened it. “I had planned to present this to you when I proposed, but then . . .” He sighed heavily. “I have not done this properly. Not in the manner I had expected. I most assuredly did not wish an ‘audience.’”
