Page 100 of Rescued from Betrayal
Nathaniel let go and took a large step back. “I am sorry, Melior. I broke my promise to you.”
She tipped her head to the side. “What promise?”
“I said I would not touch you without your consent.”
Melior chuckled. “Well, in that case, you have broken it several times, and in this very room.” She stepped forward and grasped his hand. “Nathaniel, we may not have started out this marriage in the normal manner, but I want it to be a true marriage. One filled with love… and children.”
His face was not completely clear, but she saw the moment her words buried themselves in his heart.
“Do you mean it?”
The hope in his voice was too much. She closed the distance, and wrapping her arms about his neck, pulled him down for another one of those toe-curling kisses. He obliged rather willingly.
Then someone knocked on their door.
She pulled away, leaning her head against his forehead. The knock came again and he groaned.
A giggle escaped her. “We could ignore whoever it is.”
Algenon’s voice came through the door. “Wake up Nate, we need to talk.”
Nathaniel stepped back a bit to look down at her. “Unfortunately, once Al has his mind set on something, he’s not likely to be dissuaded.”
She let go of him. “Best see what he wants then.”
“Do I have to?” He whined like a petulant little boy.
Melior giggled and batted his hands away when he tried to come close again.
“These walls are not as thick as you think, Nate. Now stop flirting with your wife. You have a lot of explaining to do.”
Nathaniel and Melior stared at one another, then burst into embarrassed laughter.
“I will meet you shortly in the study,” Nathaniel finally said.
“You better. Or I will send Javenia to hunt you down,” Al threatened.
Al was not happy with him and neither was Javenia. It was one of the few times the pair were united and Nathaniel could understand why. In all the chaos surrounding Lady Agatha’s arrival and the subsequent information shared between them all concerning Mr. Fairchild and Lady Edith, he’d forgotten to inform them of Mrs. Wayland’s passing.
“Your nearest neighbor and your mother’s closest friend dies, and you simply forgot?” Javenia’s pacing path crossed with Al’s in front of Nathaniel’s desk. It seemed the space had become a racetrack of sorts for frustrated friends as they each reached the edges of the room, spun and marched back, crossing nearly center again in front of his desk.
Nathaniel tried to be penitent, but the joy of Melior’s request shone brighter than anything in his life at the moment. His long-harbored dreams of love and family were coming true and he could not stifle the smile that insisted on taking up residence on his face. So he used his hand to shield his mouth, pretending to rub his upper lip.
Javenia stopped. “This is no laughing matter, Nathaniel. You may hide behind your hand as much as you want, but your eyes are still dancing with mirth.”
He burst out laughing. “You two look like you are running a steeplechase. All you need are mounts and you could begin hopping the furniture in your back-and-forth pattern.”
Al stared at Javenia and she stared back, then they both chuckled.
“I suppose we do look a might ridiculous,” she said.
“But that does not absolve you of guilt, Nate.” Al lifted the letter he clutched in his fist. “If my sisters had not written to me, neither Javenia nor I would have known. Henrietta is in dither with all the weeping going on in the house, and two of our nursemaids are sick. I need to return to Kent to be with them. Not to mention how this will affect John. You know how he cares for that family. He’s held a special place for Mrs. Wayland since she went out of her way to make sure he had someone to talk to after his own parents’ death.”
Nathaniel sobered under Al’s tirade. “I know, and I am sorry for my negligence. Sadly, I have not even written to my own mother, but I shall do so as soon as we are done here.”
Al nodded and took up a seat. Javenia did likewise, her gaze darting to Al in concern. For her to remain silent meant that Al was truly discomfited, otherwise she’d tease and cajole him for his fit of temper.
“Do you truly need to leave today?” Nathaniel asked. “Can it not wait until after the wedding tomorrow?”
