Page 39 of Crash Landing
“It was a wish come true for me,” he said with remarkable sincerity, and held out his arms for her. “Your sudden appearance, that is.Being shot at and threatened by Frampton was not quite in my plans.”
“Nor mine.” She moved into his embrace and rested her head against his chest, simply breathing him in. She loved the sandalwood-and-citrus scent of him, and the muscled heat of his body.
“Just put my marriage proposal in the back of your mind for now. Let it simmer. You’ll give me your answer whenever you are ready.”
“All right.”
“But Florence, I do not want a fake betrothal between us.”
“You are asking me to make this betrothal real?”
He nodded. “Yes, I would like it to be.”
She wanted it too. “Just what would it entail?”
“Kisses. Honesty in our feelings.”
“And what about the bedchamber? Is this not what happens when couples become betrothed?”
He tipped her chin up so that she faced him. “That is not a requirement. If you wish it, then I am more than willing to oblige. But if you prefer to wait until marriage to give yourself to me, that is all right, too.”
“Truly?”
He nodded.
“Very well, I agree. Our betrothal is no longer a lie.”
“And we work toward marrying?” he asked, arching an eyebrow when she turned pensive.
She did not answer him. There were too many impediments to work through first.
He sighed. “All right, too big a step for you right now. We’ll inch toward it.”
She hugged him fiercely. “Thank you for understanding.”
In truth, she ached to accept him. But he was already too fiercely protective of her.
What would he risk if their hearts were truly pledged to each other?
Chapter Seven
Trajan spent therest of the rainy day closed in his study with his cousins, reviewing the Weymouth ducal holdings and determining who was to take on what responsibilities. However—and this was perhaps underhanded of him—he had Timmons report to him from time to time what Florence was doing.
He had phrased the request in terms of his wanting to make certain she was not bored while he was preoccupied with his cousins, but he really wanted to keep her under surveillance to make certain she would not sneak out and do something foolish.
To his surprise, Florence had not only stayed put at Gull Hall but seemed to have taken the initiative. She walked through the house with his housekeeper and apparently took notes on the running of it. Afterward, she ventured into the kitchen to compliment Mrs. Palmer for her cooking, and discussed the menus not only for tomorrow’s tea with Lady Frampton but for all the family meals for the week, starting with this evening’s supper.
Once done, she and her aunt, who was now up and about, had settled in the ladies’ parlor and spent their time embroidering.
“Egads,” Trajan muttered jovially after Timmons had given him this latest report and returned to his post. “Who knew she could actually behave like a duchess?”
His cousins laughed.
“Seems she has no end of talents,” Andrewremarked. “Now, all you have to do is make certain she does not come to harm retrieving those letters.”
“She is not entering that lion’s den for those letters,” Trajan said with a growl.
“How are you going to stop her? She seems determined.” Sebastian stretched his legs before him and tossed an arm casually atop the back of his chair. “I think she’ll do it. I would not wager against Florence.”
