Page 32 of A Gentleman's Wager
“Ah, how well your thoughts mirror my own.”
Bella sucked the end of one of his fingers tantalisingly, tickling the soft leather with the tip of her tongue in the way she hoped to flick it over a rather more sensitive organ. The leather itself tasted rather musky, and she wondered what he’d being doing in those gloves to make them taste that way. Had he touched himself while wearing them? The thought turned her on. She’d enjoyed watching him toss himself off. Lucerne kissed her by the ear, and then on the cheek. Bella arched against him, lifting her chin so he could reach her lips. He paused an inch from her mouth and a breath passed between them, mingling the potency of their desire, before descending to kiss her with an aggressive, demanding ferocity. Their tongues met with equal ardour.
The church door opened with a loud groan.
There was no opportunity to step apart.
“How quaint, and in church as well.” The marquis mocked them from the doorway, bringing their moment of passion to an abrupt end. “Really Lucerne, I thought you had more finesse.”
If Lucerne had not still been holding her hand, she’d have slapped the smug expression from Pennerley’s face.
Still, at least it hadn’t been Joshua who’d caught her mid-kiss. Though, she wasn’t certain he would have been any more vexed than Lord Pennerley.
-22-
Bella
Unless Pennerley had told Joshua what he’d seen, there simply didn’t seem to be any logical reason why they returned to Wyndfell that night. Joshua concocted some nonsense about needing to go into Richmond on business, but Bella fully expected a dressing down the moment they reached home. Instead, he bundled her and Louisa out of the carriage and hared off.
“Well, Miss,” Mrs Stoop said, at finding them on the doorstep. “If I’d known to expect you home, I’d have made more than kidney pie for supper. You might have sent word.”
“T’weren’t my doing, Mrs Stoop.” Bella said marching past her. “You can blame my brother, who for some unfathomable reason has taken it into his head to go into Richmond.” She took off her hat, while the downstairs maid helped Louisa with her pelisse.
“Good lord. At this time of the evening?” The housekeeper gave a whistle through her teeth. “I hope there’s nothing troublesome afoot. Meaning more than your unannounced appearance. Lordy, there’s not beds made up or anything. You was to be gone for weeks yet. We’ve barely put the dust sheets on.”
“Now, now, there’s no need to get into a mither.” Bella was already striding towards the back parlour. “Louisa and I will be quite at home at the back for one night.” She knew that room wouldn’t have been draped with shrouds, there was nothing in its soot-stained, threadbare confines worthy of such fuss. “As soon as Joshua returns, we’ll be headed back to Lauwine.”
“All this going hither and thither, it’s a wonder you manage to keep your head on straight. It seems a shame you couldn’t stay on there, but I suppose it isn’t proper. The viscount’s no mother or aunt with him, I suppose.”
“None. He’s spectacularly devoid of relatives,” Bella called, now already through the back parlour door and on the verge of sagging into her favourite chair. Both Mrs Stoop and Louisa followed her in.
“Well then, it’ll be a plain supper, Miss. Just the pie, and some neeps and shallots. Maybe a spot of mustard.” Bella pulled a face at the latter. “Don’t be expecting anything as fancy as I’m sure you’ve become accustomed to—”
“Mrs Stoop, we’ve been at Lauwine less than a handful of days.”
“—all that wow-wow sauce, jellied asparagus, and marzipan fruits.”
“I do like those,” Louisa said of the sugary confection, earning herself a tut.
Bella, meanwhile, had spied a collection of paper-wrapped packages. “When did these arrive?” She eagerly tore open the topmost one and squealed when she discovered it to be a copy of Mrs Radcliffe’s new novelThe Italian, a romance of the Inquisition.
“Ah, yes, begging your pardon, Miss. Yesterday, it was. I’d have had them sent over to you, but—”
“No matter,” Bella waved aside her explanation, already turning to the first page. “Supper will be delightful, I’m sure. It always is. Until then, just a spot of tea, please.” She gave the older woman a cheeky grin.
“Tea… tea is it you want.” Mrs Stoops patted her mob cap, perched atop of her bright coppery hair. “And I suppose you’ll be wanting a bite with it too.”
“Yes, yes. A little cheese, perhaps some cold meats, pickles, and some thickly sliced bread. Louisa?”
“That sounds lovely.”
The housekeeper huffed and set her hands upon her acres-wide hips. “I suppose I should be grateful you haven’t demanded your brother’s port.”
“What a marvellous idea. Do bring that as well.” That earned her a huff and a headshake, but Bella knew the bottle would appear all the same.
“I don’t think it’s customary to drink port alongside tea,” Louisa remarked once Mrs Stoop had waddled off. “I do hope we’ve not created heaps of extra work for her. Whatever do you think it is that’s caused Joshua to race off?”
Bella certainly had thoughts on the matter, but none she was ready to share. It wouldn’t surprise her to learn that Joshua was rather closer to home than Richmond this evening. Perhaps as close as a couple of miles away. Usually, she’d have readily speculated all evening with Louisa over what he was up to, but her mind was already drawn into her new book.
