Page 9 of Papa's Captive
Chapter 5
Rosie was breathless with the naughtiness of Lord Caldwell’s deceptions. He brought an air of excitement to every interaction. Once they had descended the steps and made it a short distance down one of the garden paths, he stopped their progress and turned Rosie to face him, taking both her hands in his, this time without interruption from Garland.
Looking deep into her eyes, Lord Caldwell said, “I apologize for not having visited sooner. I hope you were not worried.”
Rosie opened her mouth to assure him she had all the confidence in the world in his intentions, but before the words could come out she snapped her lips closed as a single tear trickled down her cheek. Lord Caldwell paused and wiped it away. “I am profoundly sorry, my dear Rosie,” he said, “if my absence caused you to think I had forgotten about you or no longer cared. I assure you the opposite is true.”
He leaned down and touched his lips to her cheek where the tear had been a moment before. Rosie’s heart thudded in her chest and heat radiated across her face from the contact of his mouth upon her skin. Her eyes rested on his lips and she wondered what it would be like to kiss him on the mouth. A warm curl of desire tightened in her belly and breathing became difficult.
“Come,” he said, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow.
All of Rosie’s irritation at Lord Caldwell because he brought a gift for Garland instead of her vanished when she considered the vast benefits of having a few minutes of privacy.
“Let us walk just a bit faster,” he said. “Garland may come searching for us sooner than I had hoped and I have no doubt she will be unhappy with us. But, until that time, allow me to show you the depths of my contrition at causing you worry and reassure you I never intend to be away from you for so long ever again.”
In a moment of reckless naughtiness, he guided Rosie into a secluded portion of the garden and pulled her into his arms. Rosie had never been in such intimate proximity to a man, let alone a gentleman as exceptionally attractive as Lord Caldwell. Her breath hitched and her pulse thundered at the base of her throat. He removed his gloves and tucked them into his pocket, then with his bare palms, he cupped the sides of Rosie’s face, holding her immobile.
She would have remained frozen in place even without his hands upon her. As she stared into his handsome dark gaze, the whole world faded around them. He leveled a fierce look of adoration upon her that pushed away the final fragments of her worry over his recent absence. Anticipation wound through her and her entire body tingled with the awareness of her betrothed. Tendrils of warmth unfurled from deep within her as her pulse thudded faster, her heart panging with shared devotion.
He still wanted her. He cared for her.
And oh, how fervently she cared for him too.
“I love you, my sweet Rosie,” he whispered against her lips a fraction of a second before he claimed them in a gentle kiss.
His mouth was firm, yet coaxing against hers and she melted into his chest, a sigh slipping between her lips as he drew her closer and deepened the kiss.
An unknown, but not unwelcome, sensation exploded inside Rosie at the intimate exploration of her mouth. Her body pressed against the hardness of Lord Caldwell’s. She felt an inexplicable desire to wiggle slightly against this strange bulge in his trousers, despite not being entirely certain what it was. When she moved against it, he moaned into her mouth and kissed her harder, tightening his grasp on her face. An intense achiness built between her thighs, and to her shock, she found herself wishing Lord Caldwell would touch her privates in the manner she’d been touching herself in secret as of late.
As worldly and educated as he was, surely he would know how to make the aching go away. Lost in the sensual caresses of his tongue sliding against hers, she melted in his strong embrace, welcoming his tenderness and his roughness as he claimed her mouth for the first time.
When the kiss ended, he rested her cheek against his chest where she could hear the staccato of his heart.
“I have waited long enough. I wish to make you my wife without delay.”
His voice sounded deeper than usual and an air of command threaded his words. As if he were ordering her to agree to set a date for their wedding—a date in the very near future. A shiver of delight coursed through her at his high-handedness, and she didn’t have the will to protest.
In the euphoric aftermath of their kiss, Rosie forgot her reservations, however well-founded they might be, and agreed. “Yes, without delay.” She wanted him as her husband as soon as could be arranged, her helpless need for him outweighing her worries about what might happen if he learned of her family origins. She would give anything if only he would kiss her like this every day for the rest of her life.
Lord Caldwell took her shoulders and held her away from himself, his eyes boring into hers. “I was hoping you would agree. Come, remember...I have a surprise for you.”
He took her hand and the two of them ventured even further toward the rear of the Talcott House garden. A commotion in the background alerted them that Garland had discovered their subterfuge, her caterwauling echoed off the facade of Talcott House.
“Hurry,” Lord Caldwell said, tugging on her hand. “We cannot allow ourselves to be caught.”
A remembrance from the past suddenly emerged as they ran through the trees and the sound of hollering increased. A sliver of panic surged in Rosie’s chest, threatening to replace her excitement. Her footfalls slowed and she gasped for breath as frightening words from long ago reverberated inside her head.
“Run faster. You cannot let them catch you.”
“She’s getting away! Get to the carriage!”
“Run, I say! Run! If the mob catches us, I fear I won’t be able to protect you, miss.”
Thankfully, Lord Caldwell paused for a moment and gave her a look of encouragement as he squeezed her hand. The dark memories vanished in an instant and she was able to continue.
She hated the flashbacks she sometimes had, but she was grateful this one hadn’t lasted long. Either she was getting better at stopping them, or perhaps Lord Caldwell had something to do with her improvement. It was difficult to feel scared of anything in his presence.
Over the last few weeks, he had become her refuge from the storms that would, on occasion, whirl through her mind. Her heart swelled with affection for him and she hoped that once they were married, she would manage to bring him as much happiness as he’d brought her.
When Rosie’s skirt caught on a bramble and she stumbled, he scooped her into his arms. She buried her face in his chest, inhaled his enticing masculine scent, and clung to his shoulders. It was the most exhilarating and romantic moment of her life.
Feeling deliciously reckless and wild, she couldn’t restrain a sudden giggle. She had no idea what would happen to her when Garland caught up with them, not to mention that she still had a punishment coming from Miss Wickersham, but she did not care.
Held close to the man she loved, rushing through the garden, her heart sung with joy.
Lord Caldwell hunkered down to protect her from the stings of limbs and bushes and pushed through to a clearing on the other side of the garden. Rosie had never ventured this far away from Talcott House. Such explorations were strictly forbidden. However, it was a mere drop in the bucket compared to all the other trouble Rosie had accumulated in her account that day.
And her violations of the rules were not over. Not by a long shot.
