Page 76 of Beyond Scandal and Desire
At her throat were the pearls he’d returned to her. In her upswept hair was the comb. If she were his, he would gift her with all the jewels in England and beyond. But he had the promise of her for only tonight, for only as long as his secret held, for only as long as she didn’t know the truth.
He considered telling her, telling her everything, but it would test her loyalties, and he wasn’t confident hers would remain with him. She’d known him such a short amount of time and known them forever. They were family and he . . . he couldn’t be certain he was more than a curiosity. She was learning to spread her wings, preparing to take flight, and he had no guarantee she would fly to him. He began leading her up the stairs.
“I thought we were going to have dinner,” she said, looking back toward the dining room.
“I want to show you something first.” Something he’d not shared with anyone else, something he’d not wanted to share. Until now. Until her.
She didn’t object as he continued up the stairs, floor by floor. He had her trust. It humbled him. She humbled him.
“You should know I’m ending things with Kipwick.”
He very nearly tumbled back down the stairs with her quiet pronouncement. “Does he know?”
“Only that I’ve been considering it. I was going to confirm it for him today, but when I went to his residence, he wasn’t in.”
“He’ll be disappointed.”
“But not heartbroken. I don’t think he truly loves me, and what I feel for him is the love of a girl for a boy. I do not think it would stand the test of years spent in each other’s company.”
And what of years spent with me?But he didn’t ask. It was possible even Hedley’s acknowledgment wouldn’t be enough to cleave her to him for any great length of time.
“I’m glad.” Remarkably so. He nearly went mad anytime he thought of Kipwick kissing her, touching her, having her. Visions of bursting into the church and claiming her there in front of God and everyone had begun visiting his dreams. “I’m glad you’re free of him.”
“Almost free of him. Our separation is not complete until he also acknowledges that our betrothal is at an end, but it is a bit of a relief to have made the decision.”
“He’ll try to change your mind.”He needs your dowry.
“I shall stand firm, because I’ve no doubt it’s the correct decision, and he’ll come to understand that as well, in time.”
After witnessing her with the servant at the seaside, he didn’t doubt her strength of conviction. But he questioned Kipwick’s willingness to give up easily, knowing he would never find anyone as beautiful, as courageous, as dignified, as elegant.
When they reached the top floor, he walked her past his office to a solid door that gave nothing away regarding what was inside.
“Your rooms?” she asked.
“Yes. You’ll be as safe in here as you were in my office.”
Her look was pointed. “You kissed me in your office.”
“True. And I’ll probably kiss you in here, as well. Would that be so awful?”
Her cheeks flushed. “Carry on.”
With a measure of victory, he swung open the door. His butler stepped forward.
“Shall I take the lady’s wrap?” he asked.
“In a bit. She might yet have need of it.”
She gave him an odd look. “Have you no fireplaces?”
“Not where we’re going.”
“So mysterious.”
“You’ll love it, I promise.”
Aslyn heard the utter confidence in his tone, and she wondered if the man ever doubted anything in his life. His entryway branched off into a huge parlor and two hallways, one on either side. She assumed the one down which he did not take her led to bedchambers. The one they traversed ended in an enormous library with a wall of windows and three of shelves with enough books to fill a small bookshop. But it was the spiral staircase leading into the ceiling that captured her attention.
