Page 59 of Beyond Scandal and Desire
“Consider your involvement an inducement toward my giving you a damned bookshop.”
Releasing the tiniest of squeals, she clapped. “So it is going to happen?”
He shrugged. “I don’t see the harm in it.”
Earnestly she leaned forward, whispering low, so their mum would not hear, “Have you lured Lady Aslyn away from her earl?”
He had. Partially if not completely. Temporarily if not permanently. It was what he’d wanted, and yet he took no satisfaction in it. Odd that. He should have felt triumphant. Instead, he felt as though her sadness had traveled like wispy smoke from her to him and settled beneath his skin, taking up residence near his beating heart. He didn’t want her sad. He simply wanted her.
Not because of how possessing her would destroy Kipwick or Hedley. But how it would serve to make him whole. Until he’d kissed her, he hadn’t realized something in him was missing. It unnerved him, but he wanted a day with her, a day without shadows, with sunlight and salt air. He wanted time with her when he wasn’t thinking of retribution and she wasn’t thinking of her future with Kipwick.
But he wasn’t going to explain all that to his sister. For some reason, telling her anything at all about what he’d learned at the park seemed a betrayal to Aslyn. She’d trusted him, shared a burden she carried that he didn’t think she’d confessed to anyone else. “Don’t bring him up tomorrow.”
She nodded. “I suppose the children and I are just a prop to give an innocence to the foray to the seaside just as I was a prop that night at Cremorne. I probably shouldn’t agree to this.”
“There is nothing sinister in the outing. She needs a distraction. I’m providing it.”
“I think you’ve come to truly care for her.”
Another thing he wouldn’t admit as it would make him vulnerable. “Put your romantic notions aside. All I want is a pleasant day.” And to ensure one for Aslyn. He wanted her to have no regrets when she completely broke off ties with Kipwick. The man was destined for ruin, and Mick intended to ensure the earl didn’t ruin her, destroy her innocence, in the process.
Odd to realize that he was now striving to protect her from what he’d intended for her in the beginning. Finding himself even more desperate for Hedley’s acknowledgment, for it was his only hope to have any sort of lasting relationship with Aslyn.
Chapter 14
As Aslyn stood on the Brighton Railway platform, she could hardly breathe as the behemoth of a train loomed before her. Smoke billowed, burning coal scented the air. People scurried about, and she would soon join them in the scurrying, but for now she stood as near to the edge of the platform as she could without falling off, so she could make a hasty retreat if she changed her mind.
Mick had told her where to wait, had assured her he would come for her. She halfway wished he wouldn’t keep that promise, prayed that he would. She wanted to be the brave sort he believed her to be.
She’d lied to the duchess and the duke, and sworn the servants who accompanied her to secrecy. She’d done it all with a straight face and an air of confidence. Her guardians didn’t question that she was spending the day with Ladies Katharine and Catherine—the Cats she’d teasingly told them was how she referred to the dear friends—touring museums when she had no dear friends Katherine or Catherine or Cats. Much easier to keep the truth of a lie if there was no one to accidentally dispute it. Although ladies did call on Aslyn, the duchess seldom intruded on the visits because she had no interest in the gossip since she didn’t involve herself much in Society and never entertained.
If her guardians were more open-minded, if she hadn’t been able to envision a row where they forbid her to spend time in the company of Mick Trewlove because of his unfortunate and unfair start in life, she’d have told them the truth. The one thing she’d not needed to lie about was her excitement about the adventure—not the riding the railway part, which still terrified her, but the opportunity to spend more time in the company of a man who actually carried on conversations with her. Who asked questions of her, listened to her answers. She doubted Kip even knew she was terrified of trains. He certainly didn’t know how she moaned when a man’s mouth urged hers to open or his hands spanned her waist and his fingers dug into her hips, holding her near.
And he was certainly unaware that gladness swept through her and warmed her cheeks whenever she caught sight of Mick Trewlove striding toward her. He cut a swath through the bustling crowd that bumped and jostled mere mortals, but then he always gave the impression that he existed on a separate plane from everyone else. Silly of her to give him powers he certainly didn’t possess—powers she’d convinced herself would allow him to keep the train safe.
As he neared, she saw the pleasure in his eyes that her presence brought him. She had no plans to spend the day comparing Kip to him, but the earl had never gazed on her as though she were the only thing that mattered in his life. Mick’s regard was at once humbling and terrifying in its intensity.
“Lady Aslyn,” he said politely, a perfect gentleman.
“Mr. Trewlove. My servants, Nan and Mary, Thomas and John.”
Slipping a hand into a pocket inside his jacket, he slid his gaze past her to the brigade forming a protective half circle behind her. She feared they might be most troublesome and ruin her day. “Gents.” He held up a small packet, extended it to Thomas. “You have the day to do as you will. There’s enough blunt in there to see that you both, along with the coachman and tiger, can go exploring the pubs or do anything else you care to—just don’t return to Hedley Hall. Be here at seven for her ladyship.”
“We can’t leave her in your company,” Thomas said loyally.
“Her maids will be adequate chaperones as will the dozen urchins we’re taking to the seaside.”
“Dozen?” John repeated.
“Aye. Oldest is six, youngest four, I believe. Quite the handful, the lot of them. We certainly welcome you helping us care for them—”
“I’d rather have a pint,” John interrupted.
“I thought you might.”
“My lady?” Thomas began.
“You should take the day to enjoy yourselves,” she assured him. “I’ll be perfectly fine with Nan and Mary to see after my needs.”
