Page 22 of Once Upon an Aggravatingly Heroic Kiss

“Feel free,” he murmured against her lips, “to manipulate me like this anytime.” Again, he claimed her mouth. “Yet, truth be told, it’s not necessary. All you need to do is ask. Or not even ask. Just—”

Pushing up onto her toes, Lady Edith reached for him, her hands tugging down his head so their lips could meet. “This is wonderful,” she murmured against his mouth. “I wondered how it would make me feel. I wondered—”

The door suddenly opened, and as they turned toward it, Jasper was surprised to see a maid—not the one who had been berated by Lady Lucinda—rush toward them. “Lady Edith, you need to hurry. Lord and Lady Ashbrook are looking for you. They’re headed this way.” She waved Lady Edith forward, glancing nervously back out into the corridor.

“Thank you, Sally,” Lady Edith replied, and once again, Jasper was amazed at how effortlessly Lady Edith seemed to connect to others in a new place.

Without another look, Lady Edith tiptoed cross the room and then disappeared out the door, following Sally down the corridor. Rather dumbfounded, Jasper stared after her, realizing…rather belatedly…with a bit of shock…that he was falling in love with her. Was that even possible? How long had they known each other? A fortnight, perhaps?

In a daze, Jasper returned to the parlor, barely registering the stupid grin that came to Andrew’s face the moment his friend beheld him. His thoughts lingered with Lady Edith and their kiss, with everything they had said to one another and—

—then he paused.

She had wanted his kiss, but…was that all? Jasper’s heart constricted painfully in his chest at the thought that, for her, it had been nothing more than that. Was that possible? Indeed, the way she had looked at him, he could have sworn that…

Or was he a fool? He ought to have asked. Instead of kissing her again and again, he ought to have made it unmistakably clear that…he wanted to marry her…

…because he did, didn’t he?

Running a hand over his face, Jasper felt confused. His thoughts were strangely sluggish, the way they were when he was too deep in his cups. They were spinning, going in circles, and looping around one another until they were hopelessly entangled.

“There you are!”

At his mother’s sharp voice, Jasper’s head snapped up. “Where have you been?” she demanded that usual look of disapproval and disappointment upon her face. “Did you not see the opportunity that presented itself to you?” She shook her head at him.

Jasper did not have the faintest inkling of what she was speaking.

“Lady Adele,” his mother clarified with an eye roll at seeing his no doubt dumbfounded expression. “She—”

“Pardon me,” his sister interrupted, surprising them both. After all, Mary rarely spoke, and Jasper could not recall a single time when she had dared interrupt their mother. “I’m afraid I feel a headache coming on.” Her eyes blinked rapidly, as though she were struggling to hold back tears. “I shall go to my chamber and lie down.” And without another word, she disappeared.

Jasper looked after her, even more confused than before, when his gaze fell on Lord Aberley, his face a mask of anguish while his father, Lord Halston, appeared rather put-out. Lady Adele and her parents, though, were nowhere to be seen. Jasper wondered what they would say to Lady Edith about what had happened here today. He wondered even more how Lady Edith would meet their questions.

Indeed, she knew how to think on her feet! Would she be able to put their concerns to rest? For she had no interest in Lord Aberley, did she?

Belatedly, Jasper realized that he could not be certain…for she had never quite answered his questions. She had wanted his kiss, but did she want Lord Aberley, a future duke, for a husband?

Chapter Thirteen

A LITTLE MAGIC

Closing the door to the small sitting room behind himself, Lord Ashbrook sat down in the upholstered armchair opposite them. Lady Ashbrook, Adele and Edith herself had found room upon the settee. Tension lingered. Lord and Lady Ashbrook’s faces were taut, their eyes stern, while Adele looked like misery incarnate. Seeing her like this broke Edith’s heart.

“Edith, you are aware,” Lord Ashbrook began carefully, exchanging a meaningful look with his wife, “that Adele is to be married to Lord Aberley, are you not?”

Edith chuckled, putting on a look of confusion. “But of course. How could I not? Why do you ask me that, your grace?”

Again, Lord and Lady Ashbrook looked at one another before Lady Ashbrook turned to look at Edith. “Well, dear, after what happened today, we were wondering if…perhaps…you harbor affections for him.” Her voice rose a fraction, giving her statement a bit of a questioning touch.

Edith allowed her eyes to widen as she kept her gaze fixed upon Lady Ashbrook. Then a second later, she let her jaw drop, her eyes blinking rapidly, as though their line of thinking thoroughly shocked her. “Oh, goodness, no!” She moved her wide-eyed gaze back and forth between Lord and Lady Ashbrook. “I…I…,” she stammered for good measure, then inhaled a deep breath, briefly closing her eyes as though fighting for composure.

“Oh dear, this is all a terrible misunderstanding. You see,” Edith began, allowing a tentative smile to show up on her face, “I just received news from my sister.” She tugged the corners of her mouth a little higher. “I am an aunt all over again. A little baby boy. My sister and her husband are overjoyed.” She glanced next to her at Adele. “I was so swept away by the news; I simply wanted to share it with my friend. I’m sorry to say I was completely unaware of…the situation.” She lowered her eyes for a brief moment before looking up at Lady Ashbrook once more. “I am deeply sorry I ruined the moment.”

A look of relief came to Lady Ashbrook’s face as she exchanged a look with her husband. “I quite understand,” she told Edith with a gentle pat of her hand. “Congratulations on your new nephew. This truly is delightful news, and I can understand how it might have blinded you to everything else.”

To Edith’s great relief, that concluded their questioning. The look of suspicion she had seen in their eyes disappeared as though it had never been there, and Lady Ashbrook embraced her with all the warmth Edith had always known her capable of.

“You’re too kind,” Edith replied and then quickly, not daring to wait another moment, she tugged Adele to her side and out of the room. Arm in arm, they hastened up the stairs to their chamber, and the moment the door closed behind them, Edith turned to her friend. “What are you doing?” She demanded, looking at Adele through narrowed eyes.

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