soldier.’
‘I am surprised. Are you not the Earl of Malcomby’s heir?’
‘Yes, but my father was a soldier too. It was how he earned his earldom. I simply followed in his footsteps.’
‘But you are not serving now?’
‘No. There comes a time when it is necessary to stop and turn one’s thoughts to duties at home.’
‘Your wife?’
‘I have no wife. She died many years ago.’
‘I am sorry.’ She paused before mounting the steps to the ground floor. ‘Is Cecil really your cousin?’
‘He is the son of my father’s cousin, so the relationship is removed.’ He gave a low chuckle. ‘He seems to think it is important.’
‘He thinks you are well up in the stirrups and has every intention of relieving you of some of your wealth.’
He laughed. ‘He may try.’
‘You do not think he will succeed?’
‘I know he will not. He is a very poor player.’
‘And the others?’
‘They are a different matter. I fancy they have Cecil in so deep he does not know which way to turn and he is afraid.’ He paused, then added softly. ‘Men in that situation can be dangerous, my lady. I beg you to take care.’
She turned sharply to see his face, wondering why he should take the trouble to warn her. Not that she needed it; she knew very well the precarious situation she was in. But she had no choice. Until she heard from Mr Hardacre and could find a new home, she was stuck. For her children’s sake she had to endure it. She could not tell him that and so she did not answer. At the top of the narrow stairs he turned to help her negotiate the last step just as Cecil hurried along the corridor towards them.
‘Stacey, it is taking you a devilish long time to find a couple of bottles of wine. What have you been doing?’ He stopped suddenly and laughed. ‘Oh, I see. Dallying with my sister-in-law, are you? There’s a time and place for that sort of thing, don’t you know? And it is not now. We are waiting to begin.’
Instead of releasing Charlotte, Stacey, put his arms about her and drew her close. ‘Trust you to come along and spoil things, Cousin,’ he said jovially.
‘You’ll get nowhere with her,’ Cecil said, relieving Stacey of the wine. ‘Cold and stiff as a corpse, that one.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. She was thawing very nicely before you came and spoiled it.’ He felt Charlotte squirm, trying to pull herself away, but he held her closer and before she could protest, had put one forefinger under her chin and tipped her face up to his, so that he could kiss her.
She started to struggle and then the sensations that coursed through her, sensations she had not felt for over eight years, overcame her resistance and she leaned into him so that their bodies touched and seemed to fuse. She did not seem able to pull herself away, though her head was telling her she was being foolish in the extreme. His lips were caressing hers, making little currents of warmth journey up and down her limbs, until they ended in one great whirlpool of desire. Her legs felt weak and she would have crumpled in a heap if he had not been holding her.
He lifted his head at last, but only to whisper in her ear, ‘Do not act the outraged innocent, my lady. Remember what I said and take care.’ And with that he kissed her soundly on the cheek and let her go. ‘Come on, Cousin, back to the gaming table.’
Before she could find her voice, Stacey had taken Cecil’s arm and propelled him along the corridor, leaving her breathless and shaking. And mortified that she had allowed herself to succumb. Now he would think he could take whatever liberties he liked. What was his game? Why did he stay? Surely not so that he could indulge in kissing her? She had no doubt he could make free with any of the other ladies if he so chose and they would not demur, they would encourage him openly.
Did he imagine there was money to be made from gambling with her brother-in-law? How disappointed he would be when he
‘I am surprised. Are you not the Earl of Malcomby’s heir?’
‘Yes, but my father was a soldier too. It was how he earned his earldom. I simply followed in his footsteps.’
‘But you are not serving now?’
‘No. There comes a time when it is necessary to stop and turn one’s thoughts to duties at home.’
‘Your wife?’
‘I have no wife. She died many years ago.’
‘I am sorry.’ She paused before mounting the steps to the ground floor. ‘Is Cecil really your cousin?’
‘He is the son of my father’s cousin, so the relationship is removed.’ He gave a low chuckle. ‘He seems to think it is important.’
‘He thinks you are well up in the stirrups and has every intention of relieving you of some of your wealth.’
He laughed. ‘He may try.’
‘You do not think he will succeed?’
‘I know he will not. He is a very poor player.’
‘And the others?’
‘They are a different matter. I fancy they have Cecil in so deep he does not know which way to turn and he is afraid.’ He paused, then added softly. ‘Men in that situation can be dangerous, my lady. I beg you to take care.’
She turned sharply to see his face, wondering why he should take the trouble to warn her. Not that she needed it; she knew very well the precarious situation she was in. But she had no choice. Until she heard from Mr Hardacre and could find a new home, she was stuck. For her children’s sake she had to endure it. She could not tell him that and so she did not answer. At the top of the narrow stairs he turned to help her negotiate the last step just as Cecil hurried along the corridor towards them.
‘Stacey, it is taking you a devilish long time to find a couple of bottles of wine. What have you been doing?’ He stopped suddenly and laughed. ‘Oh, I see. Dallying with my sister-in-law, are you? There’s a time and place for that sort of thing, don’t you know? And it is not now. We are waiting to begin.’
Instead of releasing Charlotte, Stacey, put his arms about her and drew her close. ‘Trust you to come along and spoil things, Cousin,’ he said jovially.
‘You’ll get nowhere with her,’ Cecil said, relieving Stacey of the wine. ‘Cold and stiff as a corpse, that one.’
‘Oh, I don’t know. She was thawing very nicely before you came and spoiled it.’ He felt Charlotte squirm, trying to pull herself away, but he held her closer and before she could protest, had put one forefinger under her chin and tipped her face up to his, so that he could kiss her.
She started to struggle and then the sensations that coursed through her, sensations she had not felt for over eight years, overcame her resistance and she leaned into him so that their bodies touched and seemed to fuse. She did not seem able to pull herself away, though her head was telling her she was being foolish in the extreme. His lips were caressing hers, making little currents of warmth journey up and down her limbs, until they ended in one great whirlpool of desire. Her legs felt weak and she would have crumpled in a heap if he had not been holding her.
He lifted his head at last, but only to whisper in her ear, ‘Do not act the outraged innocent, my lady. Remember what I said and take care.’ And with that he kissed her soundly on the cheek and let her go. ‘Come on, Cousin, back to the gaming table.’
Before she could find her voice, Stacey had taken Cecil’s arm and propelled him along the corridor, leaving her breathless and shaking. And mortified that she had allowed herself to succumb. Now he would think he could take whatever liberties he liked. What was his game? Why did he stay? Surely not so that he could indulge in kissing her? She had no doubt he could make free with any of the other ladies if he so chose and they would not demur, they would encourage him openly.
Did he imagine there was money to be made from gambling with her brother-in-law? How disappointed he would be when he
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