wanting her for himself
washed over Matt. He barely knew her, yet he wanted nobody else to
have her.
He stood quickly, his emotions unsettled at
this new revelation, and tried to concentrate on the issue at hand.
Matthew needed to think of what was best for Miss Cooper, not what
he longed for or what his body desired.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and
groaned. For years he had been able to ignore the natural urges of
his body, keeping desire in check, knowing he could not taste of
the fruit until he was wedded. It had been ten years since he had
been with a woman. It had been so easy to put aside teachings of
chastity, infidelity, and dangers of seduction when you are
eighteen and for two full years he studied during the day and
visited the stews of London at night. He and Jordan had a fine time
back then. Until his father learned.
Visiting whores was perfectly acceptable for
his older brother, but not for Matt. Not if he were to be a perfect
vicar. With the threat of his allowance being cut off, and the last
time his father had actually struck him, Matthew turned his focus
on the Bible once again and tried not to think of pleasures of the
flesh. It had been difficult at first, but easier over time. Yet,
Miss Cooper heated his blood like no woman before. If he married
her, he would no longer have to deny the one thing missing from his
life.
Yet, it wasn’t fair to offer for her simply
because he wished to bed her.
He turned away from the house and strode to
the edge of the terrace. What was he thinking? He should not be
wondering what it would be like to bed one of his parishioners,
especially at a time like this when her life was in turmoil. She
didn’t need some randy vicar pawing at her. She needed his shoulder
to cry on, his support in the hearing, and nothing else.
Grace stepped back outside to find Vicar
Trent had moved away from the table and was standing at the edge of
the terrace. Was he going to leave? Her heart skipped a beat. She
didn’t want him to go just yet. There was a comfort in his presence
that she was not ready to relinquish.
She quickly chastised herself. Vicar Trent
had other parishioners besides herself. She was sure many of them
had concerns that affected them as deeply as hers and she should
not monopolize his time.
“He is asleep, as I suspected. Perkins is
sitting with him.”
Vicar Trent turned to look at her. A frown
marred his brow. Was he upset with her again? Had she said
something wrong?
He marched forward and grasped her upper arms
gently. “Do not marry simply to save your father. You will never be
happy in such an arrangement.”
What had come over him? “I will be happy if I
know my father is cared for and living with me.”
“Will any of the men you mentioned allow you
to be his caregiver?”
She opened her mouth to speak, but Vicar
Trent rushed forward. “Richards would keep your father here,
servants surrounding him, which is well and good, but you would
only be allowed to visit on occasion.”
How did he know Mr. Richards’ plans? Had the
two spoken of this?
“Thorn at least would bring your father to
his house so you could continue your care, but how would your
father be affected by no longer living in his comfortable
surroundings?”
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. Had Vicar
Trent been listening that first day he came to call?
“Who knows what plans Draker has, but the way
he speaks down to you, I doubt you would be allowed an opinion on
what is best for your father.”
“You were listening that day?”
His cheeks developed a light pink hue. “I
couldn’t help not to. Your father had his ear toward the window
taking in every word spoken.”
“Oh dear, I didn’t want him to know. It is
horrible the way people talk about him. I wouldn’t want Papa
hurt.”
“You father wasn’t hurt.” Vicar Trent grasped
her with a bit more force, but not hurting her. “He worries about
you.”
“Papa shouldn’t worry about me. It is I who
should care
washed over Matt. He barely knew her, yet he wanted nobody else to
have her.
He stood quickly, his emotions unsettled at
this new revelation, and tried to concentrate on the issue at hand.
Matthew needed to think of what was best for Miss Cooper, not what
he longed for or what his body desired.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and
groaned. For years he had been able to ignore the natural urges of
his body, keeping desire in check, knowing he could not taste of
the fruit until he was wedded. It had been ten years since he had
been with a woman. It had been so easy to put aside teachings of
chastity, infidelity, and dangers of seduction when you are
eighteen and for two full years he studied during the day and
visited the stews of London at night. He and Jordan had a fine time
back then. Until his father learned.
Visiting whores was perfectly acceptable for
his older brother, but not for Matt. Not if he were to be a perfect
vicar. With the threat of his allowance being cut off, and the last
time his father had actually struck him, Matthew turned his focus
on the Bible once again and tried not to think of pleasures of the
flesh. It had been difficult at first, but easier over time. Yet,
Miss Cooper heated his blood like no woman before. If he married
her, he would no longer have to deny the one thing missing from his
life.
Yet, it wasn’t fair to offer for her simply
because he wished to bed her.
He turned away from the house and strode to
the edge of the terrace. What was he thinking? He should not be
wondering what it would be like to bed one of his parishioners,
especially at a time like this when her life was in turmoil. She
didn’t need some randy vicar pawing at her. She needed his shoulder
to cry on, his support in the hearing, and nothing else.
Grace stepped back outside to find Vicar
Trent had moved away from the table and was standing at the edge of
the terrace. Was he going to leave? Her heart skipped a beat. She
didn’t want him to go just yet. There was a comfort in his presence
that she was not ready to relinquish.
She quickly chastised herself. Vicar Trent
had other parishioners besides herself. She was sure many of them
had concerns that affected them as deeply as hers and she should
not monopolize his time.
“He is asleep, as I suspected. Perkins is
sitting with him.”
Vicar Trent turned to look at her. A frown
marred his brow. Was he upset with her again? Had she said
something wrong?
He marched forward and grasped her upper arms
gently. “Do not marry simply to save your father. You will never be
happy in such an arrangement.”
What had come over him? “I will be happy if I
know my father is cared for and living with me.”
“Will any of the men you mentioned allow you
to be his caregiver?”
She opened her mouth to speak, but Vicar
Trent rushed forward. “Richards would keep your father here,
servants surrounding him, which is well and good, but you would
only be allowed to visit on occasion.”
How did he know Mr. Richards’ plans? Had the
two spoken of this?
“Thorn at least would bring your father to
his house so you could continue your care, but how would your
father be affected by no longer living in his comfortable
surroundings?”
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. Had Vicar
Trent been listening that first day he came to call?
“Who knows what plans Draker has, but the way
he speaks down to you, I doubt you would be allowed an opinion on
what is best for your father.”
“You were listening that day?”
His cheeks developed a light pink hue. “I
couldn’t help not to. Your father had his ear toward the window
taking in every word spoken.”
“Oh dear, I didn’t want him to know. It is
horrible the way people talk about him. I wouldn’t want Papa
hurt.”
“You father wasn’t hurt.” Vicar Trent grasped
her with a bit more force, but not hurting her. “He worries about
you.”
“Papa shouldn’t worry about me. It is I who
should care
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