Page 66 of In Compromise with the Earl
“Pass my regards onto your father for me,” Aphrodite said, and finding it prudent to leave, she went back to Oswald’s side.
She touched his arm. “I know you are angry, but I don’t want you to talk to your mother tonight. I know what it is to be so blinded by anger that you will say things you did not and would not mean. Promise me to sleep on it tonight and go to her tomorrow?”
“She was out of line and deceitful,” he said harshly. “I do not take kindly to that.”
“What are you thinking about telling her?” Aphrodite asked gently. “If it something that will break your relationship, you know that you will regret it tomorrow morning.”
Oswald blinked quickly, the sudden anger she saw began to ebb away. His expression softened, but his anger was still smoldering in his eyes. Aphrodite gave him a gentle smile, her eyes resting on him for just one moment longer before she walked away to go speak to her father.
She found her father as he was donning his coat. There were no other people near them, but she dropped her tone still. “Are you satisfied?”
He looked at her. “It depends.”
“If you think trying to shame me before Oswald, you are wrong,” she said calmly. “First, I don’t know if you and the Dowager are in cahoots and I do not care, but I know one thing. Your attempt to break us apart has not worked and will never do so. Second, tell His Grace, that I want nothing to do with him and if he comes near me at all, I will happily shoot him. Goodbye, Father.”
She turned and walked away without one look back. When she approached Oswald, she saw him taking to his mother and the Dowager did not look remorseful or angry, she looked blasé.
He pulled away and walked to her, gesturing for her to take the stairs. She obeyed and took the stairs, feeling Oswald’s hand rest on the small of her back. They didn’t say a word until they entered the bedchamber, and he closed the door behind her.
“My mother has deliberately embarrassed you and I will not stand for that. I believe that Westlake came here purely coincidentally, but I cannot be so sure. What I do know is that your father decided to shame you and hint that you could be Duke Strathmore’s mistress. I am livid, Aphrodite.”
“I know,” she said while undoing his jacket and pulling it away. “But no matter what, she is blind to anything but her own opinions. I don’t know how much longer we can do this. I have tried, and now, with what Stephen said, she is going to hold this over my head for as long as I live.”
Oswald nearly ripped his waistcoat and his shirt. “I will not abide by that. If she tries to use that I will not be kind.”
Touching his chest, she smiled sweetly. “You are so protective.”
“I do not like anyone abusing what I consider precious to me,” he said while doing away with his boots. “And I hate that your father is on my mother’s side. They both want us to be away from each other.”
Sighing, Aphrodite went to the dressing table, removed her jewelry, then pinned her hair up. Oswald came to her side and undid the buttons on her dress, slipping the shoulders down so she could slip out of the dress. He scooped her up and carried her to bed.
Lying beside her, he wrapped an arm around her. “You saw me when I was talking to Mother. She is not sorry about it, Sweetling, I can see that.”
“So, what are we going to do?” Aphrodite asked.
Stroking her side, he said, “We can move away, or she can take the Dowager House on the premises, but I will not be subjecting you to more abuse by her. Who knows what other schemes she will come up with?”
“Well, I know one thing, Father’s ploy did not do as much damage as he wanted,” she said while hollow emotions that she had tried to hold back were turbulent in her chest. “Amalie knew about the kiss with Stephen, and she accepted my apology when I gave it to them.”
“That’s a relief,” he said. “At least people will understand.”
“And Lord Valentine helped,” she said.
Oswald kissed her cheek. “I am truly grateful that you told me to wait about talking to Mother about my anger,” his hand squeezing hers gently. “Thank you.”
Thinking about the searing pain that had come from the Dowager’s subtle jab about her being unfaithful and her father adding more fuel to fire, a tear slipped from her eye. Resisting the urge to reach up and brush it away, she pressed her eyes a little more tightly and kept her eyes closed.
“Tonight was horrible,” Aphrodite sucked in a breath, her body racked with pain. “I know Stephen and Amalie will not whisper but what about the others? What happened tonight will bring gossip and rumors and were I to break it—there would be scandal,” she whispered, her head dropping. “Goodness, this is all such a muddle.”
A fingertip wiped away the tear. “Even if there is a scandal, what can that do to us? I’ve been through the fire and so have you because of your father. I hardly think an innocent childish kiss will sully your name.”
“But what about yours?” she asked, hollowly. “How much can you take?”
“As much as it will take to shield you from the rest,” he said, gently pulling her on his body and kissing her damp cheeks before taking her mouth. Aphrodite could taste her tears too, bare hints of salt between their lips and tongue. Oswald held her with a tenderness she was starting to expect from him, and he kissed her with soft, intimate intent not to possess or pleasure, but merely to comfort.
Their kisses were long and languid and Oswald held her throughout it all until his kisses changed to heated, drugging kisses. Aphrodite sighed, melting into his embrace. It was the kind of cure she could lay still and let wash over as she took comfort from his warm lips and possessive hold.
She lost herself in the beat of his heart, the taste of wine on his lips and the gentle caress of his fingers along her nape. Oswald’s hand slipped to her backside and down to her knee to pull her hip over him and there, she felt his turgid manhood.
