Page 24 of Tempting a Lonely Lord
“Thank you, Harlow,” William replied, offering his arm to Bella. “Shall we?”
She nodded, grateful for the prospect of tea to soothe her parched throat. As William busied himself with the tea, she thought she caught a faint whiff of something heavily floral and musky. It seemed out of place, clashing with the savory aroma of sandwiches, biscuits, and the fragrant tea Harlow had brought in. She dismissed it as her imagination—where would William have acquired such a scent, after all?
But as he settled into the chair across from her, the fragrance returned, stronger this time. It wasn’t her imagination. The rich, heady scent clung to him like a second skin, unmistakably perfume. Her thoughts stumbled as she considered the possibilities. Surely it could not be a member of the female staff or Michael’s governess. Had he been somewhere—perhapswithsomeone—whose scent now lingered on him?
The notion struck her like a physical blow, twisting in her gut. Had William taken a lover? The question gnawed at her, unwelcome and unsettling, as she forced herself to sip her tea and feign composure.
“What was it you needed to speak with me about? I doubt it was to ask me to share myTon Tattlerwith you,” he said, taking a bite of a sandwich.
She gave a forced laugh, suddenly unsure of what to say. “Uh… no. I wanted to ask…” She took a deep breath as the question stuck in her throat. The question had been important, but she couldn’t ask him. Not now.
“Bella, I can see that you’re upset, but I’m not sure I understand why,” William said, leaning forward, his brow furrowed in genuine concern. “Have I said or done something to offend you?”
Her cheeks flushed as the heavy, unmistakably feminine fragrance lingered in the air between them, as though taunting her. Unable to hold back, she blurted, “Perhaps it’s more aboutwhereyou’ve been.” Her voice trembled slightly, betraying the ache in her heart.
There was no official understanding between them—not yet—but the thought of him with another woman felt like a dagger twisting deep in her chest. She lowered her gaze, her emotions a tempest she couldn’t quite hide.
“Where I’ve been?” He frowned, confused.
“Last night. It’s clear you were out all night,” she snapped, aware she was making a cake of herself. But she couldn’t seem to stop.
The atmosphere between them grew thick with tension.
“You know where I’ve been? How?” he asked, his voice suddenly raspy.
How dare he treat me like some brainless girl?Anger bubbled up within her. “I may be young, but I’m not ignorant. I know you went to town last evening. And wherever you went, you still reeked of the cheap, tawdry perfume from your illicit rendezvous.”
His confusion turned to shock, which only angered her more.
She stood abruptly. “I’ve changed my mind about my request for a favor.” She glanced down at her slumbering dog. “Come, Lacey, we should take our leave.” Fighting back tears, Bella held her head high as she strode from the room.
The dog growled at William before turning and trotting after her mistress out the door.
~*~
Chapter Nine
Three days later
Bridgewater Manor
Bella hadn’t seen William since she’d stormed out of his home three days ago. In that time, she’d attempted to approach his manor house on three separate occasions, only to turn back when she neared the manse. She had reflected on her behavior and her words and knew she needed to apologize. While she was uncertain about her feelings toward William, she knew it was the right thing to do. But despite making repeated efforts, she couldn’t.Why am I unable to make this right?
Despite her love for Winterborne and her desire to ride the horse, she had refrained from doing so. For days Michael’s comments had rolled around in her head… over and over until her head and heart hurt. Her lack of interaction with Winterborne had hurt the creature, and she wanted to fix things. Until Michael had mentioned it that day in the stables, Bella hadn’t realized the extent of her distance. She wanted to ride Winterborne—shereallydid. And he needed to feel her companionship, something that he couldn’t feel through his stall door, no matter how many carrots she fed him.
Between her behavior toward William and her neglect of Winterborne, she had much to make amends for. If there was one lesson her father had instilled in her, it was that a simple, heartfelt apology—offered promptly—could go a long way in setting things right.
Bella was an expert horsewoman, but since her father’s death, nameless anxiety was keeping her back. Now, as she finally confronted her fear, she understood that she couldn’t help Winterborne until she first found the strength to help herself. Determined to face her challenges, she’d decided to seekWilliam’s help. But instead of asking him to go riding with her, as she’d intended, she’d turned into the worst kind of harpy and accused him of having an illicit interlude with a woman. Her outburst was most presumptive, regrettable, and unforgettable. Shame heated her face at the thought of it.
Craving solitude to gather her thoughts, she had confined herself to her room, even taking her meals there. Both grandmothers had visited individually and together, offering gentle inquiries about what was troubling her. Not wanting to burden them, she had brushed off their concern with a wobbly smile, claiming she was simply dealing with her monthlies and needed a bit of rest.
Perhaps she told herself this excuse was to spare them worry, but the truth was far less tidy. Whenever she dwelled on what she had done, shame washed over her like a tide she couldn’t hold back. Pulling a pillow over her head, she would burst into tears, overwhelmed by mortification.
Neither she nor William had made any promises to each other.He isn’t even aware of my attraction to him.And she wasveryattracted. Not only was he the most handsome man she had ever met, he was genuine and kind. And best of all, he made her laugh. Still, she couldn’t seem to stop crying.
Bella tried to justify her behavior, but no matter how she framed it, she came up short. She thought back to that morning three days ago. When William had come downstairs, it was clear he’d slept in—his slightly tousled hair, drowsy eyes, and raspy voice all betraying the late night he must have had.
Her heart had fluttered at how effortlessly attractive he looked, and she couldn’t stop the unbidden vision of him in his bed.Lordy!But when he had stepped closer to assist her to the table, the scent clinging to him told a different story. It was unmistakably feminine, hinting at a bordello or a lover’sembrace. The realization had hit her like a blow—he must have returned so late that he hadn’t even had time to bathe.
