Page 91 of Desperate Proposals
“Down here?” he said fondly as he reached for her, gathering her up against him.
She did not protest, and folded against his chest with relief.
“Did Dolly wander off?”
“Oh,” she repeated, pulling back with a confused look until she realized what he meant. “No, she was—is—just outside the door. I suppose I didn’t… well. I was only thinking you’d be in the drawing room with…” Her voice trailed off as her eyes fell upon his hands, as if she’d only just realized he held her in an embrace.
Gently she pulled further back, but this time Marcus held tight.
“With your father, you mean?” His voice was soft. “Raging over Mrs. Wolfenden’s indiscretions?”
She looked away.
“Evelyn, darling,” he breathed.
He felt her stiffen at the endearment, and he felt a lurch in his gut. But he pressed on. Tenderly, with one finger on her chin, her turned her head back to face him.
“You think I would just burst in and begin flinging accusations about?”
“Yes.” She blinked. “You’ve no finesse about these sorts of things.”
Though her words were blunt, he could hear the hesitation in her voice. He felt hope rising in his chest.
“Christ, but you’re gorgeous,” he said as pulled her closer, his breath coming more rapidly. “Especially when you’re dressing me down.”
She pursed her lips as if to protest, but he leaned in and captured them with a demanding kiss. He should have kissed her the moment she’d stepped into the stables. He should’ve taken her like this, warming her with his lips, loosening her with his embrace. She crushed against him, all of her stiffness dissipating, leaving only her soft curves and wanting mouth. Marcus clutched at her as if she were a dream, a mirage that might disappear if he relaxed his hold even the slightest amount.
When her hands dug into his shoulders, he nearly moaned out loud into her mouth, nearly lifted her up from wanting. But then he remembered where they were, and why. He slowed his kisses, and with the full extent of his willpower he reluctantly retreated.
“I’ve some finesse aboutthesesorts of things, though, wouldn’t you say?” he murmured, one hand massaging the back of her neck.
When she flushed, he felt powerful enough to bring down the walls of the venerable manor with merely a word.
“Render honor to whom honor is due, dearest wife. You caught me in the midst of my investigation, attempting to ferret out our Mr. Wright.”
She nodded. “And Selina,” she added pointedly.
Marcus frowned. “You still believe her to be the instigator?”
Evelyn dropped her gaze to his hand upon her arm. “I’m… I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I don’t understand why he’d risk his position and income, risk forfeiting everything. He’s never been anything but upstanding and reliable.”
Marcus sighed and plucked another burr from her cloak.
“In this instance, I’d suppose he thinks he could use this to extort enough money to make it worth the trouble.”
“No.” Evelyn pulled back slightly, but did not release him. “I don’t believe it.”
They were still clutching at one another when the door opened once more.
Wright stood in the doorway, Mrs. Wolfenden on his arm.
“Selina?!” Evelyn gasped, breaking free of her husband’s embrace and taking several steps toward her sister-in-law.
Selina quickly let go of Wright’s arm, guilt splashed across her face.
“Evelyn,” Selina said, her voice strident as she whipped her head from Evelyn to Marcus. “Mr. Hartley? Why, whatever are you doing here?”
“We’re here to ask the same of you. If you’ll recall, I forbade you from riding out from the lodge,” Evelyn said, her tone as cold and sharp as a blade of steel.
